scott26

Greetings all,

I am hoping to get advice about going bear hunting either in NC or WV this year. I cant afford a guide so was hoping someone could give me info on where and how to go about it on my own. I have hunted deer for a few years and would like to expand my hunting a bit. Any advice would be great. Thanks to all from a new member.

Scott

linvillegorge

It's going to be very, very tough and I'd put your odds of success in the low single digits. Being from western NC, I can tell you first hand that you're hunting an animal of relatively few numbers (compared to say, deer), that roam over a huge range, are very wary of people, and you're going to be doing it in extremely rough terrain that is covered by some of the most dense vegetation you can imagine. 99% of bear hunters in western NC hunt with dogs for the reasons I've listed here.

scott26

Thanks for the advice. Maybe I will have to take a deer hunting trip to NC and hope to luck in to one. Again, thanks for the reply.

Scott

linvillegorge

No problem, man. If anything, this year would be a tougher year than most considering how dry it hasbeen. When food gets scarce, they REALLY roam! They normally stay in the mountain, but when times get hard, they go where they need to go. I'm from Morganton which is in the foothills and it's not all thatuncommon for bear to be seen around there during rougher years and there's a bear sighting or two every few years or so. But, this year, they've really been roaming. A couple of weeks ago, there were a few bear sighting in Statesville and Davidson. Now THAT is unheard of!

A deer hunt would be a good idea. That way you can get a feel for the area. Talk to hunters you see and you may be able to hook up with someone who can get you into a dogged hunt.

scott26

linvillegorge,

Strange coincidence your from Morganton. My wife and I are considering relocation there from s florida. How is the community, and more importantly, how is the hunting (other than bear) ? Is it a safe place? Thanks in advance!

Scott

linvillegorge

Morganton is pretty nice place and was a great place to grow up. You're basically sitting in a bowl of mountains surrounded by mountains on three sides. You have the South Mountains to the south, the Black Mountains to the west, and the Blue Ridge to the north. You're within an hour or so of pretty much every ski slope in NC, within an hour of some good trout fishing, and you have the huge Pisgah National Forest to the west for lots of public land hunting. Like most places, many of the better hunting areas are private land and they're now posted, but with Pisgah nearby, you know there will always be plenty of public land. Depending on where you're looking to live, you may be able to buy enough land to hunt on. My parents still live in Morganton right outside city limits and they have about 10 acres. You can sit on the deck and watch deer all evening. Deer and turkey populations are exploding, as well as coyote if you like predator hunting. You also have Lake James nearby, which is beautiful and has some good largemouth, smallmouth, walleye, and catfish, along with some pike and muskie.

Morganton is pretty safe place. Sure, there's some crime like everywhere else, but all in all nothing to worry about. Like most small towns in NC, it's been hit hard by the furniture and textile industries heading to China. I wouldn't move there without a job in hand, because there aren't many and aren't many nearby either.

I spent 18 years in Morganton and loved it. I still love to visit and hike - lots of GREAT hiking within and hour of Morganton. The Linville Gorge is one of the most beautiful places in the country east of the Mississippi, but it's been hit hard by fire the last couple of years.

Basically, if you can land a good, secure job, go for it! As for me, I'm heading to Colorado. I just accepted a job that starts September 1st.

scott26

Hey thanks for the great info. I have lived in s florida my entire life and am looking to get to a milder climate with less people and a slower pace of life. Outside of my family hunting isthe passion in life for me so thats a consideration also. My wife is a RN and I am a paramedic/RN so hopefully we wont have any trouble finding jobs. Hickory NC is another option for us also. Thanks again and good luck in Colorado.

Scott

linvillegorge

The job market in Hickory is really hurting too. Not as bad as Morganton, but it's still hurting. I'm not sure what you do professionally, but as far as jobs go, the best bet by far in western NC is Asheville. Charlotte is really booming as well and if you're on the north or west side of town, you can be within an hour and a half or so of the mountains. If you're on the east side, you can be within an hour or so of Uhwarrie National Forest. I live in Huntersville right now which is about 15 miles north of Charlotte and I'm about an hour and 15 minutes from Morganton. Beware though, Charlotte traffic is horrendous. Then you have the whole Raleigh/Durham/research triangle area that is really booming with tech jobs. It really depends on what you're looking to do. If I was staying in NC longterm, I'd probably be looking at Asheville as far as a balance of outdoor opportunities and job opportunities. Best of luck man and let me know if there's any other info you need. I'll be happy to help.

scott26

Concord/Kannapolis in Cabarrus county is the other area we are looking at. We actually spent a few days there about a year ago and liked it OK, but there was more traffic/congestion than we were expecting. That Uhwarrie Nationall Forrest looks good online as far as recreation goes. Also Concord has a big hospital that my wife and I should be able to find work at pretty easy, as does Hickory. The housing market took a nose dive here in south fl so all this depends on my ability to sell my home. Thanks again.

Scott

nc bearhunter

i hunt the pisgah forest area and at times bear hunting can be a real job but with a little practice you can still find them. i do not hunt with dogs but if you go to the area between black moutian and old fort you can still find them. scott the asheville area is very good for rn and paramedic's they always have job openings in the local paper with sign on bonues good luck