Why do people hunt bears?
08-07-2011, 05:21 PM
#21
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Colorado
Posts: 9,557
I do still hunting. It's moving very slowly through the timber. Trying to spot game, before they see you. I've been hunting like that for 60 years, and I haven't got tired of it.
I'm thinking I probably won't at this point.
I'm thinking I probably won't at this point.
08-07-2011, 07:09 PM
#22
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: North Central Illinois
Posts: 848
Ya know, stand hunting isn't just walking into the woods and sitting down and waiting. There's a fair amount of scouting, planning, settin up, involved. After all, If you are going to spend a lot of time sitting in a tree, you better pick a good tree. :-)
I do still hunt sometimes, and it is fun
I do still hunt sometimes, and it is fun
08-07-2011, 07:32 PM
#23
Spike
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 44
I myself have hunted out of tree stands blinds and have spoted and stalked and all those have payed off, i also really like to do what you do. i love to hunt and do it in many diffrent ways how i decide my stratigy is by the situation im in, I had a turkey tag this spring i set up some blinds in my hay feild, and last elk season my mom had a tag and we hike on many different trails my dad has hunted and lived here his whole life and knows alot of hot spots we ended up geting her a pretty good bull, and 2 years ago my dad had an antelope tag and we had some tree stands set up and killed a nice buck,i like to do just about any kinda hunting, my point is that we all hunt and some dont like bear hunting they dont have to bear hunt,some dont like spot and stalk some dont like sitting in a blind and they dont have to do that its up to you as a hunter and your opainon to decide what you want to do and that do me is one of the best things about hunting.
08-07-2011, 07:48 PM
#24
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Colorado
Posts: 9,557
That's what I said. Everybody can hunt the way they want. I was just trying to understand the hard part of stand hunting? I know getting it setup is the hardest part, but those that hire an outfitter don't even do that part. Anyway, not important.
btw.. Many times as i'm sneaking along looking for muley's or elk. I see a bear that doesn't see me. I could have shot it if I had a tag. So, still hunting for bear will work.
btw.. Many times as i'm sneaking along looking for muley's or elk. I see a bear that doesn't see me. I could have shot it if I had a tag. So, still hunting for bear will work.
08-07-2011, 08:07 PM
#25
Spike
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 44
well you gotta find a good spot you know do you homework of where is the best place to put a stand then the work begins especially if your by your self you gotta pack everthing in set everything up and when your hunt is over you gotta go back and take it all down and pack it out. and as far as the outfitter thing, most the people who haire an outfitter and usually a non resident of that state and/or do not know alot about the animal they are hunting or just need some help and your right they dont do the work of putting up the stand setting up the blind scouting etc...... but that is what all guides do for a living, help other hunters and they must really enjoy it or esaly they wounld not be doing it.
Last edited by houndsman12; 08-08-2011 at 03:39 PM.
08-08-2011, 06:58 PM
#26
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 198
Muley Hunter, I don't intend to get in arguement with you, but you missed my point about hunting bears over bait. Your're right sitting in a stand is not hard, but harvesting a bear isn't as easy they make it look on hunting shows on TV. Thats what I ment about not being easy. The success rate was 29% in Minnesota last season, which was a little higher than usual. A lot of hunters sit over a lot of bait sites and don't get a chance to harvest a bear. What I am trying to say is don't judge a certain type of hunting because of a TV show. You stated in your response to me that if I would have walked around in the woods I would've not even seen the three cubs. Again you are probably right and thats why bait is used in Minnesota and other places with big woods.
I would also like to say I went with an outfitter because I live in southwestern Minnesota which isn't bear country. I would have to travel at least 150-200 miles to set up and maintain bait sites. I did not have to do a lot math to figure out with gas prices that it was cheaper to hunt through an outfitter. I enjoyed my bear hunt and the time spent in the woods and nature. To me thats what hunting is about. Pretty sad I am on a hunting forum defending and explaining that. No hard feelings just hope you see my point.
I would also like to say I went with an outfitter because I live in southwestern Minnesota which isn't bear country. I would have to travel at least 150-200 miles to set up and maintain bait sites. I did not have to do a lot math to figure out with gas prices that it was cheaper to hunt through an outfitter. I enjoyed my bear hunt and the time spent in the woods and nature. To me thats what hunting is about. Pretty sad I am on a hunting forum defending and explaining that. No hard feelings just hope you see my point.
08-08-2011, 08:28 PM
#28
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Central Minnesota
Posts: 9,445
Lots of assuming going on here with baiting bear. No surprise either. Until you've walked In both shoes (spot and stalk and baiting). How can you honestly comment on the baiting aspect and knock It down? I can understand the OP on why he asked as he's never done neither before but someone from the mountains commenting on people who bait bear? Come on already! To be honest I'll take your method of hunting out west any day over hunting a bait here In Minnesota. Why? Cause It's less work. I've done both, been bear hunting for 20+ years. I've stocked up on my share of bears In Montana and Idaho In the mountains. None of which got an arrow, too small for my liking. What a thrill It was though but not near as tough as I originally thought It would be. I'm not taking a damn thing away from that style of hunting though. It's fun and very exciting being eye level at 10 yards with a bear. More exciting I think. The hardest part most people have with spot and stalk bear hunting Is their too chicken **** to get that close to a bear.
As far as baiting bears. NEVER assume every place Is like Canada. A person can get spoiled there hunting bear over bait. Like someone else mentioned In this thread, huge difference here In Mn. I've bear hunted 21 years. I've shot 10 bear. My success rate Is a little under 50%. If baiting bear was supposed to be easy that percentage should be much higher. I know for a fact I put more time and work Into bear hunting then most do and If I didn't I'd be at the average of probably 20 to 25 percent. The work that goes Into bear baiting Is nuts. Most here wouldn't do It or couldn't do It. It takes a ton of time to do. Getting a bear to hit a bait Isn't the hard part. Getting them to hit a bait In day light hours Is the challenge. I'd challenge anyone on this board to come on up to northern Minnesota and try and walk around the big woods here (10,000+ acres) and shoot a bear with your bow. Chances are you'll never see one. Problem Is, you can't see 10 yards past your nose up there. It's thick everywhere. You think the old timers years ago walked around looking for bear to shoot? I guarantee they didn't. Bear don't follow trails, they roam. They've always been baited up here. It's about the only way possible besides maybe trying calls which would be tough too cause we don't have the bear numbers that's needed for that.
I've talked with locals up where I bear hunt. Some of these people are 80 years old and they've never saw a bear their whole life. It's nothing like hunting bear out west Muley. Not even close. When you can't see what your hunting you've gotta do the next best thing. Draw them In with their nose. It's the only way It can be done here to manage our bear population. I can promise you that.
As far as baiting bears. NEVER assume every place Is like Canada. A person can get spoiled there hunting bear over bait. Like someone else mentioned In this thread, huge difference here In Mn. I've bear hunted 21 years. I've shot 10 bear. My success rate Is a little under 50%. If baiting bear was supposed to be easy that percentage should be much higher. I know for a fact I put more time and work Into bear hunting then most do and If I didn't I'd be at the average of probably 20 to 25 percent. The work that goes Into bear baiting Is nuts. Most here wouldn't do It or couldn't do It. It takes a ton of time to do. Getting a bear to hit a bait Isn't the hard part. Getting them to hit a bait In day light hours Is the challenge. I'd challenge anyone on this board to come on up to northern Minnesota and try and walk around the big woods here (10,000+ acres) and shoot a bear with your bow. Chances are you'll never see one. Problem Is, you can't see 10 yards past your nose up there. It's thick everywhere. You think the old timers years ago walked around looking for bear to shoot? I guarantee they didn't. Bear don't follow trails, they roam. They've always been baited up here. It's about the only way possible besides maybe trying calls which would be tough too cause we don't have the bear numbers that's needed for that.
I've talked with locals up where I bear hunt. Some of these people are 80 years old and they've never saw a bear their whole life. It's nothing like hunting bear out west Muley. Not even close. When you can't see what your hunting you've gotta do the next best thing. Draw them In with their nose. It's the only way It can be done here to manage our bear population. I can promise you that.
08-09-2011, 04:28 AM
#29
Fork Horn
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Tug Hill NY
Posts: 420
Baiting deer is legal in alot of places (not here), yet that is considered hunting. Shooting deer in an open field of hundreds of acres from a stand over planted crops is considered hunting (not my sport). Unfortunately, regardless of their story, many deer hunters Do Not eat the meat they shoot.
Bear meat is very fine, properly prepared- like venison. Each bear also gives you potentially a fine hide. Bears are a predator which can chew back. Just going into and out of your stand gets you invigorated. In many bear regions, you can also hunt bears in the spring, adding a hunting season. Bear hunts generally are one of the much more affordable hunts around. Generally speaking, any argument against bear hunting is just as easily made against Deer, rabbit, etc.
Bear meat is very fine, properly prepared- like venison. Each bear also gives you potentially a fine hide. Bears are a predator which can chew back. Just going into and out of your stand gets you invigorated. In many bear regions, you can also hunt bears in the spring, adding a hunting season. Bear hunts generally are one of the much more affordable hunts around. Generally speaking, any argument against bear hunting is just as easily made against Deer, rabbit, etc.
08-09-2011, 04:50 AM
#30
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: NewLowell ,Ontario ,Canada
Posts: 2,765
I was watching a show on one of the hunting/outdoor channels "Savage Outdoors." From Savage Arms. I like Accutrigger but I don't understand something. Sportsman Channel.
They were in Canada somewhere an there were about five or six of them. Briefly, they had set up barrels in the woods that appeared to have food in them, some kind of a attractant (illegal in my state from what I can read, Georgia.) Anyway, they waited for the bears to come eat and then two women shot some bears with a bow and later another guy with a Savage rifle.
My question. How is that hunting? Am I missing something? First, why are they using attractants? And why do they hunt the bears in the first place? Do they eat them? Does it thin the herd so bears don't starve like deer?
I can eat a deer and thin the population but I just didn't get the bear hunting on this show. It looks pointless and unsporting (if you can have such a thing killing animals.)
I know that sounds like trolling. Sorry. I was genuinely puzzled.
They were in Canada somewhere an there were about five or six of them. Briefly, they had set up barrels in the woods that appeared to have food in them, some kind of a attractant (illegal in my state from what I can read, Georgia.) Anyway, they waited for the bears to come eat and then two women shot some bears with a bow and later another guy with a Savage rifle.
My question. How is that hunting? Am I missing something? First, why are they using attractants? And why do they hunt the bears in the first place? Do they eat them? Does it thin the herd so bears don't starve like deer?
I can eat a deer and thin the population but I just didn't get the bear hunting on this show. It looks pointless and unsporting (if you can have such a thing killing animals.)
I know that sounds like trolling. Sorry. I was genuinely puzzled.
The woods are very large here and at most cases spot and stock is impossible. Not that anyone here would not try a stock over the bait system. The population of bears sky rocket because of the large woods and that is another eason why there looks to be so many bear shot leaving the impression that all the bears in the area are taken, when there is way more then what is taken.
A black bear will come to food and at most times on the same trails he uses but that don't mean its like (Shooting fish in a barrel) because the nose and ears of the bear are so good that they will pick you off well before they get to the barrel at most times.
Is everyone successful when hunting here No, hunters on the most part here pass up alot of bears and only hunt the large outstanding bears that maybe coming in, but if you travel some distance and pay for a tag, then some would soon use the tag and take a meat bear.
Last season I spent two weeks over a bait and in the end I never used my tag , passing on a number of small bear, so we all are not successful all the time.
Here in Ontario we also only have a fall hunt (No spring hunt) and the season is short with the other big game seasons running into the bear is yet another reason baiting helps reduces the population.
Hope that helps...
