Why do people hunt bears?
08-04-2011, 05:02 PM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 53
Why do people hunt bears?
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.
08-04-2011, 05:11 PM
#2
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: New York State
Posts: 154
While I do not agree with baiting, to answer you're question. Yes. You can eat bears. I shot a black bear 3 years ago and it actually tasted very good. If I had to describe it I'd say almost like a mix between beef and pork. Not only did I get a lot of meat, but also a very nice rug
08-04-2011, 06:32 PM
#3
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: North Central Illinois
Posts: 848
I've eaten and enjoyed black bear before, not my favorite, but good. I also used to work for a meat processor, and some would bring bear in for sausage just like venison--also good.
As for population control, there are areas where black bears are very plentiful.
As for the baiting, I don't have a strong feeling about it, but I'd point out the following. Hunting used to be (long ago) about getting food rather than as it is now for a lot of people about being sporting. So, way back when, people developed methods of hunting that were efficient at getting meat rather than being sporting. Baiting is one such method. If your trying to plow a field with a horse, make some clothes, and cut wood for the winter, you probably don't have enough time to chase bears around for a week. Thus, you figure out how to get them as easy as possible. Some of those old methods survive--right or wrong. And, those that grew up with them will tend to see them as the norm.
I'm currently building points for a Wisconsin bear hunt, and if and when I get one, it will be consumed.
As for population control, there are areas where black bears are very plentiful.
As for the baiting, I don't have a strong feeling about it, but I'd point out the following. Hunting used to be (long ago) about getting food rather than as it is now for a lot of people about being sporting. So, way back when, people developed methods of hunting that were efficient at getting meat rather than being sporting. Baiting is one such method. If your trying to plow a field with a horse, make some clothes, and cut wood for the winter, you probably don't have enough time to chase bears around for a week. Thus, you figure out how to get them as easy as possible. Some of those old methods survive--right or wrong. And, those that grew up with them will tend to see them as the norm.
I'm currently building points for a Wisconsin bear hunt, and if and when I get one, it will be consumed.
08-04-2011, 06:45 PM
#4
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 53
I've eaten and enjoyed black bear before, not my favorite, but good. I also used to work for a meat processor, and some would bring bear in for sausage just like venison--also good.
As for population control, there are areas where black bears are very plentiful.
As for the baiting, I don't have a strong feeling about it, but I'd point out the following. Hunting used to be (long ago) about getting food rather than as it is now for a lot of people about being sporting. So, way back when, people developed methods of hunting that were efficient at getting meat rather than being sporting. Baiting is one such method. If your trying to plow a field with a horse, make some clothes, and cut wood for the winter, you probably don't have enough time to chase bears around for a week. Thus, you figure out how to get them as easy as possible. Some of those old methods survive--right or wrong. And, those that grew up with them will tend to see them as the norm.
I'm currently building points for a Wisconsin bear hunt, and if and when I get one, it will be consumed.
As for population control, there are areas where black bears are very plentiful.
As for the baiting, I don't have a strong feeling about it, but I'd point out the following. Hunting used to be (long ago) about getting food rather than as it is now for a lot of people about being sporting. So, way back when, people developed methods of hunting that were efficient at getting meat rather than being sporting. Baiting is one such method. If your trying to plow a field with a horse, make some clothes, and cut wood for the winter, you probably don't have enough time to chase bears around for a week. Thus, you figure out how to get them as easy as possible. Some of those old methods survive--right or wrong. And, those that grew up with them will tend to see them as the norm.
I'm currently building points for a Wisconsin bear hunt, and if and when I get one, it will be consumed.
08-04-2011, 06:53 PM
#5
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2008
Posts: 53
Here's the show. Alberta teaser trailer:
http://savageoutdoors.tv/
am I wrong? Aren't those some kind of baiting barrels?
http://savageoutdoors.tv/
am I wrong? Aren't those some kind of baiting barrels?
08-04-2011, 07:01 PM
#6
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 10,679
And why do they hunt the bears in the first place?
A bear has no natural predators any more other than other bears. Something has to control the bear population.
They weren't eating them.
AS far as baiting them goes...... I haven't, but have you ever tried to get close to a black bear in the Alberta woods. I can't imagine it would be very easy or effective... not to mention it would probably pretty dangerous with the high population of bears up there that would be even higher if they didn't allow baiting.
Last edited by bigbulls; 08-04-2011 at 07:06 PM.
08-04-2011, 07:16 PM
#7
Fork Horn
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 182
And why do they hunt the bears in the first place?
And they taste good and make fine trophys and rugs.
First, why are they using attractants?
Ever hunt over a food plot? Or a water hole? Same thing.
08-04-2011, 07:51 PM
#8
Spike
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 44
Have you never seen whitetail deer be lured in with a deer feeding station. or a muley with a saltlick. and in africa for a leopard they will hang a peice of meat in a tree. and as bigbulls said, how do you know that they did not eat them, did they specify that they were not going to eat the bears and/or show them throwing the bears out? and i do not understand why you dislike bear hunting so bad, is it because people bait the bears? if so not all people bait bears i have seen many people not bait bears i my self run bears with hounddogs and have also hunted them with no bait with no dogs just spoting them on a ridge or knowing they are in a certain area and just going in there and hunting them, just like you would hunt deer or elk.
08-04-2011, 11:27 PM
#9
Fork Horn
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 119
First black bear meat is good if taken care of, I hunt bears for the meat, if I shoot one that I really like I will get a rug made,but the intention is to eat what I shoot. Baiting is legal in some areas, not in others,in Canada and Alaska, the reason for baiting is simple many areas are so vast and so thick there is no other reasonable method besides baiting, I hold a baiting license , that I have used one time,I chose to hunt areas where I can spot and stalk , but that means there are huge areas I simply can't hunt ,there are alder thickets that hide moose in large numbers and moving through these is never quiet.The DFG estimate is 100,000 black bears in the state, I believe that's low, by at least half, but most people will never see a bear unless it crosses the road in front of them.[ Last] hunting bears of any kind seems to be good for their numbers, hunters target the large adult males, and these are the cannibals ,an adult male will kill the cubs if given a chance,so taking a number of them out of the picture we insure the survival of a larger number of cubs.& elk calves Deer fawns, and moose calves.
08-05-2011, 09:56 PM
#10
Spike
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 19
First black bear meat is good if taken care of, I hunt bears for the meat, if I shoot one that I really like I will get a rug made,but the intention is to eat what I shoot. Baiting is legal in some areas, not in others,in Canada and Alaska, the reason for baiting is simple many areas are so vast and so thick there is no other reasonable method besides baiting, I hold a baiting license , that I have used one time,I chose to hunt areas where I can spot and stalk , but that means there are huge areas I simply can't hunt ,there are alder thickets that hide moose in large numbers and moving through these is never quiet.The DFG estimate is 100,000 black bears in the state, I believe that's low, by at least half, but most people will never see a bear unless it crosses the road in front of them.[ Last] hunting bears of any kind seems to be good for their numbers, hunters target the large adult males, and these are the cannibals ,an adult male will kill the cubs if given a chance,so taking a number of them out of the picture we insure the survival of a larger number of cubs.& elk calves Deer fawns, and moose calves.
