I will be about 1lb. heavier as I hike to my stand, next year in PA

"Heat" or bear spray.....one or the other.

Rob, I knew you took one in Canada, and that's truly a great trophy. To be honest I don't think PA is my best bet just because of the length of the season. My property does fall into PA's limited zones that allow bears to be taken in the first 3 days of deer/rifle season, but I haven't hunted more than 2 days total during this season in the last 4 years. If I had one fairly well patterned I'd give it a shot though.

We definitely have some bears there, they terrorize my grandparents garbage at least once a year every year and I've seen them a few times out of season.The pictures below are all from the property down there, the first is from a game cam and the others I sawearly one summer and happend to have a camera w/ me. I was a bit close for comfort but by time I realized they were there it was toolate and figured I might as well get some cool pictures. I also see prints/scat a few times a year as well on the access road below where you Sat in the nanny whacker stand.

Bear hunting is one of my greatest passions as a bowhunter. I love hunting these great animals. I took my first this year, and am hooked. I hunt over bait, becuase it's legal here in MN. I put a trail cam on my bait and have numerous pics that I will post when I get home, none on this comp here at college. I've had as many as 7 dif bears in one pic!! It's amazing how quiet these huge animals can be. I usually here only one "snap" of a twig and like that they are in your set. Amazing. This is mine from this year and my buddies, who processes. Too hot to take "quality" pics...

I've killed one but it was over bait.

I got one in the catskills of NY with the bow. 336 pounds and took 3 guys to drag it out. More work than anything I'd say. Try to convince a couple of buddies that don't hunt to go into the woods and drag out a large bear and you need to think of ways to bribe them!

Matt my dad took a bear a few years ago, a 350lb sow, but it was with a rifle. It was in the same area this guy shot this bruin. It's only about 15-20min from my house.

The guy is actually good friends with one of my dads hunting buddies. Hopefully I'll be able to see it after he gets it back from the taxi.

625lb Black Bear taking in Sterling Forest- Monroe NY

I have shot several w/ the bow... My buddy took his first this season w/ the bow.

I have shot 9 bear with the bow and arrow. 4 with the compound when I was younger and now 5 more with the recurve. My biggest bear weighed 325lbs and scored 20 5/16 P@Y. All were shot over bait here in Minnesota, there's no other way to do it here in Northern Minnesota because of the thick woods and all unless you have access to a corn field or an oats field that there destroying. They only hit these fields for a limited time, just when the crops arestarting to mature, usually a 2 to 3 week period. My dad has shot bear in the mountains ofColoradodoing spot and stock with the recurve. You can't bait there but you can hunt off of your gut pile's.

Bears are on my list of game that I would like to hunt someday. I'd try both over bait and spot & stalk, just to have both experiences. I think spot and stalk with bow or handugn would be neat. I pretty much have to go out of state to hunt them due to our odd bear season.


I know when I was in Idaho and had a small cinnamon with a white chest patch strolling down the trail to me, I was wishing I had a bear tag. Or at least my camera.Honestly though I'm not sure if I would have shot it. While being a really beautiful, unique looking critter, it was on the small side.