Ok, I know nothing!!!
 

I watched a bear hunt last night for the first time. I know nothing about this, so please explain. In the show they were hunting over bait, is this the norm everywhere pretty much? And also, this mother bear climbed a tree like a squirrel to get to her young!!! I did not know they could climb that well. How about shooting a mother when she is with cubs?? Is it legal? Ethical? Do most bear hunters with archery do it from a tree???

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Shooting a mother with cubs is Illegal
Baiting is the norm, for the above reason

I have done it once, I baited in 3 cubs and a mother, I was scared to death[&:]

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95% of the time you'll be hunting over bait when bear hunting. As far as shooting a mother with her cubs, I would have to say this is not only unethical, but in some placeslikely illegal.

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there are three ways to hunt bear:

- bait
- hounds
- spot and stalk

All are legal, though not in all areas possibly. Bait is very popular way to hunt bears and allows the hunter the chance of seeing many different bears and having the time to judge and take a good shot.

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I personally have never been on a bear hunt but from what i have read and seen that is the most common way to hunt them. I have watched people do spot and stalk hunts but i think it is more common to sit over a bait. I could be way off though thoughim only basing my answer as a avid viewer of the Outdoor Channel.

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Actually in PA it is legal to take a mother with cubs or even the cubs themselves. It's frowned upon but chances are rareso it happens.

This is a non bait state. Mostly driven with the exception being the stand or still hunter!

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Hunting over bait is the prefered method. Hunting over bait gives you the extra time you need to judge a bear & determine weather or not it is a sow with cubs. Cub's do not stand a chance in the wild if you killthere mother, cubs will be eatin or starve to death.

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It is illegal to bait bears in NC.....and the largest black bear ever taken by a hunter was taken from this state.

IMO.....there's a valid reason why people shoot them over bait;)

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I watched that also last night. That was crazy and I sure wouldn't be moving around taking pics like that woman did. I never knew bears could climb that fast....

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It's all about location;)