Bear almost stole my deer
 

I shot a doe Monday at 6:15 pm. After looking at my arrow and the blood I determined it was a good hit. I walked back to my vehicle and put in my bow and grabbed my flashlight and called the wife and told her I would be home a bit later. Following the blood trail which was easy for 100 yds, I lost it. I called my friend who came up to help. We picke the trail back up and track it for about another 75 - 100 yds before we found her - about 1 1/2 hours after the hit. There was a 3" hole in front of her hip and she was dragged about 15 feet. The hair and a bit of meat taken out of her hindquarters. We could hear the bear circling us in the dark. Needless to say, it was the fastest dressing/dragging job I ever did. On the way out my friend made a comment that if it starts pulling back, to drop the rope and run. I found out yesterday that if you have a License to carry firearms permit you are now allowed to carry a sidearm during PA archery season. I will be carrying my Styer M40 from now on. I also found out that in the early archery/muzzleloader season you can carry both a bow and a muzzleloader.

RE: Bear almost stole my deer
 

wow, your brave i would have gotten the heck out of there and let the bear eat it.

where in PA are you?

RE: Bear almost stole my deer
 

I'm in the Mt Carmel area in Northumberland Co.

RE: Bear almost stole my deer
 

Are you sure it was a bear? Usually a hole ahead of the hind quarters indicates a coyote. Coyotes go in the body cavity after the liver lungs and heart first. Bears tend to start right on the hind quarters from behind.


Did you see what was circling you in the dark and could there have been more than one?

RE: Bear almost stole my deer
 

that hole was from COYOTE..

RE: Bear almost stole my deer
 

You may be right about the coyote, but it must have been a big one or a pack of them to drag the deer. I don't think a 20-30 lb. coyote is going to drag an undressed 100+ lb. deer. I also feel if it was more than one 'yote, there would have been more damage. They would have eaten at it right where it lay. Moving the carcass definitely says BEAR to me.

RE: Bear almost stole my deer
 

20 to 30 lb yote, thats a damn small one

RE: Bear almost stole my deer
 

if it was dragged away,its a bear, if tore apart and left,coyote..
coyote will take a deer back to den if it has little ones but usually its a fawn..

i did not know it was dragged away,if deer was adult deer,i never saw coyote drag one but i did a fawn..

RE: Bear almost stole my deer
 

Pa ha had documented coyotes over 50 lbs and, yes, one or two of em could move a 100 lb deer. Not saying it was or wasnt but it's plausible. Imagine a 50 lbcoyote or two tearinginto the hide. They would likely bite in and back up just like a dog playing tug with a toy. 15 feet doesnt really seem that far if that were the casenow does it?

RE: Bear almost stole my deer
 

I believe there are 50 lb. coyotes in PA. I also believe there are 800+ lb. bear and 200+ lb. deer. They are the ends of the extreme. We have killed more than one coyote at our camp, and none of them came close to 50 lb. They are long-legged rangy animals with lots of fur, and appearances are deceiving as to their actual weight.