Black bear odor???
04-28-2008, 03:37 PM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2006
Location: NY WMU 6R
Posts: 26
Black bear odor???
Hey folks,
I'm not at all familiar with the signs of black bear inhabitation, so I figured I'd post the question here.
This past weekend I was up at deer camp (Herkimer County, NY) making some repairs while the weather was warm.
At a point in the day, around dusk, I detected a very strong odor in the air. The best way I can describe it is that is was very similar to the smell of a zoo or game farm. An odor that is "distinctly animal".
Now, I've always heard that bears have a very unique and strong odor. I did not hear any movement, nor see anything in the woods. After about 5 minutes the odor disappeared.
Could this have been a nearby bear? I'd be interested in hearing from anyone who has hunted or had an encounter if this sounds at all familiar to them.
Thanks,
Brian
I'm not at all familiar with the signs of black bear inhabitation, so I figured I'd post the question here.
This past weekend I was up at deer camp (Herkimer County, NY) making some repairs while the weather was warm.
At a point in the day, around dusk, I detected a very strong odor in the air. The best way I can describe it is that is was very similar to the smell of a zoo or game farm. An odor that is "distinctly animal".
Now, I've always heard that bears have a very unique and strong odor. I did not hear any movement, nor see anything in the woods. After about 5 minutes the odor disappeared.
Could this have been a nearby bear? I'd be interested in hearing from anyone who has hunted or had an encounter if this sounds at all familiar to them.
Thanks,
Brian
04-28-2008, 07:56 PM
#2
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: SW PA USA
Posts: 7,220
RE: Black bear odor???
I've killed two bears and been around a few more. the ones I've experienced didn't smell strong but there was some odor on some of them. The closest term I could use to describe a bears odor (when they have one) is something similar to a wet dog
05-27-2008, 02:38 AM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Illinois
Posts: 3,558
RE: Black bear odor???
You my friend, encountered the rarest animal of them all. The elusive sasquatch. I know there are plenty of streams and lakes that these animals can bathe in but they refuse to do so.
06-15-2008, 08:39 PM
#7
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 12,726
RE: Black bear odor???
4sight, If you are downwind from where a herd of elk have been hanging around the odor will be like that of a barnyard. If no elk in your area then I might have to agree with some of the other posts in that you may have encountered the infamous sasquatch. It was either of these two things or maybe you were just working too hard and got a whiff of yourself!! 
