Just curious if there is anyone out there hunting bear in the Western NY area. My guess is most to the time it is some dear hunter who just happens to run into one, but is there anyone out there going just for the bears? If so what tactics are you using? Obviously here in the southern hunting zone your limited to a shotgun and baiting and dogs are illegal. However what other methods are you using? Are you using scents or distress calls? Or are you just stalking? I never gone out hunting looking for black bears but I might just try it this next year. The only problem is the season pretty much runs concurrent with the shotgun deer season. I just wondering how people are fairing if they are out hunting bear? So Lets hear your bear stories!

If you can find an out of the way oats field thats is a good place to look for sign. Beards will knock down and destroy much more oats then they eat but the sign should be obvious if they're in the area. Abandoned apple orchards are also good places to look for sign.

Bears don't have very good vision but they have excellent noses and hearing. If you find bear sign hunting the wind is of utmost importance. You're best bet if from an evevated stand overlooking a fall food sorce. Scent control is as important as stand location. Find the food, sit quitely and pay attention to the wind(your sent).