NJ Archery black bear hun
Contributors to this thread:Bears
From: mattandersen
11-Oct-16
Left Friday from Pittsburgh headed to Oswego, NY to salmon fish with some of my Jersey buddies. We hooked a ton of fish and even landed a few. Some intense fishing for sure! I left NY yesterday after fishing till 2pm and drove to my buddy Jack Harris'. He's putting me up for the week as I hunt for hopefully a huge NJ Black bear! Most NJ bowhunters have had bears under their stands before but this is the first year Archery is legal so I'm all over it! I'll try and keep this post updated. I'm hunting just outside of Blairstown in bear zone 2. Saw a few deer on my way in which means there probably isn't a bear nearby...yet.
From: Tracker
11-Oct-16
Good luck I'm on stand right now
From: Jack Harris
11-Oct-16
Usually when Matt and I get together something dies... This should be good :)
From: mattandersen
11-Oct-16
Well, no bears tonight. I did see several deer though and I have the green light on any deer and have the tags. Excited for the morning. Eating some of Jacks venison chili right now and it is quite good! Good luck to everyone out there!
From: mattandersen
12-Oct-16
Back at it day 2. Quiet so far. Dreaming about a bear quietly appearing out of nowhere..
From: Grubby
12-Oct-16
Just when it doesn't seem like it's not going to happen....there he is! Good luck!!
From: Jack Harris
12-Oct-16
Well Matt hunted most of morning and saw squat, I decided to WFH today and put a 2 hour sit in to start the day. Saw a few does, then when they disappeared heard some deep grunts and chasing (knew it wasn't a 1.5 year old buck). After it quieted down, I grunted and in came a 2.5 year old 8pt, with exceptional brow tines but very weak G3s. Will be a stud in a year or two or three... It was nice letting him walk, as per usual.
From: Charlie Rehor
12-Oct-16
The fishing pic brings back memories. I do remember it being shoulder to shoulder but it looks like you found a secluded spot:)
From: mattandersen
12-Oct-16
Back out for the afternoon, added some apples and a concentrated corn scent to the mix. I'm not a well seasoned bear hunter by any means but I'd like to think if there were a bear nearby, he'd come investigate! Charlie, it wasn't that secluded just hard to get to..lol really worked for our fish!
From: spike78
12-Oct-16
Add some ole fashioned peanut butter to the bait. Works on everything.
From: mattandersen
12-Oct-16
Chipmunks and squirrels all day long...thanks, I'll try PB!
From: Tracker
12-Oct-16
About the same for us today. Interesting to see how tomorrow goes with the muzzy guys hitting the woods
From: mattandersen
12-Oct-16
Ya we'll see!? I opted not to bring mine..really wanting to get a bear with the bow.
From: Nesser
12-Oct-16
Man that brings back some memories...in college, my buddies and I would call the reports and when they were stacking up at the mouth of the Salmon River we'd leave in the middle of the night. Stepping into the steamy river in the dark with 30 lb kings bouncing off your legs is something I'll never forget. Best of luck bear hunting!!
From: Nick Muche
13-Oct-16
There may be more to it than just tossin bait out after all :)
From: mattandersen
13-Oct-16
Nesser it is pretty wild! I'm learning as I go here bear hunting...lol pretty fall morning, leaves dropping, colors popping. Just a great day in the woods! Saw a yearling before first light, that's it so far.
From: Jack Harris
13-Oct-16
Why yes Nick there is. Those that are having success this week all ran baits for months in advance to get there target bears properly trained. Even though I live in a target rich environment - I chose not too because shooting a bear did not excite me for some reason. I am glad so many others did because they lured all the bears away and I have yet to see one while deer hunting when in any other year it was a given. Everyone I know that trained their bears got their bears. Matt is at a disadvantage for sure.
From: HUNT MAN
13-Oct-16
Is there any sign of bears around? I have had good luck with Anise. Spray the whole area they will smell it!
From: Mark Watkins
13-Oct-16
Any more pics of the hunt, fishing, setup?
Good luck!
Mark
From: mattandersen
13-Oct-16
Here's another catch! Haven't seen much bear sign but I haven't really looked. I'm hunting my buddies 30 acres that he doesn't deer hunt anymore cause bears ruined every hunt. I'm sitting in one of his stands that he's seen lots of bears from. I figured if I put out bait I'd get a bear close. So far it hasn't worked but like Jack said, other sites have likely been set up for weeks or even months. I used to hunt this area and can attest to seeing lots of bears. Sussex County is loaded. Still 2 more full days left!
From: mattandersen
14-Oct-16
Well I've lost my confidence in the spot I had been hunting all week and with nothing even hitting my bait at night I'm done. Luckily Jacks awesome gf has some land that borders state land not far off and is loaded with bear. I just quick scouted it and fell in love even before I came across this pIle of fresh bear sh!t Haha 1.5 more days left, wish me luck! Spot is located where a swamp and base of a mtn meet. Looks beautiful! NJ really has some pretty woods for all that don't know!
From: Shug
14-Oct-16
Lots of giants killed including a few high end bears .... ive passed12 or 13 different bears so far hoping one of the giants I've gotten on cam shows
From: Shug
14-Oct-16
The one above dressed 680 and greened close to 22 this one was 540 dressed and seemed to have a bigger head
From: Shug
14-Oct-16
Had this one in front of me this morning on a different stand than I'm in now...
From: Tracker
14-Oct-16
Shug your killing me with these teasers. All I saw this morning was a cub
From: mattandersen
14-Oct-16
Jesus you're killing me too man! Haha those are some hogs! I'm in my new spot, hoping to see one!
From: DoubleGunDennis
14-Oct-16
Nice Shug! I will be heading out tomorrow for the last day. Been baiting a site in Green Township - Zone 2 for about 3 weeks and was able to get a lot of activity on it. Hunted my spot on Tuesday but the landowner forgot to tell me he had a tree service coming over to cut down about 6 trees in his yard. Lets just say it wasn't the most ideal hunting day...lots of hours on the ground and nothing did show up. Oh well! Putting all my eggs in 1 basket for tomorrow. Good Luck all Jersey Bear Hunters!
From: Shug
14-Oct-16
Tonights stand this stand has gone kinda cold. Only seen two bears total in two full days here. Two days before the season it was getting crushed
From: Shug
14-Oct-16
I'm on a rock ledge 15' above the bait
From: Shug
14-Oct-16
In 4 1/2 days of hunting I've passed 13 different bear waiting on one like this
From: mattandersen
14-Oct-16
Curious how long you've been baiting Shug? If you don't mind me asking? It's a huge advantage I don't have...
From: Pope125
14-Oct-16
Was wondering the guys that are posting the pictures are you guys hunting you own land , private property , or public land ? How has it been with the amount of hunters ?
From: Pope125
14-Oct-16
Is it hard finding a piece of property other than public land ?
From: Shug
14-Oct-16
Matt started in April on public land
From: Pope125
14-Oct-16
So what stops guys hunting around your bait on public land ?
From: Shug
14-Oct-16
Nothing I guess 125
From: Tracker
14-Oct-16
We found a great spot with lots of sign on watershed property only to find out some guy was bringing in guided hunters. He has grabbed up all the good bait spots and kind of locked others out. Talked to a few other guys that we kind of bummed about the situation still having fun. Weather has been awesome. My first time in northern NJ. Hopefully not my last.
From: Tracker
14-Oct-16
We found a great spot with lots of sign on watershed property only to find out some guy was bringing in guided hunters. He has grabbed up all the good bait spots and kind of locked others out. Talked to a few other guys that we kind of bummed about the situation still having fun. Weather has been awesome. My first time in northern NJ. Hopefully not my last.
From: Jack Harris
14-Oct-16
I am deer hunting a 1/4 mile from home on a red hot community scrape where I shot the 6.5 year old "Tripod" last October 25th. I have bear tag in hand - any other year bears are a huge nuisance. 8pt buck and two Y bucks so far. All get a pass
From: Shug
14-Oct-16
The guy guiding is possibly the x bear biologist for the state
From: mattandersen
15-Oct-16
Dang since April Shug!? Wow! That's where all the bears are! Haha good luck, last day...
From: Tracker12
15-Oct-16
SHUG I think you are right about who he was. I was at the Watershed office and they were getting complaints. Plus guys were B(&%Hing at the Bow shop about this guy. I walked up on them when they were using an ATV to get a good sized bear out of the woods. He made a point to tell me he had baits in the area I was walking. I thanked him for baiting the area for me:)
From: BOWJO
15-Oct-16
I hunted a lot of the same areas you guys have in zone 2. Three weeks ago while scouting I saw seven bears. Like Jack stated, in years past I would see more bears than deer, and they would be a nuisence. I saw plates from all over the country. On Wednesday evening, two trucks pulled into the parking lot from Quebec! Four guys got out with crossguns and couldn't speak a lick of English. WE hunted the first three days and were very dissapointed
From: mattandersen
15-Oct-16
Didn't even see a bear this week...I had a blast, the weather was perfect and I saw some old friends. So all in all a great trip! The bad news is now I get to head back to PA/OH where I have 2 buck tags burning a hole in my pocket and the rut around the corner! Thanks Jack for putting me up!
From: Jack Harris
15-Oct-16
I regret not training a bear for you Matt - just never made them a priority and I should have... Oh well - maybe next season... Glad you made it out..
From: Ki-ke
15-Oct-16
I believe a good story may be coming tomorrow.....
From: mattandersen
16-Oct-16
No worries Jack, I think you're enjoying your somewhat "bear free" deer hunting woods! Haha I had a blast, the weather was perfect and the woods were beautiful! Jersey gets a bad wrap but sure looked good to me this past week! Didn't end up seeing a bear although there was a small one running around Jacks land yesterday according to his cams! Haha just my luck!
