Black Bears and Ground Blinds
Contributors to this thread:Bears
From: StickFlicker
13-Apr-20
For those that have used ground blinds to hunt black bears, how much attention do they pay to blinds? I know that some animals really don't react well when a ground blind pops-up near a food or watering area, and some animals pay little to no attention. What do I need to know about hunting black bears from a ground blind?
From: JTreeman
13-Apr-20
I’ll tell you what I know know about it. Bears like to eat them!
—Jim
From: Dale06
13-Apr-20
I shot one black bear from a ground blind in Alaska. I was hunting brown bears. The blind had been up about a week. The black bear paid no attention to it.
From: Highlife
13-Apr-20
Had an outfitter in Minnesota with the attitude of bowhunters needed to be close too the bait like 5 yards from the bait. Needless to say the bear would come up sniffing on me in the ground blind and be gone. Ahh fun times lol
From: skookumjt
13-Apr-20
I know they love to destroy them. We lose them during turkey hunting all the time. If the blind is still intact when you get there or if you put one up to hunt, they won't be spooked. More likely is they will come check it out.
From: Gunny
13-Apr-20
I started using them a few years ago when my girlfriend drew a tag. She will NOT get in a tree stand. Once I start the bait stations and confirm this is where I want to hunt, I set up the blind at least a month before season starts. Never seem to bother them. I like that I can do a lot more in the blind for those very long sits.
I'm relatively new to bear hunting, drew my first tag about 8 years ago. Shot on that year. Hunted with my daughter when she drew, she didn't get one. Girlfriend and me both drew the first year. She didn't get one. I shot one that year and put a bad hit on him. Pretty sure he died but we never found it. I have a tag this year and will be in a ground blind for at least one bait site.
Whether on the ground or in a stand, it seems like when they come in that they know I'm there, but they want the bait worse and come anyways.
From: Ken Taylor
13-Apr-20
All I ever I use are natural brush ground blinds. Lots of fun when bears try to join me in there, LOL!
From: APauls
13-Apr-20
All I know about bears is they are major $hit disturbers. They’ll destroy anything man made. As you guys know Manitoba has lots of bears and tossing a blind or anything for that matter out anywhere seems like a 50/50 chance of it being there when you need it. Trail cams, blinds. Stands, the peckers will rip anything apart for a good time
From: Elite 1
13-Apr-20
I put a ground blind out last fall day before season. Came back next mourning blind was destroyed. Wife had the bear tag put up another ground blind opening night small bear came in 1st had a hole in blind by wife’s leg stuck his nose right in there. Wife not happy had other in counters with sows and cubs. I would do ladder stand instead. If they stand up and knock over blind how do you spray them. Not a good deal for us.
From: wildwilderness
13-Apr-20
The bears don’t care it’s there. Just be ready for a bear rubbing up on it or sniffing through it. Scared my son the first time a bear pushed up on it when he was in the blind :)
From: Bigguy
14-Apr-20
We built a 8' x 6' bear cage out of 1" sq tubing and expanded metal. It all pins together. It's a big job to assemble but once brushed in the bears pay no attention to it. It's great for taking non hunters, kids etc. knowing they are safe inside.
From: Bigguy
14-Apr-20
We often have bears within inches and they don't seem to pay any attention.
From: ND String Puller
14-Apr-20
Ed, that’s a nice set up you have there!
From: Grubby
14-Apr-20
Im not sure why they like to destroy them so much but they sure do!
I’d hate to have one roll on one while I was in it!
I haven’t noticed them spook from them though.
From: Zebrakiller
14-Apr-20
Man i love hunting black bear from ground blinds my last 15 or 20 have been from the ground, I have never left blind overnight, and brush blinds are always destroyed when I come back, so i feel they know they are there just, sit still and hope he comes in. I think its the best way to hunt them, Less movement because your in a comfy chair and can sit on bait longer periods of time.
From: StickFlicker
14-Apr-20
Guys, thanks for the tips. I'm looking to use one in Arizona, where most hunters have probably never even seen a bear. We aren't allowed to bait, either. So, it's not like I'm going to be overrun with them, or that I can even depend on one coming in to the same spot often enough to warrant building something. I would expect to use it at water. Sounds like it would be worth taking down every night and putting it back up the next day, though, if they wouldn't pay attention to the change. I've never actually shot an arrow out of a tree stand in my life, but I guess that might be an option. Thanks again for the advice.
From: Nick Muche
14-Apr-20
Marvin, never shot an arrow from a treestand? A ground blind for bears, at a bait, is quite effective. But I think they become used to seeing it and the fact that there is food there certainly sways their opinion with regards to liking it in our favor. I think at a natural source of sustenance, like water, you may have marginal results in that they have been coming to that location for years, and in most cases haven't seen a ground blind. I could be totally off base, just my thoughts. If you have the option of a tree stand, I think I'd go that route.
From: jstephens61
14-Apr-20
Hunted in Minnesota in one for a couple days. Felt too restricted in there, more field of view. Sure glad I’d brought a stand and steps along. Hung it while baiting on the third day. That evening a BIG sow and twins can in, looked at the blind for a minute and proceeded to the bait. I’ll stick with a stand.
BTW, one guy came out one evening only to find the seat on his quad had been eaten. Bear tracks all around it.
From: APauls
14-Apr-20
Like I said above they are rascals. I stalked into a bait one time and removed a bow sling as there were 3 bears at the bait. None were big so I proceeded into the stand. Half hour later a bear walks down my trail, sees the sling, and literally grabs it and bolts with it. I never found it. Primos Bow sling. They're like misbehaving dogs.
From: StickFlicker
14-Apr-20
Will bears eat/lick salt?
