Sitka Gear
Why I Can't Hunt Bears
Bears
Contributors to this thread:
Zbone 07-Aug-23
Nick Muche 07-Aug-23
RK 07-Aug-23
rattling_junkie 07-Aug-23
RonP 07-Aug-23
Charlie Rehor 07-Aug-23
Missouribreaks 07-Aug-23
Nick Muche 07-Aug-23
BoggsBowhunts 07-Aug-23
Kurt 07-Aug-23
Treeline 07-Aug-23
Screwball 07-Aug-23
70lbDraw 07-Aug-23
Dale06 07-Aug-23
Kurt 07-Aug-23
KHNC 07-Aug-23
carcus 07-Aug-23
2Wild Bill 07-Aug-23
Stix 07-Aug-23
Glunt@work 07-Aug-23
Ambush 07-Aug-23
Knifeman 07-Aug-23
RonP 07-Aug-23
smarba 07-Aug-23
spike78 07-Aug-23
Corax_latrans 07-Aug-23
Matt 07-Aug-23
Ambush 07-Aug-23
Boreal 07-Aug-23
Corax_latrans 07-Aug-23
fuzzy 07-Aug-23
nchunter 07-Aug-23
bigswivle 07-Aug-23
Glunt@work 07-Aug-23
Corax_latrans 07-Aug-23
bluedog 07-Aug-23
DanaC 08-Aug-23
WV Mountaineer 08-Aug-23
fuzzy 08-Aug-23
TGbow 08-Aug-23
Stix 08-Aug-23
Ambush 08-Aug-23
thedude 08-Aug-23
Mike B 08-Aug-23
peterk1234 08-Aug-23
EmbryOklahoma 08-Aug-23
bluedog 08-Aug-23
Catscratch 08-Aug-23
IdyllwildArcher 08-Aug-23
rattling_junkie 08-Aug-23
Corax_latrans 09-Aug-23
blackwolf 09-Aug-23
DanaC 09-Aug-23
BackwoodsVT 09-Aug-23
TGbow 09-Aug-23
scentman 09-Aug-23
Zbone 10-Aug-23
Zbone 10-Aug-23
Stix 10-Aug-23
Stix 10-Aug-23
Woodsnut 10-Aug-23
smarba 10-Aug-23
smarba 10-Aug-23
Corax_latrans 10-Aug-23
Zbone 12-Aug-23
smarba 15-Aug-23
Zbone 15-Aug-23
APauls 15-Aug-23
From: Zbone
07-Aug-23

Zbone's Link
Why I can't hunt bears:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=puXdsdJUOk0&list=PL4RMqOxO-6DV9MDrRzRflwgfn13D1DwIN

They are just too humanistic... Only hunted them one season in upstate NY while working there a while back in the 80's but never shot one and then after a buddy raised a black bear cub and watching it interact with humans, I lost desire to hunt them again... If threatened have no problem killing one, but to purposely hunt them, can't do it...

Here is another video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Y5wQLrZEgk

From: Nick Muche
07-Aug-23
Great fun and great eating, I really enjoy bear hunting!

From: RK
07-Aug-23

07-Aug-23
i stopped hunting them when I found that nobody in my family enjoyed eating the meat. after that...I no longer had a desire to kill any more of them. to each their own...

07-Aug-23
They taste great, I love hunting them!

From: RonP
07-Aug-23
i killed one, that was enough. black bears just do not appeal to me as a game animal. the meat did not taste too good. i have encountered quite a few black bears when deer and elk hunting, as well as scouting and hiking, and always enjoyed watching them.

spot and stalk grizzly sounds fun and exciting, but that ship has sailed.

07-Aug-23
For sure, it’s not for everyone but I really enjoy hunting bears in the Spring. Killing the mature boars helps the population. In un-hunted populations the boars will kill the cubs to bring the sow into heat. Hunting is necessary for a healthy population. C

07-Aug-23
Over the past 45 years I have killed around 16 spring and fall bears with osage selfbow, some baited, others spot and stalk. I prefer the meat over any other wild game.

From: Nick Muche
07-Aug-23
Only 16? You're missing out Jimmy.

07-Aug-23
I killed one black bear and tagged along on a brown bear hunt, got kindve an eery feeling on both of them - something I haven’t gotten while hunting herbivores. Not saying I wouldn’t ever hunt them again, but I’m definitely not gonna prioritize it. That being said, it was/is delicious and the rendered bear grease is terrific to fry fish in.

From: Kurt
07-Aug-23
Spring black bear hunting is about my favorite bow hunt. Spot and stalk in May.

And the meat is one of our favorites for tacos, enchiladas, meat loaf, chili, spaghetti etc.

Really miss grizzly hunting too. Glad I got a lot of in before arrowing one, then more helping buddies before it closed.

From: Treeline
07-Aug-23
Never been into bear hunting. Have killed a few (except in Colorado!!) but definitely don’t go out of my way for them. Do need one in Colorado some day…

From: Screwball
07-Aug-23
We love bear hunting and ear meat. I agree it is not for everyone and that is fine. We have way to many in our part of Wisconsin currently, and have to wait to many years for a tag. Shot one last fall to help control the population. No tags again this fall.

From: 70lbDraw
07-Aug-23
“We love bear hunting and ear meat.”

How much meat is actually in a bears ear? Inquiring minds want to know.

Sorry, couldn’t resist. ;)

From: Dale06
07-Aug-23
I’ve arrowed five black bears and one Ak brown. I really enjoyed hunting them. However I don’t eat them, and really don’t need/want any more bear trophies so I’m not chasing them any more. To those that are hunting bears, have fun and good luck.

From: Kurt
07-Aug-23
Ears are good, but get the wax out first.

From: KHNC
07-Aug-23
What Dale06 said, is exactly why i dont care about hunting bears any more. Had some fun hunts but dont have any more use for bear hides, skulls or meat. I dont care much for bear meat anyway. Bears are like roaches here in NC tho. All over the damn place.

From: carcus
07-Aug-23
Love the spring bear hunt, love the meat. I probably wouldn't bother hunting them if I could only fall hunt, but if I couldn't hunt elk and moose every year I might feel different

From: 2Wild Bill
07-Aug-23
"They are just too humanistic.."

The Bambi strategy to demonize hunters. Get real.

From: Stix
07-Aug-23
"They are just too humanistic..."

Just how the anti's want you to feel. Ban the least popular hunts, then zero in for the kill.

From: Glunt@work
07-Aug-23
I guess baboons are out of the question then.

From: Ambush
07-Aug-23
I honestly have no idea how many bears I've killed and I never felt bad once. Here anyway, they are a predator to be managed and they are way over populated. in my province black bears are responsible for killing from 40 to 60 percent of the moose calves in the first six weeks the the calve's lives.

On the upside, we have so many bears in town right now that they are raiding the homeless camps.

From: Knifeman
07-Aug-23
one thing I never thought I would ever read on the bowsite is bears or any game animal is too humanistic. Wow

From: RonP
07-Aug-23
"I guess baboons are out of the question then.'

Would love to have killed one, or a few but never hunted them. not sure why, but they just irk me and would be high on the list had i ever hunted africa. a bow kill mature baboon would be cool. weird, i know.

From: smarba
07-Aug-23
I've killed 2 black bears, both boars. Prior to first one I told myself I'd try the meat once and if not good probably wouldn't hunt them again. First one delicious...second bear is too! PS same with mountain lion.

From: spike78
07-Aug-23
Meat is definitely better then WT deer but it sucks you can’t eat it medium rare.

07-Aug-23
A baboon skull from a big, nasty male would very cool, but I got good and warped that way one night at a dinner party at the house of a professor who had a great skull collection. The Hippo at the front door was especially impressive…

Glad this came up, because I’m seriously considering a bear tag this year, but No Clue what I’d be actually getting myself into with an “average” black bear. Definitely want the hide/skull/meat in best possible condition (yeah, that prof had a pretty impressive baculum collection as well), but I guess I wonder about anything else….

From: Matt
07-Aug-23
Anthropomorphism is detrimental to hunting, sad to see the disease spreading amongst our own ranks.

From: Ambush
07-Aug-23

Ambush's embedded Photo
Ambush's embedded Photo
My baboon skull definitely gets noticed!!

From: Boreal
07-Aug-23
What else are you going to hunt in May/June? Turkeys I guess but no comparison to hunting black bears in the northwoods!

07-Aug-23
“My baboon skull definitely gets noticed!!”

Yeah, that ain’t Rafiki!!

From: fuzzy
07-Aug-23
I love bear meat

From: nchunter
07-Aug-23
You must of never played with a whitetail fawn. There are just like puppies and love to snuggle when you sit down on the ground with them. Not going to keep me from hunting them tho although I wouldn't want to shoot the one that grew up around me. It would be like shooting a tamed pet.

From: bigswivle
07-Aug-23
We can’t hunt them in Florida because we have to many

From: Glunt@work
07-Aug-23
Florida held a season 8 years ago. More bears now than then. Since it makes no sense, "too many" makes as much sense as whatever the reason they have.

07-Aug-23
“ We can’t hunt them in Florida because we have to many”

Sounds like CT…. Although I think they did pass a measure which makes it legal to shoot a bear which is chewing on your leg. Last year, we weren’t even allowed THAT, which was giving them more protection than a Grizzly… at least you’re allowed to defend yourself against a Griz….

So do you guys think the bears are booming because all of that beetle-killed timber is falling down and turning into larva factories?

From: bluedog
07-Aug-23
If someone chooses not to hunt an animal for any reason, that's his choice.

Not my place to second guess his decision.

From: DanaC
08-Aug-23
Around here bears are increasing in numbers, at least in part because years ago they passed a no-hound-hunting law. Can't bait either. They've lengthened the seasons but still not enough taken to balance the population. I hate to say it but I think it will take an 'extreme negative interaction' before they change the laws to favor hunters.

08-Aug-23
I love bear meat. I’ve hunted them a lot in the past. Now, I hunt them when I see them. Always have a bear tag. Just for the occasion of stumbling upon them when bowhunting deer. Which is pretty often.

From: fuzzy
08-Aug-23
Timex that's interesting. Maybe you have a subconscious affinity for bears. I love seeing them and have no animosity toward them, even the "problem bear" that occasionally causes damage by food seeking or curiosity. I sure do love hunting them and eating them though.

From: TGbow
08-Aug-23
It's a good thing somebody still hunts them..wouldn't be a good outcome for the bears if they didnt. Never tasted bear but I would try it if I had the chance

From: Stix
08-Aug-23
Look what happened in NJ. Gov stopped the bear hunt when he got elected. Last year he reinstated it due to public safety from human interactions with 600 to 700 lb bears

From: Ambush
08-Aug-23
^^^. We’ve had pretty good luck dissuading mature boars by hanging cutout posters of Whoopi Goldberg around.

From: thedude
08-Aug-23
Berry fed fall blacks bears are amazing. Grizzly was awful.

From: Mike B
08-Aug-23
Never shot a bear. Don't care for the meat, and when ya skin 'em out they look too damn much like a human..LOL

From: peterk1234
08-Aug-23
This thread makes me really want to bear hunt. I've had the meat. It's excellent. I've eaten as a steak, sausage and meatballs. All spectacular. My only excuse has been time. Next year I'm committing.

08-Aug-23
I’d kill one spot and stalk, but have no desire to sit over bait and kill one.

From: bluedog
08-Aug-23
"when ya skin 'em out they look too damn much like a human"

Made me remember back when.... my Mother would cook fish, rabbit, pheasant, duck, goose and all.... she absolutely refused to fry squirrel though, said they reminded her too much of one of the cats (which she loved).

So I cooked squirrels.

From: Catscratch
08-Aug-23
Never had a chance to hunt bear, and have never seen one outside of a zoo. Would love to give it a shot though. The videos of them playing are cute as hell, but so is a fawn out kicking and bucking around. With that said my dad has a pig. We typically eat such animals but just the other day I told dad that I didn't think I could kill it, just too cool. Dad laughed and said the same. Getting soft!

08-Aug-23
I've never killed one, but I've never really hunted them other than loading slugs in the shotgun while goose hunting and chasing one when I saw one. That's going to change though.

But I've eaten plenty of other people's bear meat that I received as gifts in Kotzebue/Point Hope - black, grizz, and polar.

One great way to cook them is to cut the meat into 3 inch cubes then slow cook in chicken broth in the crock pot for 5 hours, then deep fry the cooked meat in lard till its crispy on the outside, but still moist on the inside. This is one of the traditional ways to make "carnitas" and it does wonders for bear meat and is an amazing recipe for bear tacos.

08-Aug-23
Sitting over bait for bear is so much fun, but each to his own. Just like I won't hunt elk in the US when I can fly in moose hunt for cheaper than an elk tag.

09-Aug-23
I gather you’re comparing the cost of a resident moose tag vs NR Elk?

‘Cuz if it were that affordable, I might talk myself into it…

From: blackwolf
09-Aug-23
I agree their playful antics and death moan turn me off from personally hunting them anymore. Shot 3 but now just help others if they want to hunt bears. I do still enjoy the baiting and setting up stand to outwit a big one.

From: DanaC
09-Aug-23
Peterk, a Mass. bear tag adds a measly ten bucks to your license. Three seasons, first two you can use a rifle. Or bowhunt all three. Middle season partly overlaps archery deer so have a tag in your pocket in case one comes by.

From: BackwoodsVT
09-Aug-23
Not sure if this is relevant, but we lived five miles from the Cochise Stronghold in Arizona for quite a while. During that time I learned that the native people (mostly Apaches) would not kill bears because they look so much like a person without their hides. I thought that was interesting. In spite of that. I chase them every year.

From: TGbow
09-Aug-23
I've never hunted bear but I bet it's an adrenaline rush

From: scentman
09-Aug-23
A fellow I know went on a bear hunt in Maine and put his tag on one with a rifle, no biggie I congratulated him and we had a nice chat... he calls back and said the outfitter would snare a second bear for him at some fee and he could shoot it with his rifle ... I simply said I thought you went on a bear hunt. He came home with one bear.

From: Zbone
10-Aug-23

Zbone's Link
Mama teaching cubs:

https://video.storyful.com/record/28906

From: Zbone
10-Aug-23

Zbone's Link
5 cubs:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMRmMLBaYt4

From: Stix
10-Aug-23

Stix's Link
Just what the anti's want. A play on the "OH THEY'RE SO CUTE" emotion.

Here's a video of a male boar tearing apart cubs to get to the female. Add that to your emotions.

From: Stix
10-Aug-23

Stix's Link
Another.

Never thought bowsiters would consciously help the anti's propaganda

I guess anyone is capable of being misled by scammers.

From: Woodsnut
10-Aug-23
I will be bear hunting in September-

From: smarba
10-Aug-23
Bingo Stix.

I also plan to be hunting bears in Sept.

From: smarba
10-Aug-23
Why I can't hunt bears:

1 There's no open season 2 I can't pull my bow back after shoulder surgery 3 There are no bears where I hunt 4 I'm blind 5 I'm running out of reasons...?

Don't get me wrong, if they were inedible, I might re-think my own personal stance, but then again even inedible things need to be managed.

10-Aug-23

Corax_latrans's embedded Photo
Corax_latrans's embedded Photo
Because when a bear attacks a human, it’s just “a bear being a bear”… But this…. THIS is MURDER!!!

From: Zbone
12-Aug-23
What's going on in the photo?

From: smarba
15-Aug-23
Video shows boar bear chase a cub up a tree, drag it down, kill and eat it.

From: Zbone
15-Aug-23
That's nature, many species of mammal predators commit infantilize, lions, tigers and bears... African lions, all species of bears, tigers, cougars, bobcats I can think of right away will kill offspring that are not their own... Even alpha wolves with kill pups not his own from a subordinate female within a pack...

BTW, I have no desire to kill a wild tiger neither, not because of humanistic characteristics, but because they're so rare...

From: APauls
15-Aug-23
lmao "At this time the bear is not being tracked to be put down".....because the bear ate food?? Like what an asinine statement.

I don't really hunt bears because baiting them is so dang expensive. Only so much time and money and I have some other spring hobbies but I will again one year soon. It's loads of fun. Once my kids get a little older hopefully.

  • Sitka Gear