Bears!
Contributors to this thread:Virginia
From: Nonrespropowner
15-Oct-19
I don't know about elsewhere, but the bears are getting too plentiful in Patrick County. This is the 3rd consecutive year that I've had a sow with 3 small cubs, and others with twins or at least one, on my cameras. It has never been my interest to hunt bears, but there are so many that I feel like I need to help reduce the population.
Twice I've encountered sows with cubs while out checking my cameras, and I've been carrying a 12ga with slugs while doing that. This past weekend I found tracks on the porch, so I may need to gate the steps.
From: Nonrespropowner
15-Oct-19
more bears and from different cameras
From: Nonrespropowner
15-Oct-19
The photos are from cameras around my property, and different brands/models of cameras. All of these are of the "no glow" or "black flash" variety, so haven't been destroyed by the bears at night. The cubs do seem to find them interesting and move them, and have been known to pull them off the trees. I moved several cameras last weekend because they had been disturbed by the bears.
From: Nonrespropowner
28-Oct-19
Is anyone hunting these with a bow?
From: Stickbndr
30-Oct-19
I tried last week on my annual Bath Co trip. It took a week to find them. Only to have a nice one feed by on the last night just out of range. Typical we have seen more bear than deer on the trip.
From: Bandicooter
30-Oct-19
Bandicooter's Link
Uh....buzzkill Bill here. You might want to rethink the posting of one of your photos.
From: Smoke
04-Nov-19
Same here in Pittsylvania county. They destroy pop up blinds and game cameras. They eat all the acorns and will take over a food plot. Always go nocturnal around mid-October. Can't wait or use dogs. The population is skyrocketing.
From: Fuzzy
12-Nov-19
bandicooter, I'm assuming the pics are from a cattle farm and the mineral block is part of normal livestock feed and nutritional needs distribution. Because otherwise yeah.
From: Dobyns
18-Nov-19
I've had numerous bears around since spring, but they seem to have decreased and gone nocturnal since late October.
From: Fuzzy
27-Nov-19
From: Fuzzy
27-Nov-19
Bland County
From: Dobyns
03-Mar-20
I've left my cameras out and found bear pictures and videos January 13, 15, and February 20. I've had them as late as the first week in January in previous years, but never this late. Apparently some of the bears didn't get the memo to den up.
From: Fuzzy
04-Mar-20
mild winter, they won't den up. just lay up on cold nights
From: Dobyns
24-Oct-20
Big enough?
From: Dobyns
24-Oct-20
Bigger
From: Stickbndr
29-Oct-20
Think I would set up on him. Only had two smaller ones come by this year in Bath. Held out for a larger one but it never happened
From: Dobyns
03-Nov-20
Muzzleloader bear comes in Saturday, but the bears seem to have dissipated over the past few weeks. There are acorns everywhere, so no shortage of food.
From: rhoggman
07-Jan-21
Got my first on last day of muzzleloader. Try for bow next year.
From: Fuzzy
04-Nov-21
From: Fuzzy
04-Nov-21
From: Fuzzy
04-Nov-21
I call this bruin "the blur" (so far a nocturnal blur)