Sunday Hartford Courant editorial
Contributors to this thread:Connecticut
From: tompolaris
13-Nov-22
Good article in todays Courant editorials about how bowhunters should have the right to carry while bowhunting. Actually the real reason I'm posting this is because I wrote it! I'm going to send it to my area representative now. Maybe something positive can become of it? If you see it , enjoy.
From: Thisismyhandle
13-Nov-22
Link?
From: N8tureBoy
13-Nov-22
Thanks Tom. Well done!
From: BBB
13-Nov-22
Not many people get the paper any more so if you can paste a copy here that would be great Tom.
From: CTBuckHunterMH
13-Nov-22
I think this is a great idea. We’re now sharing the woods with other critters that could do us harm if the situation escalated. I hunt zones 9, 10, and 12. For the first time in my hunting journey, I’m now on the lookout for bear cubs. All it would take is to accidentally stumble upon a couple cubs at 5am and the next thing you know, you’re getting ripped to shreds. There’s a landowner that lets me hunt his property in Zone 10 and he’s always trying to encourage me to carry while I’m out there. I can’t bring myself to do it, even though I know all of us should be carrying.
From: BBB
13-Nov-22
Don't forget the mountain lions that are out there.
From: Tall 1
13-Nov-22
Good job Tom. Still fighting for sportsmen.
From: Hrtfdbowhntr
13-Nov-22
Two thumbs up!
From: tompolaris
14-Nov-22
Can any of you astute computer guys pull it out of the online section of Sundays Courant editorials? just starting to learn how to use an Apple computer and I really suck at it? Jon, Thank for the kudos pal.
From: Swamp_Donkey
14-Nov-22
I couldn't find the article but would love the link
From: bleydon
14-Nov-22
While I agree they should allow carrying a sidearm if you are already licensed for it, it you are pretty well protected against any animals around CT (including black bears) with regular pepper spray.
From: BBB
14-Nov-22
Never used pepper spray, so how close do you have to be to the bear to spray it? I would vote for carrying a side arm, even though I don't own any guns any more.
From: bleydon
14-Nov-22
There are a variety of types with different ranges available on Amazon and in various stores. True bear spray has a pretty long range, the more typical pepper spray needs to be pretty close but I'd rather have it then nothing and it is easy to just throw in your pocket. Here is a study showing effectiveness of regular (non-bear) spray on deterring black bears. https://www.bearstudy.org/images/stories/Publications/Reactions_of_Free-Ranging_Black_Bears_to_Capsaicin_Spray_Repellant.pdf
From: Rackem
14-Nov-22
The can of bear spray I believe can have an affect between 20-30 feet. Hopefully the wind is in your favor. I do get a little nervous on my walks to my stand early in the morning. I wear a head lamp and have the can in my hand until I am in my stand.
From: N8tureBoy
14-Nov-22
Good point about the wind. My luck would likely result in the spray blowing back and coating me so the bear could enjoy pepper seasoning on his meal
From: BBB
15-Nov-22
N8 - LOL. I just watch shows where they shoot rubber bullets at the bear to drive him back into the woods, not spray, so wondering how effective it is. 20-30 ft is pretty close.
From: Coondog
15-Nov-22
I met another elk hunter while in Montana this past September and he was born and raised in Alaska. So, he dealt with grizzly bears and brown bears quite often. He said they had special bear defense rubber slugs for their 12 gauge shotguns. He said they had to use them a few times and it would knock charging bears on their asses and turn them away.
From: BBB
15-Nov-22
I've only had a bear come close to me once while bow hunting, and it wasn't something that I was concerned about. However, the next morning while walking to my stand in the dark the sow with her two cubs was in the thick stuff I had to walk through and that scared the crap out of me. Sounded like a truck crashing through the brush as they ran off.
From: Corax_latrans
05-Dec-22
Yeah, well… Just think how loud they would’ve been if they’ve been coming at you!
From: Corax_latrans
05-Dec-22
Yeah, well… Just think how loud they would’ve been if they’ve been coming at you!
From: Big Dog
05-Dec-22
Some interesting YouTube vids about defending against a pissed -off bear.....spray vs. handgun. With a variable wind that could blow back spray and my life on the line I'll choose handgun and hope I'd never have to use it.
From: UWShunter
05-Dec-22
I carry both. Seen more bear than deer this season. Glad I got my .357. My land. My rules.
From: 2Wild Bill
05-Dec-22
After my first encounter with a bear, first in Pennsylvania then in New Milford, I carried pepper spray on a lanyard both in and out from my location. I was glad to have it when I was approached by a neighbor's pit bull. When I first saw the dog I was hearing what I thought was a cat meow, and the dog was sixty yards from me. That turned out to be the little girl who owned the dog calling his name Neo. I turned to leave and turned again when I heard the brush behind me. Now the dog was twenty feet from me and with ears laid back he never made a sound. We stared each other down, as the little girl ran up to it and grabbed its collar. I backed away and as I thanked her the dog lunged towards me and dragged her off her feet. Now at ten feet, I was still reluctant to spray with the little girl still hanging on and regaining her feet. She was yelling mad at the dog and yanking the collar to take it home, so I backed away from them and didn't turn again until she had the dog headfirst towards her house.
While jogging I once bluffed a Doberman who came at me by pretending to pick up a rock and poised myself to throw it at it. The owner then called the dog back and laughed about it.
I carry a Glock field knife on my calf and am sure that if the pepper doesn't work thoroughly, I can draw the knife, at dog height.
From: Rackem
05-Dec-22
You hope to catch a bear down wind if you have bear spray. I got spooked by a big grizzly out in Yellowstone years ago and we had no guns or spray. We were fishing on the Madison river at night when he walked up on us... I think the only reason he walked away was because I shit myself. lol.
From: nehunter
05-Dec-22
I carry everytime I'm in the woods. Nobody has to know I have it. I can't seeing an EPO giving me a pat down in the woods.
I'd rather be judged by 12 than carried by 6.
From: Anchor point
05-Dec-22
It’s not about knowing you have it, it’s about following the law nehunter. Respect the laws. You’re not above them. They are put in place for a reason. You don’t have to agree/disagree you just need to get obey n respect. This country is going in the wrong direction.
From: UWShunter
05-Dec-22
NE - well said! Had a 250-300 lb bear less than 20 yards from my stand. Amazing to admire but even better I was ready should Yogi come my way. Got a family & 2 sons in college. I don’t care what the law says. Plus I know a damn good lawyer - me… lol
From: nehunter
05-Dec-22
Wtf Anchor? Try walking to your stand in the dark with your 25 year old daughter. Then two cubs run up the tree next to you Momma is huffing and snapping her jaws. Then come back here and tell me that I'm not above the law.
From: UWShunter
05-Dec-22
Anchor I don’t give a rat’s ass how tough you claim to be. Guess what? That black bear will eat you alive and share you with its cubs…
From: Megaman
07-Dec-22
Bears can be very dangerous...to educate some folks who have doubts look up SCARY BEAR ATTACKS on youtube....
From: Anchor point
07-Dec-22
Then stay out of the woods. Or hunt someplace else. The laws are the laws you nor I made them but we need to respect them.
From: Thisismyhandle
07-Dec-22
What is the punishment for carrying on state land during bow season. I’m pretty sure it’s a decent amount of jail time, a hefty fine and a felony conviction. A felony conviction automatically disbars you from owning any firearm. As someone who has already spent a fair amount of time in jail, I’ll just continue to just take bear spray.
From: BBB
07-Dec-22
I've had just two encounters with bears while hunting. The first - I was in my stand for an all day hunt and a mom with 2 cubs came in about 1pm, browsed along for hours and ended up about 200 yards from my stand. As I was coming down at sunset she started to run right at me, bow on the ground and I'm half way down. I thought she saw me moving and was coming to protect her cubs, but something spooked her where she was and just ran right passed my stand.
The next morning I was walking in before sunrise and while going through the thick brush I heard the 3 bears crashing to get a way from me, that got my blood moving. I've never considered getting spray and I don't own a handgun, so I guess I'm not that concerned, or just stupid.
If I was hunting with my daughter or grandson and in an area with lots of bears, like nehunter, I might reconsider. I wouldn't criticize anyone who is in that situation.
From: Anchor point
07-Dec-22
Exactly bbb. Take your kids else where if your that worried
From: Anchor point
07-Dec-22
Exactly bbb. Take your kids else where if your that worried
From: UWShunter
07-Dec-22
No AP. I’m not changing where I hunt because of bears. So you’re a fan of a law created by some liberal hack from urban Hartford who has never hunted before. Didn’t take you for a liberal anti-hunter. Are you one of those “let’s change our lives so we can accommodate bears”… screw that. Tired of this nonsense.
There needs to be a bear season and start killing them. They are fearless.
I’ve had 3 encounters with bears this season - seen more bear than deer & if I had to - would def kill one.
Bears are everywhere in CT and according to you, the answer is just hunt somewhere else. Nah
Not only are bears a nuisance but they are destroying the CT deer population and have zero souls and will kill you AP in a heartbeat.
From: BBB
07-Dec-22
One bear, that we know of, was shot in Newton by off duty cop. Notice the word "beloved" when describing the bear that was endangering the people.
NEWTOWN — In the hour or so after an off-duty Ridgefield cop shot a beloved black bear, officers from multiple law enforcement agencies descended on his Newtown property to examine the animal and question the homeowner about why he killed the bear with his AR-15 rifle.
A bear tagged as #217 was known as Bobbi to many Newtown residents. An off-duty Ridgefield police officer fatally shot her in May. She is survived by her two cubs.
From: Blood
07-Dec-22
Yeah, we know about that bear because someone opened their mouth. I believe all charges were exonerated. If you think that this is a one time occurrence in Connecticut, you better think again.
From: Thefisherman357
07-Dec-22
I had 3 bears walk by me last Saturday while stalking with bow.
From: CTBobcat
07-Dec-22
I had a bear under 10 yards in november while bowhunting deer in CT. I videotaped him and yelled several times but he kept coming back. zero fear of humans. 225-275lbs bear too. Not a cub
From: Anchor point
07-Dec-22
Uw. Well laws are meant to be followed so I do so. Again if you’re not happy with the near las in ct then maybe move to a different state where 1 there are less or 2 you can shoot them. Again complaining on bowsite is going to accomplish nothing! It’s not going to change the law, and it’s not going to rid your area of bears. So stop whining. Lol
From: Anchor point
07-Dec-22
The bears made that their home well before you were there. Now you have to do exist, deal with it or go see where. And if you know the bears are there and as dangerous as you saw, why would you bring it your daughter? Lol.
From: Anchor point
07-Dec-22
The bears made that their home well before you were there. Now you have to do exist, deal with it or go see where. And if you know the bears are there and as dangerous as you saw, why would you bring it your daughter? Lol.
From: Thisismyhandle
07-Dec-22
Now I don’t agree with not being allowed to carry nor do I agree with no having a bear season. I’d do both if allowed. But the reality of all this nonsense is that it’s still illegal to carry any firearm while bow hunting in this state. Which means that all you guys carrying are felons in waiting. You all realize that if you did in fact kill a bear with your pistol and someone found out, you’ll be going to jail. As well as losing your guns, hunting license, tons of money and pretty much anything else you hold near and dear. That all seems like a lot to lose when you could just carry spray instead.
From: Anchor point
07-Dec-22
We’ll put! These guys also don’t think game wardens visit this site. They openly admit to carrying while bowhunting! Hahha. Super smart bunch of guys we have here. Lol very easy to find out who’s who, where they live, etc!
From: Thisismyhandle
07-Dec-22
Yeah, I’m not completely on your side. I don’t think every law should be obeyed just because it’s a law.
From: Thisismyhandle
07-Dec-22
Yeah, I’m not completely on your side. I don’t think every law should be obeyed just because it’s a law.
From: Anchor point
07-Dec-22
I like my clean record. I’ll keep following them.
From: Coondog
07-Dec-22
There sure are a lot of people that are afraid of black bears… a fairly docile animal. I could see a danger being imposed if you got between a sow and cubs, but you guys are making them out to seem like grizz. On average, black bears kill less than one person per year. Yes, we do have an ever-growing population here and do need a limited draw bear season, however, they do not impose the danger a lot of you are making them out to have.
From: Anchor point
07-Dec-22
Bunch of Karen’s if you ask me. You’re in their home. Don’t like it move into another area and quit crying like a sissy
From: Big Dog
07-Dec-22
Oh, we're Karens, whiners, and felons-in -waiting with Anchor, like Zeus on top of Mt. Olympus, looking down on us literally and figuratively (with a clean record too). It's our mythologic god of hunting with an ethic we can only aspire to. However he did make a few valid points..... a few,lol.
From: Big Dog
07-Dec-22
From: BBB
07-Dec-22
BBB's Link
What would you do??
From: Thisismyhandle
07-Dec-22
Actually I said felons in waiting.
From: Coondog
07-Dec-22
BBB, I’d just sit there and watch the bear. It’s not climbing up the tree to eat you… that happens more than you’d imagine and nothing ever happens from it.
From: Big Dog
07-Dec-22
Coondog, correct, but you left out that occasional rogue boar that can be a danger too. It always bothers me after a bear attack they hunt and kill the supposed perpetrator whose only crime was being a bear instead of a 300lb graduate of obedience school.
From: BBB
07-Dec-22
I would probably tell the bear to leave just before he gets to within range of any part of me. This guy must of had food in his pack that the bear wanted it.
From: UWShunter
07-Dec-22
AP - I ain’t moving anywhere. Nobody is being a “sissy” for being concerned about a predator who will kill you, AP, in less than 5 seconds regardless how tough you are. Not only are they in my land but I had a mother & its 2 cubs 10 yards from my front door. Not sure if you have the benefit of private land or children who need you. Hence, I’d rather be prepared than being an Eagle Scout. You want to rely on your bare hands against a bear - good luck - lol. Happy to have my sidearm. Seems like I struck a chord… lol
From: Brian M.
07-Dec-22
"Nothing they can do? A nice .308 days otherwise. Cut the tree down! I’d be dammed if I have my family of young kids that close. Then the gw says nothing he can do. Ok no problem I’ll take care of it then." ~ Anchor Point
LOL, AP being a tough guy on the CT bear season thread, but here it's "Karen's and sissies" .
From: UWShunter
07-Dec-22
My $’s on Yogi vs AP.
From: Anchor point
07-Dec-22
That’s next to your house where you live with your wife and kids. We are talking hunting spots not your back yard!.
From: Anchor point
07-Dec-22
If I had that kind of bear activity I 100% wouldn’t have my kids in there.
From: UWShunter
07-Dec-22
Not sure what you’re talking about. Yes, my back yard is my hunting spot, son. Pretty big back yard - lol. Living the American Dream. I hope one day you enjoy the same.
From: Anchor point
07-Dec-22
That’s a big bear. I mean my American dream isn’t too bad. Healthy family. Live in a towny type area. Unfortunately I don’t have those kind of woods. I have to drive to my spots. Few that are decent sized and rest are 100-400 acres. I don’t encounter bears often. I do however deal with packs and pack of coyotes. Not sure what’s worse? Walking up on a pack in the dark at 430a or a bear.
From: Anchor point
07-Dec-22
Anyways, good luck, stay safe!
From: UWShunter
07-Dec-22
Thanks AP.
From: Big Dog
08-Dec-22
AP, yes on the 'yotes
From: Big Dog
08-Dec-22
BBB, bears have a sense of humor. Tell him if he doesn't leave you'll beat him to a pulp. When he goes into fits of laughter make your escape,lol.
From: tobywon
08-Dec-22
Litchfield County Bear from this summer. Maybe the fat ones are slower :)
From: Thisismyhandle
08-Dec-22
So does anyone actually have the link to the editorial?
From: Megaman
08-Dec-22
Megaman's Link
Black Bears....
From: Megaman
08-Dec-22
Megaman's Link
Black bears...
