81 replies to this topic

[rasorbackq]

Got to my stand at 1543. Took a look around   no bait in barrels .  Settled in to the stand . I like to read the reg when in stand . Started to read the regs and before I got to page 7 (and I skipped 1-6) I see black feet and legs walking about 50 yards away. Put down the regs  grab the camera. Wait  for 15 minutes  bear didn't show up.

 Put away camera   Pick up the regs and again  when I finished reading page 7 I look over the book bear is at the barrel. Not a clue where it came from.

 . Since there was no food it hung around a few minutes .

 It  was the larger of the 3 small bears I have here $150-175 lbs  It headed off into the alder swamp. An hour latter a see another bear coming up the same trail the from the swamp This little guys be luck to weigh in at 75lbs It managed to get a little popcorn seeds from the barrel but it goes though a top barrel hole 8 " across up to its hips

 When it left there it headed in the direction of the carrot site at 653 meters away.

 Since i had seen both most of my bears I went to the carrot pile to wait for this bear.

 He never did show up.

 Try again tomorrow evening

[Thunderstick]

Got to my stand at 1543. Took a look around   no bait in barrels .  Settled in to the stand . I like to read the reg when in stand . Started to read the regs and before I got to page 7 (and I skipped 1-6) I see black feet and legs walking about 50 yards away. Put down the regs  grab the camera. Wait  for 15 minutes  bear didn't show up.

 Put away camera   Pick up the regs and again  when I finished reading page 7 I look over the book bear is at the barrel. Not a clue where it came from.

 . Since there was no food it hung around a few minutes .

 It  was the larger of the 3 small bears I have here $150-175 lbs  It headed off into the alder swamp. An hour latter a see another bear coming up the same trail the from the swamp This little guys be luck to weigh in at 75lbs It managed to get a little popcorn seeds from the barrel but it goes though a top barrel hole 8 " across up to its hips

 When it left there it headed in the direction of the carrot site at 653 meters away.

 Since i had seen both most of my bears I went to the carrot pile to wait for this bear.

 He never did show up.

 Try again tomorrow evening

I have no bait out but the bistirds are back this year, one beast about 600 lbs, one 300-400, one 200 plus, and of course mom with three cubs. I think deer baiting will be delayed.

[superslickie]

Thunderstick perhaps you should get a bear license and lower the density of your deer area.
Or just ask me to get the problem under control.

[Thunderstick]

Thunderstick perhaps you should get a bear license and lower the density of your deer area.
Or just ask me to get the problem under control.

My heart lies in deer hunting. I find you never get rid of them. Once you go all out for bear then you got them for the season. I have had as many as ten frequent my cabin, then it lessened, now it seems to be on the up swing again. The 600 lb beast seems to be calling it home by the looks at his travels on camera. I once planted deer plots like Pete but it just made them lay in it and not move on, so I quit. Even with nothing there, there are always big birch trees clawed and marked as territory. Just down the road a farmer shoots at least 10 a year and it does not seem to put a dent in them. I am not liking what I am seeing in a good deer spot. By the way I always have a bear license and have shot one pretty well in each of the last 5 years  and gave the meat to folks but this year they have stated they are not interested.

[superslickie]

You shoot one and I'll be there to get it.
Once I get a few dozen sausages made I'll return with a few

[Thunderstick]

You shoot one and I'll be there to get it.
Once I get a few dozen sausages made I'll return with a few

I would be lying if I said I would not shoot the big fellow. A rug would be some nice. I will keep your offer in mind. Last year the odd bear was still at my stand mid November. I do plan to hunt there. Bear however needs to be processed quickly after you got one down.

[rasorbackq]

3 bears at my site this evening. Felt bad to the smallest. It was too small to pull the log out of the hole in the barrel. Just some crumbs for it.

[mack11]

Would love to see some pics of the 600lber. I've seen big bears but that's huge

[Thunderstick]

Would love to see some pics of the 600lber. I've seen big bears but that's huge

I have some great pics over the years but cannot load them on this site, got tired trying. Up until last year I had one very simular but he had almost a purple color to his fur. Had him on camera three years in a row, but not last year, or this. One could sit a pizza box on his head. I find these two mostly travel at 1:00 am in the morning. Guess that is why they are still around. I have been told that the biggest bear actually shot in the valley came from the property I bought. God knows he may venture out once deer food gets dropped.

[DH11]

Opening day we slept in a little because it was raining so we made it to the blind at about 8:30, my buddy would have first shot as I have a bit more vacation time. After a few hours in the blind a decent sized bear skittishly came in grabbed some bait and took off. when it came back about an hour later we were ready and he was dropped on the spot!

Today I was on my own and had a momma with 2 cubs come in and hang out 15-25 yards away for a couple hours on both my morning and evening sits.

Pics to come

[KEVIN]

Congrats !!

[rasorbackq]

Congrats DH.

 I never hunt mornings as the bears are just leaving my site at 9 am after being there all night.

 No bears seen last evening .and no cards in either cam over night. Left early as my stand was swinging around way to much for my liking.

[3macs1]

Congrats on the bear

 Looking forward to your pics

Take care

[rasorbackq]

 Tried a different tactic last evening. Went in for 6pm and hunted til last light.

  Was there for 30 seconds and seen first bear lying down about 40 yards off.  That one just  slowly woke up and walked off.  Then at 615pm I heard a small snap look over and see a bear walking in right to barrel . Not a worry in the world.  Once it got to the barrel it got weirry of the area. . It took some bread and walked about 60 yards away  .Over the next 25 minutes  Did that 3 times then never returned . At 717pm I was just getting ready to climb down and I see a 3rd bear coming in. . This was the small one . It wondered around but never went to the barrel. It was doing a lot of yawning. Then it laid down about 10 ft from my ladder stand base  I made a lot of noise , threw branches at it but it didn't move.  When I lowered my rifle at 740 it was pretty dark under the canopy it walked away quickly and slowed its pace about 30 yards away.

 The second bear had the sites on its head tonight  but a little to small. Guess its 150-175 lbs.

 Maybe tonight it will torment me enough.

[rasorbackq]

 3 new bears last night.

 First time in 8 years to have a sow and a cub

 

 

See nice white chewed off tree

 

Watch it chew the tree off.

 

Barrel thief. Found the barrel 50 yards away.

 

New tree barrels chained to with log installed.

 

 

 

 

[rasorbackq]

Great night in the stand this evening. My wife asked if she could go in with me and watch the bears.

 Sure I said. . Got to stand at 611. First of 5 bears walks in at 619 second walks in at 635. They are all over the place  . Even had a little scrap near the barrel.  They came and went 20-30 times .  At 725 starting to get dark under the canopy The last bear is only 40 yards away been there standing for 25 minutes. I heard a bunch of branches breaking hard left from my stand. I see a black stump. Then the stump moves as well the other 2 stumps with it are running.

 Mamma and the two cubs. In 10 minutes its too dark to see.  Wife whistles way better then me so she lets one go  bear at 40 yards  runs off momma and cub are gone and so are we. Right past where she was standing on the trail.

 

[KEVIN]

That's kool stuff Steve !!!

[rasorbackq]

 Might have made a mistake by bring the wife to watch the bears . She said can we go again tonight?

NO hunting on sunday. Not going back without a gun for safety reasons.

.

[rasorbackq]

 Another interesting even hunt .  Just as I was turning the last corner to the site I hear the barrel clonk I see a bear on the barrel and a cub on the ground.  Thumb on hammer (94)finger on trigger guard. Walk in about 40 yards from barrel  , make some noise. She looks at me. I wave my arms at her. She does nothing. As she wakes me I walk another step towards her.

 She grunts and wheels and is gone into the swamp.  2 cubs start climbing up 2 different trees. My plan was to get to the safety of the stand and let everyone calm down. As I approach the barrel stand area one cub jumps from about 10-12" to ground and is gone . I climbing to stand and watch for momma.  I second cub is up a large pine about 20 ft away. Got a great video of it coming down and running away.

 

 About 15 minutes later I see my 4th bear of the evening. Its chevron.Its around for about 35 minutes  back and forth from barrel to 50 yards away. then back again.. As soon as it leaves I see another bear on the same trail Chevron just left on. Though its face was too dark to be Chevron. I was right its not . 5 bears again tonight.

 

 The plan for the next couple nights is to watch the bears but not harvest any . No sense harvesting as bear if the power will be off with the approaching storm

 

 

[gary]

great stuff!!