Hunting black bear is another rite of spring
Black bear prosper in pockets from Florida to Labrador to the Rocky Mountains and western parts of Alaska and Canada.
By BROCK RAY
ITJ
4/23/2008
It’s just not spring without a trip up north or out west to hunt for bear.
Bear is one of those rare quarries that Hemingway once said had the option to run from you or toward you when it is shot. I have experienced both, but I prefer to have the bear run away from me when shot.
North America has four species of bear, three of which are rarely bowhunted by any, with the exception of the most experienced archers. They are the Polar bear from the far north, the brown bear of coastal Alaska and the grizzly bear of the Rockies, Canada and Alaska. For most bowhunters the numerous black bear is sufficiently challenging.
Black bear prosper in pockets from Florida to Labrador to the Rocky Mountains and western parts of Alaska and Canada. Most are black, but color phases vary from dark brown to a tawny tan. Black bear can top 500 pounds, but most are half that weight. Fast, intelligent, and armed with sharp teeth and claws, they usually are retiring and shy, but can be unpredictable. The black bear accounts for more human attacks than all other bears.
Spring black bear hunting occurs in Canada, Alaska and many western states, while fall hunting is allowed everywhere these animals are hunted.
During the spring outfitters bait hungry bear within arrow range of well-concealed blinds. Black bear are a quarry for bowhunters who have a couple of seasons of experience in the woods after whitetail, and preferably who have made at least one trip for big game such as caribou. When bowhunting, if you have trouble controlling your nervousness when a buck is under your tree stand, you may not have the emotional maturity to hunt for bear. If you perfer rifle or blackpowder hunting, you needn’t have such a depth of hunting experience.
For a first time spring-season hunt, I recommend a "budget hunt." These are affordable hunts you can drive to in New Brunswick, Ontario and Quebec. Of course, a big bear can show up at any time, but most budget hunts are known for bruins in the 125 to 250 pounds range. Research outfitters by talking to their past hunters. Only book a trip when you are confident in your success to bow kill a bear.
If your budget can handle it, go after jumbo-sized, trophy black bear. You will significantly increase your odds for success by booking a hunt where bruins are most plentiful. Places for a trophy black bear hunt include coastal Alaska, western Canada and eastern Canada’s Newfoundland Island. Most trophy bear hunting occurs in remote areas. Travel expenses add to your overall costs, and average $1,500 more per hunt than budget hunts. I don’t recommend trophy bear hunts for novice bowhunters who have not killed a bear or two. When only 10 yards away, a 500-pound black bear can shake you up!
When your bear hunt is booked, immediately begin your preparation. Hunting for bear is serious business, and you can get hurt if a wounded animal starts running towards you. While interviewing dozens of spring bear hunt outfitters, lack of proper preparation was the biggest complaint. Practice shooting insures accuracy, and this is especially true for bowhunters.
You can improve your odds for bowhunting success by practicing in the most realistic situations. When preparing for a spring black bear hunt, get plenty of practice shooting from a tree stand. I strongly recommend that you practice shoot while wearing a bug netting head covering and gloves. You can further prepare by shooting at a lifelike, 3-D target bear. This may sound like overkill, but you might be surprised how the pressure factor can emerge when you make practice as realistic as possible.
Firearm hunters should make sure they are able to show good marksmanship. For blackpowder hunting, I don’t recommend anything smaller than a .40 caliber rifles, and personally perfer a .54 caliber. For centerfire rifle hunting a .270 is the smallest bore to use, and anything up to a .338 is fine; although, you must remember bullet weight. I use a 150 grain nossler ammo, but bullets in the 130 grain category or better, are sufficient.
Most outfitters provide a list of recommended gear that represents years of experience and knowing what you’ll encounter on your hunt. When driving to a bear camp, you can take along anything you can wedge into your vehicle. When flying, it’s doubly important that you follow the checklist provided by your outfitter. Be mindful of weight restriction on bush planes. I fly with a large Coleman cooler that’s used to either carry home frozen fish filets, or for containing the capped hide of my bear. Even if you don’t fly, it’s a good idea to invest in a quality bow case.
Noise, movement and odor will lower your chances to arrow a bear. Noise is created when you move or squirm. Bear have poor vision, but they quickly discern when we swat bugs or scratch. Even the slightest movement creates noise and that aids the bears in determining it’s source. Sit still, and don’t make any unnecessary noise. Head-to-toe camo, including a bug-proof head net and gloves allow you to blend like a chameleon in bear country.
Fooling the nose of a black bear is difficult. A labyrinth of olfactory receptors lining the inside their long snouts give bears incredible odor discerning abilities. Getting downwind from bait helps, but I rely on Code Blue’s unique EliminX. This patented formula simply eliminates human odor on contact. It penetrates pores of clothing controlling any human scent that comes through clothing, for long-lasting effectiveness. This formula separates and forms an invisible barrier around gas molecules eliminating odor. EliminX is three times stronger than human odor.
When a bear comes in to the bait, remain calm and relax. Odds are your quarry will be there for a long time, so presume that you have lots of time. When you stop shaking, and you’re sure you won’t rattle your arrow off of its rest, prepare to shoot. If you’re not positioned for optimal accuracy, slowly adjust when the bear is facing away from you. When ready to draw your bow, do this slowly and deliberately when the animal is not looking at you. If you are too excited to shoot, let off your draw. If you are new at bear hunting, there is no shame in getting to emotional to kill a game animal that is capable of killing you. Passing on a shot is far better than making a shot that wounds a bear your outfitter will have to deal with the next day.
If you have never hunted for spring season black bear, I encourage you to consider it. These are one of the most magnificent of all big game animals roaming North America. It is a challenging hunt, but a hunt where most experienced hunters are successful. Although I have been on many, many black bear hunts, I still get pumped at the thought making just one more. Remember take a kid to the woods it will keep them off the streets. You can check us out at www.interstatesportsman.com.