Futuretrash

Bad. Ass. You are one courageous dude. Hats off.

+1

Going tomorrow for my permit and then bowhunting Opening day and Thursday, super amped. I've hiked there a bunch but never hunted. Huge place, and closer than Catskills for me (NYC), just an hour drive. Rock and roll!

I backpack Harriman all the time, and surrounding areas. Bears are no joke. A hiker was just killed in New Jersey by a black bear 2 weeks ago. I'll tell you a story about my experience up at Balsam Lake bowhunting for bear in the early season ... I got there at about 11pm Friday evening, got my pack with my sleep gear and water and my bow and hiked out to where I usually sleep. I ducked under some brush to enter one of the designated camp spots and shined my light up into the clearing and it was swarming with bears, maybe 3 cubs all into this guys food and one trying to get into his hammock. The Sow was up in a tree and dropped out of the tree and cracked the tree dropping out with a huge crash. The guy had his food hung about head high and I'm assuming was cooking all night there. Not smart. I killed the light and walked back and slept in my vehicle. I'm not confronting a Sow and her cubs in the dark, no thank you. When it comes to food, my recommendation is this, and I've never had a late night raid like that one ever... Cook your food and eat before dark if possible. Wash your cook kit FAR away from your sleep spot. At least 50 yards, 100 is better. Brush your teeth where you cooked. Bears love mint. Walk a bit away from where you cooked, the scent will be all over the trees as with the water you washed with. Once you have all your smelly stuff in a bag, take a nice length of paracord and tie it around a rock on one end. Throw the rock and cord over a high branch, I shoot for 15+ feet or more, just don't smack yourself with it in the head when it comes back down. Try to get it out far on a branch away from the trunk of the tree. Then untie the rock, tie the bag to that end, and then drag the bag up into the air, hanging well under the branch, and well off the ground. Black bears can go right up a tree. You want to make it very hard for them. If you keep the food hung away from where you cooked they will likely not even know it's there. Never eat food in our around your tent, or worse in your sleeping bag. And I use descenting soap on all my gear as well so I have a scent free campsite. For me they don't scare me too much, but I get a crazy rush of adrenaline when I come across them at night and then find it impossible to get to sleep after that ... This is just what I do, but I'm by myself a lot, and I have kids so I don't like to take chances. If you can, wash after you cook as well in a stream or a lake. That's best, you can use descenting soap and then you'll be in a sleep spot with no critters knocking at your door while you sleep soundly. Even mice getting into your gear is a drag, I have a great ultralight bag from REI that's shredded from mice trying to get at something, maybe a tube of lip stuff or something. They even got in my car as well. As far as the dog goes, I'm new to hunting as well, but I'll tell ya man, dogs aint quiet and they stink, I think a bear for sure and likely deer wll want to avoid that smell, so I don't think there's a benefit to having a dog with you while you're hunting. I have a boxer and love him in the woods with me when I'm camping but I never leave him alone (especially tied up) and haven't considered bringing him hunting with me. Hope this is helpful, just be safe when it comes to bears at night, they're hungry this time of year, the berries are going away and there's pressure to fatten up before hibernation time.

Can I ask you guys, I'm hunting public land, my question is this: How far off of human made trails should I push myself out into the forest? I'm assuming the deer and bears will be well off of the trafficed trails, but how far should I consider going? 1/4 mile? A full mile? I had some killer spots with a ton of bear and deer scat about a 1/4 mile from the trail up at Balsam Lake Wild Forest, scented with bear attractant I made, not a thing over 3 days. But again, heavy fresh scat. Are they only coming close to people-ish areas at night and then going deeper in the forest and peaks daytime? Would love some tips on strategies. I'm on the ground, full camo but no stands. I'm planning on spot and stalk until I get my first deer / bear and then moving to a tree stand after that perhaps. Thanks in advance!

What does "AR" mean?

I love Rinella, but man on the Rogan podcast he talks about his whole Trichinosis ordeal, WTF! It's right out of a science fiction movie. "Real Problems" as Cameron Haines says.

Cool, thanks for sharing. Totally respect your discretion.

Montec G5's, but been hearing great things about the slick tricks and their accuracy. The G5's are nice because they're so easy to sharpen, so I can shoot with them on the range all day then go home and sharpen them to hunt ready in a few minutes. But I don't have a ton of hunting experience, this is my first year, and they just seemed to be so low maintenance it's one less thing I need to worry about failing. I think once I have a few animals under my belt I'll consider switching up to something else. For you guys using slick tricks, how do you sharpen them after using them on the range?

@steve863 I agree. I think it's about each individual finding where they can shoot reliably. Some cool guys at the range yesterday, one was taking accurate shots at 80 yards with broadheads. He clearly knew what he was doing. His suggestion was while hunting, consider your max range to be 1/2 of what you can shoot at the range reliably. Anyone have any thoughts on this?

Link? I need some value arrows for my 55# Grizzly. Right now I'm using Beman centershots and they're pricey!

Thanks for the tips @mmkay! Just upgraded to a heavier arrow (Full Metal Jackets), will be heading up this weekend for a second attempt.

@gunner1 Did you find out where?

Hopefully I'll have advice for you on this topic, heading back up to the Catskills 20/21 for the last 2 days of early bear.

@nyantler Hairy moment dude! Check pants for escapees!