Help with ADK bear

[Skillet]

Buddy and I are planning our first bear hunt up in the Adirondacks for this fall. I know it's a low odds deal, but it'll be fun to camp and hunt for a few days.

I killed a couple in Maine, over bait when I was younger, but I'd like to really hunt one on my own.

I'm familiar with Saranac lake area, as well as Indian lake. We go there every summer to camp. Have seen bear sign around Indian lake, but not much.

Starting to do research for the hunt, and it seems like Moose river plains comes up a lot as a good area.

That doesn't really narrow it down though. It's a huge area (79,487 acres). I have no idea where to camp around Inlet, or what general area to hunt.

Maybe I should take a weekend this summer and go scout.

Any favorite campsites in the area?

I have a canoe that might help access back country areas. 

Not afraid to take a compass heading, and strike off the trail, but what am I looking for besides oak and beech stands? Do they like swamps or deep timber? Are attractants worth it? Better to go early in the season, or into October?

I have a bunch of Tink's bear incense sticks 

Have seen them at my camp in Naples, but it's few and far between.

I'm not asking for anyone's honey hole, but any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[Water Rat]

Have you considered the area around Long Lake ? I saw a lot of bear sign there but came home empty handed. 

[Skillet]

10 minutes ago, Water Rat said:

Have you considered the area around Long Lake ? I saw a lot of bear sign there but came home empty handed. 

I haven't considered it, but I'm definitely open to it. Wouldn't mind you joining us, if you were interested. 

[Water Rat]

I appreciate the offer but I’m too old for the Adirondack Mountains. Two knee replacements did me in. Best of luck though !

[Lawdwaz]

28 minutes ago, Skillet said:

Buddy and I are planning our first bear hunt up in the Adirondacks for this fall. I know it's a low odds deal, but it'll be fun to camp and hunt for a few days.

I killed a couple in Maine, over bait when I was younger, but I'd like to really hunt one on my own.

I'm familiar with Saranac lake area, as well as Indian lake. We go there every summer to camp. Have seen bear sign around Indian lake, but not much.

Starting to do research for the hunt, and it seems like Moose river plains comes up a lot as a good area.

That doesn't really narrow it down though. It's a huge area (79,487 acres). I have no idea where to camp around Inlet, or what general area to hunt.

Maybe I should take a weekend this summer and go scout.

Any favorite campsites in the area?

I have a canoe that might help access back country areas. 

Not afraid to take a compass heading, and strike off the trail, but what am I looking for besides oak and beech stands? Do they like swamps or deep timber? Are attractants worth it? Better to go early in the season, or into October?

I have a bunch of Tink's bear incense sticks 

Have seen them at my camp in Naples, but it's few and far between.

I'm not asking for anyone's honey hole, but any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

Take enough gun.   

[Skillet]

3 minutes ago, Lawdwaz said:

Take enough gun.   

No worries there. I'll be shooting a 510gr soft point. 

[Jeremy K]

I'd start scouting near public areas ,like the garbage transfer stations .

[rachunter]

Hamilton county is know for Baer. I’m right on the border in Fulton county and see more Baer and Baer sign then deer. I have a beaver pond and a small creek on my property that seems to attack them and hunt mostly around swamps and water,next month when they start breeding my cams will loaded up.






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[Kmartinson]

1 hour ago, Skillet said:

Buddy and I are planning our first bear hunt up in the Adirondacks for this fall. I know it's a low odds deal, but it'll be fun to camp and hunt for a few days.

I killed a couple in Maine, over bait when I was younger, but I'd like to really hunt one on my own.

I'm familiar with Saranac lake area, as well as Indian lake. We go there every summer to camp. Have seen bear sign around Indian lake, but not much.

Starting to do research for the hunt, and it seems like Moose river plains comes up a lot as a good area.

That doesn't really narrow it down though. It's a huge area (79,487 acres). I have no idea where to camp around Inlet, or what general area to hunt.

Maybe I should take a weekend this summer and go scout.

Any favorite campsites in the area?

I have a canoe that might help access back country areas. 

Not afraid to take a compass heading, and strike off the trail, but what am I looking for besides oak and beech stands? Do they like swamps or deep timber? Are attractants worth it? Better to go early in the season, or into October?

I have a bunch of Tink's bear incense sticks 

Have seen them at my camp in Naples, but it's few and far between.

I'm not asking for anyone's honey hole, but any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

Look for the largest clearings. They have great noses I would avoid the scents because they will smell you Aldo. Set up crosswind of fresh sign and lots of long views. Be patient, it's very hard to kill a bear without bait or driving large tracks of land with many people. Have fun its a beautiful place. Also look for moose sheds around swamps with big moose rubs.

[Robhuntandfish]

We went a couple of times to chimney mtn cabins in Indian lake. Saw bear sign but never a bear. We went up for the early bear season and luckily the fishing was great. Lol. But saw tracks and bear scat. One morn we went out fishing and hunting from a little island on other side of the lake. It was in Sept and it was like record heat almost 90. It was crazy. So never expected to see a bear. But caught a bunch of bass. Came in and the people in the neighboring cabin said it was 10 minutes after we left in the boat a bear was down by the little spot where all the boats were. Lol. Go figure.

Good luck, I've always wanted to get one bear myself. Tried a few times and have yet to see one while hunting.

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[brandon_h]

Look for wild cherry trees as the beech nut crop this year will most likely be non existent (as it was a super heavy beech nut year this past season and normally its an every other year deal with them).  Bears love cherries and will gorge themselves on them in the early season.  

[Buckmaster7600]

Scout, learn to use a predator call.


I don’t bear hunt, if it was biting nice I don’t think I would shoot one if it were attacking me however I know some guys that usually have their tags filled in a couple days Of the early season. They all scout and use predator calls. I’ve called a few in in the spring Turkey hunting.


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[Five Seasons]

I've tried it for 3 of the last 4 years and I agree that if you go for a fun camp weekend with a side of bear hunting you'll have a good time.

Look up "honey pots". They're what most consider a legal gray area because they exceed the volume of lure but can't be eaten so it's not exactly bait. 

[Daveboone]

We used to spend quite a bit of time in the Moose River Plains area. It is huge, and has a lot of free rustic camp sites within it. Limekiln State Park is just outside it. It would be a very good idea to go up ahead of time scouting. There are a lot of ridge lines you can follow with map and compass, and a canoe would be a good idea. There are a number of fairly large lakes that you can access lands by, or by going up different branches of the rivers. The area has a full time ranger on duty, whos office is at the entrance near Limekiln State Park. 

It is well worth the time to go up for a week end or two to familiarize yourself. I understand it has been quite heavily used the last couple years, but am sure mid week/off holiday, and after labor day you will not have any problems with crowds.

[hunter]

Try Lost Ponds area in Moose River Plains.

Good luck.

[Robhuntandfish]

18 hours ago, Daveboone said:

We used to spend quite a bit of time in the Moose River Plains area. It is huge, and has a lot of free rustic camp sites within it. Limekiln State Park is just outside it. It would be a very good idea to go up ahead of time scouting. There are a lot of ridge lines you can follow with map and compass, and a canoe would be a good idea. There are a number of fairly large lakes that you can access lands by, or by going up different branches of the rivers. The area has a full time ranger on duty, whos office is at the entrance near Limekiln State Park. 

It is well worth the time to go up for a week end or two to familiarize yourself. I understand it has been quite heavily used the last couple years, but am sure mid week/off holiday, and after labor day you will not have any problems with crowds.

 

45 minutes ago, hunter said:

Try Lost Ponds area in Moose River Plains.

Good luck.

ive hiked into lost ponds and some others fishing.  Always seemed so thick it would be about impossible to see a bear.  I fished the red river there one time with another guy.  We came out and a guy was standing on the bridge and as we walk up he says " you never saw it did you..."  saw what?  He said there was a bear just ahead of us on the river and he could see us both from the bridge.  As we moved up a hole to fish he seemed to stay just ahead of us.  I did see bear scat but never saw the bear.  Some in there but tough to find one i am sure. 

[rachunter]

Mows a good time to scout around. I saw a decent bear cross the road this morning on my way fishing.


For the last few years a bear has ripped up the tree I smear evercalm on. You can see the older marks. I’m going to start putting it on a tree near my treestand not on it.

Butt scratching tree


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