Speaking of bear....

[JCTheGC]

I am seeing more and more bear and bear signs.  From bear crap on the road, to scratched telephone polls, to actual sightings.  Seems like bear in NY is ever increasing!  Anyone else notice this over the past 5 years or so?

[burmjohn]

It is...  My uncle used to always hunt up in Margaretville when he was younger and never once saw a bear in the 20+ years having property there.  Now they are all over... Same goes for my other uncles place in Walton, bear all over.  The property I have up on Cochecton has bear all over...  So they keep moving more and more downstate or coming over from PA?

[Doc]

Over here in Ontario County, 5 years ago, bears were the last thing that I ever would have thought of. Last year, we had a legal open bear season here. I have had bird feeders twisted up and ripped out of the ground and garbage cans dragged up into the woods with the contents scattered nicely through the woods. Everybody in the area for several valleys around have been having similar problems. Talk about a rapid change. And the DEC swears that they have not planted any in the area but that all this population explosion is due to wandering bears deciding to set up housekeeping in the area.

However, the fact that we have an open season on bears does not mean that hunting them is a practical activity right now. If anyone gets one here, it most likely will be just a super-lucky event. Those critters have a huge range, and it will be a few years before the numbers offer up much of a realistic opportunity. But the way the population is growing, it may be a hunting opportunity that will be practical in a very few years.

Doc

[ELMER J. FUDD]

2 years ago there was a bear in Hillside lake. (East Fishkill- dutchess County). in albany county - partridge run, I followed some tracks in the snow. Ill get the pix up. It went across the lake and stopped by the beaver lodge. No blood in the snow, so I guess he was unsuccessful and  moved on.

[A6A6]

in the past 20 years..

minor ups and downs but for the most part we appear to be on the up in harvesting which probably means overall population is growing..we have almost doubled since the 1990's in reported harvest's

check out this page from DEC.

http://www.dec.ny.gov/outdoor/42238.html

i hunt in margaretville and roxbury and we have tons of them over there..

too many..

they forage thru everything and will pummel your stainless steel bbq for the grease tray.

..

[burmjohn]

Wow, those are some crazy stats.

[ELMER J. FUDD]

bear tracks in the ice. That's a size 13 boot.

[Fantail]

I'd like to try bear hunting some day. We get the tag - then why not?

I dunno, logistics I guess. Last year I was in one of the 'extended' zones but there was never any bear sign. Have some property in 6k (Williamstown) but that's still a ways before any NZ bear zone. Perhaps an oppertunity will present itself this year.

[gunsandoptics.blogspot.co]

We had a sow and two cubs on my office lawn and in the neighborhoold development behind my old office building in Cortland last year. Danny106

[Doc]

I keep seeing stories on TV and in the papers about bears wandering around the suburbs of Rochester. New bear seasons have opened up around the state. I take those things to mean that the NYS bear population is on the up-swing. amybe even to the point of being a problem in some areas.

We now officially have a season in Ontario County, but not yet a real huntable population unless you have a coincidental chance encounter. But eventually, I am sure there will be a very huntable population here.

Doc

[Dom]

Dutchess county is plentiful with bear they should allow us in the county to fill tags bear taste mightygood

[builtright716]

I live in Niagara County. We had a bear sighting last week in Newfane. I have seen a cougar myself here 5 years ago, and he's starting to be seen more often now too.

[Mr VJP]

I had a large Black Bear approach my rear deck in Delhi at dusk a few weeks ago.  I was sitting on the deck smoking a cigar at the time.  It was directly under my feet when I yelled at it to chase it away.  It only went 20 yards before stopping and turning broadside to look back at me.  I think it was coming to raid the bird feeder I had put up about 2 months earlier.  I took the feeder down after that.

[ny hunter]

I found tracks in the woods last year.Never saw the bear.Would love to get a shot at a bear.I am planning on going on a bear hunt in Maine next year.

[skyzmine]

i would love to see a bear out back of my place

when i lived in the southern tier i would see tracks, and often

but never saw the bear

[nyslowhand]

Been several sightings of bear(s) this summer in north, central Wayne county (8F).

Actually near where I hunt.

That's a rarity!!!!

Last year the single sighting was between Lyons & Geneva.

Love to see a bear while in my tree stand. To observe only. lol

What would be even neater is to see a moose.

Several years ago a young bull moose made it all the way to Williamson (Wayne Co.) before being darted.

[Mr VJP]

Seems to be a lot more bears in 4P this year.  Trouble is some of the city week enders are feeding them.  They come close to their houses and some of these folks have dogs and small children.  Not too bright.

[solon]

they are spreading around - saw one for the first time this past spring in Cortland county - town of solon

[Doc]

So when you are out by yourself and get a big old bear, just exactly what do you grab onto to drag him out. My impression is that it would be kind of like trying to wrestle a huge bag of jello out of the woods.

Doc

[burmjohn]

ATV, or a long ass rope and a truck.

[ANTLERS]

Doc,in 2008 I was by myself when I got a decent size sow.I used the cargo carrier that attaches to the rear bumper.I rolled the bear onto it,After gutting,then tied it down.Grabbed one end and dragged it back to my truck.Not as easy as an atv,but i had to improvise.

[Doc]

ATV, or a long ass rope and a truck.

What do you put the rope around? ..... the neck? Won't that destroy the hair? In fact any kind of dragging for any distance would run the risk of rubbing hair off and destroying the pelt, wouldn't it? I've seen that happen with deer.

And of course, there is no prior agreement as to exactly where the bear will decide to expire and I would imagine that quite often they make it to areas where mechanized transport can't go (even ATVs). Also, there are a lot of bear hunting areas that do not allow ATVs, or landowners that will not allow ATVs on their land. What do you do then?

Doc

[Mr VJP]

Gut the bear first.  Completely skin the bear next.  This is important to cool the meat down as fast as possible. Cut it into quarters and put a quarter onto a tarp.  Drag it out one quarter at a time.

The work involved with caring for a harvested bear is a lot more than a deer.

[Doc]

Gut the bear first.  Completely skin the bear next.  This is important to cool the meat down as fast as possible. Cut it into quarters and put a quarter onto a tarp.  Drag it out one quarter at a time.

The work involved with caring for a harvested bear is a lot more than a deer.

There, That sounds like a good way to do it. I was trying to picture manhandling this big bag of jello that has no handles of gripping features. Sliding the thing out in quarters on a tarp sounds pretty reasonable to me.

Doc

[the blur]

I've read conflicting reports on the meat.  Some say it's good, Some says it's nasty and greasy.  Talking to an outfitter in Canada, he turns a 200lb bear into all sausage.

The rug would be nice, but 200 lbs of sausage, I wouldn't know what to do with it.

and dragging it out would be miserable.  havn't decided if I would shoot one yet.