NYS Bear Hunting

[Doc]

My guess is that 90% or better of bears that are taken occur in places that allow bear baiting. But here in NYS baiting of bears is illegal. So, since the number one method for taking bears is illegal here, I have to wonder what methods you guys use to do your bear hunting. Are bears repetitive enough in their movements that you can hunt them like whitetails....That is watching a know common bear trail, or trying the old bedding to feed habits? Or is it more likely that bear harvests are simply capitalizing on accidental targets of opportunity while deer hunting. What's the scoop? anybody figure out how to apply a bit of science into bear hunting?

[Untwisted Pretzel logic]

Guessing dumb luck while deer hunting accounts for most NY bears taken. I've had 2 easy chances during bow seasons, however, I have no use for a bear, so did not shoot.

I always hope someone has a need for a bear and will take out the bears in our area, as I do believe they have a negative effect on the deer population, as well as their movement.

[airedale]

I will start off saying I am no Bear hunter myself, zero Bear population in the areas I have hunted down through the years. Years ago one could hunt Bear with dogs in NY and I had a buddy that wanted me to join him in a hunt and to see how my Airedales would work out. I was fired up to give it a go but the first Cuomo Governor along with his allies in animal rights ended Bear hunting with dogs.

I have friends that hunt them in other state and Canada over bait with real good success. Seems like I read somewhere some hunters have had limited success with varmint calls. By far the majority I know that have taken Bear in NY have done it while Deer hunting as a target of opportunity.

Al

[Daveboone]

I love bear hunting, and have been lucky enough to go in NB a fair bit, and had opportunities in Newfoundland. I have gone "bear hunting" in NY, but really only as an excuse to be in the ADKS,  but almost all bears are "stumble ons". Bears vary widely with following their food choices, and unless you have an orchard/crops within bears territories, they are almost impossible to pattern.  In Canada and out west, they  are often spot and stalked on huge clear cuts/ tundra, etc. where there is a natural and long lasting berry crop. That is how I have seen bears in Newfoundland....grazing almost like a cow, just scooping berries in their mouths.  A veterinarian friend who was a very avid bear hunter told me blueberries + bears. No blue berries, and bears cant live there. The ADKS have them, but not in the sustaining quantities that make hunting them practical.

[Four Seasons]

So many Bears they are now turning into pests. We take 3-4 every year across from our property on the military base. With 1000 acres of beans and corn along with so many apple trees they are pretty easy to pattern. We let anyone who wants to hunt have at them just to keep them in check. They come around the animals in the summer time. Most guys like to hunt them on the base side of the road because they can use their rifle’s where across the road on us they have use the Bow’s. 6g and 6h. 

[Farflung]

Bears are a pest to the local farmers and beekeepers. Strong electric fences will keep the hives safe (generally). The corn crops are another matter. The bears get into the corn, eat some, but knock down a big patch. I am on the west edge of the Adks, and they are everywhere. the dog guys chase them around, but unless they have a destroy permit, they just tree them, take a photo and let them be. We also have a lot of folks that will set up on a cornfield and get one that way. Still, most of the bears are just random kills when guys are hunting deer.

[DirtTime]

Most, of the guys I know who have success here in NY either get one while deer hunting as a target of opportunity or they spend a lot of time tracking them up north.

[GreeneHunter]

Backyard Bear .... wife took the picture when I was in another county Deer Hunting !

 

[cas]

While I know people who tried it once without success, I've often wondered what the DEC's opinion of a honey burn was.

You're using "food" as bait, but the it's not intended in any way for the bears to eat it, so it's not really bait. but knowing this state...

[wolc123]

Certainly it is true that the vast majority of bears taken in NY are "targets of opportunity" that are harvested by deer hunters, who happen to be in the right place at the right time.   The reasons for that are: #1) bears are mostly nocturnal.  #2) baiting is not allowed in NY.   

I am a pure meat hunter, and that is the main reason that I never had much desire to hunt bears.  The problem with bear meat is: #1) Less than 10% of their body weight is edible.  All of the rest is non-edible guts, hide, bone, and fat.   #2) Meat from bears that weigh much over 200 pounds field-dressed tastes bad.    The math here just doesn't work out for me (as a pure meat hunter). Why should I waste much time and money in pursuit of less than 20 pounds of ok-tasting meat, or a little more bad-tasting meat ?

The answer that question, is that my father in law would really like a bear rug.   For that reason only, I have devoted some time and energy, over the last 20 years since marrying his daughter, in pursuit of one.  The bear population is definitely on the rise where my in-laws live, up on the NW corner of the Adirondack park, not too far from fort Drum.  While I have yet to see one, I had a close call up there last October, during the early ML week.   We found fresh tracks that were made (at night) while I was there.  They have also captured a few daytime trail cam photos, and neighbors have seen several out in the daylight.  

Bears have been my primary target up there, about every other year, over the long Thanksgiving weekend.  On the "in-between" years, when I still have a buck tag because I haven't filled it at home in the southern zone on opening weekend, bucks are my primary target.  If I ever do manage to get a bear up there, it might be killed with my 16 gauge side-by side shotgun, and a Remington "slugger".   Grouse, are my "secondary" target on those  "every other years", so I bring along some # 7-1/2 shot for those.   I have patterned that double with the slugs, and it groups pretty good, out to about 60 yards.  Shots further than that, in the the heavy cover up there, are unlikely anyhow.           

This was a couple years ago up there on Thanksgiving weekend.  I had a couple slugs in the double and was watching a spot at sunrise “buck-tagless”, and hoping to see a bear.
 

 We had to come home a day early that year, because it got warm and there was a big “opening week” buck carcass hanging in our garage that I had to process before it spoiled (the victim of another 16 ga Remington slugger from a different gun):

 

 

 

 

Edited February 25, 2023 by wolc123

[airedale]

15 hours ago, Farflung said:

the dog guys chase them around, but unless they have a destroy permit, they just tree them, take a photo and let them be.

NY State Houndsmen got the training of running Bear with dogs with no killing restored after a lot of work. We almost had regular hunting restored, got everything through the legislature and it just had to be signed by Mario Cuomo a Democrat of course who refused to sign it. He based his decision on the disingenuous anti hunting movie The Bear, which in reality was laughable.

Al

Edited February 25, 2023 by airedale

[DirtTime]

12 hours ago, GreeneHunter said:

Backyard Bear .... wife took the picture when I was in another county Deer Hunting !

 

There were two of them roaming this area. Watched one run across 9W into a backyard, pretty big bear. I saw a glimpse of the other smaller one in the west part of the state land with no access at all now for hunting in our area. That was last Summer, haven't seen even a sign since, they must like you.

[ANTLERS]

Their all over my trail camera in western Sullivan county, even had a camera ripped off the tree once chewed up along with a plastic posted sign. Never saw one this past season though.

[Untwisted Pretzel logic]

24 minutes ago, ANTLERS said:

even had a camera ripped off the tree once chewed up

 

Had the same thing happen to me in Delaware County about 4 years ago.  I have pictures of the last seconds of the eye of the bear right next to my camera and then a blur.  It was a good thing I was using little bungee cords instead of the strap that came with the camera, otherwise the camera would have been destroyed.  

At first, I thought the camera was stolen until I looked around and found it about 10 yards away.  I had to glue the infrared cover back on with superglue.  The camera still works, a Primos 1.0; simple to use and takes good pictures and tough enough to stand up to a bear.

[Farflung]

Airdale- when he vetoed the bear/dog season, he said regarding the bear hunters, "let them go out into the woods, and stalk them".

He also made a couple of comments to the effect that it was cruel to  the dogs. I'm thinking he has never met a bear dog.

[Daveboone]

On 2/25/2023 at 5:41 AM, wolc123 said:

2) Meat from bears that weigh much over 200 pounds field-dressed tastes bad.

? Two of my bears were well over 200...250, three hundred respectfully. I found their meat to be delicious. I think that many folks simply dont treat bear meat like real meat. They frequently dont gut it/skin it promptly, leaving the bear to show as a trophy hanging intact,  and the black hide soaks up the suns heat and retains heat, with the layered fat, can turn a bear quickly . Smaller bears cool quicker.  Garbage fed bears tend to have a different taste. 

[SportsmanNH]

You are absolutely right !   I've only shot one bear . Shot it in Maine in the big woods while deer hunting . I knew he was in there . There was a small abandoned orchard of maybe 15-20 trees and I would find his crap piles and puke everywhere . He must of been getting drunk every night eating that hard apple cider LOL . His fur was very shiny and he was full of beechnuts and apples when I gutted him .  Shot a 130lb spike horn in Vermont the same year . 

When I would ask the kids which one they wanted me to cook for dinner it was always unanimous " BEAR !!!! " He tasted way better than the deer . Absolutely delicious !  Cooked the steaks the same way as the deer steaks.  Just seared on both sides with peppers , onions and mushrooms . And yes , dump fed bears have a way different taste than big woods bears or bears that feed on AG crops. 

[airedale]

When it comes to eating game animals I have a strong aversion for consuming anything with teeth like a dog, Fox, Coyote, Cats, Possums etc. I am sure a good cook can make any of them taste halfway decent but I will pass. For me it is a psychological barrier that I have a hard time getting past.

Al

[Doc]

20 hours ago, airedale said:

When it comes to eating game animals I have a strong aversion for consuming anything with teeth like a dog, Fox, Coyote, Cats, Possums etc. I am sure a good cook can make any of them taste halfway decent but I will pass. For me it is a psychological barrier that I have a hard time getting past.

Al

Yeah, it does seem a bit like eating a dog.........Lol.

[Four Seasons]

2 hours ago, Doc said:

Yeah, it does seem a bit like eating a dog.........Lol.

I’m in the same boat. I have them like crazy here and don’t even hunt them. I pretty much give anyone the green light to go in the property to hunt them just to try and keep the pests numbers down. As long as they don’t get to the numbers the coyotes once got to where war had to be declared I have no interest in shooting or eating one.