why isn't there a spring season? and should we start one?

[G-Man]

Just wondering why there isn' t a spring season? With all the expanded fall area why isn't a spring season a viable option in certain areas? 

[Culvercreek hunt club]

I have never taken a spring bear but I would assume the fat trimming would be a lot less. I wonder about the taste.

another question and I have no idea......how do female bears that have given birth behave with their new borns. Are they like Coyotes where the young stay in the den while mom goes out? If so would that allow for a reduction in breeding? I would think if mom was taken the survival of the cubs would not be possible

[Bballhunter11]

Will be taking first spring bear in Quebec this may. Cubs come out of the den with there mother Geno and are about the same size as a coon, if the mother gets shot the cub will likely die. Mothers with cubs are not legal to shoot in some areas. Cubs are always near mothers so hard to mistake.

[G-Man]

MY understandiong is the pelts are better in may, the cubs are with their mother so protected under nys regs (no bear in a group) I've only had bear meat from sprin hunts in new brunswick and it's good !!

[Mr VJP]

Fall bear meat is very good as well, depending on what the bear was eating most of it's life.  If it was living off of peoples garbage, or eating at the dump, it won't taste too good.

I think NY doesn't have a spring hunt because it doesn't need one to keep bear numbers in check.  The fall hunting season alone is enough to keep bear numbers well below the habitat capacity, so the DEC doesn't need to open a spring season.

[TH41]

I'd agree,there isn't a large enough population. Although if you ask some of us on here we would say the population has to be pretty good. I think it depends on where you live. I live close to some big farm country just across the Pa border. I believe that is the reason why we see so many bears. A spring season will probably never happen in ny. I'm not sure how many states in the lower 48 have a spring bear season. But i do believe the one's that do, are close to the Canadian border.??

[the blur]

They do AUG bear hunts up in Canada..... over bait.  Mixed reviews on eating the meat.  Some say make it all sauage.

[Pygmy]

A buddy of mine in Ontario used to hunt spring bear every year.. He took 13 of them, 11 with his bow...He claimed that spring bear meat was the best, much better in his opinion than fall bears that were larded up with fat... His opinion, not mine...The few times I have tried bear meat I was not overly impressed..

[nyantler]

Funny.. but I have never had a bad piece of bear meat... but everybody doesn't have the same taste buds I guess.

[Pygmy]

Very true, Joe... tastes vary...  I  have never shot a bear myself, and some of the meat that has been given to me  may not have been taken care of properly... I have tried samples from several bears, and would rate it from poor to fair..

I cooked the backstraps from a black bear one of my buddies shot when we were hunting Alaska in September..It was feeding heavily on blueberries..It was OK, but nothing I'd walk across the street for..Especially when we had moose, caribou and fresh grayling , dolly vardens and rainbows to eat...

ONE time I was given a standing rib roast from a bear that had been living and feeding in a cornfield in Pa....I must admit it was as good a piece of game meat that I have ever had...

[nyantler]

I am a firm believer that with the right cook.. a boot can taste good..lol

[Single_shot]

I am a firm believer that with the right cook.. a boot can taste good..lol

Yum! Boot stew!  ;D  My bear was just fine in the crock pot,wish I had more.

As far as a spring season,I say no. Too many  "trigger happy hunters" out there would shoot females with cubs. JMHO. It happens enough as it is.

[Daveboone]

My belief on why no spring bear hunting is several possibilities:

First, NY does not have a very large (though stable) population to start.

Next, spring bear hunting is usually baiting oriented, which isnt allowed. Fall bear hunting is pretty much on a stumble upon basis. Next, the bear take in NY is apparentlly effective enough in removing the desired # of bears, as the population is at a stable level for decades.

[G-Man]

I don't now about stable. i think it  is increasing rapidly. I use to see a bear one every 3 years or so, now i have at least 3 hanging around after 2 were taken in the fall within a mile of me. I am getting damage,pictures and sightings a plenty...

[steve863]

Like someone said, spring bear are usually hunted with bait or dogs in the states and provinces where it is allowed.  Neither will ever happen in NYS, thus I think it would be difficult to implement a season.  The one and only bear I shot in British Columbia 20 years ago, did not look very appetizing when skinned, thus I didn't take the meat and honestly the outfitter and the hunters hunting with him could have cared less about bear meat.  A bear looks too darned human when skinned for me to want eat bear meat.  Thus I will never shoot another bear again.  Don't want the hide or meat so why shoot one?  This link has interesting examples of how a bear resembles a human.

http://www.lab.fws.gov/idnotes/IDG11_BearHumanFeet.pdf

[Daveboone]

Of the three bears I have shot, the meat itself was as clean and appetizing as any other appropriatly treated butchered meat. I have to agree that the skinned carcass looks very human like (other than the skull). The first bear I brought home put us off eating it for over a year on the memory of looking like a young human! Yes, it was a small bear.

[G-Man]

I think most bad meat i have had bear/deer/other just hasn't been properly cared for. I can't tell you if it hung to long without proper temps or not dressed quickly, or properly. Everthing tastes a little different (not everything tastes like chicken!). I know raccoon it pretty good if all the fat is trimmed off it,but leave a little and its the most rancid tasting thing you'll ever try.                                                                                                                    I know most spring bears are taken over bait but i don't see where that would preclude a spring season. over the last 5 years bear hunting area has expanded by several counties,obviously they are expanding their range, fall hunting doesn't seem to be keeping them in check. I've live/hunted within a few miles of the original line rt 17 now interstate 86 for over 20 years. When the line was changes 8-10 years ago it was rare to see a bear, now it is common. Obvioulsy the dec is either trying to expand their range or they are not able to controll it as the hunting area seems to increase every year lately!