Bear hunting changes

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I'm all for opening bear season at least here in Bradley co. I'd be even more for doing away with the stupid reserves in Cherokee wma. There may have been a time when it was needed twenty years ago but not now! I hunt on the Ocoee reserve quite a bit and see probably ten bears to every deer, the place is just over run with them!
 
My buddy could have taken one on the hamilton/bradley line for the past 4 years....this is great news! Wish they would take a look at the buck limits
 
TWRA�s proposal comes on the heels of a 2013 survey that concluded there are nearly 300 black bears on the northern Cumberland Plateau, most of those on the Tennessee side of the TN-KY border.

[color:#FF0000]300 Bears and everybodys gets a chance at one for a month.[/color]

As the elk population grows in the restoration zone legal hunting of elk will be a management option. As of January 2009, it is estimated that just over 300 elk roam freely throughout the zone. Beginning in the spring of 2009, the TWRA will issue five bull elk tags to the sportsmen and women of Tennessee, four of these tags will be raffled off through a quota permit drawing while one will be donated to the RMEF to generate monies for the elk program. The number of tags was carefully determined to make sure there were no negative affects of the current growth of the population. With any luck, the first legally harvested wild elk in over 140 years will take place in the fall of 2009
[color:#FF0000]
300 elk and only 5 tags were issued for a couple days[/color].


Now tell me how this makes since? :crazy:
 
I think the wording is alittle off. I could be incorrect and if I am someone please correct me, but the 200-300 number the DNA survey came up with was for the immediate area the original DNA survey took place in (BSF and Pickett), not the follow up multi county (including Cumberland) survey. I believe that 200-300 number was only for that specific area (BSF and Pickett, not for the areas outside of that(like mine) with the best habitat that has alot of bear.

I'll say this, I am very suprised that the hunt was proposed for such a huge area that is well outside of the "epicenter" of bears. I cant believe Cumberland Co. was added to it for instance. At least my area is hopefully getting what we need but man what a huge net to throw. I never would have imagined the proposal would be this liberal. I guess they are thinking the arhcery only will limit it alot and I imagine it will.
 
Those numbers may very well be wrong. The elk numbers were for 2009. I'm sure the elk numbers have increased also. There are still only 5-6 elk tags a year. My point is why protect one animal and not the other? Both are native and both have been stocked into the area by TWRA.
 
The difference is that the bears will protect themselves, figuratively speaking. The elk hunts are comparable to shooting fish in a barrel. Bears are a much harder animal to hunt with a bow,from a stand. Look at the rest of the US, most archery bears are taken over bait because without bait, they simply are not patternable creatures. Anyone that knows bears should know that bait in some form accounts for a large number of bear archery harvests in TN. With all that said, I have not and never intend to archery hunt for bears in TN. If hunters are not violating baiting laws in the Cumberland region, the bear population will not be negatively affected.
 
I agree 100%. Most will whether the bait is dinner table scraps, dog food, bird feeders or trash cans. If you successfully legally harvest a bear in open woods with a bow you have done something.
 
I hope the commission see's that the data doesn't support the theory of a large or even moderate bear population and puts the ax to this proposal.
 
fredfred said:
I hope the commission see's that the data doesn't support the theory of a large or even moderate bear population and puts the ax to this proposal.
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Why not have a Bear mortality quota like they have in Wyoming and other states. Open a season within a certain area with a limit of say 15 bears. Once 15 bears are checked in the season is closed. Simple as that.
 
KY did a 10 bear limit on their archery season. The quota was filled, not sure how long it took to fill it. The largest bear killed in KY this past year was taken 9 miles from my place. I think we will be seeing some dandies get taken when our season starts up. That 27 hits out of 28 area is not to far from me.
 
If you want to hunt Bear then go to East Tennessee like the rest of us have to. Oh and when a couple of these (trophy) Bears are killed, see what happens to the lease prices in those areas.
 
Fred im guessing you will not shoot one if you see one during archery deer hunting?
 
I can understand fredfreds point but here in Bradley county we are so close to Cherokee that I don't think killing a bear here would have any effect on the population what so ever.
 
CATCHDAWG I was only referring to the proposed hunt on the Cumberland Plateau. I don't know enough about Bradley county to say one way or the other.
 
I dont think you will ever have your dog hunt for them up around b.s.f. nowhere near the public land to do it on. The park is already a reserve. Catoosa is another story though. This whole area is nothing like the eastern mountains. We just are not layed out for the bear numbers like they are. I would bet if they was opening a dog hunt here you would be first in line. I think it would be good to keep the dog hunters over in the east and keep it low impact here. I have enough problems with the hog hunters aggravating me sneaking in the park behind me running hogs.
 
dovahkiin said:
I dont think you will ever have your dog hunt for them up around b.s.f. nowhere near the public land to do it on. The park is already a reserve. Catoosa is another story though. This whole area is nothing like the eastern mountains. We just are not layed out for the bear numbers like they are. I would bet if they was opening a dog hunt here you would be first in line. I think it would be good to keep the dog hunters over in the east and keep it low impact here. I have enough problems with the hog hunters aggravating me sneaking in the park behind me running hogs.
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My whole point here is there is not enough Bear here to justify a hunt..... I never expect a Bear hunt with dogs here. Maybe Catoosa or BSF in the far future (10 years or so)If you have a problem with people hunting your park then call TWRA or the park rangers. I think you have more of a problem with Houndsmen in general. They're probably messing up the places where you sneak into the park and hunt.
 
I dont have to sneak into the big south fork park to hunt. I walk in there and hunt in front of god and everybody. It is legal to hunt in there but not hogs with dogs. My problem is the bear destroying my garden and my sweet corn fields i used to grow and sell. I will fence everything off if the ones who put them in here to start with will pay for it. Do you really think the sky is going to fall if they open a archery season for them? I dont think it will help my garden any at all. You sound so much like the p.e.t.a. people that think the apocalypse will start because of this bear hunt. You should lobby for it to be closed in cumberland county where you live, everyone around here could care less about that area. Let us deal with what we have to live with up here and go on about our business.
 
ive lived in Morgan co sine 1998 and have yet to see a bear...Just thought id put that out there.
 
dovahkiin said:
I see a few per week. Must be my ninja skills.
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You've been honing them slipping into the park LOL

I hunt in Cumberland and Fentress county's. Mostly Cumberland and in Fentress/ Putnam county line. This hunt will cause more problems than it will solve. Leased land will sky rocket IF your in an area with numbers of bear. I have no doubt that there are several Pope and Young old boars around either. Guys will bait them up all summer long and get pics of a real trophy and then let the highest bidder hunt it.
 
I like the idea of being able to shoot one when it comes by. It wont hurt a thing in my opinion
 

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