Bear Hunting?

[Atchman2]

Is it possible to hunt bears without dogs? In other states they bait them, which is illegal here. Would it be a waste of time during the archery season?

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[PickettSFHunter]

Most in my county are taken over bait during the archery only season. Illegal yes but that's how the majority are killed. Very difficult the legal way.


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[BlountArrow]

Around here, I think a lot depends on where you hunt and how comfortable the bears are at moving during daylight hours. For example, I very rarely get pics of bears on my place during daylight hours. So, for me I have quite low expectations of killing one. Consequently, a guy that works for me lives in a subdivision on the Blount/Sevier County line and the bears seem to almost co-mingle with the residents. He sees bears in his area at all hours of the day. If I had a place to hunt in close proximity to him I'd really feel good about my chances.

I can honestly say that on my place I have never in my life caught a glimpse of a bear during the daytime with my own two eyes. Never. Yet, I do get a healthy amount of night time pics of different bears every year and have been since about 2010...explain that on some very low pressured property.

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[Atchman2]

Around here, I think a lot depends on where you hunt and how comfortable the bears are at moving during daylight hours. For example, I very rarely get pics of bears on my place during daylight hours. So, for me I have quite low expectations of killing one. Consequently, a guy that works for me lives in a subdivision on the Blount/Sevier County line and the bears seem to almost co-mingle with the residents. He sees bears in his area at all hours of the day. If I had a place to hunt in close proximity to him I'd really feel good about my chances.

I can honestly say that on my place I have never in my life caught a glimpse of a bear during the daytime with my own two eyes. Never. Yet, I do get a healthy amount of night time pics of different bears every year and have been since about 2010...explain that on some very low pressured property.

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Have you ever hunted them there? There is a social worker at the hospital that says she sees bears in their subdivision all the time. I'm going to see if I can come out with my crossbow and try it. :)

 

[BlountArrow]

Where? My place or suburbia?

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[BlountArrow]

I know it's a young one, just an example though. Dude is about 50ft away so he tells me. I'm not suggesting there is any sport in shooting a bear from your front porch by the way, but again I've never even seen a bear during daylight hours in the wild (not including Cades Cove).


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[Atchman2]

I didn't mean come to your place. :) She lives somewhere near Walland.

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[psubuzz]

I was interested myself in giving it a shot. Im sure there would be a bunch of sitting around in a tree stand watching nothing walk by, but having just moved here from a state where you had to get drawn in a lottery to get a bear tag(Maryland), it interests me to try. Im just not sure where to even start looking since I haven't hunted in any of the bear hunting zone areas

 

[elknturkey]

I could kill multiple bears every year with a bow without even trying. We see more bear than deer in October. Wish the bear hunters would thin em out but they enjoy the chase more and only kill if it's a good size bear

 

[psubuzz]

I could kill multiple bears every year with a bow without even trying. We see more bear than deer in October. Wish the bear hunters would thin em out but they enjoy the chase more and only kill if it's a good size bear

Hey bud, if you need em thinned out let me know where to meet you. I'll leave your deer alone :tu:

 

[hunter0925]

I could kill multiple bears every year with a bow without even trying. We see more bear than deer in October. Wish the bear hunters would thin em out but they enjoy the chase more and only kill if it's a good size bear

Hey bud, if you need em thinned out let me know where to meet you. I'll leave your deer alone :tu:

No joke! I would do that in a heartbeat! Bear is something I really want to get in tn before I venture elsewhere for it. I have plenty of deer. Lol

 

[elknturkey]

Technically Im just across the line in va just outside of Taylor's valley (little town near shady valley). The population has been exploding the past 15 years. I do spend most of my time chasing turkeys in the Cherokee national forest and the bear population seems to be doing well there as well. It's big mountain hunting but find an apple tree or an oak flat with acorns (beech nuts is just as good) and bear sign in some thick stuff and just wait.

I've seen as many as 6 different bears in one sitting multiple times. Last year I found the only ridge with any acorns. They were roughly in a 200 yard x 400 yard section on a east facing slope covered with laurel. I seen bears everyday for 16 or 17 straight days. Anywhere from 80 pound runts to a few approaching 300-325lbs and sows with 1-3 cubs.

 

[elknturkey]

We got to a point where we couldn't even hang cams. They would be tore up within a few hours even when we started hanging them 10ft! Here's one from just this weekend

 

[elknturkey]

Here's a few that I have saved. I delete most of em now cause it's like getting a doe on cam

 

[Atchman2]

Do you not hunt them? I can understand not hunting them, but I was just asking.

 

[elknturkey]

No don't hunt them. Where we hunt we have to pack out our deer to even get them out. Last one I dragged took 11 hours and I was about 20 years old at the time. You can only field dress a bear so I couldn't imagine trying to get one out

 

[Atchman2]

I understand that!

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[scn]

No don't hunt them. Where we hunt we have to pack out our deer to even get them out. Last one I dragged took 11 hours and I was about 20 years old at the time. You can only field dress a bear so I couldn't imagine trying to get one out

Incorrect on the part of only field dressing a bear. That regulation was changed a couple of years ago. Here is the current reg:

2) All harvested bears must be checked in at any approved checking station (excluding internet
and mobile applications). Bears may be whole or field dressed, but must weigh 75 pounds or
greater when checked in. If bears are quartered or boned out, the total of the meat, hide, etc.,
must equal or exceed 75 pounds. The reproductive sex organs shall remain attached to each
bear harvested at least until the bear has been officially checked out at any official checking
station.

 

[Jcalder]

No don't hunt them. Where we hunt we have to pack out our deer to even get them out. Last one I dragged took 11 hours and I was about 20 years old at the time. You can only field dress a bear so I couldn't imagine trying to get one out

Incorrect on the part of only field dressing a bear. That regulation was changed a couple of years ago. Here is the current reg:

2) All harvested bears must be checked in at any approved checking station (excluding internet
and mobile applications). Bears may be whole or field dressed, but must weigh 75 pounds or
greater when checked in. If bears are quartered or boned out, the total of the meat, hide, etc.,
must equal or exceed 75 pounds. The reproductive sex organs shall remain attached to each
bear harvested at least until the bear has been officially checked out at any official checking
station.

is that Tn regs or va regs.


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[Jcalder]

No don't hunt them. Where we hunt we have to pack out our deer to even get them out. Last one I dragged took 11 hours and I was about 20 years old at the time. You can only field dress a bear so I couldn't imagine trying to get one out

Incorrect on the part of only field dressing a bear. That regulation was changed a couple of years ago. Here is the current reg:

2) All harvested bears must be checked in at any approved checking station (excluding internet
and mobile applications). Bears may be whole or field dressed, but must weigh 75 pounds or
greater when checked in. If bears are quartered or boned out, the total of the meat, hide, etc.,
must equal or exceed 75 pounds. The reproductive sex organs shall remain attached to each
bear harvested at least until the bear has been officially checked out at any official checking
station.

is that Tn regs or va regs.


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TN regs. I'd like to think that the suggestions submitted by TN Deers members helped get that reg change as quite a few members submitted the suggestion. Democracy at work [emoji106]


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only reason I asked is the OP said he was in va. His regs may be different than ours


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[scn]

Those are TN regs. Since he was talking about hunting on the N Cherokee for turkeys, I may have improperly assumed he was referencing TN. Sorry if that wasn't the case.