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Tennessee Hunting Forums
Hunting - other than deer
Tn Bear?
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<blockquote data-quote="Nsghunter" data-source="post: 4937236" data-attributes="member: 14436"><p>Disclaimer: I HAVE NEVER KILLED A BEAR, I have researched beer hunting a lot but due to time limitations I've never been. These are the pieces of wisdom I've gathered. </p><p></p><p>There are other tactics but the two I've heard that make the most sense in East TN (without dogs) is to go to Cherokee National forest, during a gun hunt and find areas near the bear reserves and walk the trails and forest service roads and still hunt this way. Make sure that you are not in the reserves while you are hunting. Also, there is a time when bears begin to eat EVERYTHING, and they make a terrible amount of noise and its more obvious where they are. Now I don't know when this feeding pattern begins but I know of more than one person on this forum who have had success hunting bear this way in CNF, and in Foothills WMA. This type of behavior can be incidentally discovered while deer hunting if deer season is open. CNF seasons DO NOT always correlate with statewide season. </p><p></p><p>Foothills WMA holds good bear population, some of it joins the GSMNP and most is near it. The portion of Foothills and CNF that is on the Dragon is also rumored to be good areas. </p><p></p><p>Of note, be careful who you hunt with and make sure you ask questions related to the legality of their tactics, before you decide to go.</p><p></p><p>I have been invited to hunt with two prominent East TN. houndsmen over the last few years only to discover they are frequently involved with illegal hunting tactics from hunting in the Smokey's down to running bait sites all year and during the hunt, even killing over active bait. </p><p></p><p>I would call and ask Bill Smith ,the manager of Foothills WMA and the area mangers of CNF and also, the forest service guys where they might see bear. </p><p></p><p>It can be a lot of walking but it sounds like loads of fun, remember when you shoot a 2-300# bear, they can sprint around 40 MPH before they die and they might end up in some scruffy stuff when they die... That could lead to a nasty blood trail and DIFFICULT haul out. Be prepared </p><p></p><p>Proof of sex must be maintained on the animal and they can clog up the entrance and exit wounds with there fatty layer pretty easily. Ive read from guides in Maine and BC that .30 projectiles can result in crummy blood trails and those greater than .40 really ensure better tracking success because they obviously bleed better and longer (Muzzleloaders are a great choice because most of us have them). Although, I met a poacher who had killed over 60 bears in his lifetime and he used a .22 on most of them. (easy to shoot in the head when he's burried in bait pile.) He also shot a number of these in the smokies.</p><p></p><p>If I was going to pay for a ( non-dog) guided hunt, I would honestly go to North Carolina, they used to say that their black bear population/hunting regulations provided a better hunting opportunity. I will simply employ the tactics I talked about above when I go. </p><p></p><p>Also, a lot of hound hunters LOVE to bring people along and that can take out some of the leg work for you and the hard work for them.</p><p></p><p>PM me for more details. I would be happy to help in any way that I can.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Nsghunter, post: 4937236, member: 14436"] Disclaimer: I HAVE NEVER KILLED A BEAR, I have researched beer hunting a lot but due to time limitations I've never been. These are the pieces of wisdom I've gathered. There are other tactics but the two I've heard that make the most sense in East TN (without dogs) is to go to Cherokee National forest, during a gun hunt and find areas near the bear reserves and walk the trails and forest service roads and still hunt this way. Make sure that you are not in the reserves while you are hunting. Also, there is a time when bears begin to eat EVERYTHING, and they make a terrible amount of noise and its more obvious where they are. Now I don't know when this feeding pattern begins but I know of more than one person on this forum who have had success hunting bear this way in CNF, and in Foothills WMA. This type of behavior can be incidentally discovered while deer hunting if deer season is open. CNF seasons DO NOT always correlate with statewide season. Foothills WMA holds good bear population, some of it joins the GSMNP and most is near it. The portion of Foothills and CNF that is on the Dragon is also rumored to be good areas. Of note, be careful who you hunt with and make sure you ask questions related to the legality of their tactics, before you decide to go. I have been invited to hunt with two prominent East TN. houndsmen over the last few years only to discover they are frequently involved with illegal hunting tactics from hunting in the Smokey's down to running bait sites all year and during the hunt, even killing over active bait. I would call and ask Bill Smith ,the manager of Foothills WMA and the area mangers of CNF and also, the forest service guys where they might see bear. It can be a lot of walking but it sounds like loads of fun, remember when you shoot a 2-300# bear, they can sprint around 40 MPH before they die and they might end up in some scruffy stuff when they die... That could lead to a nasty blood trail and DIFFICULT haul out. Be prepared Proof of sex must be maintained on the animal and they can clog up the entrance and exit wounds with there fatty layer pretty easily. Ive read from guides in Maine and BC that .30 projectiles can result in crummy blood trails and those greater than .40 really ensure better tracking success because they obviously bleed better and longer (Muzzleloaders are a great choice because most of us have them). Although, I met a poacher who had killed over 60 bears in his lifetime and he used a .22 on most of them. (easy to shoot in the head when he's burried in bait pile.) He also shot a number of these in the smokies. If I was going to pay for a ( non-dog) guided hunt, I would honestly go to North Carolina, they used to say that their black bear population/hunting regulations provided a better hunting opportunity. I will simply employ the tactics I talked about above when I go. Also, a lot of hound hunters LOVE to bring people along and that can take out some of the leg work for you and the hard work for them. PM me for more details. I would be happy to help in any way that I can. [/QUOTE]
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