What to do about bears?

[Atchman2]

The bears have been destroying my hog hunting place! My cameras have been torn from trees, my blind knocked down, and my feeder destroyed. Anyway of keeping them away? I mean it is my fault for luring them in but you can't shoot bears in Anderson county. I am guessing them destroying your feeder isn't grounds for depredation.

 

[Safari Hunt]

Send them back to Chicago? Not an easy answer. A friend had her feeder trashed by a bear. Never did find the grain canister. Call TWRA. They could put out a trap and find Ol' Bruin a new home.

 

[PickettSFHunter]

People around here have found only one good answer for bears. You can guess what that is.

 

[Safari Hunt]

People around here have found only one good answer for bears. You can guess what that is.

Poaching?

 

[Atchman2]

Send them back to Chicago? Not an easy answer. A friend had her feeder trashed by a bear. Never did find the grain canister. Call TWRA. They could put out a trap and find Ol' Bruin a new home.

Yeah, but I am luring them in. He just hits and runs that is the problem. There are TWO of the bastards now! If they showed up consistently that would be a good idea. Still may be worth a call to TWRA just to inquire. Just never thought I would run into bears and not be in the Smoky Mountains. When I was a kid the only place to find bears was in the park.

 

[Atchman2]

Well he cost me some more money today. I thought I could salvage the spreader but it is kaput. It was in some muddy goop when I found it. I am guessing it just got wet. I may try and figure out how to hang it up in a tree? I know they can climb but the regular feeder height is easy pickings for a big bear. I need it like 10 plus feet in the air.

BTW it was COLD in the Mountains yesterday. My gloves were not up to the task and my Little Buddy heater would not fire. Got on Youtube and fixed the heater! That thing is invaluable. I am digging out my trigger finger mittens before trying again. Been only boars on my camera. The cameras though have been so abused by the bears I think they might be misfiring. Put a new camera up there last night and brought the old one home for my backyard coyote cam.

 

[Safari Hunt]

A CO told me that they have at least two dozen bear calls a year for Bradley County. My daughter had one in her subdivision in front of her house. And...a former neighbor was a city police officer. He shot one with his service revolver on the courthouse square! Recently, a door security video showed one on the front porch of a church about 1-1/2 miles away. We are up to our armpits in bears!

 

[2in1shot]

TWRA, although great people, will tell you:
1. That you are causing your own problem.
2. That you are hunting in bear country and will have to deal with it.


Put your feeder on a cable that is suspended by a pulley tied off to a large limb above. You can pull it up and down on a cable with a cranking boat winch with a automatic break.

 

[Atchman2]

People around here have found only one good answer for bears. You can guess what that is.

I wish I could catch it in the act. Maybe some rock salt from old Betsy?

 

[MickThompson]

TWRA, although great people, will tell you:
1. That you are causing your own problem.
2. That you are hunting in bear country and will have to deal with it.


Put your feeder on a cable that is suspended by a pulley tied off to a large limb above. You can pull it up and down on a cable with a cranking boat winch with a automatic break.

What would you have TWRA do? Say it's ok to take bears on your hog bait under a depredation permit, essentially legalizing bear hunting over bait without bag limit or season?

 

[2in1shot]

What would you have TWRA do? Say it's ok to take bears on your hog bait under a depredation permit, essentially legalizing bear hunting over bait without bag limit or season?

I would not have them do a single thing. Just learn to live with the bears. Know that if you put out bait, garbage, food, etc that bears could show up.
I would never advocate for anyone to break laws concerning bears. Bears can be a nuisance but they are a true TN treasure that occupied the entire state historically.
I would continue to hunt hogs at my bait site like atchman2 has been doing. The bears are not the problem. The way in which the gear is set up and can easily be destroyed is. Change the feeder. Move the cameras up high on trees too small to climb. Wear new gloves when handling the camera and use no glow cameras. These things do not eliminate the issues but do help.

 

[Smoke]

Got the same thing happening on my lease. Been tearing down hog feeders left and right. As long as food is there, they're gonna keep coming back.

 

[Safari Hunt]

The bear that was in my daughter's subdivision was eating dog food at a house down the street. Bear hung around for two days. I would too, if i had a free meal.

 

[Derek]

Got the same thing happening on my lease. Been tearing down hog feeders left and right. As long as food is there, they're gonna keep coming back.

Love that second pic! haha

 

[younggun308]

A CO told me that they have at least two dozen bear calls a year for Bradley County. My daughter had one in her subdivision in front of her house. And...a former neighbor was a city police officer. He shot one with his service revolver on the courthouse square! Recently, a door security video showed one on the front porch of a church about 1-1/2 miles away. We are up to our armpits in bears!

When did the courthouse thing happen?! Maybe that bear was paying his respects at the veterans' memorial.

 

[CATCHDAWG]

When did the courthouse thing happen?! Maybe that bear was paying his respects at the veterans' memorial.

I don't recall hearing about the courthouse thing either?

 

[Atchman2]

Maybe they should add more counties for bear hunting? I fully realize I am part of the problem in this case. I ordered a new spreader and I am going to get some stronger poles to keep it from being tipped. Part of the issue was I had some aluminum T posts. The bear twisted them into pretzels. The one post made out of rebar of course survived. Also going to take up a taller ladder and see if I can suspend it partially from the trees to stabilize it so it can't be tipped.

He has already broken my lower poles so I can't get it any higher. Probably should have just bought a new taller feeder with new poles. The spreader is the most expensive part of a cheap feeder.

 

[Atchman2]

One other thing. A big boar hog will have his way with a feeder too! You get a 300 pound plus macdaddy leaning on those poles and they will snap like a twig! On the other hand, the hogs don't destroy EVERYTHING, just most things.

 

[Antler Daddy]

The bear season basically runs concurrent with deer season in GA. If you check the kill totals, you will find that most counties and WMAs have zero taken. I bet there is a good reason the season is open.

 

[Atchman2]

The areas that are open nearby are transitional zones or the Morgan county zone. Those seasons ended in October I think. They are also archery only. I am guessing it is help establish bears up on the plateau.