i recently read that the black bear is the second most sought after big game animal in North America. i find this hard to believe since not many people in my area hunt bears. i was just wondering if this is different in other places

i only recently started hunting them. there is excellent bear hunting in eastern n.c. maybe the best in eastern north america. but even with that, the number of bear hunters doesn't even come close to deer, in this area. bear may well be second, but i would bet it is a very distant second.

i have been on a couple of bear hunts, but i wouldn't call myself a bear hunter. i would think that Elk or mule deer would be second ?.

Kevin

you may be right. but, i would guess that the areas where mule deer and elk live, are limited by population (hunter). black bear cover a much wider area, and are in locations where there are large numbers of hunters. i think the number of elk hunters is also limited by having to draw tags for them in so many places. many people that want to hunt elk, simply find it too costly, in money and time. surely when they throw this number out there, it's still just a guess. i haven't filled out any survey.

i hunt BB

Like bucky, I have hunted them a few times even had an opportunity at one but passed it up because of a bad quartering angle at 17 yards with a bow on the ground. I wouldn't call myself a bear hunter but I really enjoyed the experience.

i dont but i want to

Have a tag on me so if I see one (again) I will try(again) to get a shot off at one(again)...

I just got back and I had a great time. I am planning on going again. Seeing these animals walk around it awesome.

Hunted them for the first time this year and it was great! Will definitely be doing it again.

i guide bear hunts here in WA

I have been hunting them since 1972 and guiding since 1977. Have taken 30+ bears myself and strictly bowhunt them.

I like black bear hunting. It's a lot of fun. I've hunted them in Oregon and Maine.

If I don't get drawn for Elk or Deer in Montana next year I'm getting a fall Black Bear tag.

I bear hunt here in Minnesota, but i dont think there is a huge number of hunters, but there is a decent number that bear hunt here i think.

I hunted them for the first time this year and loved it. I want to go again next year, but would like to find somewhere close to manatulin Island in Ontario this time, so that I can swing by and visit some freinds of the family.

It's the second best thing for me to hunt here in PA (that I can get a tag for every year). Before 03 I never seen one in my area but that year I seen 2 several times. By time season came around I set up in the same place and wacked one. Been chasing them every year since. I'd say we have a good population here.

All in all it doesn't rate as high as a Rockies elk/deer hunt.

We can hunt them here now, seen tracks one day but they were a day or two old during muzzleloader season. I have one on my Bucket list, this comeing season I hope!!

hunt them every year can get 3 tags a year. elk still #1 but bear #2

I hunt bears every spring and have a blast at it. My hunt lasted 4 hours last year and i saw 16 bears and 2 nice shooters.
And your right they are one of the most widely spead big animals in north america

I was just about to go nuts with that 16 bear siting...then i saw B.C. is where you're from. Not as big of a suprise anymore! hahahahahaa. Would love to go to B.C. and chase some trophy sized bears.

Ya its pretty nuts. What i didnt tell you was about the huge chocolate bear with the blonde almost white cub and black club that i stalked to with my wife and buddy. We passed because of the cubs but if she dry this year shes toast. 25 minutes from my house!!


If you ever come up to B.C book a trip to the Queen Charlottes. Ive seen never number ones come out of there. A 20 plus inch skull is not a stretch!

Holy cow! Last year me and my buddy were out hunting and spotted a chocolate female with one chocolate cub and one black cub. Not near as rare as what you saw because seeing an almost white cub would be awesome! I saw 5 bears last spring and missed the first one I saw which was 2x the one I ended up killing. Last year was my first year bear hunting and no one in my hunting party has ever killed one.

Can't wait till this year!!!

I'll definitely keep the Queen Charlottes in mind. If ever i get around to booking a hunt that is.

I cant wait till April 1st!

I cant either, Jared.

Around here if it's open and i see them ,I'm hunting them. LOl. We have a lot of bears around here.I see them all the time from spring til early winter. Only had one during an open season come in bow range and had no shot. And that has been it in nearly 20 yrs of having a season in the southern zone of N.y.

My friend missed one a couple of years ago. It was a chocolate bear with black highlights. a real pretty bear. he made a good stalk went to drew back on his bow and i watched him let down. i was like wtf and then i see himm draw again release and the bears goes running off. turns out the bear was at like 10 yard and when he shot his arrow hit a branch and missed just under the bear. It was hard not to laugh it was pretty funny. he missed two that day. but theres always this spring.
And remember bears are almost blind. we have stalked them in open ground with little breakup. as long as you have good camo on do worry about a lot of cover. keep the wind in your face and you'll get a bears. plus they die really fast. never had a bear go more than 40 yards.

I have a few friends that go every year with pretty good success, I have never been, but really want to. We have a permit draw here in MI. every year . if you dont get a tag you get a point. most get theres at or around 5 points. so every go over to canada.

Drew my first bear tag for wisconsin this year 7 years with the point system some zones the wait is around 10-11 years lots to learn before september acdc

Like whitetail, black bear are all over north america...that is why they are number two to whitetail...

We had our first ever season this year here in Ky., they only drew 10 tags and only had a 2 day season. The night before the season opener, it snowed a lot and no one could get to the area where the hunt was to take place, i think it was three counties in far eastern ky. way up high in the mountains. So there were none killed, i guess they will try it again next year. They have never stocked any bear here but some have migrated from N.C. VA and Tenn. I have never had a desire to hunt them, but never had a chance either.

Dale.