•Spring•Fall•Archery•Canada•Guides•Trophy Bears•Stands•Field Dressing•& More
Bear HuntingSecrets
of the Pros
By Havalon’s Bear Hunting ExpertsEditor – Steve SorensenManaging Editor – Robyn Rex Reed
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Countdown to a Canadian Black Bear HuntBy Steve Sorensen Pg. 3
Six Tickets to a Bargain Bear HuntBy Bernie Barringer Pg. 10
Choosing a Black Bear GuideBy Bill Vaznins Pg. 13
How to Hunt Bear in the SpringBy Bernie Barringer Pg. 17
How to Hunt Bear in the FallBy Tom Claycomb III Pg. 22
Black Bears by Bow and ArrowBy Bill Vaznis Pg. 25
Field Dressing Tips for Black BearBy William Clunie Pg. 34
Brown Bear Guides with Havalon Know-HowBy Steve Sorensen Pg. 38
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
Countdown to a Canadian Black Bear HuntBy Steve Sorensen
Unlock your next trip to Canada with these four keys, and you won’t just be paying your money and taking chances.
Four Keys to a Susscessful Bear Hunt
The winter cabin fever season brings guides and outfitters to sport shows in everypart of the country, where they set up to recruit hunters. If you’re planning a hunt fora Canadian black bear, you’ll definitely want to check them out.
I’ve pursued bears at home in Pennsylvania where they’re common any time exceptduring the short hunting season. I’ve hunted by the spot-and-stalk method in Alaska.And I’ve sat over bait in Canada. That’s supposed to be a high-percentage hunt – it’sthe method that produces the vast majority of black bears – but hunting baited bearsis not like shooting fish in a barrel. My experience is proof of that. On my first threeCanadian hunts, the bears won and I lost.
3
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
When planning a bear hunt, what can you to do insure success? What makes a goodbear hunter? How do you know where to go? How do you choose a guide? How do youprepare? You can answer these questions and count your way down to success by usingthese four keys:
Key #4 – Know Your QuarryIt should go without saying – a hunter must know his quarry. But there’s more toknowing your quarry than being familiar with its anatomy, understanding his habits, andknowing how he uses the terrain.
Learn all you can, but knowing your quarry is not the
number one priority for bear hunting.
4
It took me a long time to harvest my first bear. Eventhough I had a bear-sized appetite for learning aboutbears, I’ve concluded that hunters don’t need anadvanced degree in bear habits to harvest a blackieover bait. In other words, when a hunt is successful, thehunter is a small factor.
Still, he’s an important factor. He must sit patiently for hours despite carnivorousblack flies and mosquitoes. He can’t lose control when a bear approaches andadrenaline surges into his bloodstream. He must study the bear and determine theright shot opportunity.
Every season, experienced hunters fail one of these tests, while neophytes who havenever picked up a book about bear hunting, and never pulled the trigger on anyanimal, pass them all and deliver beautiful bear hides to their taxidermists. If being agood bear hunter is what it takes to harvest a bear, that would seldom happen.
Still, the better the hunter understands what the guide is trying to do for him, thebetter he will work with the guide to insure his success. So, learn all you can, butknowing your quarry is not the number one key to bear hunting.
Key #3 – Decide Where to GoMy first three hunts over bait were in Ontario, the Canadian province that’s mosteasily accessible from every population center in the northeast United States. Thelower 48 shares almost half its northern border with Ontario. Entry points range allthe way from Rooseveltown, New York to Baudette, Minnesota. It’s no wonder thathoards of bear hunters invade Ontario every year.
The long border is a plus and a minus. The plus? It makes access easy for you. Theminus? Access is easy for everyone else, too. That means a few guides hang outtheir shingle with the idea that bear guiding is easy money. But competition forclients leads to another plus – it produces excellence. So, despite the pretenders,Ontario has some of the best bear guides anywhere.
New Brunswick has some of the best hunting opportunities
in the east.
5
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
If you can only go in the fall, consider Ontario. But for quality spring hunting you mustgo elsewhere. Western provinces have a great reputation for big bears and color-phase bears. But if you’re looking for a great hunt in the east, don’t ignore NewBrunswick. New Brunswick is by far the smallest province bordering the UnitedStates, but its bear population is very dense. With border crossings only throughMaine, many American hunters overlook it, so pressure on the bear population islight. Anyone who has hunted there will tell you (if he’s willing to let you in on asecret) that New Brunswick has some of the best bear opportunities in the east.
Let’s say you’re confident that you can tolerate the man-eating black flies and you canmake the shot on an animal that can also eat you. Let’s say you’ve decided whatprovince you want to hunt. Next you must decide who will guide you. That’s yourmost critical decision.
Key #2 – Choose Your Guide WiselyPierre Roy of P. R. Guides and Outfitters in New Brunswick put my first bear in front ofme. He told me “When we started out we were a little afraid of American hunters.We thought they’d easily spot any deficiencies in us, so we baited and hunted ourown stands for two years before we dared take any clients. We began with highstandards because we felt we would be judged by hunters who really knew theirstuff.” His partner Ron Hachey added, “We learned that most hunters aren’t experts,but we didn’t change our approach or lower our standards.”
Look for guides like these – humble, hardworking men who begin preparing longbefore the spring season starts. As soon as the snow melts, they’re clearing brushand repairing stands. Well before opening day they begin offering food sources thebears will rely on.
Don’t ignore New Brunswick…. it has some of the best bear
opportunities in the east.
But Ontario has another minus – it offersonly fall hunts, when Mother Nature isdishing up her best smorgasbord of theyear. That’s when it’s much harder forguides to habituate bears to their baits, andwhy baits can go dormant during the fall.
6
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
An active bait site is one with multiple bears hitting it daily.Trails to and from the bait should be littered with
bear scat of every size.
Ask your prospective guide how he defines an “active site.” He should tell you that anactive site is one with multiple bears hitting it daily. Trails to and from the bait shouldbe littered with bear scat of every size.
When choosing a guide, ask for references from hunters who harvested bears, andalso some who didn’t. Ask their opinions on why they didn’t score.
Key #1 – A Lot Depends on Your AttitudeCommit yourself to having a good time even if things go wrong. After all, it’s morethan a bear you’re after. You want a safe trip, and you want good memories to bringhome. Don’t expect your guide to control everything, or you’ll be disappointed. Eventhe best guide can’t control the weather. A steady drizzle shouldn’t be a problem, butlightning and gale-force winds are dangerous. Don’t complain if your guide says it’stoo dangerous to hunt. He’s looking out for you.
7
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
Besides the weather, what other factors are beyond the guide’s control? On fallhunts, the sweetest morsels can’t always satisfy a voracious appetite – not whenblueberries are ripe and bears are loading up on carbohydrates for winter’s long nap.Understand that natural foods compete with baits more in fall than in spring, buteven in the spring a bear might find a winter-killed moose and spend a week or moreguarding it and feeding on it.
What can a guide guarantee? No guide can guarantee you will kill a bear. Ahardworking guide can almost guarantee a shot opportunity, but he doesn’t havemuch control over the size of the bears that visit his baits. A hunter who insists on a300 pound bear or bigger, but sees only a bunch of smaller bears, should thank theguide for meeting his obligation.
It’s not the guide’s fault when a hunter wounds
a bear that can’tbe recovered.
8
The guide can’t control a hunter’s shooting ability. If he misses, that’s not the guide’sfault. Nor is it the guide’s fault when a hunter wounds a bear that can’t be recovered.
A guide can’t promise everyone will get along in the camp either. Most hunters pitchin and add to great camaraderie. Occasionally (like when a hunter embarrasseshimself by failing to live up to his own bragging), a hunter will make life difficult foreveryone. A guide must be part psychologist, knowing when and how to step in. Hemust also know when to take advice from hunters and when to ignore self-proclaimed “expert” clients. And, it’s a bonus when he’s a great storyteller.
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
In conculsion:
Any top notch bear guide is an expert at many things. He must not only put pleasingtreats in front of the bears, but also make sure hunters have a satisfying menu andcomfortable bunks. He must know how to navigate unafraid in dense, unmarkedforests while tracking bears at night. He must know enough taxidermy to skin yourbear to a taxidermist’s satisfaction.
You choose a guide for what he can offer, but the bottom line is this: making the mostof your hunt depends on you.
If you use these keys as you plan your next trip to Canada, you won’t just be payingyour money and taking your chances. You’ll be hunting a productive place, and you’llbe hiring a bear guide with expertise.
When I hunted New Brunswick with Pierre Roy, he knew I had been on three previousbaited hunts and hadn’t harvested a bear. He cared about that, and said “When youcome here, you need to know how to shoot – because you will shoot.” That was hispromise, and he delivered.
9
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
Six Tickets to a Bargain Bear HuntBy Bernie Barringer
Bears don’t care how much you paid
for your hunt!
10
You’ve heard a lot of talk latelyabout the economy.”It’s a buyer’smarket in housing,” and “Get inon growth stocks now!” Chancesare you’ve experienced at leastsome effect of it yourself. Wellhow about this one? “Now is agreat time to find a bargain on ahunting trip.”
The tough economy combined with the high cost of travel has left lots of outfittershungry to book a last minute trip to keep their annual income from falling off theedge of the table. It’s a great time to get a deal on a great bear hunt.
No, I’m not suggesting that you kick a guy when he is down. But it is a good time tonegotiate a great deal if you understand that the outfitter has bills to pay andshouldn’t be expected to work for free. By the same token, even a discounted huntputs money in his pocket that he wouldn’t have if he sold no hunt at all. So, in a spiritof cooperation, you can help out the outfitter who really does need to get some lastminute deals made by using these six tips for a great deal on a hunt.
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
1.Make an offer.Sometimes you can get a deal just by asking. Times are tough for everyone andthat may include you. If you tell the outfitter that you really want to come butsimply cannot afford to pay full price, he may make you a deal. Ask for 20-25% offand see what happens. You might be surprised.
2. Offer to trade for labor.Sometimes outfitters are short of help,and when they cannot pay for help, theymight offer you a discounted hunt if youcan help run bear baits, skin bears, takeother hunters to their stands beforegetting in yours, clean up around camp,etc. You should have some experiencebefore you make this offer, but if youhave been around bear camps quite abit; this one might work for you.
3.Ask for a second bear at no extra charge.Some areas offer a two-bear limit, andyou might get a second bear for no morethan the price of the tag. You’ll alreadybe in camp and it costs the outfitter verylittle to get you that second bear, but itmakes a big difference to you.
11
Sometimes you can get a discounted hunt by offering to help bait,
clean up around camp or put up treestands.
4. Go with a buddy.Offer to pay for one hunt full price if youcan bring a buddy at half price. Then splitit with him. A second hunter doesn’t costthe outfitter as much since you’llprobably be rooming with your friend.You’ll likely head out to the standstogether so the outfitter has littleincrease in costs to get you back andforth. This also gives you and your buddythe chance to split the cost of gas if youare driving to the hunt. This strategyoffers a lot of advantages to everyoneinvolved.
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
5. Look for cancellations.Often, people book hunts and something comes up – maybe a financial difficulty, afamily emergency, or possibly a person just bit off more than he could chewfinancially or time-wise – and he has to cancel. The outfitter has this person’s depositin his pocket and he is looking for another hunter to fill the spot. You could be thatguy. Talk to the outfitter and see what kind of a deal you can make. A good place tostart is to ask that the other hunter’s deposit be applied to your bill, and go fromthere.
6. Get a group or family discount.What a perfect time to get a couple kids on their first bear! If an outfitter has severaltags available, how about bringing a church group, a handful of friends or an entirefamily along? If you are going as a family, ask that the non-hunters be allowed to tagalong at no charge. This is a great opportunity to negotiate a great deal and put someyoungsters on bears, kids who might not otherwise get to experience the adrenaline-charged atmosphere of a bear hunt.
Again, and I stress – don’t go about this with an attitude of trying to take advantage ofsomeone in a difficult situation. Just try to negotiate a deal that makes it veryattractive for you to go on the hunt, while still making sure that the outfitter benefits,too.
You’re looking for a win-win relationship where everyone is happy. Don’t beat theoutfitter up or be abrasive. Even if you do strike a deal, you don’t want to go into acamp where the outfitter and guide already have a bad feeling about you. You maynot get their full measure of effort.
Take advantage of this window of opportunity for a bargain bear hunt, and make amemory that will last a lifetime.
12
It’s a great time to get
kids on a bear hunt due to
the possibility of getting a
discount.
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
Choosing a Black Bear Guide – 8 Foolproof Tacticsby Bill Vaznis
Ursus americanus is North America’s Number Two big-game animal. Indeed, basedon license sales there are more black bear hunters than elk, moose, sheep, antelope,mountain goat, mountain lion, mule deer and caribou hunters COMBINED!
But that doesn’t mean booking a trophy bear hunt is easy. Not by a long shot. If youwant a quality experience, take your time and do your homework. Here’s someimportant topics for questions you’ll want to ask outfitters, booking agents andguides.
1. CostsDon’t let surprises creep into the bottom line. Ask whether he charges extra fortransportation to and from the airport, or to and from your bait site. Does he chargeextra for skinning, butchering and hide preparation? Is there a taxidermist in camp?What are his fees? What about a cooler for meat storage? Is that included in the totalpackage? Are meals provided or do you take care of your own? Are other animalsavailable, such as deer during a fall bear hunt? Are there extra charges for that?
As a rule of thumb, you get what you pay for. Outfitters with big bears in theirterritory charge a premium price. And conversely, those who can’t tell boar spoorfrom that of a sow will charge you very little… and very little is exactly what you’llend up with after a week in the bush.
13
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
An outfitter ought to have a good relationship with the wildlife enforcement officers – they collect lots of
information on the bear population.
2. Number of Hunters in CampAn outfitter who runs 15, 20 or more hunters a week cannot give you the individualattention you need when you want a bruin for the book. Conversely, an outfitter whokeeps it small might charge more, but should be able to go the extra mile for you.
3. Bear SightingsWhat happens if you don’t get a shot opportunity? Some outfitters offer a returnhunt at a reduced price. What is the policy if a bear is wounded and lost? In somestates and provinces that constitutes a filled tag and your hunt is over. In other placesoutfitters go by the same rule.
4. Successful HuntsWhat is the sex ratio of bears tagged? Mature boars range far and wide in the springlooking for mates, and are generally the first to be shot over a bait pile, so apreponderance of sows and small boars often indicates an area has beenoverhunted. The state’s or province’s big game departments generally have harveststatistics on hand. Ask how long the outfitter has been hunting the area? Does herotate his hunting grounds?
14
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
It pays to know something about tracking a wounded bear, so
read up before your hunt.
5. Photographs of Past HuntsPhotos of monster bears on theoutfitter’s web site help sell hunts. Askabout those bears and when they weretagged. If most photos are a few yearsold, you should see a red flag.
Also, be sure the bear was taken on hiswatch! I did some digging at an outdoorshow and learned that many of thephotographs displayed did not comefrom the outfitter’s camp. In fact, thestuffed bruiser standing erect in hisbooth was borrowed from anotheroutfitter.
6. Ask For ReferencesReferences from hunters who went home empty handed are as important asreferences from successful hunters. Would either group hunt with the outfitter again?Why? Why not?
What other references should you ask for?
Sights often get bumped during transportation,
so every camp ought to have a place to do an accuracy check
on your bow or firearm.
15
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
Ask for references about guides: Guides are usually employees. Ask references ifguides were knowledgeable? Could they sex a set of bear tracks accurately? Did theytry to make your hunt enjoyable, or did they sometimes shirk their duties? I had oneguide routinely drive his ATV up to my stand during legal shooting hours… until I had aman-to-man talk with the teenage know-it-all. Did they play it safe when transportingyou in and out of the bush? I had one guide who must have been an aspiring Indy 500driver. I freely offered some fatherly advice.
Does your guide know the tricks of the skinning and hide preparation trade? If not,does the camp have access to a good taxidermist? That’s an important question if youwant a mount you’ll be satisfied with years from now, and can pass down to lovedones.
Ask for references about camp life: Was food prepared or was every meal ascavenger hunt? Was there a target range for you to sight in your weapon of choice?Was alcohol permitted in camp? If so, did the outfitter monitor consumption? Werethe hunters there to hunt… or drink? Were the sleeping quarters adequate? A coupleof years ago I woke up to smoke and flames! The wood stove had no sand in thefirebox and the heat caught the tent platform afire.
7. Ask About Down TimeIf you get your bear early, what else canyou do? Can you leave camp early? Atwhat cost? Can you bring your own ATVso you can do a little sightseeing? Isquality fishing available?
8. Gear SuggestionsIf the outfitter recommends you packlong underwear, head nets, safety vest,flashlight or your own back-up firearm,do so. If he tells you to pass up earlyafternoon shots for a chance at amonster bear, do so. After all, you’repaying him for his advice – if you don’ttake it that might be why you go homebearless!
16
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
How to Hunt Bear In The SpringBy Bernie Barringer
The Three Phases of a Spring Bear Hunt
A very common saying among hunters on a week-long hunting adventure goes like this “Don’t pass up on the first day what you would shoot on the last day.”
Well, I ain’t buying it. If I bought it, I wouldn’t have shot as many truly large bruins as Ihave. In fact, I wouldn’t have the nice chocolate-colored bear rug hanging on my wallbehind me right now if I had shot the nice black one that presented me with a goodshot on day two of that hunt.
I understand the logic behind that thought, but frankly, I can’t think of a single huntwhen I wasn’t learning more and more about my chances of success every single day. Byday six, you know a whole lot more about the area and its potential than you do onday one.
Getting trail cameras out early in the hunt will really help with your decision making as the hunt progresses. This bear came to
the bait in the morning. Other information gathered such as size
and colors of bears that maybe available are important
components to your success.
17
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
Some people are happy to shoot a bear early in the hunt and then go fishing or hangaround camp the rest of the week. And if you’re headed for your first bear hunt, thatmight be your best option. But at some point, you’ll want to kill a bigger bear, ormaybe a color phase bear. Will you depend on pure luck? Or will you adjust yourstrategy through the week to improve your odds?
The key to being as successful as possible on any hunt, but particularly on a springbear hunt, is to be constantly gathering information throughout. Most week-longhunts offer you six days. Let’s break that down into three two-day phases.
Days One and TwoOn the first two days I am primarily in information-gathering mode. Whether I am onan outfitted hunt or baiting for myself, I like to get some trail cameras out as soon as Ican. Nothing helps you gather information like a game camera taking inventory of thebears hitting the baits.
Chatting with the guides and other hunters in the camp will also help you gatherinformation. Are they seeing bears? Are they shooting bears? Are the bearsinteracting at the baits, spending time feeding or just moving in and out of the area?Usually the first two days can give you a really good feel for how the rest of the weekwill go.
18
Weather can play a huge role in the hunt’s success.
On this hunt, day-after-day of heavy rain nearly
eliminated my chances of getting a bear. I was happy
to go home with a good bear and had committed
to shooting the first legal bear.
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
Keep an eye on the weather. Heavy rain can dampen (pardon the pun) bear activity.Likewise, hot weather can cause most bear activity to occur after dark. With today’stechnology offering an accurate weather forecast at your fingertips, there’s no excusefor not knowing what to expect weather-wise. If a major change is coming, factorthat into your decisions – it will affect bear activity either negatively or positively.
Days Three and FourI have been on many bear hunts, both on my own and in bear hunting camps. By theend of day two, I have a pretty good feel for what to expect. Either I feel that I have agreat opportunity to hold out for the best bear possible – or that if I don’t shoot abear by midweek, I might not get another opportunity.
There’s a bear in front of you. Is this the one you
want? Is it the best bear you will have a chance
at? Many factors go into your decision.
19
How I react to bear encounters on days three and four will depend on theinformation gathered on the two previous days. Midweek can make or break yourhunt – decisions are difficult and making the wrong one can send you home withouta bear. Here’s an example.
In 2012, hunting with Grandview Outfitters in Grandview, Manitoba, I passed upseveral smaller bears on days one and two. I knew there were a couple giants in thearea and I really wanted the beautiful cinnamon-colored bear that showed up oncamera at one of the baits. However, on day three a great-looking chocolate beartempted me with plenty of shot opportunities, but when I let it walk out of my life, Ihad a sinking feeling that I might have made a mistake.
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
The next three nights I hunted hard for a cinnamon, and briefly saw the red bear of mydreams but it didn’t offer a shot. I passed a couple of large blacks because I hadconfidence that if the cinnamon didn’t show up I could shoot whatever bear I wanted atthe last minute.
Long story short, I saw only two smallish bears the last evening and was mentallybeating myself up for having been so greedy. I prepared to go home empty-handed.Lucky for me, the outfitter saved my hunt by graciously offering one more night sinceeveryone else in camp was filled out. I committed to shooting the first bear that camein. I took home a 200-pound sow.
Days Five and SixThe last two days are when decisions become easier once again. It’s now or never. Youhave all the information you’re going to get, and it’s up to you to make the decisions youwill live with for a long time. You should have mentally prepared for this time from thestart.
Before you go on the hunt you need tobe in touch with what you really wantout of it. If you are looking for a really bigbear, one with a specific feature such abig white blaze on its chest, or maybe acolor phase, you should know thatbefore you arrive. You will have to decideif you are going to hold out for thatspecific bear or go home and eat tagsandwich all year. If you are perfectlyhappy going home empty-handed ratherthan shooting something you didn’tcome for, that’s OK. But making decisionslike that on the fly will drive you crazy.
As a writer, I need to get a bear toget a story, so I have my own set of rules for each hunt. I may hold out for a while,but generally by the fourth or fifth day I am lowering my standards. I shot thismedium-sized bear on the final evening.
20
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
Whatever you decide to shoot, and no matter what day you decide, keepin mind that bear hunting is more than just shooting a bear. Thecamaraderie, the accommodations and food, the enjoyment of timespent in the outdoors and around such an amazing animal, and theoverall experience are things you should factor into your decision-making. No one can make your decisions for you, so above all commit tohaving fun and enjoying the hunt whatever the outcome.
21
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
How To Hunt Bear In The FallBy Tom Claycomb III
Fall bear hunting –I love it because 99% of hunters focus on antelope, deer, elk andmoose, so I can hunt in more solitude. I love it because after gorging all summer longthe bears are bigger than they are in spring. I once read a Fish & Game departmentreport about one bear that gained something like 153 pounds!
I love bear hunting because I like a lot of things in life I learned the hard way. Maybethat’s why it’s special to me. I’ve learned some things about fall bear hunting that canhelp increase your odds of a successful fall hunt in the northwest.
1. Fall Bear Hunting is Different Than SpringYou can bait bears in the fall but it’s much harder than in the spring. For one thing, alot more natural food is available to compete with your bait. In a berry-good yearevery draw on the hillside will be choked with berries. That’s why fall bear baitingrequires advance planning.
A good berry crop will draw bears to the berry patches, but if you don't find sign, then find another berry patch.
22
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
Advance planning is critical if you’rethinking of bear hunting with hounds, too.Without it you may have no choice than tojust bring your wife’s Chihuahuas. So, ifyou’re headed west for a do-it-yourselfbear hunt, baiting and hounds probablywon’t be as productive as a spot-and-stalkhunt.
2. Two Spot-and-Stalk ApproachesI see quite a few bears in the fall when bowhunting for elk. In some areas I’ll see five ina couple of weeks of hard hunting. You’dsee a lot more if you climbed on amountain and glassed. Then you can sneakin on quite a few of them.
But the exact opposite is also true. Manytimes bears are in thick cover. So if spottingisn’t productive, head for the thick brushjust like you were elk hunting. They’re there– I walked up on three last year while bowhunting for elk.
3. The Fall Feeding Frenzy Lasts All DayWhen spotting and stalking, keep in mind that in the fall bears are on a feeding frenzyto store up fat for the winter. In the spring daylight and dusk are usually best, whereasin the fall you may see one anywhere, anytime of the day. Two years ago when JoeWhite with Kanakut Camps joined me for a three-day elk hunt, we saw three in themiddle of the day.
4. Follow the Food SelectionOf course, when bears feed will be determined by the available food source thatparticular year. A good berry crop will draw them to the berry patches where theygorge themselves and then lie down and sleep. As berries ripen they migrate to higherelevations. What if berries are scarce? They’ll roam more and you’ll be likely to seethem anywhere. In bad years they even show up in downtown Boise looking for ahandout.
23
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
5. Berry Patch Bear Hunting TipsLast September I walked through a berry patch and not 15 feet away was a cub eatingberries like he was starving. A day or two later we came upon a bigger bear in a berrypatch. Bears like to camp out in berries. Just because you find a berry patch doesn’tmean you’ll find bears. Look around for sign. If they’re in an area they leave plenty ofsign. If you can’t find sign, find another berry patch. Get on a ridge above the berriesand glass at dusk. More than likely you’ll see some bears.
6. When Food is Scarce for BearsWhen food is scarce and bears are hungry, they move quickly across the slopes insearch of food. You may have to hurry to catch up with them. When my nephewcame back from Afghanistan I took him grouse hunting, and we saw a nice bear 500yards across the canyon, moving along at a good clip. Ben wanted a picture, so hehustled after the bear. At 30 yards he pulled out his cell phone and got the photo. Idon’t know what was in that bear’s mind, but he sure seemed headed somewhere. Isee a lot of them acting like that in the fall.
7. Know the Water Needs In Your AreaIn New Mexico where the climate is arid, my brother-in-law hunts water holes. Backhome in Idaho that won’t work – we have so much water they find it everywhere.However, I see bears digging around rock piles hunting marmots and ground squirrels.As a kid I remember reading an article that said squirrels must be like chocolatemorsels to bears because a little ground squirrel sure can’t give them as much energyas they expend digging.
8. Seek Local AdviceFinally, wherever you plan to bearhunt local people are often a bighelp. In many places, the localsdon’t even hunt bears. Also,game wardens will often giveadvice because they need to dealwith nuisance bears. The moreinformation you can gather, themore likely you’ll be huntingbears where your odds are high. Ilove bear hunting for manyreasons – and I love it even morewhen the odds are high.
24
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
Black Bears by Bow & Arrow: A Starter KitBy Bill Vaznis
The site intrigued me. It was situated atthe confluence of two streams, anatural crossing for black bears, andwell off the beaten path. It was alsodark under the canopy of spruce and fir,even on a bright sunlit day, which gaveme the willies whenever I replenishedthe bait. Indeed, the five-inch front padtracks in the nearby mud indicated amature boar was raiding my cache ofmeat and pastries every other night orso, and the last thing I wanted to dowas to come face to face with him inthe poor light.
5-inch front pad tracks.
I hung a portable stand crosswind to the pileof logs covering the bait after one of his visits,and even though I was anxious to loosen anarrow, I waited for the bear to get used to thenew set-up before climbing on board.
It was the right decision, for the first night Ihid aloft, the big bear circled cautiouslydownwind of the bait site, and once satisfiedall was safe committed himself to the offeringjust before dark.
25
Portable tree stand.
I waited for him to present a quartering awayshot, and when he did, I came to full draw,aimed and released a vaned shaft at his vitalsin one fluid motion. The Pope & Young bruinlet out a deafening roar upon impact, andimmediately fled the scene with his stubbytail tucked between his legs like a scaldeddog. His efforts were to no avail however ashe was already dead on his feet expiring lessthan fifty yards from my stand.
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION!Baiting remains the most popular bow-hunting method for black bears, and accountsfor more entries in the various record books than stalking, tracking, still-hunting,calling and running ‘em with dogs combined.
But setting up a proper ambush is not so easy a task. For openers, black bears aresecretive creatures of the deep woods and dark swamps. Even in farm country, theyseem to thrive on the edge, padding carefully about those nasty hard-to-reachtangles of brush, boulders and fallen snags. Oh, you will see them feeding in the weehours along the edges of clear-cuts, open meadows and wind-swept ridges, but theirdaytime lair will most always be in the thickest and most impenetrable coveravailable. Even when on the prowl for food or mates, black bears, and especially bigboars, choose routes that offer them the most protection.
Bait site.
Nonetheless, it has been said that enticing a bear to a bait site is not a difficult task.Indeed, try hiding a cooler of meat or a couple bags of groceries in bear country, andsee what happens! It shouldn’t take more than a couple of days or so for a bear tofind your goodies, and devour them without so much as a “by your leave.”
What is difficult however is meeting that bear at your bait site during legal shootinghours. Big boars are smart, very smart, and that means you have to plan your ambushwell ahead of time. A bag of pastries tossed on the shoreline may attract a roamingbear, but there is no guarantee that he will give you a clear shot unless you pay closeattention to all the details.
26
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
Good Spots for Spring Bruins
When bears emerge from their dens in the spring, it takes their digestive tracts awhile to adjust to the long period of hibernation. Red meat, carrion and even fish areoften just too much for their system to handle. Spring greenery in the form of newshoots, green grasses, clover and the buds, leaves and catkins of the aspen tree are afew of the important foods bears seek out now. Where else might you find a hungryspring bruin?
•Water and sunshine promote the season’s first greenery. Look for tracks and scatalong the edges of rivers, lakes and other large bodies of water.
•Stream banks, especially where thick brush and uneven terrain make it difficult forhumans to walk, are natural travel lanes for mature boars.
•Bears always check out the confluence of two streams, where a river and a streammeet or where moving water enters and exits a lake or pond.
•Bears routinely patrol the edges of swamps. Expect increased activity along any ridgeor finger of land that leads in or out of the swamp.
•Look for claw marks on the trunks of aspens, and “bear nests” in the upper mostbranches, for signs of early spring feeding.
•In an effort to help hold the soil near construction projects, managers often plantclover. Look for this much preferred delicacy near the edges of forest service roads,logging roads in and around re-claimed clear-cuts and along gas lines, maintenanceroads and well heads. Power lines, gas lines, underground communications lines andother rights-of-ways are another area worth a careful look-see in early spring.
•If you are not sure when the bear is hitting your bait, affix a timer to one of theentrance or exit trails. You may learn that the bear is chowing down right after youleave for the evening, or that he is more nocturnal than you thought, feeding aftermidnight. On rare occasions, a big bear may also feed at first light.
27
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
Treestand Rules
For best results, locate a suitable tree for your treestand BEFORE beginning your baiting operation. Onmore than one occasion I have visited a hot bait siteteeming with big bear sign only to realize there was nota suitable tree nearby to erect a tree stand. Even if youchoose to hunt at ground zero, you must pick a shootinglocation first before you start your baiting operation.
Your chances are best from an elevated platform. Your goal then is to erect a stand 12 to15 feet off the ground, and no more than 20 yards from the bait. You also want toapproach your stand quietly without going near the bait. If a big bear knows you’vehave been at the bait recently, he may very well retreat until after dark. Keep in mindthat once a bear claims a food source as his own, he often camps out nearby. Thus anynoise out of the ordinary such as the clack of metal or the squeak of a tree stand willraise his suspicions. Here are some more tips to consider.
•Pick a large tree with many branches to help camouflage your silhouette and thenposition your stand so that you can shoot from a sitting position.
•Whenever possible, establish a “staging area” for yourself. This will allow you to checkthe bait site from afar using a pair of binoculars without stinking up the site with yourstench. This also helps keep unwanted noise to a minimum.
•Force the bear into a broadside or quartering away angle by cribbing the bait with logs,stones, etc. Any other shot angle is dangerous and unacceptable.
•A dilemma often presents itself when it comes time to exit the stand. On the one hand,you can tip toe out of there hoping that if there is a bear nearby, he won’t hear you andthus ruin the surprise you have in store for him. Or, you can make a fair amount ofnoise, as if you are replenishing the bait barrel, and then be on your merry way. Yourgoal is to exit the scene without tipping the bear off to your intentions. You don’t wantto be so quiet however you inadvertently come face to face on the exit trail!
28
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
Bear AttractorsMany outfitters, guides and do-it-yourself hunters use “stink baits” as a primaryattractor, hoping the outlandish odors will quickly attract bears to the bait station.Where legal, rotting fish or beaver carcasses work great as does a pail of datedchicken or various meat by-products left out in the sun for several weeks.
Another trick is to smear lard, cooking grease or even peanut butter on severalnearby tree trunks to help “steer” the bear towards the bait station. An incomingbear goes from one tree to the next until he “stumbles” upon your cache of goodies.Even a burlap bag soaked in molasses and then spread between branches where itcan catch the evening breezes has been known to attract bears to an ambush site.
One of the best attractors however is a grease pad. Peanut oil, discarded chickenfryer grease or even molasses can be spread upon the ground around the bait site. Asbears come to dine, they invariable get the oil or grease on their fur and feet. Whenthey leave and go where bears go they can’t help but leave a scent trail behind thatother bears often find irresistible. This is a good way to get multiple bears on a baitstation.
Taking the ShotOne of the advantages of shooting bears over bait is that you generally have ampletime to size up the animal, and then wait for the perfect, one-shot kill. All bets are offhowever when you are out on a limb near the bait barrel, or hiding behind somebrush at ground zero. This is where an unwanted noise or an involuntary movementcan send a big bear packing. Indeed, this is where even an experienced big-gamehunter can get “bear fever,” and blow the shot of a lifetime.
If a bear spots you sitting inyour stand for example,curiosity may get the better ofhim and he will come over fora closer look-see. One of thereal thrills of bear hunting ishaving a 400-pound boarmarch over to the tree you aresitting in, stand up and go“woof, woof” in your face. Ifthat doesn’t kick start yourimagination, you either havenerves of steel or you passedout on the first “woof.”
29
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
Over the years I have had several bears climb up the tree towards me, mostly out ofcuriosity. Usually the bear will shimmy back down the trunk, but a couple of times Ihad yell at him when he got too close (okay, so I lost my nerve!), and once I had tokick my boot at his snoot to get him to go away. Generally however, if you just sit stillthe bear will soon be satisfied you are harmless, and shuffle over to the bait barrel,and in so doing put himself in harm’s way.
New bear hunters often get the jitters as a bear makes his final approach to the baitsite. If your leg starts to hop about then like a rabbit on the run, your best defense isto decide not to take the shot. You will be surprised how cool, calm and collected youcan be when there is no pressure to shoot. Just sit back, relax and enjoy the show!The bear may leave, but if not disturbed he is more than likely to return. And when hedoes, he will be more relaxed, and so will you—maybe even enough to make theshot.
One of the secrets to shooting a big bear at a bait site is to be sitting stone-still facingthe bait with an arrow nocked. Then wait patiently for the bear to relax and lookaway or put his head in the barrel or just lay down and become preoccupied witheating. If you can keep your wits about you, then this is the time to pick a small spotto shot at, raise your bow, take careful aim—and shoot.
30
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
Pop Quiz: Here are three bait sites for you to ponder.Which one would you choose, and how would you hunt it?
A trail camera strung adjacent to a bear trail can indicate the number and coat color of visiting bruins.
1. The first tree stand is situated along a seasonal stream that drains a three year oldburn. The bait has been placed just inside the alders where the stream bisects along meadow lush with the season’s first grasses. Your outfitter tells you the baitis being devoured nightly, and he is sure you’ll see a bear the first night you sit inthe stand. There is no well-defined trail coming into the bait, but the grass hasbeen knocked down all around the site, and bait has been scattered all about in awide circle. In fact, it is such a mess the site looks like it has been hit by atornado.
2. The second tree stand is on a peninsula that juts out into a remote wildernesslake. There’s not much ground cover near the bait, but the outfitter assures youthere’s a trophy bear in the vicinity. An experienced bear hunter the previousweek watched a big black circle the bait on two occasions, but the bear refused toexpose himself during legal shooting hours. Although the hunter was able tosneak out of his tree stand each evening without spooking the bear, the outfitterblames that hunter for not getting a shot because he was too fidgety in the stand.
3. The third bait is situated at the foot of a narrow ridge that rises out of a large,impenetrable swamp. The spruce/fir trees are so thick here that little daylightever reaches the forest floor. It’s a scary place, even in the middle of the day.According to the outfitter, the tree stand is a long walk off the tote road, so youwon’t be picked up until well after dark. Make sure you wear a head net, plentyof insect repellent and a carry a spare flash light, he says. The bait is only beinghit once or twice a week, but almost all the bait is taken on each visit. There areno well-defined trails leading to or from the bait.
31
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
Bait Site Test Score
Well, here is what I think is going on. The first tree stand sounds like the ideal black bearset-up, but it is not unless you have never seen a bear before or all you want to do is takepictures. It is probably being hit by a sow and cubs—not legal targets anywhere. Thecubs knock the grass down and scatter food all around like a pack of first graders. Toconfirm your suspicions, simply check the immediate vicinity for small tracks anddroppings in the half-inch diameter range.
The second bear is bait-shy due to the lack of adequate cover near the bait causing thebear to only hit the bait after dark. This is the outfitter’s fault. Although you don’t knowfor sure just how big this bear really is, it might be worth your effort to move the baitand/or tree stand closer to cover, and then wait for the bear to become accustomed tothe new set-up before you take the stand.
If you know a trophy bruin is in the area, stick with it. Sooner or later he will show himself.
32
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
Stand three is the best of the lot. Any place that gives you the creeps has big bearwritten all over it. Big old bruins are extremely solitary, except during the matingseason, and there’s no better place to be left alone than an impenetrable tangle outin the middle of nowhere. In addition, that ridge is a natural highway in and out ofthe swamp which doubles your chances of a sighting. I would hunt this stand in theabsence of big bear sign simply because of the typography.
Timing is the key however. Don’t sit in the stand until you fully expect the bear toshow. If he is hitting the bait every second or third night, hunt elsewhere for a nightor two. Your best chance of tagging this bear is on the first night you hunt it, so waitfor all the conditions to be in your favor before you climb aloft.
Finally, no matter what method you choose to bag your bruin, gun, bow ormuzzleloader, remember that you generally only get one small window ofopportunity. If you don’t shoot during those few seconds, your trophy will probablydisappear before your eyes—like the 400-pounder did in the beginning of this article.Don’t let that happen to you!
33
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
Field Dressing Tips for Black BearBy William Clunie
This registered Maine master guide dresses out black bears using the Havalonknife with its crazy-sharp blade, because nothing else does a better quality job.
Several years ago, while working with a Northern Maine bear hunting outfitter, Ithought I had found the secret to skinning black bear. Three hunters all dropped ablack bear on the same afternoon. I helped the outfitter field dress the bears, skinthem out, and quickly get the meat into the freezer – the weather was warm and wedidn’t want any meat spoiling.
Instead of sharpening and re-sharpening a regular fixed blade knife during theprocess, this crafty outfitter used a utility knife. When a blade became dull, he slippedin a new blade and continued skinning, never stopping to re-sharpen.
At the time, I thought the utility knife was the greatest idea – except for a fewproblems. The pointed blade of a utility knife easily ruins a pelt by poking through thehide. And, when working in delicate areas like the paws and snout, a utility knife isjust too bulky for a high quality skinning job.
Taking a trophy bear from Maine’s Big Woods and
transporting it to the camp for the skinning operation.
(Photo by William Clunie)
34
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
Now, as a registered Maine master guide, I use two methods for dressing out a blackbear. Both require a sharp knife with a curved blade. The Havalon knife is the one thatreally shines for quick work and a quality skinning job.
Dressing and skinning three bears at the same time can be a daunting
task without the right knife and the right know-how. (Photo by William Clunie)
Field Dressing a Black Bear, Method #1In the first method, the hunter removes the entrails and leaves the hide intact – then takes the bear to a truck for transport back to camp.
• Make a slit through the hide near the sternum (breastbone), and then open the abdominal cavity by continuing the cut to the groin. As you make the cut, pull the hide away from body to avoid cutting into the organs.
• Reach into the abdominal cavity and pull the organs out while cutting the connective tissue that supports them inside the cavity.
• Split the pelvic bone by spreading both legs apart and carefully sawing through thebone. Now the lower intestines and bladder can be pulled down and disconnectedfrom the anal region. Some slicing of connective tissue will be necessary.
• Next, cut through the diaphragm and remove the heart and lungs in the same way.
35
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
Field Dressing a Black Bear, Gutless Method #2The second method is what some people call the gutless method. It’s most oftenused when a hunter drops a bear so far back in the woods that it would be toodifficult to drag out. In this method, the hunter skins the animal and cuts out themajor muscle groups without ever opening the abdominal cavity.
• Place the bear on its side and remove the hide from the top side. Start by cuttingthrough the hide on the inside of one front and one rear leg; then pull the hide fromaround the two legs. Don’t skin too close to the paws – keep the hide on the pawsand cut through the ankle bones so the paws stay with the whole pelt.
• Roll the paws into the hide and continue skinning the animal all the way to the backbone.
• One side of the animal’s body is now completely exposed. Remove the majormuscle groups and set them aside in game bags. Rinse them off if you happen to have a water source handy.
• Roll the animal over and repeat the same on the other side, removing the hide andmuscle groups.
• Finally, pull the hide up over the head and skin it to the back of the skull. Cut theneck completely through. Be careful not to saw the back of the skull, and keep thehead and paws attached to the hide.
• Rinse the hide if possible, and bag it. It’s ready for the taxidermist to make into arug, with the head and paws still attached.
36
After taking photos, a hunter has the job of field dressing and skinning out his bear, unless he has hired a guide
with skinning experience.(Photo by William Clunie)
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
Final TipsIn both methods, Havalon’s razor-sharp knives completely outperform the utilityknife, or any other knife. One slip of a big, clumsy utility or fixed blade knife can ruin abeautiful pelt, but the curved, surgical scalpel easily separates the hide from the bodywithout cutting into the precious pelt. The same goes for the delicate procedure ofopening the abdominal cavity without slicing into any organs.
Another area where Havalon knives outshine the utility knives is when it comes tofine, detailed work, such as removing the hide from the paws and skull. Nothing cancome close to the surgical precision of working with a Havalon skinning and capingknife under these tight conditions.
37
At this point the bags can be carried out of thewoods on a cargo frame backpack. Severalcompanies make backpacks for this purpose. Theone I have found most useful is a “Long HunterGuide Model” made in Colorado by Kifaru(www.kifaru.net). They also sell washable meatbags for transporting game.
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
Brown Bear Guides with Havalon Know-Howby Steve Sorensen
“You’re not touching the bear with those knives. We use these.” They flippedopen their Havalon Piranta-Edge knives.
The bear’s massive head was a gigantic slow-motion metronome – tick, tock, tick, tockas he lumbered along. In seconds the ravine would swallow him up. The crosshairssettled on the beast’s shoulder and Tom pressed the trigger.
38
Gunfire exploded into the hunters’ wordless thoughts. The immensesomersaulted, bit at his side and rolled out of sight. Then, stillness. Silence.
Somewhere in that thick alder ravine was a monster. All eyes stared ahead as the mencrossed an open meadow. Guide John Rydeen oozed along the edge of the ravine,soaking up every detail. “Keep watching for him!” Was the bear dead, or alive? At anymoment a goliath, angered by a bullet in him, might hurtle toward them.
John pointed with his gun barrel and whispered, “There.” Minutes passed. He studied thehuge mound of brown fur for movement, but the giant lay still.
“That’s good shootin’, Tom!” Lance Kronberger hollered. “He has way good fur! What astud!”
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
My boyhood buddy Tom Carlsonhad left nothing to chance on hisKodiak Island brown bear hunt.We were kids when we firstdreamed of hunting Alaska andwe talked about it as we cobbledscraps of lumber into a treehousehigh in an old red oak. I stillremember Tom’s exact words,“Someday I’m gonna get one ofthose giant Kodiak bears.”
Tom is serious about his gear, andnone of it is cobbled together likethat old treehouse. He carried arifle that was more thanadequate, expertly handloadedbullets that would hit hard, drivedeep and do damage, optics thatcould show you the wax in thebear’s ears from a mile away, andthree top quality knives – one anexpensive custom job – all honedto shaving sharpness.
Tom’s guides appreciated his .378 Weatherby Magnum MK V, his 300-grain Bitterrootbullets, his Leica Geovid binos, but when it came to his knives they said, “Put ‘emaway, Tom. You’re not touching the bear with those knives. We use these.” Theyflipped open their Havalon Piranta-Edge knives. “It’s late and we can’t waste time.These will do the job much faster. If they get dull we change blades and keep going.”
Still, it took half the night to skin the bear before an exhausting death march back tothe boat, which dumped them back at camp as the sun’s first rays peaked over theeastern mountaintop. When no words were left to be said, and no work left to bedone, the bear’s hide measured 10′ 10″ from paw to paw. And the skull, at 28 4/16″,would easily qualify for the all-time Boone and Crockett rankings.
39
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
That’s proof enough – Havalon knives can do the big jobs and the tough jobs. Tom’sguides are just two of the hundreds around the world who rely on Havalon kniveswith their surgical scalpel blades. And as more guides find out about them, more ofthese efficient little knives with their crazy-sharp blades are finding their way into theAlaskan bush, the African svelte, the Australian outback, and anywhere else trophyanimals live.
If expert guides are using Havalon knives, then why not you?
40
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
About the Authors
Outdoor writer and speaker Steve Sorensen loves the Havalon knife and has been a fan of knives since he was six, when he began begging his dad to take him hunting. His articles have been published in Deer and Deer Hunting, North American Whitetail, Sports Afield, and many other top magazines across the USA. Invite Steve to speak at your next sportsman’s event, and follow his writing at EverydayHunter.com.
Bernie Barringer hunts a variety of species in several states and Canadian provinces. He has published more than 400 articles in two dozen outdoor magazines and authored ten books on hunting, fishing and trapping. The latest is Bear Baiter’s Manual. He is the managing editor of Bear Hunting Magazine, and blogs his hunts on his website www.bowhuntingroad.com.
A lifetime of hunting and outdoor writing has put Bill Vaznis’ byline in every major outdoor magazine in North America. He has published over 1,000 articles and columns plus thousands of photographs on bowhunting, big-game hunting and freshwater fishing. Today he owns and edits a rapidly growing digital magazine for bear hunters named Bear Hunters Online. He has also published three how-to hunting books: Successful Black Bear Hunting, 500 Deer Hunting Tips and Still-Hunting Trophy Whitetails.
Tom Claycomb III lives in Idaho and loves hunting bears. He writes outdoor articles for various newspapers, magazines & websites, including numerous articles on bear hunting, and he has taken many kids bear hunting for the TV show Kid Outdoors. If it’s something outdoors, Tom probably likes it.You can read some more of his writings at:www.Amazon.com, www.TomClaycomb3.com, and www.BassPro.com.
© Havalon Knives, 2013
A registered Maine master guide, outdoor writer, and nature photographer, William Clunie is “living the dream” in the rugged mountains of Western Maine. He can be reached at: [email protected].
41
Bear Hunting Secrets of the Pros
