only 3 weeks to go - need a crash course on da bears

[mazzgolf]

There is just about 3 weeks to go before the (supposed, proposed, maybe) 2022 bear hunt. Not much time. Need a crash course. For those that have no idea what bear hunting requires...inquiring minds want to know:

1. Where? All these bears we keep hearing about up north -- WMAs, state forests, parks, The Gap?

2. What to look for to determine if it's good bear habitat? What kind of terrain?

3. What tactics to employ?

4. Morning, afternoon, dusk?

5. What do you do when you harvest a many-hundred-pound bear? Call in the cavalry to drag it? I assume you gut it immediately - if you want a bear rug, what cuts do you want to avoid when gutting? Are there even butchers around that do bear and would skin good enough for a taxi to make a rug?

[DJ0808]

I was wondering about the same questions.

[nmc02]

Bears feed heavily...preparing for winter. The only problem you may have is cold weather. Freezing Temps will shut them down. Find strong scented foods to put out...vanilla extract, etc. The like forests w swamps...like deer.

 

[Tarhunt]

Hang out by the garbage cans. 

[Dominant buck]

8 minutes ago, nmc02 said:

Bears feed heavily...preparing for winter. The only problem you may have is cold weather. Freezing Temps will shut them down. Find strong scented foods to put out...vanilla extract, etc. The like forests w swamps...like deer.

 

My buddies who guide in Maine swear by Kool Aid powder in blueberry,  raspberries flavors.  If you are a local customer at wawa, 7-Eleven etc speak to them when they get rid of their doughnuts,  sweets. Usally they throw out once a week

[HighEndHooker]

Unlike deer….WMAs are loaded with bears. Look for thick thick nasty overgrowth near wetlands and swamps for a starting point. It’s pretty easy to determine a bear trail through thick brush. Bait is the best tactic. Corn or anything sweet. HAVE A PLAN. Me and my buddy killed a 658lb bear in 2015 and it was hell to get it out of the woods. Remember they have to be taken out whole & brought to the check station. Come and get them, I’ve killed a few and I’m willing to help anyone out just to help thin out the numbers up here. Hell I might even give out spots if you ask lol I only want one, but I bet I could kill 20 that week if I had the time & tags.

[BHC]

21 minutes ago, mazzgolf said:

There is just about 3 weeks to go before the (supposed, proposed, maybe) 2022 bear hunt. Not much time. Need a crash course. For those that have no idea what bear hunting requires...inquiring minds want to know:

1. Where? All these bears we keep hearing about up north -- WMAs, state forests, parks, The Gap?

2. What to look for to determine if it's good bear habitat? What kind of terrain?

3. What tactics to employ?

4. Morning, afternoon, dusk?

5. What do you do when you harvest a many-hundred-pound bear? Call in the cavalry to drag it? I assume you gut it immediately - if you want a bear rug, what cuts do you want to avoid when gutting? Are there even butchers around that do bear and would skin good enough for a taxi to make a rug?

1. anywhere in bear country

2. thick cover, swamp, deep woods

3.  bait, stalk, sit & wait

4. anytime of day

5. Have a jetsled, cart if you can or have friends or lots of muscles, or you can quarter it, gut it ASAP, don't cut to far up if you plan on any type of mount, butchers are around during the hunts in the past and I'm sure some will do it, but not cheap, most in the past would skin it if you have them butcher it....

[deadonshot2]

Use store locator and find a mcdonalds in sussex county and go sit behind their dumpster. When the guy throws out the garbage the bears will run you over so have your gun up and ready. LOL. I look forward to hearing stories of you bear hunting. Good luck. I am sure someone here will help you out.

[Bucndoe]

1 hour ago, mazzgolf said:

There is just about 3 weeks to go before the (supposed, proposed, maybe) 2022 bear hunt. Not much time. Need a crash course. For those that have no idea what bear hunting requires...inquiring minds want to know:

1. Where? All these bears we keep hearing about up north -- WMAs, state forests, parks, The Gap?

2. What to look for to determine if it's good bear habitat? What kind of terrain?

3. What tactics to employ?

4. Morning, afternoon, dusk?

5. What do you do when you harvest a many-hundred-pound bear? Call in the cavalry to drag it? I assume you gut it immediately - if you want a bear rug, what cuts do you want to avoid when gutting? Are there even butchers around that do bear and would skin good enough for a taxi to make a rug?

Bear, deer, and turkeys all share the same habitat.

Shooting them is the easy part. Then be prepared to drag 300 pounds of jello out of the woods. It ain't nothing like dragging a deer

[jumpthestring]

In any state park or WMA in northern nj . Pick a ridge overlooking a swamp and you will be rewarded.

[Bucndoe]

50 minutes ago, BHC said:

1. anywhere in bear country

2. thick cover, swamp, deep woods

3.  bait, stalk, sit & wait

4. anytime of day

5. Have a jetsled, cart if you can or have friends or lots of muscles, or you can quarter it, gut it ASAP, don't cut to far up if you plan on any type of mount, butchers are around during the hunts in the past and I'm sure some will do it, but not cheap, most in the past would skin it if you have them butcher it....

Won't be able to bait with new amendments this time around

[mazzgolf]

Keep in mind - baiting is most likely going to be illegal, or at minimum restricted in some way (that I'm sure will be worded in such a way as to be effectively a ban on baiting, but we shall see).

https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/bears/bear-hunting-season-information/

"On November 15, 2022, the Fish and Game Council will consider implementing a more restricted regulated hunt including the strict prohibitions on the taking of cubs under 75 pounds, the taking of adults traveling with cubs below 75 pounds, and restrictions on the practice of baiting."

 

[mazzgolf]

IIRC, wasn't there rules in place that allowed ATVs to enter state lands to help take out a harvested bear?

[HighEndHooker]

Just now, mazzgolf said:

IIRC, wasn't there rules in place that allowed ATVs to enter state lands to help take out a harvested bear?

No, I even called a F&W officer who told me unless it’s absolutely impossible, to not drive an ATV onto the land

[HighEndHooker]

3 minutes ago, mazzgolf said:

Keep in mind - baiting is most likely going to be illegal, or at minimum restricted in some way (that I'm sure will be worded in such a way as to be effectively a ban on baiting, but we shall see).

https://dep.nj.gov/njfw/bears/bear-hunting-season-information/

"On November 15, 2022, the Fish and Game Council will consider implementing a more restricted regulated hunt including the strict prohibitions on the taking of cubs under 75 pounds, the taking of adults traveling with cubs below 75 pounds, and restrictions on the practice of baiting."

 

Baiting already was restricted, so I’m hoping that it means keeping the existing restrictions in place. You couldn’t hunt from a stand within 100 ft or something from your bait. I don’t remember exactl, I always hunted from the ground.