New to bear

C

camper4lyfe

New member
This year, NY has increased the areas of the state that allow bear hunting. My hunting area is one of the new areas, and I was wondering if there was anything I should know, should I have the opportunity to take a bear.

Is there any difference between field dressing a bear compared to a deer?

I know I need to look up the NYS requirements for harvesting bears, and their reporting requirements, but as far as actual field experience, is there anything I should know?
 
not much difference at all..
deer and bear are about the same for feild dressing...

as for the hunting, at least in my area, they avoid human contact as much as possible and stick to the high country. the open meadows close to water, shade and berries is the best bet.
 
There is 5% percent of ...

a bear you need to hit, hit the other 95%, you'll find out what a sense of humor the bear has.


Bear will try to avoid you, I have come across steaming piles in the middle of a trail and never heard a thing. Looked around and saw the hole it "bulldozed" through the elderberry patch.

Make sure of your shot, any doubt then don't. Better a living animal as intented than a wound one in unnecessary pain.

Use an adequate firearm.
 
I have very limited experience hunting black bears, but I didn't find them that hard to kill. I agree that you should respect them, as they are are one of big game animals you can hunt in the lower 48 that has teeth and claws and knows how to use them. My biggest fear was not having a good shot and having to track a wounded bear down on his turf.

I used a heavy for caliber bullet in my .30-06, which was a 200 grain Nosler Partition. I aimed for the shoulders, I wanted to put my bear down where he stood. After my first shot my bear spun and fell and never moved again put another bullet in him for good measure and took some pictures.



 
jrothWA said:
Use an adequate firearm.
Click to expand...

That poses another question: What is adequate? For deer, we're only allowed black powder or shotgun. I use a 12ga, shooting Lightfield Hybred 2-3/4" slugs.
 
After my first bear hunt two weeks ago I can tell you two things for sure. #1 A double lung shot @55 yards with a 30-06 180 grain Speer Mag Tip did tremendous damage, breaking two ribs on the exit side with a classic broadside target.....the 232# sow went about 200 yards. They are a tough animal. #2 Three very good "trackers" from the outfitter could only find nine tiny drops of blood, none at the place of the shot. They do not bleed much. If I had it to do over or if I ever do it again I would make sure that my shot broke at least one shoulder before or after it passes through the vital heart/lung area. This hunt was one I will never forget. Good luck to you. Shoot straight and hit em hard!;)
 
"...Shot placement?..." Shot placement is critical no matter what you hunt with. Your slugs will be fine as long as you can hit what you're aiming at. Sight in, then practice, off hand, at a 9" pie plate at 100 yards, even with a slug, until you can hit it every time. Slugs are remarkable accurate these days.
Any deer load will do nicely for black bear. Yogi is a strong beast, but he doesn't need big heavy bullets to put down.
 
My experience

Field dressing and butchering is very close to the same from animal to animal. They are all the same cuts. If you can handle a deer, the bear will be no problem. I use a 70lb compound bow with large diameter broadheads to take them. They don't bleed much, but if you put a hole in both lungs, the animal will die every time. Have fun and shoot a good bear!
 
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