I was 22 I think on an all day sit in a white oak flat around 1:00 the first bear I'd ever seen came from behind me sniffed around the tree I was in walked off 10 yds sat on its butt like a dog & started crunching an acorn. I put a 160gr snuffer through him he ran 50 yds jumped up on a log looked back then fell off & crawled into some rocks & died after it was over I was overcome with the biggest adrenaline rush iv ever had in my life EVER.I finally regained my composure climbed down walked over to the bear a young boar approx 200# & here's the strange part I was struck with the worst gut wrenching remorse iv ever had for just killing this beautiful animal I mean it tore me to peices I almost puked. of course I took it home ate it (excellent food by the way) had the hide tanned & was proud of my accomplishment but since then Iv never killed another out of dozens of opportunities & a few bruizers. lately the last few years iv been thinking about killing another bear & I know that no one but myself can answer if I should or not & basically im wandering if anyone else has ever experienced this

I killed a bear about 15yrs ago and haven’t hunted them since, really haven’t had the desire to kill another one. It didn’t bother me though and, I would do it again. This was on a trip with friends in New Brunswick.

I shot one in 2012. Getting itchy to shoot a bigger one.

DDave

I studied bears in college, no fun like crawling into an occupied den with a tranquilizer dart pole in your hand ;). I shot one years later and probably won't do it again except in self defense. There is no sport for me in killing a food habituated animal with it's head stuck in a bait barrel. But there's plenty of them for those that like that kind of thing.

My thoughts on bears?

Them big ol' grizzle ones in Wyoming make me nervous! :^)

In all honesty, I've never had the itch to hunt em. I'm not against it by any means, just not my cup o tea.

I’ve certainly never had a great desire to hunt a bear with hounds or bait, and it has never occurred to me to go after them with anything other than a stringbow or my roundballer.

But I think I’d enjoy calling one in or a spot & stalk. I have some trouble imagining that I could still-hunt up on one, but if I were up a tree with a tag and one came in, I think that’d be OK, too.

I’d do it once for sure. I’ll let you know about twice after I’ve done it once.

Just have never had a notion to kill one and at this stage in my life I don't plan to start. I've had some close run-ins with them, there's a lot around the area I live, but I've never wanted to shoot one.

I shot my only one last year. Used a 1969 Bear Kodiak Hunter that dad saved for me from the store and gave it to me as a welcome home gift from the Marines in 69. I used one of his old hunting arrows and put my stand in one of his old trees that he shot bear out of. It was a 7 yard shot and the bear only went 40 yards. Now I don't care if I ever shoot another one. It was kind of a scratch that one off my bucket list.

I could see myself maybe doing a hunt for one to experience it...however it’s literally last on my list as I have no desire to shoot one...there is nothing wrong with feeling remorse for game you have harvested: that makes you human. But that doesn’t mean it was wrong...just means you’re appreciative of what that animal sacrificed. And in my opinion it makes you a better hunter

Not on my bucket list.

Many years ago we had a family friend that killed one in the Adirondacks and it was hanging at a local volunteer fire station. I went and saw it just after they had skinned it. Looked like a fat man hanging by his legs.

I have had black bears on the property (and on my game camera) and this area has an open season for bear, but I have no intention to kill one. I guess if a shot came along I may change my mind.

For those that do hunt bear - it's all good. I respect anyone who would face down a brown or grizzly with a bow!

I like knowing they're out there, makes these woods *wild* in a way that deer and coyotes and porcupines do not. No real interest in shooting one of those fat greasy sob's tho'.

Like to watch em but they are a nuisance !!

I am like you (stumpkiller). I saw one skinned and on its belly. Looked like a fat man laying there. Nope not going kill one. Don't have a problem with anyone else doing it though if that's your cup of tea. (songdog)

I crossed a set of bloody bear tracks in snow once when my Dad and uncle and cousins came out to hunt with me in Montana. Was hunting elk butI decided to track down the bear and put it down. It was hauling ass making long leaps. After an hour and half of tracking I spotted it going up a slope across a ravine. I shot it with the 7mm mag and it started tearing up turf like the Tasmanian Devil. Unbelievable fury until it died. I got to it and saw that it had a broken flopping left front leg. Later, when I skinned it out I found a .22 bullet lodged in the center of its frontal skull. I had a new respect for the power and endurance of these critters after all that. I did it a favor by finishing off some poacher's dirty work, but it probably would have survived. It was only a yearling, about 125#, and turned out to be delicious eating. Brown phase, kinda blueish gray underfur. As for bowhunting them, I would like to run into one while hunting but I would be really hesitant to shoot it unless I had a perfect close shot at a fully unaware bear. I have seen a bunch of them in several states and know what they are capable of. I would like to try for one spot and stalk but not over a barrel.

My last one from 1995.Have no desire at all to kill one again.Am 48 now and desire to kill game fades away more and more , but funny thing is not the desire to hunt.

will you eat it? shouldn't be a problem shooting it then...

My first one was chocolate brown from Colorado. So many asked what kind of bear it was. Black bear. No it is brown. LoL The opportunity came up to hunt with some friends and he said they were better than 90% black in his area of Oregon. It took 2 trips from Texas to Oregon but I got my black bear. They can be so comical with human like traits but when hunting or injured they are a different beast entirely. Both were bow kills both ate good and made beautiful rugs but I don't care to shoot another unless it was a danger or being destructive.>>>----> Ken

The only way I'd kill one would be in self defense...Lost all desire to hunt them after a friend had a pet black bear cub he raised along side a big Lab... That bear was almost humanistic, he'd do somersaults and other antics just to make you laugh... Very intelligent animal, and then understood why many Native American tribes revered them...

I love spot n stalk hunting them in western states where the under growths not so thick. They quite a challenge hunting them that way. Try it n you'll be hooked.

My thoughts on bears are they are just an overgrown coon.

They're a pain in the ass. Have ruined more than one sit. I don't want to shoot one but have been tempted on many occasions because of their disregard of my hunting rights.

I was hunting shotgun opening day a few years back, sitting with my back to a rock ravine wall. Heard a bit of commotion behind/above me. A few minutes later a *tiny* bear crossed in front of me and headed away. I was amused until the thought crossed my mind, 'Where's Momma?" My eyes were peeled back the rest of the day!

There are some *big* bears in this tiny little 'civilized' state. A friend of mine shot one a few years back that dressed out nearly 450 pounds, and that ain't nearly the state record. I've gotten some fair sized slobs on trail camera.

Tree, I feel that way about every game animal I kill anymore. I tell my buddies that I guess I'm getting soft-hearted in my old age. That feeling did not start with me until we had dogs here at home again. We went for years without any. Now, I always had a dog when I was a kid,but I'd get too attached to them and it really hurt if something happened to them. That's the way I am now,we had to put one of our dogs down late last year and it about killed us,my wife especially.

If I had a choice I’d take bears over deer table fare wise. I don’t feel the slightest bit of remorse shooting them. In my opinion though they could all be almost wiped out. I’m sick of them round here. I’ve seen as many as 11 a day and commonly 6-8. My neighbor had 13 on film in one cornfield. When there is this many they become a problem. At one point they broke into 50 houses a year mostly in my town and some nearby. They grab and kill dogs, trash your garbage, and cost farmers tons. They’re so lazy they lie down, reach out w a paw and pull stalks of corn closer ruining vast areas after just a short time. Than the 30 min to an hour rule is out the window as well. Very often by the time you climb down a bear claimed your prize. You gotta try running em off and they don’t stay off often challenging you all the way to truck. The farm across the street has a slaughter permit so when guns are shot they come running in looking for free food. They’re a pia kill em all and never feel bad. If they had an upper hand would they feel bad bout hurting you? Kinda doubt it

For me, I never had the urge to take a bear. I have come close to them while turkey and deer hunting and have always gave them a pass hunting on the ground and in my tree stand.

Bowguy, I knew without looking you were from New Jersey ;-) A friend of mine bow-hunts down there, won't go out without a sidearm, laws be damned.

Around here they've expanded the bear season and the take is still too low to keep the population in check.

(Our 'second' season opens Monday and runs through Thanksgiving week. Third season runs with shotgun deer season, can shoot bears with slugs.)

I'd like to take a nice big black bear. Mostly for the meat but a nice rug on the wall would be cool too. I would not hunt one over bait though.

I wonder why Jersey has so many bears. Are there a lot of rock outcrops in the woods for denning areas or something? What kind of habitat do they den in? My niece lived in Stanhope and she had one in her yard a few years ago, getting into the garbage and the kids had to stay inside a lot. I'd go hunt a Jersey bear. Is it easy for a NR to get a bear permit? I'll check it out meanwhile.

I am for sound game management, that includes bears, they make some excellent sausage and pepperoni stick, in addition to smoking the hams. I revere all game animals, but having watched them in actions I have no illusions about bears.

I went to Quebec in 2015 on my second bear hunt. This time I got a chance at anise boar and pulled it off. A pass thru at 7 yards. Very exciting hunt and I would do it again at some point. Next time I would hold out for a bigger one. I am amazed how a critter bigger than me can move in the woods silently.

Years of 'no hunting'.

We have bear hunting statewide now. There is actually one living less than a mile from our house, seen a few times by neighbors. I'd shoot it in a heartbeat if it presented a good shot. But it won't.

My wife's uncle lives near Crivitz, Wisconsin, in the far north-east part. He's waaay out in the boonies, and has tons of bears around...too many.

A couple years ago he had one huge boar hanging uncomfortably close, uncomfortably often. He'd trash his bird feeders every night, dig into his sheds, and be a huge nuisance.

Before long he started making his rounds in daylight. Her uncle came out of his bedroom one morning to see him outside his bay window, on his hind legs, with his paws on the window glass, pearing at him through the window.

The bear eventually dropped down and went back to tearing up the bird feeders. Her uncle went out on the porch banging on a pan and yelling at the bear...who dropped down facing him, popped his teeth, and advanced towards him menacingly.

While I've no desire to hunt em, I told her uncle that'd be enough for me! I'd take that one out, and maybe put his backhoe to use! One that big with no fear of me is NOT getting a pass.

No interest...could have taken a bunch of them over the last 50 years when they ambled by on the deer trail I was watching...let them pass.

I'd like to take a nice big boar someday. Bears represent wild places to me and I'd have zero problems taking one. I've had a really good bear roast before and would enjoy another! I had a chance at a nice big boar about 2 weeks ago but he just never turned right to give me a decent shot angle. Maybe he will come back through again soon while I'm there also!

Rick, I'd have the hole dug already. Lost fear of me, about to put it back in him, but too late. He's dead.

I have no remorse in taking a bear. I have taken a couple of them but don't think I would take another unless I had the opportunity to hunt a really big one. Bear hunting was really fun for me and a chance to hunt something very rarely seen in my home state. Numbers are increasing though but still not a huntable population from what I hear.

Love hunting bears! Do it every year! Something exciting about hunting something that can hunt you back!

LD

As would I Trap. Especially where he lives, and has family kids visit. Nope...yer done, mate! That is a prime candidate for SSS!

I have done it a few times. I hunted Maine maybe twice and got one on my first trip, nothing the second time. Those NE bears are pretty bait savvy from what I saw. My Maine bear was a nice 230# bear with beautiful coat. I had a neat 1/2 mount made that looks like it is walking out of the wall on a log. A few years after I had the mount I found an old hornet or wasp nest, the thing is huge, that was abandon and in perfect shape. I added that and it looks like a the bear is going after it. Yes, we ate him and I liked it.

Next bear hunt was in Manitoba with a group of friends. Those guys had shot a lot of big bears there. I shot a medium sized to smaller color phase/cinnamon bear, maybe 180#. Not huge but we had a rug done. When I told the guide I wanted the meat he seemed a bit surprised but I took it and it was good as well. I video'd that hunt and it was on the TradGang video.

I liked bear hunting but have not gone back. Sure I would like to get a PY bear and they have them in Manatoba but there is a part of me that just prefers to spend the time I have to hunt chasing whitetail. I don't ever seem to get tired of that. Plus, bear meat is ok but not nearly as good to me as deer.

I always say this stuff is for fun so whatever a guy enjoys he should do!

I recently lost one of my best friends to cancer (he was 48) so I have to add something here, sorry. If something is an adventure you want do it while you can. Life is too short, do not put it off.

Bill

Well the FWP trapped earlier this week a young grizzly boar on the golf course about 15 miles from my house and three Grizzly's were seen running down hwy 278 between Wisdom and Jackson yesterday, so I guess we will be shooting them off my porch before long.

I wish these animal rights people that don't have to live with them, would butt out. People are going to get hurt and killed.

Bob

Here in northern Wisconsin we have a lot of bear. Some would say too many. I don't know but there's enough for good hunting. I've killed one, guided my then 13 year old daughter to hers and had a hand in a half dozen more. For those who won't hunt over bait I'll tell you that it's not as easy as you'd think. There's a lot of work and strategy that goes into a successful bear crib. Not to mention that it's fun tending the baits. My daughter in hindsight of her bear hunt said that it was her favorite animal to hunt. When I asked her "why?" she responded that "it got us out in the woods all summer long, the morning baiting was my favorite part of the whole hunt". The woods is so thick that spot and stalk is completely out of the picture so you either a. bait or b. run dogs (in which case be prepared to lose some in our area because the wolves will tear them apart.) Personally, I love bear hunting. You never feel quite so "aware" as you are when you're standing over a crib that pics showed a bear was on minutes ago, walking into a crib and you hear the bark on trees getting tore up as cubs scramble up the tree... uh oh, where's mama?!, or blood trailing a marginal hit at night through a black spruce swamp. (In those instances we have a hound on a leash (legal) and a big bore in the front.) It's all just hunting and sometimes we end up killing. I feel a bit of remorse every time, every animal no matter the species. Promised myself that the day I stop feeling that bit of remorse is the time to quit hunting.

If it happened in a place that bears are not common... I can understand that reaction. After hunting bear in Alberta... I killed a bear and the experience was nothing but positive. That said... I sure understand. When I was a kid... I killed every snake I saw... just for fun. Now... I have so much guilt about killing snakes... we had a copperhead on the porch of my parents house and I couldn't stand the idea of killing that little guy... so I captured him and took him away to release him. Crazy... I know.

Jarhead, nothing crazy about that.

If you think black bears can't get huge, here is the Pa. State record that was taken by a bowhunter in 2010.

""The heaviest black bear ever recorded in Pennsylvania was shot and killed by a bow hunter just north of Fernwood Resort in Pike County on Monday. The Pennsylvania Game Commission confirmed that David Price of Barrett Township killed the 17-year-old bruin, which had an estimated live weight of 879 pounds. The heaviest black bear ever recorded in Pennsylvania was shot and killed by a bow hunter just north of Fernwood Resort in Pike County on Monday.

The Pennsylvania Game Commission confirmed that David Price of Barrett Township killed the 17-year-old bruin, which had an estimated live weight of 879 pounds. The bear had a field-dressed weight of 744 pounds.

Price’s bear was 15 pounds heavier than the state’s previous record holder, a 864-pound bear killed by Doug Kristiansen of Dingman Township in 2003. That bear was also shot in Pike County. “This bear could be No. 1 in the world,” game commission spokesman Tim Conway said of Price’s bear.""

The repeat paragraph was in there when I copied and pasted it, but you get the gist.

Like you time I fret remorse walking up to the first bear I killed (2017) and thought I wouldn't shoot another one, after eating and sharing with folks that like eating bear the next one will be with blessings and be like any other harvested animal for consumption . Starting to see more each year and data shows not many killed by hunters in the area I hunt. I believe as hunters we should hunt them to help over population "IF" big if, even if you at you're expense (if necessary ) process them and give to one's that like eating them who are not the hunter guy.

Rick, I'd add an 'S' to that - Skin. No season there? No wonder he ain't skeerd...

No desire to kill a bear.

Montana (and Wyo/ID, etc.) will have to change its stance on griz soon. Or I should say the USFWS will have to lift the ESA T&E status, because you are right aromakr, there are going to be more and more griz encounters resulting in injury/death. I saw two big griz boars in one day a couple months ago in Glacier, and in the 30years on and off living in Montana previously in the 70s - early 2000s, I never say a single one. Now they are like flies it seems. They are approaching and est. 700 in GNP alone. Something will get done but not before more people encounter them with negative results. To heck with the huggers, they are out of touch with reality. I'm glad the bears have recovered, but now they need to be hunted. Selectively of course.

We have a season in the fall...just not enough tags available.

I've always wanted to hunt/shoot one until someone told me the meat is greasy and not that great. I'd like to taste some for myself to judge. But if I ain't gonna eat it, I aint gonna shoot it. Just like them cow $#!+ eating squirrels back in Nebraska I was talking about in another thread. Nybubba

NBK...you summed up our Wisconsin bear hunting perfectly.

My Wyoming buddy moved there from Wisco in '76. He said the western boys wouldn't see a thing in out heavy woodlands.

Personally, I think hounds or baits are the only methods to get one here as well.

Trapper...my friend in Wyoming sent me a video taken from a car driving near Jackson, of a line of three grizzlies walking along the roadway in broad day light. Completely unphased by the vehicle moving slowly by.

Rick, not hunting them is gonna result in more dead bears than if they had a season on 'em. Something the upper crust of JH (mostly rich outsiders now) will never believe or accept. And some durn fool tourist is gonna wipe grape jelly on their kid's fingers and take pics of the bears 'licking it off' (something that actually a tourist did in Jellystone once and the bear bit the kids hand off - so I heard anyway when I lived there). Stuff like that will happen, then someone will cry about it saying they need to do something about all the dangerous bears. LOL!

Well...I believe the dumbing down of American is near completion. As a life long hunter and country boy, I'm astounded at the absolute ignorance today regarding the real world...the one outside the blacktop jungles.

The nice thing about hunting over bait, is the ability to be discriminating, and only harvesting mature boars, and not breeding females. Often it is just awesome to watch their behavior, and how they react when a bigger bear comes in. Several times when I lived in Alaska it helped me not harvest a sow, and in at least 2 instances a sow with cubs who hung out just out of view, but once mom started moving treats from the bait to the brush, I could hear the squalls of the cubs fighting over what she was bringing, it was indeed a good day, a lot of interesting bear watching.

Trapperkayak there was no season a long time. Now it’s limited. The new moron lib tard governor placed a stop to bear hunts on dec controlled land. That includes state parks, state forests, wmas, etc. they didn’t stop it on federal lands, private land or township land. The 6 day firearm season is in Dec. the archery season already passed. The permit is $2, I don’t think it changes for non residents but I’m not sure. The permits are still available. If you’re thing is bait you can do so. You prob won’t need to except you’re short time to look over areas. If you need help pm me

Can't say that I've ever felt remorse over any animal I've killed. I see animals as a gift from God, meant to eat primarily, and if I keep it in that perspective taking their life doesn't bother me. On the flip side, I've accidentally ran a few squirrels and turtles over in my day and I gotta say that kinda pulls at my heartstrings, especially turtles because let's face it they don't really stand a chance. Squirrels on the other hand just can't make up their mind which way they want to go and sometimes they zig when they should've zagged.

NDN's didn't revere bears, but sometimes they were members of a bear clan and wouldn't kill them for that reason. Lucky I grew up in my fathers clan, which is about stealing horses, so I have been killing and eating bear for years. That's what my wife and I eat every year. I raise beef, but I haven't butchered one for more than 30 years. Like to eat wild meat. I wouldn't eat any animal that was shot off of garbage. I have no problem killing bear every year in or near sagebrush. Pretty easy kill. Last picture I took of the bear I have to find again when I get home. That's our next years meat. Took that this spring/early summer. He's been doing good

I killed a big bore in 05' in NB. I felt similar to you, but not quite as remorseful. My problem came when I ate it. I hated it and gave it all away. So I wont hunt them again, even though it was very enjoyable. I wont kill animals for other people.

We have a ton of bear in the UP of Michigan. I hunt them whenever I draw a tag. I’ve taken many over the years. I prefer bear meat to whitetail myself. This year alone I have 6 different bear on camera but I didn’t draw a tag.

This thread is a perfect example of how things are so much different in different parts of the country. If I lived where they cause a lot of damage or were a danger,I would certainly hunt them again. With the big expense of traveling for a guided hunt no. My last bear was 1" shy of the skull dimensions for Pope and Young. I was stoked until I found out how many are a little shy and how many barely make it. 1" is a big deal on a bear skull. It made a beautiful rug though. >>>----> Ken

I killed one this past June. I had fun with all my friends and saw things in Quebec that are WAY different than I’m accustomed to- but I don’t feel the need to shoot another one. The one I arrowed was a pretty good sow. Once was enough.

Bowguy, no state land hunting kinda limits the opportunity I'd think. I don't know anyone with private land there (Niece and her family live in a town), and I'd think federal land is kind of scarce there, isn't it? I will probably have to pass on the gun season this year but I really appreciate the offer for help - thank you. But I will still pm you for next year though, to find out some areas such as townships to bow hunt in.

Larry, the Oneida Indian Nation, a few miles from where I live, and a mile from my boyhood home, has the Bear, Turtle, and Wolf clans, part of the Iroquois Nation. Ever heard of the Oneidas in central NY? They have a very successful enterprise with the turning Stone Casino and four world class golf courses, three casinos, lots of other business. Ray Halbritter, their top leader, spearheaded the effort to try and get the Washington Redskins name changed. Remember that? Didn't happen obviously. Anyway, you mentioning the Bear Clan brought me to write this.

I love bear hunting and love the meat as much as the hunt. I'd trade a deer for a bear any day just fot the good eats. A guy that hunts with our group shot a 485 pound boar on the last day of rifle season a couple years ago. It had an old arrow shaft lodged in its chest, 3,30 cal pistol bullets under the hide and a load of 6 shot under his hide . Great eating bear. I have yet to get one with the bow but im getting close.

You fellows that eat bear meat be aware that the bear can be a carrier of round worms. Trichinosis. The last bear i took was loaded with them. Bear meat should be cooked well done. Sandy.

Trapper Kiyak said,.."Rick, not hunting them is going to result in more dead bears than if they had a season on them." ..true that is,Trapper. Some years back the" antis.."got thespring bear season closed here in Ontario . an expanding bear population caused lots of bear human conflict, shoot, shovel, And shut up became the common rural practise. The Government was forced to reopen the hunt and the antis are now pretty quiet about it. Sandy

I've taken several bears with both gun and bow. Spot n stalking them is a lot of fun and challenging. They are great eating as long as they haven't been eating fish too long and its never a problem giving a hide away if you don't want one. If you haven't tried it don't knock it.

I have killed two bears in Maine over bait--no more. It just doesn't feel very sporting to shoot a bear with a donut in his mouth. My wife doesn't want the meat and I don't want another mount so no more bear hunting. I didn't feel any remorse but rather elation, especially on the first one that missed P and Y by 1/2".

I'm still unsure if i want to kill one or not. I don't have any desire to kill one over a barrel but a spot and stalk would probably be a rush. And I've heard of the death moan and wondered if I would feel remorse. They're a little higher on the food chain than most of the animals I hunt. But, 2 years ago I was on a muzzleloader hunt for elk in Colorado and a beautiful 300 pound boar walked out in a little secluded meadow that my hunting buddy and I had just crossed at first light. He was 125 yards away and I was really wishing I had bought a bear tag that day.

a friend of mine that doesn't kill them has been seeing a respectable boar coming & going to a cornfield like clockwork & I got 10 days off work starting next week & think I'm gonna go for it as long as the farmer doesn't cut the corn first

I have been blessed to take a few in PA. Now it's just "catch and release" for the most part. Just too beautiful and majestic to take for granted.

Kill em.

We have a lot of bear up here. They destroyed my apple trees so I sliced a hound hunter on them. I haven’t hunted much due to coaching, have seen no deer, but three bear. I don’t hunt them anymore. Venison tastes better in my opinion.

Bear hunting is fun. Spring bear hunting in Canada is a trip I really look forward to. The wilderness, the fishing, the food, camp life, its the whole experience.

Never had the desire to hunt bruins...and the state park I like to hunt is loaded with them. I could only see myself shooting one if I felt legitimately threatened by it.

I know the feeling, I stopped being a serial bear and deer killer a few years back. It took me fifty years of longbow hunting to wake up.

No desire to shoot a bear w/ bow or gun . Enjoy seeing them in the woods from time to time .

Bear hunting is a good time. I enjoy going to different areas and hunting animals that I don't have here. It's an adventure. I've killed 3 bears and would go again. One hunt was spot and stalk in Alaska. I killed a 175# bear there that I shot at 8 yds. I took a 410# bear in Ontario 4 years. I haven't found a game animal that I wouldn't hunt

no interest in hunting them either. Can't explain it, just never had any desire to hunt them. Same with other apex predators on our continent.

That said, if an easy opportunity fell in my lap for a legit spot and stalk spring black bear hunt in some exotic place like AK, then maybe I'd try it. But after two moose hunts in AK, it would be far more about being there than hunting the bears.

Waiting over bait as is typically done in the lower 48 though, can't see myself ever doing that...

Living close to the Adirondack Mountain range, I have seen many, many bears while tracking, and chasing mountain bucks with a rifle...always gave them a free pass. Never had any interest in killing one over bait. Always out West when our early Bear season starts here mid September. Always said, "if I aint elk or antelope huntin, Im gonna hunt early fall bear here with a longbow"...well finally this season found me in the mountains after some successful scouting and cam pics of good bears..opening day within a 3 hour span on an evening watch, I saw 3 bears. One was 24 yards, I shot just under his armpit, missed. He weighed around 185#...an hour later, I saw his Pappy, the bear was 65 yards from me heading into a Balsam swamp. I was astounded at the size of the Boar, he had to weigh 450-550#...I lip squeaked to get him to come closer for a shot, but he stopped and stared in my direction for a few minutes, and ambled along into the swamp. Excited was an understatement. I walked out of the mountains that evening with my Robertson tucked under my arm, and thought, how cool was that? I almost got a Adirondack Bear, without bait(illegal here)..on natural terms, by scouting in August and Early September, and setting my plan into motion. Now I am hooked. I will go back again next early season, and try to get my longbow Bear the hard way..if I am successful, who knows? I may want to kill another,,but it is now a new challenge for me, and I look forward to it next season. Thanks for reading!

My first bow kill was a bear. No desire to ever kill another unless I was hungry. I would never shoot a cougar either. I killed a bunch of Coyotes in years past just because that’s what you do. I have learned to respect thier ability to make a living and enjoy watching them. No Bobcats either. I am pretty much done killing things because I don’t need the food. I like to hunt them to get close enough to have a little talk with them and then go our separate ways.

We don't have them here, so I don't know. Never had a desire to go out of state to hunt them, so I guess no desire to kill one. I won't kill a few of our native critters (fox, bobcat). But I will kill every invasive I can (coyotes, armadillos, pigs). I hate stinking feral hogs most of all.

The most thrilling hunt I’ve had was my polar bear hunt. The story is hear on the LW. Having taken all 4 bear species, I understand what Fred meant when he said If some of our youth want to get a thrill, let them go up into the NW and tangle with the grizzly, the polar bear, the brown bear... it will cleanse the soul....

I'd like to hunt them but there aren't any here and a a bear hunting trip with any chance of success isn't something that's ever been in the budget.

I've killed several and will continue to hunt them whenever I get the chance. Recently my hunts have all been spring hunts in Canada and I enjoy the great fishing as well. If a big one comes by this spring I'll shoot another. I've always felt a little remorse when killing any animal. I thank God for each and every one. Bear meat is excellent.

They should have kicked Goldie Locks ass.

Bears are just over sized varmints, like coyotes and all other vermin, just shoot them and get rid of them.

I carry a bear tag some seasons because there are bears in the areas I hunt. Never put any real effort into killing one.

It's not for me. I never had a desire to kill on although I have had opportunities. I'm even at 70 yrs old losing my desire to kill deer.

I know what you mean.My brothers have killed 7 of them here in Western Pa.They gifted me with bear hamburg one time . Not for me.

“I understand what Fred meant when he said If some of our youth want to get a thrill, let them go up into the NW and tangle with the grizzly, the polar bear, the brown bear... it will cleanse the soul....”

Cleanse the soul.... and likely foul your britches at least once!

That is a beautiful bear and an awesome hunt Bryce!

Got a bear from ground at 6 yds w Jerry Russell and it was the most exciting thing I have ever done. I am fascinated by bear, a buck walks in I get excited but bear on ground is a new level. BTW, Jerry has small holes in barrels so bear does not have his head in barrel. In fact bear was looking at me shake when I released.

Too many here in Florida. Though I have no desire to kill a bear, I wish Florida would re- open the season. Our season was closed politically while ignoring all science.

Found a good spot to sit for this mornings gun hunt. Could see in most directions, obstructed to my right. Crunchy old hard snow on the ground, you think you'll hear anything within two hundred yards. A bear came around the junk, no more that 17-18 yards away. I heard her a second before I saw her. She had a cub with her, and I was glad she decided I was no threat.

Amazing how much sound those big feet do *not* make.

I'd rather watch em than shoot em.

I'd rather watch em than shoot em.

I'd like to kill ONE with my longbow, spot and stalk or stand hunting, maybe calling. Don't care to shoot one over bait. Have had a few encounters over the years while hunting including one uncomfortably close one with a sow and cub in New Mexico years ago while bow hunting elk, but never when I had a tag. Son and I saw one back in September while we were elk hunting in Southern Colorado. Their presence adds a nice element of potential exceitement to a hunt.

Tough call. I've killed a couple over bait, but have never been comfortable with it. I like the meat, but don't like the idea of shooting a critter with its head in a bucket or hollowed out stump.

I hunted bear this year. (It takes 7 years to draw a permit in Wisconsin.) Had a good opportunity at the same 200-225# sow, but couldn't bring myself to shoot her. After passing her several days in a row, I just decided I wasn't going to kill another bear over bait.

Maybe spot and stalk sometime. Don't know. Pretty much lost my desire to kill another.

to me shooting black bears is as natural as killing whitetails,,,, I have shot a few, now I have to wait awhile to get a tag....

I love bear hunting, I love eating bears, since I bait for guys I get lots of bear meat......

I have shot them over bait, running dogs, and spot and stalk outside of my state,,,,,, for years I shot bears for a spring hunt in Colorado that was stopped by morons....

I do not live in the Disney world

There’s one in the drainage above my mom’s place that sure needs an attitude adjustment!

I’d love to have a tag in my pocket if I were to call one in while Elk hunting. And a lion tag, too...

I hunt them and shoot them, no problem !!!!! ( black bears ) they have to be kept in check. The MNR deleated the spring bear hunt 20 years ago and they ran rampant even in the northern cities indangering pets and people. The black bear is the biggest predator of moose calfs and fawns. It is said that once a bear gets the scent of a new moose calf, it’s fate is sealed. We have the spring bear hunt back now (as well as the fall ) but it’s going to be some time to get the bear population back under control. ......Lloyd

Although, I have no desire to shoot a bear, I wouldn't mind at all if more trad hunters would target Knife Lake, Ima, Thomas and Basswood in the Bdub.

I actually have a bear tag for Mass. They're available over the counter. Our biologists say the population is too high for carrying capacity, and still growing. Not about to shoot a sow with cubs, tho'.

Mass. has the longest running bear telemetry program, they have a really good grasp of the population.

The problem is too few hunters, too much heavy cover, and bears have no problem living close to houses. (For that matter, there are a lot of 'suburban' deer that are very hard to target.)

Was talking to a state biologist a few years back. They were tracking a radio-collared bear, followed the signal into a back yard. The people living there were hot-tubbing on their deck. They were sort of surprised that there was a bear denned up under that deck!

For a while the best 'bear viewing' spot in western Mass. was a pizza shop dumpster on the outskirts of Northampton ;-)

I love bear meat! Medical reasons kept me from going this year but I'll be back at it next year.

I took one in 2015 in Quebec, my first grad bow kill. Do I need to kill another, I guess not. But I would go on that same in a heartbeat , great time and really exciting. If a real big one came in.......I might shoot it or not !!

I've always been fascinated with bears and I've always wanted to hunt them. When I was in college, working on a Wildlife Science degree, I did one of my end of semester term paper on bears, using wildlife journals and research papers as my basis for my paper. I learned a great deal about bears from that compilation of data and I have been expanding upon my knowledge ever since.

Bears, to me, are an epitome of wild things and places. They are intelligent, inquisitive, and, depending upon species, are quite adaptive. No matter the species; Black, Grizzly, or Polar, they are expanding their ranges here in North America.

College is now some 30 yrs in my past and I am still enamoured with bears. I have never harvested a bear. I have only gone on one bear hunt, three years ago, in which I did not even see an animal, but I hope to go again sometime soon. When, and if, I hunt them again, if I am lucky enough to take a bear, I'm certain that I will be filled with excitement, as well as, remorse. As I age I find that killing an animal no longer holds a great deal of excitement for me. Would taking a bear change that for me? Only time will tell.

But no matter... I think bears, as well as all wildlife, should be revered, respected, and properly managed via legal hunting, in order to maintain healthy, viable, populations for all to enjoy. When hunting is curtailed and banned wildlife populations suffer. Overexpansion of populations and range make for conflicts with humans in which the wildlife is always the loser.

So hunt 'em if you've got 'em! It's the best way to insure their survival.

I just can't see me poking a sharp stick into something that might want to have me for lunch. On a different note I have a picture of a 650 pounder that my Grandpa killed with a 22 back in the late 40's. He thought it was in a trap because the locals were trying to trap a stock killer. It wasn't in a trap.

I will hunt them when I feel the want to hunt them. I suck at it evidently because I have not got one yet in WI. But, that has more to do with the unit I hunt in, I think? I honestly do not like hearing hunters talk of not shooting an animal that is legal to hunt because they are so beautiful. That is PETA type stuff almost.

I've had numerous opportunities to shoot Black bears over the years (some within 5 yards) however never had a desire to do it. In the last five or so years Vermont has had WAY too many bears, it's a great time for those who hunt them.

My first hunt for black bear was in 1964. At the time my hunting bow was 60#@ 28". I thought it was too light to kill a bear so I drove the 150 miles north to the Bear factory in Grayling to buy a heavier bow.

It was about the time that Fred was going to Africa to kill an elephant so I always thought that was the reason they had a 70# left hand Kodiak in stock as I'm sure they made several bows for Fred's approval. Fred didn't like much of a shelf on his bow and this one wasn't cut in very much. I shot the bow into a big 48" target that was in front of the main building and it shot way to the right for me so they kept cutting the shelf in until my forgewood arrows were going down the middle.

I didn't get a bear that first year but have since killed several with a bow. I respect black bears and I like to see them in the wild but I have no desire to kill another one....except the one that has been using a corner of my hunting cabin as a marking post. His chewings on the tamerack logs are getting higher every year. If he and I ever cross paths when I have a bow in my hand I'll turn him into bear roast and I know my 40# bow will do the job. 8>)

Left to themselves, bears can be playful and act like clowns. I have no problem with people hunting them, but I have never lived where there were too many of them for the range and have never been interested in killing one.

Shawn, I always feel remorse after killing an animal also. Its what makes us a Human hunter.

I shot one with my longbow back in 2000 or so. Not a real big one, over a bait station. 15 yard shot.

Scared the crap out of me when I hit him. Let out this huge roar, and I'm thinking "What did I just do?". Ran about 100 yards & piled up.

No interest to do it again. Kind of a boring hunt. The bears came in 15 minutes after the guide dumped the bait, and banged on the bottom of the 5 gal bucket.

No doubt that I would rather take a bear that was making a nuisance of itself than one that had been trained to come running to the dinner bell!

I shoot every black bear that gets too comfortable around my house right in the rump with a Daisy Red Rider bb gun . I live in an area where they are relatively plentiful and too used to human food sources because they are not disincentivized to do so. I have had many close range encounters, on their turf and mine. They didnt try to kill me so I don't try to kill them , but not everyone is me, for good reason, and dealing with a sow with young cubs at close range is serious business. I'd shoot a troublesome bear with remorse but no hesitation. Their survival depends on them being bears, not beggars.

"No desire to kill a bear"...says the guy that's never had grilled bear back-straps. You don't know what you're missing; Mmm!

I've purchased a bear license several times, there are a good number of them right around my home, cuz I think maybe I'll hunt them, but I never put any real effort into trying to kill one. I have no interest in shooting one over bait, which is illegal here in Pa anyhow. A buddy of mine shot a 598 lb bear a few years ago practically in my mother's back yard.

I've stalked them in archery season or when out hunting mushrooms, taken their picture, then sneaked away without being detected. I wouldn't say spot and stalk would be out of the question here in Pa, and that challenge interests me some... though not enough I guess.

"your thoughts on bears"

Great defense. Their quarterback seems to be doing well too.

I enjoy the process of hunting them more than the kill itself, but I will hunt them on occasion...

Ron, my buddy has a hunting camp/cabin in Moshannon State Forest and they had trouble also. They took a pole, the size (diameter) of a telephone pole and sunk it in the ground just off the corner of the cabin. The bear took to that for their main marking post, but still do scratch the cabin now and then.

I feel remorse every time I kill something, no different on bears, deer, or birds. I've hunted bears in the past and hope to do so again. As long as there's a sustainable population and a healthy management plan I'll hunt just about anything.

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