2021 - Issue 1 - January/February

Bear Dogs East vs West

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Steve Rinella on a Combo Bear/Turkey Hunt

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Jan/Feb 2021 Volume 22 - Issue 1

Magazine

Cover photo by Garrett Smith (Dirt Myth)

by Clay Newcomb

Bears and Gobblers

by Paul Atkins

10

One Last Grizzly

20

By Timothy Fowler

Extreme Utility

26

Use of Leashed Tracking Dogs

By Timothy Fowler

Bear Scat Sherlock

By Clay Newcomb

30

by Gunther Tondelair

COVID Bear

Bear Dogs East Versus West

34

by Kolby Morehead

40

DIY Bear Baculum

By Clay Newcomb

Three Phases of the Spring

By Steve Fielder

44

Swiger’s Lucky Duke

36

47

Columns 56 Sportsman’s Alliance

Cuddeback Trail Camera Contest Winner Win a Cuddeback Camera!

58

“Awkward Moments” Artimas Fish North Carolina

by Brian Lynn - Huntervationist

Beginner’s Guide to Bear Hunting

by Clay Newcomb - Bear Huntin’ Fool

60 Bowhunting Bears

To enter, submit a unique Cuddeback photo to editor@bear-hunting.com or post to our Facebook page Bear Hunting Magazine

by Bernie Barringer - Bear Guru

62

Western Bear Hunting

64

Bruin Desinations -

by Brian Strickland - Western Hunter

by Al Raychard - Bear Hunting Veteran

66 In Hot Pursuit -

by Jonathan Lesperance - Hound Dude

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Bear Hunting

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Bear Grease

These are a few highlights from my fall hunting. My son, Bear, with his Arkansas ten point buck.

The Editor’s Note Clay Newcomb

@clay_newcomb

Our Outfitters, working hard & hope

A nd just like that 2020 is over. It’s been a wild ride for all of us, but 2021 is swooping in with a tinge of hope. I

know you’ve all got unique stories of your plight through the ongoing global pandemic. Perhaps some of you have lost loved ones and some have lost portions of their income. Many businesses, however, have thrived during the pandemic. Many Americans are financially better off now than they were when COVID-19 hit. Some never got sick, but others did. The pandemic gave many of us more time in the field this year and for others it kept them completely out. The impact has been very diverse to say the least. Bear hunters come from all walks of life and it’s my hope that your families are safe and secure. I want to turn our attention to our bear outfitters.

The Canadian border has been shut down since the spring of 2020 and has cut off a year’s worth of our outfitters’ income. Bear outfitters are industrious people, and many have found a way to survive. Most Canadian outfitters have been economically crippled as 99% as their yearly outfitting income comes from hunters from the United States. As a bear hunting community, I like the idea of us sticking together. If you can afford it, book a hunt with our outfitters and send them an early deposit. I’m confident that the border will open back up for the spring of 2021, but it’s still going to be a financial challenge as they’ll be hunting last year’s hunters this year. No matter how you look at it they’ve lost a year’s worth of income. Additionally, many of our United States outfitters were also significantly impacted by not being able to guide hunters because of travel restrictions. 2021 will be year of cinching up our belts and getting back to work.

This is a smash-up issue of Bear Hunting Magazine and our team is proud to bring it you. I had a fantastic hunt with Steve Rinella of MeatEater that you’ll read about. We’ve got a great article on how to can bear meat, which is a great way to utilize bear. Kolby Morehead will show you how to use hydrogen peroxide to whiten a bear baculum. I put in an article I wrote several years ago about the difference between eastern and western hunting dogs. Overall, I think you’ll see a diverse set of bear hunting topics covered that’s sure to inform and entertain.

I can’t thank you enough for being a subscriber to Bear Hunting Magazine. As always, please support our outfitters by hunting with them in 2021! Here’s to a great New Year.

I killed this nice bobcat with my bow while deer hunting. Wish I had killed him over hounds!

I killed a doe and made a video for MeatEater on how to Shock Pouch a deer.

Google it to find my video!

Clay Newcomb Editor/Publisher SUBSCRIPTIONS: 1-Year (6 issues) subscription rate is $25.00 for U.S. address, $35.00* for Canadian address (in U.S. funds). 2-Year (12 issues) subscription rate is $45.00 for U.S. address, Bear Hunting (ISSN 1553-2488 and USPS 019-451) is published bi-monthly by Bear Hunting Media, $70.00* for Canadian address (in U.S. funds). (*rate is higher to cover extra postage) For more information, call us at: 479-839-4335, write to us at: Bear Hunting Magazine, P.O. LLC, 258 Bullard Rd., West Fork, AR 72774. Periodicals Postage Paid at West Fork, AR and additional Box 168, West Fork, Arkansas or E-mail us at: CustomerService@bear-hunting.com

mailing offices.

Copyright © 2015 Bear Hunting. All rights reserved. Articles, news items, advertisements or other print media do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. Bear Hunting Media, POSTMASTER: Send address changes (form 3579) LLC is not responsible for injury/loss during the implementation of content. Bear hunting is a to Bear Hunting, P.O. Box 168, West Fork, AR 72774. potentially hazardous activity and people should take extreme caution when hunting.

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10 Bear Hunting

Jan/Feb 2021

Gobblers Spring Bear &

Turkey in MOntana by clay newcomb Photos by Seth Morris and Garrett Smith

The clank and clatter of my old mule trailer

delivered a metaphorical message to those we passed on the interstate as we traveled north at a steady pace of 68 mph. If the trailer could speak, it

Steve Rinella, founder of MeatEater, and the author glass for bears on public land in Montana in May 2020. The author hauled his mules 24 hours north to Montana for the hunt.

www.bear-hunting.com

would be talking about perseverance and a deep love of chasing critters in the Rockies on muleback. The 24-hour road trip is taxing, but you can’t put mules on an airplane. I bet the passersby wondered what the heck I was doing so far from home. An Arkansas license plate traveling through Montana with a pair of mules would pique my curiosity – but I’m a mule guy. I bet they wouldn’t guess my business was with bears, turkeys and Steve Rinella.

I’d be meeting up with Steve in western Montana to execute our plan of trying to kill a turkey and a bear in a five-day, do-it-yourself hunt. At first, the proposition seemed simple and even doable. As the time approached, the difficulty of the hunt loomed over us. “Usually when you have multiple tags in your pockets, you end up coming home with both of them,” Steve says. Having options can reduce your focus on both species and you end delivering half-hearted efforts. Hunters don’t do this on purpose, but it’s hard not to fall into the trap. Luckily, this was my fourth-year hunting bears in Montana, and I felt like I had a legit game plan. Secondly, I had some intel from my friends, Justin and Rebecca Spring, who live in western Montana and always offer insight only locals have.

Bear Hunting 11

They glassed grassy openings on southern slopes. The bears they were seeing in early May were around 4500 feet in elevation.

The spring black bear season opens up in Montana on April 15th and runs through the first part of June. The turkey season opens in early April and runs the middle of May. Non-residents can buy both of these tags over the counter.

Bears and turkeys occupy the same general areas of the state, but don’t live in the same places. Bears are generally deeper in the mountains and at higher elevations, while

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12 Bear Hunting

the turkeys are concentrated near areas of human civilization.

Steve explained to me that the introduced population of Montana turkeys thrives on the edges of cities. He doubted we’d find any long beards deep in the mountains where we’d be hunting bears. We’d have to divide our time in different areas, which is a recipe for trouble.

Saddling Up The first morning of our hunt found us on public land but listening to “yard turkeys” gobble out of people’s backyards. Montana is an incredible place and public land often abuts residential areas. I didn’t come to the wilds of Montana to hunt suburbia, but legally chasing gobblers is fun anywhere you can do it. It’s unclear if the turkeys prefer the civilized areas because of fewer predator problems or because people are feeding them. It’s probably both. Regardless, we listened to gobblers sound off all morning. We even saw a few from a distance, but couldn’t close the deal. About midday, after the gobblers went quiet, we loaded up the mules headed for the backcountry to look for bears.

This would be my third trip hunting off mules and I’m learning the most effective ways to utilize them. I hunt in two different ways. The first method is to get in deep, carry enough food for up to five days and backcountry camp. The second option is to pack light, bring enough food for two days and “day hunt.” We usually don’t go as deep, but if we like it, we’ll stay - if we don’t, we leave. What does it take to “like it?” Seeing fresh bear sign in the form of scat, tracks or actual bear sightings is good. The first good evening of glassing will tell you a lot. I’ve learned if you’re in a good area, you should see bears.

If you sit on a good vantage point (getting a look at multiple terrain features over a long distance) and you don’t see a bear, get out of there. There are exceptions to this rule, but it’s the way I hunt especially in the early season. Being mobile is the way I’ve found success in the early spring in Montana.

After the turkey hunt, at one p.m. Steve and I saddled up Izzie and Big Ruth and headed into a remote drainage. We followed a horse trail for about five miles before we turned east and headed up a trailless finger ridge. The plan was to camp at higher elevations and glass a bruin from our camp. The higher elevations looked brown and bare of life. Below 5,000 feet the mountain had a tinge of green life and we figured the bears would be below that line. Bears seem to chase the green up and have a natural inclination to be in highest elevations that afford a good food source. I’m always amazed at how a little green Jan/Feb 2021

Steve Rinella on Big Ruth, one of the author’s mules. They were headed up the mountain to gain elevation for glassing.

A bear marking tree evidenced by claw marks.

Bears use these trees in travel corridors as scent marking posts.

Many of Montana’s gobblers are near cities and thrive off the influence of civilization. This morning they found some deep-woods gobblers on public land about three miles off the road.

With both a bear and turkey tags, they switched to chasing gobblers.

www.bear-hunting.com

Bear Hunting 13

On the fourth day of a five day hunt, the author found a bear on a southern slope. The shot was 350 yards across a big canyon.

After the shot, the bear rolled down the steep slope. The adult male showed evidence of fighting, as his lip was torn off exposing his canines. Cool bear!

The bear was found at the very bottom of the drainage. It was truly an incredible do-it-yourself hunt for the author.

14 Bear Hunting

Jan/Feb 2021

Steve Rinella and the author split up after the second day.

Steve killed this beautiful gobbler on the third day of the hunt finishing out their spring combo hunt.

www.bear-hunting.com

Bear Hunting 15

can go a long way with a springtime bruin.

The plan came together quickly when we spotted a bear the first time we stopped to glass. “There’s a bear, Steve,” I said. It was about a mile away and in a rough spot at the elevation of 4,500 feet. Bingo.

It was already late in the afternoon. Knowing we couldn’t make it to the bear before dark, we camped and found the bear again the next morning at 11 o’clock. To make a long story short, we made a move on the bear only to have him catch our wind while we were 800 yards away. I haven’t mentioned yet that the whole MeatEater film crew was with us filming for an episode of Steve’s Netflix show, MeatEater. Six stinking men made easy work for the bear smelling us. We were still shocked at the distance he picked us off. Our plans were foiled as the bear vanished into the wilderness. “This isn’t Alaska; it’s not likely we’re going to see a lot of bears back here,” Steve said.

We stayed in the drainage another full day without seeing a bear. With only three days left to hunt we decided on a new game plan. We’d split up: Steve would turkey hunt and I would bear hunt.

Steve’s Day-Four Gobbler Steve Rinella loves to chase turkeys. “If I could take my wife and a camper and travel across the country chasing turkeys,

The author and Steve Rinella fry turkey heart and liver in bear oil. They also fried up some potatoes and grilled bear meat.

16 Bear Hunting

Jan/Feb 2021

I’d be a happy man,” he chided. Surprisingly, as much as he loves to big game hunt, gobblers are at the top of his hunting list, right beside big mule deer. Steve had some intel from a friend in Montana about an area of public land he’d hunted the previous week. Steve made quick work of heading over there and finding some gobblers. However, there’s a big difference in hearing gobblers and killing them.

On the morning of day four, Steve played a game of cat and mouse with a gobbler hung up on private land. After about two hours of hearing gobbles, the bird finally strutted into shotgun range. A twenty-five-yard shot ended Steve’s turkey hunt. In reference to hunting these birds close to private land, Steve said, “A hunter has every right to be here and hunt, but you’ve got to be smart.” It seems really simple to kill a turkey in this part of the world, but trust me – it isn’t. Part one of plan was complete, but could we pull out a bear?

A Hard-Earned Bear After two days in the backcountry, we knew we had to get into some new areas quickly. We only had a couple of days left to hunt. Justin told us about an area he felt we could get into easily on mules but would probably be too far for most hunters to hike into on foot. The area was a drainage with a southern facing slope that had been cut by a timber company several years

before. The decommissioned logging roads made for great mule trails on the three-mile trek back to the glassing spot.

In most situations in Montana, you’re glassing the opposite side of a drainage. You can’t see the one you’re on, but you can see the opposite side well. This can make for some long-range shooting. The elevations in the area were between 4,000 and 5,000 feet. This is where we felt the bears were. It didn’t disappoint.

On the afternoon of day three, Janis Putelis, Garret Smith (also known as Dirt Myth) and I arrived at the spot we’d marked on our OnX mapping system just before dark. Janis and Garret would be filming the whole hunt and would also glass for bear. Within five minutes of arriving, I spotted a bear across the drainage at 800 yards. We set up camp and waited for daylight to arrive with high hopes of finding him again.

After an anticipation-filled night, we awoke to a chilly Montana morning, but no bear. I was confident he’d return at some point because bears in the early spring usually aren’t moving much. They’re concentrated on a food source and don’t travel far (see the article on the Three Phases of the Spring in this issue). At 10 a.m. my suspicion would prove correct as we spotted the bear moving down a logging road 300 yards from where we’d seen him the evening before. Spring bears usually feed a couple hours in

The author tenderized this bear backstrap by pounding them with a knife handle.

Salt, pepper and fire is a great way to enjoy some of North America’s finest wild meat. www.bear-hunting.com

Bear Hunting 17

The author and Steve Rinella with their Montana spring combo - bear and turkey.

Steve is the host of a popular Netflix show called MeatEater (Season 9.) You’ll be able to watch this full hunt on Netflix in January 2021.

18 Bear Hunting

www.shutterstock.com

Jan/Feb 2021

Tips for Planning a Spring Combo Hunt As an overview, spring bear hunting in the West starts

in April and runs through June. This coincides with the timing of spring turkey hunting. The challenge will be deciding where to go to make this happen. My suggestion is Montana, Idaho or Wyoming. These three states have great spring bear seasons and plenty of gobblers.

The hunt could also be pulled off in Washington, Arizona or Oregon. Your second challenge will be in deciding how to divide your time between the species so you have a legit chance of success at both species. Here are a couple tips: *Turkey hunt in the morning and bear hunt in the evenings *Be willing to drive to different areas. Bears and turkeys in the West are often in different terrain *If you find extremely favorable conditions for either species at a given time in the hunt stay committed to that species and hunt the other afterwards *Turkeys are usually closer to private lands and bears aren’t. Find an area with access to the high country bears want and the more civilized areas turkeys thrive in

the morning, bed during the day and feed again the last few hours of daylight. We hoped we’d caught the bear in route to his daytime bed. We watched him cruise into a finger of timber and disappear with no shot. We repositioned lower on the mountain, staying on the opposite side of the drainage, while getting as close as possible to him. This put us about 400 yards from where we last saw him. This would be a long poke, but doable. We waited.

Waiting for bears is one of my favorite things about spring bear hunting. It can be slow, but that’s the point. We brewed coffee, ate snacks and had conversation all day, while eagerly waiting for the bear’s return. We didn’t have any guarantee he would, but we were hopeful.

At five p.m. Garrett saw a flash of black across the canyon. The bear had been bedded for nearly seven hours, but reemerged for an evening meal. As fate would have it, the bear walked directly down the slope and with every step got closer to us on the opposite hillside.

I snatched up my rifle and made a solid rest over the top of a fallen log. When the bear came into an opening at 350-yards, I dialed in my Huskemaw scope and squeezed off a round from the Best of the West 300 Win Mag. The bear’s front end hit the ground at the sound of the shot, and he barreled down the mountain. It would be another hour before I laid my hands on him but the bear was down and our combo hunt was complete.

Back at camp, Steve and I celebrated with some fried turkey liver and potatoes and some grilled bear meat over an open fire. Sometimes a plan just comes together, and on this hunt it did.

You’ll be able to watch this hunt on Netflix in January 2021 on Steve Rinella’s show MeatEater. www.bear-hunting.com

Bear Hunting 19

Alaska One Last Grizzly (DIY)

by Paul Atkins

Nothing lasts forever, but the author has had a heck of a run on arctic grizzly

It was a long shot, especially through sleepy

eyes and the not so comfortable place I was sitting. I just couldn’t get settled. It was cold too. The early

morning chill was abnormal for August, more so than the previous year where t-shirts and shorts were the norm. The big bear swimming on the other side of the river didn’t seem to mind though and he wasn’t really paying that much attention to me or my buddy Lew anyway. I eased the safety off, guessed the distance and squeezed.

The river was shallow this year, more so than I’ve seen in a long time, maybe ever. The mighty Noatak had changed, and the further north we went even more so. The current had pushed sandbars to new locations, flattened out others and those places where we once could go easily, had disappeared. There were moments when I thought we would have to turn back, but then Lew would find a narrow channel and squeeze the boat through with barely enough clearance. It was like trying to put a puzzle together without all the pieces.

As we pushed on, I started having doubts that we would ever make it to our bear camp this year, I mean the original bear camp, up on the Eli River. The one I’ve written so much about before. The place where we’ve been going for several years; the place where dreams were made and big bears visited like the plague. It saddened me actually, that I might not get to see the Eli again or at least get a chance to hunt its game rich banks once more.

Sadly, I was right, we didn’t make it to the Eli. We 20 Bear Hunting

came up short even after numerous tries. The channel had changed and the places we needed to travel weren’t possible, the water just wasn’t deep enough to make it. I worried about Lew’s prop and the abuse it was taking. We would get going only to have the gravel bottom grind us to halt.

We actually got high centered once and I had to get out and push us back into the deeper stuff. It was frustrating for the both of us.

Accepting our fate, we drifted back down to a nice sand bar that was acceptable, but not ideal. It would have to do for this trip, as long as the water didn’t get any shallower and we could make it out on Sunday. It wasn’t far from the promise of fish and bears at our old camp, maybe a couple of miles, but it still wasn’t the same. The river was wider here, and the splash of big chum were not as frequent as they would have been in the narrow stretch of the Eli where we usually went. Bear tracks, however, were everywhere, which made us smile, giving us hope that it wouldn’t be long before we had a big bear hide stretched out on the gravel bank.

As dark approached, we set camp, pulling out the old green tent and commenced to pounding stakes into the hard gravel and sand. For a change rain wasn’t in the forecast, but like I’ve said you can never count on the weatherman. We gathered a good supply of wood that seemed to be everywhere and started a fire. Lew set-up our kitchen and then we sat down for a delicious MRE and a few drinks. We both knew that we would have company very soon.

Photo by www.shutterstock.com

Jan/Feb 20210

One of my favorite places in all the world is bear camp.

I’ve grown to look forward to it more than anything I do here in the arctic. I think the biggest draw is the solitude of this area and the thought of what if and when.

Our company would be bears, and it wasn’t long before we could hear the tell-tale sign that our guests had arrived.

Splashing and forging the water for fish, the silhouette across the river was unmistakable. He looked big, but they all do when you first see them. The late hour and impending cloud cover didn’t help in the darker than normal conditions, so it was really hard to tell how big for sure. We could have taken a shot, but it would have been iffy at best and I didn’t really feel like rummaging through the dark in search of death. So, we sat and watched the big guy work the bank in search of an easy meal. It wasn’t long before two more bears came out a little further north. I looked at Lew and started to say something, but didn’t, we both knew it was going to be a long night.

As the last of the driftwood burned to embers, we decided to head to the tent and crawl in for the night. I carefully checked my pistol and also my rifle, making sure they were ready in case we were attacked. It was good to stretch out in the sleeping bag and the sleeping pad was nice too, even though I hate both and can never sleep comfortably no matter the circumstances.

I was just falling asleep when I heard Lew get up, telling me there were bears down by the boat. Sleep is overrated anyway, so I sat up and listened. It was that way all night. Bears in or near camp, but somewhere towards morning I had had enough and said to heck with it and closed my eyes, or I thought so anyway.

At dusk I heard Lew stirring again and the zipper of www.bear-hunting.com

the tent rip open. I laid there trying to decide if I needed to get up. I didn’t have to wait long to make up mind, especially when Lew whispered, “bears.” I got up, put my boots on and grabbed my rifle.

Yes, there were bears and through the dim light you could see them on the other side of the river. Three in all and probably the same three from the night before. If so, then the big guy we had seen previously was indeed big and was directly across from us as he was before. Sleepy and cold I grabbed the shooting sticks and headed down to the shoreline to set-up and watch. The rocks were hard on my back side and I had trouble settling the scope. I turned it up to 12 power and peered at the bear across from me. He was a shooter, but I had to decide how far and if I could actually make the shot.

He worked the water going right to left, diving down with only his head above the cold water. After several minutes he eventually came out and presented himself on the sandy bank. He was broadside but wouldn’t stop long enough for me to get the cross hairs fixed. I ranged him at 250 yards, a slam dunk for the 300 short mag I was holding, especially on the sticks. He then turned his butt to us and went further inland to stand atop a gravel bar. I didn’t range him again, but finally he turned and presented me the shot.

I found the brown hide and squeezed the trigger. The echo boomed across the tundra, but the bear just stood there. I missed, so I chambered a second round and gave him another. This time I missed clearly, and he had enough, disappearBear Hunting 21

I really don’t know what I would do without one. Thermacells are one of the world’s greatest inventions in my opinion. They make long sits on mosquito invested riverbanks a lot more bearable.

ing over the sandy rise and out of our lives forever. We went over and checked, but no bear and no hit.

I was discouraged, but not entirely surprised. I ranged it again and like all of Alaskan distances they’re deceiving. He may have been 250 yards on the bank, but when he moved in towards the willows, he was 350. I shot under him is all I could guess. The other two bears, which were much smaller, weren’t even fazed. They kept feeding along the bank like nothing happened. Oh well, win some lose some.

I knew that night we would see more, but this time we would have a plan, or so we thought.

We went back to bed and actually got some sleep.

Late that morning we got up, built a fire and had coffee and our go-to breakfast. The Snicker flavored coffee creamer went down smooth and the blueberry pop tarts never tasted better.

It’s a ritual for Lew and I, sugar and caffeine; it always has been.

Feeling better we grabbed the rods and tried our best to catch a fish. It was slow going and after a thousand casts Lew had had enough and headed back to camp. I kept it up but wondered what it would have been like at our old camp.

We caught fish there seemingly on every throw, but not here.

Finally, I had a hit and pulled one onto shore. It was the only fish we caught the entire weekend. It was disheartening.

The day moved forward. It was hot and I actually got a sunburn from the desert like conditions. The bugs weren’t too bad, but that would probably change that evening for sure.

Good thing we had brought the bug canopy, plus we were loaded down with bug dope. We saw a few boats, but those that did come by only turned around and went back the way they came. I guess it was too shallow for them as well.

With evening approaching we knew it was time to gear up and move across the river to the other side. And why not?

Over there was where all the bears were anyway, and besides there was a nice patch of willows that we could hide in. The 22 Bear Hunting

Nothing quite hits the spot like beer brats on an open fire. They have become a tradition and a longstanding staple for Lew and me, especially during a long day of waiting for bears.

arrangement would allow us to see the wide sand bar in front of us and a long stretch of bank to the north. It was the perfect set-up.

Drifting the boat over we climbed the high bank and made it to our hiding positions. Lew with his bow and me with the rifle, we settled into the dense brush for the long evening. The mosquitoes, which had been relatively few earlier, were now out in force searching for every inch of exposed skin. Luckily the army green Thermacell did its job and kept them at bay, or at least from devouring us.

We sat for a couple of hours with not much happening. My butt began to hurt, so I got up to stretch and have a look around making sure that our camp across the way hadn’t been disturbed. I glassed camp and all looked good and then continued to peer along the bank to the north. It was a high mud bank with dead trees and downfall falling off into the water. It was then that I saw a bear.

Crazy to think that one evening they’ll do one thing, like be on one side of the river and then the next on the other. Our plan had failed...or had it? If we would have stayed in camp, the bear would have walked right up to fire and had dinner with us, but as it was, he was across from us, again. I went and got Lew and told him about the bear. We both glassed him and could tell he was a shooter. This time I wasn’t sleepy.

I eased down the bank to the edge of the water. The bear seemed to care less as I set-up the bog pod and got the rifle into position. Lew was behind me with his rangefinder telling me the yardage, he was 210 yards. We watched as he cruised along the bank looking for fish. The bank was steep, which was ideal for the situation. If the first shot didn’t get him, I would probably have time for second before he made his way up and into the willows, something I didn’t want to happen. Not wanting to wait any longer, I steadied the scope and felt the recoil of the big rifle slam into my shoulder. The Jan/Feb 2021

We camped in a new spot. It was only after we had everything set-up that we noticed we had an old snow machine to keep us company. Might be an interesting story attached to it?

I caught one fish and that was it. Casting thousands of times to catch only one was exhausting, but fun. All I could think about was “what if”...what if we had made it to that narrow stretch of the Eli River where I knew it would be non-stop hooking?

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You never know when something will happen. This bear actually was lurking behind our tent, but when he noticed us, he burst out of the willows and headed for the river.

shot was true, and the big bear rolled into the water. Big bear down.

This was my eleventh bear here in the arctic and one of several on this stretch of the river. I was happy, but even more so for a clean shot and kill. We made our way over and could tell that the big brown ball of fur was a good one. We tried to drag him out of the water, but he was so heavy we could not. Finally, Lew grabbed a rope and log and we “pushed” him up as far as we could. At the edge of the water is where we had to take photos and ultimately skin and field dress. It wasn’t ideal, especially when it began to rain, and all those darn bugs. It was an onslaught of bites until finally we had enough. I headed to the tent and grabbed the bottle of deep woods repellant, soaking myself in that familiar smell. Meanwhile Lew grabbed the bug tent and set it up over the bear, which made things much easier and better.

With only one headlamp between us we were both nervous wrecks skinning that bear in the pitch black. Trying not to cut each other and the fact that every sound outside that hut sounded like an approaching bear, it was scary. It was back-breaking work too, standing on the incline of the bank, but like so many times before we got it done in record www.bear-hunting.com

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Bear Hunting 23

time. We got back to the tent long after midnight and had a stiff drink; we were both happy with the results.

Would this be my last bear in the arctic? I don’t know. I hope not, but with changing times, whether it be the river itself or me leaving this part of Alaska for another or maybe leaving Alaska all together, I really don’t know. I do know that spending time with my best friend in a familiar place where we’ve had so many adventures has been the best of my life. Another Arctic Adventure for the books.

Post Script We left the next morning, but we left camp as it was. Lew’s brother J.P. was coming the next day and Lew had planned to bring him up in hopes of getting another bear. I knew it would be only a matter of time before they scored, and I was right. They brought down another bruin, but only after a close encounter behind the tent. Lew described it to me.

“Unlike the three days we were there, my brother and I arrived in wind and rain. The river was still shallow, probably even more so than when we went up. There were moments when I didn’t think we were even going to make it back to the tent, but we did, but only after dragging bottom several times. We got there late in the evening and sure enough that night we had bears close by, but none that we could clearly see. We caught fish the next day, snagging a few chums and even a few pike in one of the deeper slews. That evening we set-up similar to what we did the second night, but instead of crossing the river we stayed on the camp side. We didn’t have to wait long as bears started to appear in the same places where we had saw them before. However, this time we had them coming in from behind the tent, which was actually a bit scary. My brother found the one he wanted and dropped him 30 yards from the fire pit. It was a close encounter to say the least! There was plenty of other bears to see, but my brother was ecstatic and happy that he finally got his grizzly. It was a great hunt.”

Coming home is always a challenge, but the evenings in the arctic can be beautiful. The sunsets in August are pretty spectacular across Kotzebue Sound.

It was near dark when we made our way across to my bear. The shot was long but true. I was extremely happy with the result, especially with the long shot and a clean kill.

This was my eleventh bear since I’ve lived here and each one has been a special experience.

24 Bear Hunting

Jan/Feb 2021

Lew’s brother J.P. had a close encounter a few days after I left. Bears were numerous and close by the evidence of this photo. You can see the tent in the background.

Book Review: MeatEater Guide to Wilderness Skills and Survival

by Steve Rinella Book review by Kolby Morehead I

purchased my copy of The Meateater guide to Wilderness Skills and Survival when they released it. I usually buy books that the Meateater crew puts out because I like to support companies that are a good voice and representation for outdoorsman. I admit that I did buy this book blind and didn’t know what exactly I was getting.

This isn’t your typical ‘survival’ book. It’s enjoyable to read. Each chapter opens up with a story from Steven Rinella that ties into the subject covered.

The book is a practical and useful approach to skills and survival beneficial to any person. Topics I had no prior knowledge of didn’t go over my head, and I came through it feeling like I understood something new. From identifying mushrooms to building a tarp shelter, to how to spear a fish, this book covers it all. Seasoned outdoorsman often think they’re exempt from books like this, but I learned a ton.

Going through this book I found myself a little jealous of the people that can use it as a guide when first researching how to do something, especially when backpacking and what to pack for different levels of excursions. Oh, the hours I could have saved my eyes from staring a computer screen.

For those who have grown up in the outdoors, this book will help you understand some of the things that you do but have never put into words. It will also help you refine your approach to the outdoors and add to your knowledge of the world around you. It will help you find possible new uses for items you already carry into the outdoors. For the new outdoorsman, you won’t feel overwhelmed when preparing for a trip; this book helps with the planning and takes away some of the guess work. This is a guide, so it helps you along the journey.

It will not be over your head; it will provide a story for some context leading into the topic and will help you tailor your preparation for your next adventure. This is a great gift idea especially for those hard to shop for individuals.

www.bear-hunting.com

Bear Hunting 25

Extreme

Utility

by Tim Fowler

@timothydfowler

Jeff Senger kills for a living.

fessional meat cutter slaughterhouse operator [influences my orientation to hunting]. We founded a co-op to finance a slaughterhouse because I got tired of counting other people’s money as an accountant. If these guys can make money, I wonder if I have the grit. I have the spreadsheets to run the business, but do I have the grit to stick with it no matter what?”

“Something that hit me philosophically on the kill floor is that you kill a beef and throw half of it away when you kill it. Then you hang it in the cooler and lose another 10-15% in water weight.

When you put it on the cutting table and trim bones and fat, you lose another 50% of the animal. You throw away half of the animal twice to put a steak on a plate. Go to a conventional restaurant with conventional eaters and they leave part of the steak on the The Infinite Sadness of plate for the restaurant to Wasted Meat throw in the garbage. That was unacceptable because Senger has a hard Jeff Senger is an expert and I’m someone who bears the time throwing away half of speedy skinner. He owes this burden of raising that animal. an animal twice: the first half to his profession of slaughWe do have a mixed farm with terhouse operator. when the animal is killed, the a dozen cattle, some goats and second half when it is trimmed rabbits, pigs and chickens so and cut. When he harvested we were learning animal husan ancient gray-flecked bear bandry. It hurts when someone with worn-down teeth, he wasted nothing. Meat is braised, just throws that away,” explained Senger. hides tanned, skulls boiled, and penis bones carefully This year Senger and his crew harvested three bears cared for to add to what his girls call the “disgusting colin three days. He arrived at camp, pitched his tent, and later lection.” thought he might just take a quick drive before dark to have a “The infinite sadness of wasted food as a proAnd he is an accountant. He used those financial skills to organize a local co-op to finance and re-open a shuttered 1950’s-built slaughterhouse in a small rural town where farmers were happy to have a local place to ship livestock, and local folks were happy to go back to work.

Senger uses his slaughterhouse and accounting skills to get the maximum value of his wild harvest--including two black bears this past year. Nothing wasted. Everything used.

Every bit valued. Wildlife conservation tenet number four is, “Wildlife should only be killed for a legitimate purpose.” It seems to me, the corollary to that would be to use harvested game to the maximum benefit.

Senger’s slaughterhouse experience informs his orientation as a hunter.

26 Bear Hunting

Jan/Feb 2021

look to see if there were bears out. Within five minutes he had his first bear of 2020 on the ground.

Stalk Close “ I don’t pass. If I have a tag for an animal that’s looking at me, I’ll kill that animal. Hunting is an activity to embrace the variety of what we get to eat. I checked the wind, and the bear was absolutely engrossed in what he was doing on the side of the ditch of the truck trail. It was as exciting as being 12-years old and stalking a grouse. At 47 yards he turned broadside and looked at me. He finally realized I was there. I shot and he fell into his own footprints and just piled up right there, shot through the heart and lungs. I gave him a few minutes but when I walked up on him, I realized he was the biggest bear I’ve ever shot. His teeth were worn right down, and he was flecked all over with gray, his paws were five inches wide. He was taken five minutes into the hunt.

Then I thought, do I go hunting some more or do I just take it easy, feeling kind of Zen, and relax? With nature it sure works for me to harvest whatever is available to harvest, whatever is presented––don’t be in a rush or panic to slam. Our hunts aren’t military operations; they’re more of a cool toddle down the right kind of path and remaining open to what is available,” described Senger.

Caring for Downed Game

was young in lovely condition, but still not fat.”

That was Senger’s two-bear allotment for 2020 done, and done in the first 24 hours of arriving at camp.

The carcasses cooled in the meat cooler and the wellcooled hides were on their way to the tanner. Senger is a professional meat cutter so knows how to break down a carcass into retail cuts for maximum eating pleasure. But he also takes good care of the bear hides.

Special Bear Hides Senger and his pals use bear hides at camp as blankets. “I bring a golden bear to camp every year for good luck and I sleep under her.”

Each year adds another bear hide or two to the family’s supply of bear bedspreads. So, he found another use for the fur-on hides.

“Lately we’ve been giving away hides to valued friends when we travel. A tanned hide is worth about $350 and is about what you pay for a couple of nights in a hotel room.

We’re delighted with the hides and so are the kids and anyone who has received a bear hide from us. It’s almost a mystical gift to bestow on someone. You stay at someone’s house and when you leave, we leave a shimmering black bear hide with the claws and face on, that I skinned meticulously. It’s a really cool piece of art and you leave it with people.”

“I got the bear back to camp quickly. I wanted the hide to cool really quick because that’s a huge resource. We turn fur-on hides into our camp blankets. Early on, hunting bears, which started 14 years ago, I killed my first and only bear over bait and Disgusting Collection then switched to spot and stalk. Wouldn’t it be neat if Senger’s four girls I got hides for each of the call his collection of girl’s beds?” asked Senger. gleaming penis bones (He and his wife have and skulls the Disgusting four girls and now they Collection because the all have fur-on bear hide collection freaks their bedspreads.) friends out. It seems The following day This granddaddy of a black bear’s to be a source of great Senger killed his second coat was flecked with aging grey pleasure to their dad. bear of the 2020 season. throughout and was taken first thing “Then the skulls and “I just walked spring 2020 with a 35 Whelen. penis bones are boiled quietly in my sneakers for my “Disgusting with my 35 Whelen. No Collection.” The girls camo. I had not rolled in love dad’s bear penis elk urine. I did not put on bone collection. There’s a novelty to the boiled-out skulls. cologne. I had no charcoal in my underwear. I just walked The memories of each of those skulls lined up reminds me quietly down the road. Looked on the road and found where of my age and the adventures we have been on that were the mud is. Walking in mud is a lot quieter than crunchy successful. I have more skulls than maybe a person should gravel. I took it easy, calmed my blood and breathing and have––one is probably enough,” said Senger. walked within 50 yards. The bear sat up on his hind end like a Senger talks about learning to use tougher cuts dog on his butt. He looked at me, his front feet off the ground from the meat shop that no one wanted. Customers have a little. I found a shooting lane through the willow brush and the option to complete an offal request but 95% of the cusput the bullet through his collarbone. I was on a bit of a rise so tomers pass on organ meats. Senger said, “We were cash was shooting down. The bullet went out the opposite shoulder blade with a piece of the lung and a 35-calibre bullet. The bear www.bear-hunting.com

Bear Hunting 27

Baculum are folksy and maybe even an odd thing that bear hunters keep.

See an article in this issue about how to clean and whiten these keepsake bones.

Hunt big Hunt color Hunt here

poor but bin-food rich.”

Access to bin-food like oxtails and beef heart forced him to explore culinary options. In addition to a meat grinder and sausage maker, he found Michael Ruhlman’s book called Braise. Once you add braising to your kitchen skills you access a whole new way to deal with tough cuts of meat. He reported the ancient bear he took this spring responded well to braising.

“Once you learn braise, and you have a grinder or sausage machine, every animal can be amazing and add variety to take the boredom out of the kitchen. I braised that old bear’s shoulders twice.

It was tough as tennis balls after the first braising, so I let it cool and absorb the liquid and immersed in another braise. It became shreddable like the best-shredded pork you’ve had, with the additional richness of what you get with a bear. The irony is, it’s kind of like red meat pork. We really liked the result of the bear. Even really old bears can be worked with and culinary appreciated.”

Jeff Senger and the rest of the www.fromthewild.ca crew celebrate being in the forest in the spring with opportunities to hunt bears and rabbits while foraging for freshly emerging ditch weeds. (Check out the podcast Food Afield with John Schneider on Spotify where he and Jeff Senger review what they found to eat in the ditch during this trip.)

Conservation tenet number four is “Wildlife should only be killed for a legitimate purpose.” The more of the bear we use, the more we as bear hunters share what we bring home from the field and talk up the benefits and uses of a bear, the more legitimate the taking of a bear becomes.

We owe it to our fellow bear hunters, the resource and to the communities we live in.

I can’t wait until spring bear season.

1-431-205-2503 www.baldymountainoutfitters.ca todd@baldymountainoutfitters.ca 28 Bear Hunting

Jan/Feb 2021

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Bear Hunting 29

Bear Scat Sherlock

by Tim Fowler

@timothydfowler

Scat tells hunters a lot. Here’s the short version - big bears leave big scat. Small bears leave small scat. Wet scat is fresh.

Dry scat is older. Usually, you can tell what they’re eating because bears don’t have super efficient digestive systems when it comes to breaking down plant matter.

“Dad, it’s (just) a turd. Can we move along?” my boys say, but bear scat tells a story, and if you’re smart and observant (and maybe fearless), you can learn from deftly dropped bear doo. My boys and hunting partners are always trying to get

me to leave a site with perfect bear scat long before I am done examining it. I love to check them out during bear season and even out of season to see what I might learn about what the bears are eating and where they are hanging out.

To prove my point about bear scat holding all kind of information if you took the time to explore it, I recently interviewed Jennifer Vashon, State Black Bear and Canada Lynx Biologist with Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife. Vashon’s life work involves the study of bears including massive piles of bear leavings, so get your fork (or pointed stick) and get ready to dig in. She confirmed there is a lot to learn from bear scat, even more than I thought there was.

Hunters Observe Vashon believes that hunters have a leg up on bear biologists. “I think sometimes hunters get a better advantage to observe than biologists because when we’re out there, we have a job to do. If we are out there trying to capture and radio-collar a bear, for example, our focus is on maintaining the bait site and getting our traps out, and then we get a capture.

We don’t necessarily have time to observe as much but every once in a while, we have that experience.”

Hunters spend a lot of time wandering around look30 Bear Hunting

ing for sign. Last spring while watching over a block of clover from an elevated position on an abandoned oil well site, I counted 27 distinct bear scats. I watched the progression of the droppings each day. The first ones dropped after the bear left the den were full of dried grass, were black and looked greasy. The freshest ones were green and slick and covered in black flies. The next day they turned darker and by the third or fourthday maggots had appeared. By the time that scat was a week old, it was full of little tunnels and burrows and was significantly changed from what was laid only seven days prior. There is a lot to learn from scat.

Bear Biologist Dream Job Vashon came to love bears after reading a fictional novel about a young anti-hunter and photographer who visited a Pennsylvanian bear check station where she met a biologist and began to learn something about the role hunters play in conservation. As a young person, Vashon was always interested in the great outdoors and the lives of animals, but that story sparked an interest in bears. She decided that what she really wanted to be was a bear biologist.

“I always thought it would be cool to work with black bears, but I didn’t think it would be something that would actually happen. I remember the year I graduated college, we were talking with the graduating class and one of the professors said, ‘Jenn wants to be a bear biologist, but we know how hard that’s going to be.’ They were saying ‘(just) aim for what is reasonable’ sort of thing. Unbeknownst to them, I got Jan/Feb 2021

Every pile of bear scat is full of clues that will make you a better bear hunter. Look for the clues. a commission to work with the state of Maine trapping bears for research that summer. That’s how I got my foot in the door. When you’re passionate about something, you pursue it. You look for options out there. I was lucky that I was able to find something close to home. The office is in Bangor, so it’s very easy for me to go over to the office, meet with the staff there and ask if there are opportunities to work on the bear program. So, I got those opportunities early on in my career,” said Vashon.

She confirmed my feeling that there was a lot to learn from a well-dropped bear scat.

“You can do it by observation, just looking at the scat, or you can clean it through a sieve or even a filter.

You can look at it through a microscope. Black bears have a varied diet. Bears eat whatever food is available to them at that time of year.”

“You can do some other interesting things with scat. You can do a D.N.A. analysis. If you were interested in knowing how many individuals were in an area you can collect scat. There are usually some skin cells in the scat, and depending on how fresh it is and what the weather conditions have been you can send that off to the lab and they can identify the species. You can determine bobcat scat versus Lynx, for example. Similar-sized cats leave similar-sized scats and DNA analysis can tell you the species.”

“You can also use scat analysis to estimate how many individuals are in an area. There are scat detection dogs that aid wildlife identification used more commonly for rarer carnivores,” commented Vashon.

Theoretically, you could collect scat in a geographical area, package, mark the collection location on a map and analyze the scat collected to estimate the number of individuals in an area and show the relationship of each of the carnivores to the others.

I live in a place that has two bear seasons, so I get excited to find scat in both spring and fall. Firstly, found scat it is a clear indication that the area is frequented by bears. Often you can tell from the scat in the area whether the bear that left it is on their own or possibly a boar. In the case of big and small scat in the same general area, this may indicate a sow with cubs and suggests they may be moving on to another area that is free of cubs. Scat contents indicate what the bears are eating at that time of year and what kind of food sources a hunter should be on the lookout for. Multiple scats of the same size but varying age indicate that the bear has been in that area for some time.

“If last year was a good mast crop, bears may return to work the remains of that crop as soon as they’re out of the den. Spring is a time of food scarcity for them.

Typically, what bears will be eating in the spring is the newly emerged vegetation. Scat will be greener in color and perhaps you will see bits of grasses and sedges in the scat. Another thing bears will do in the northeast of Maine is climb aspens and eat the emerging buds from the aspen trees and catkins,” said Vashon. www.bear-hunting.com

This scat is several weeks old and contains grasses and animal remains.

The whole high bush cranberries evident in this scat indicate the berries weren’t fully ripe and thus not as digestible.

Where bears don’t have fall acorns, they rely on berries to fatten up for the winter. Hard or soft mast is important to all bears.

Bear Hunting 31

Where to Look for Bears

Bears leave scat where they eat, travel and sleep.

However, you’ll find it most concentrated where bears are feeding. This is a large pile most likely left from an adult bear.

“A lot of northern Maine is commercial forest land, so we have a lot of logging roads. Those main haul roads are where the logging trucks come in and go out. The roads coming off the main haul roads are maintained at different levels based on whether they are running an active logging operation or not. Maine is heavily roaded; we have between 50 to 80 km of road per hundred square kilometers. Not all those roads are good travel roads; some are just two tracks. In the springtime when you spend time in northern Maine, you are going to see bears typically in the early morning or evening hours on the side of the roads or along fresh cuts looking for anything that’s coming up. We tend to have a lot of log landings that have early vegetation coming up. You’ll see them trying to find anything there, and of course, bears will be knocking over stumps and logs looking for insects. It’s very easy in the spring in northern Maine to see bears. It’s almost a joke––‘it’s that time of day we should see a bear around the corner’––and often you will,” explained Vashon.

This is certainly consistent with where I hunt bears in the spring. Bears are focused on whatever is first up and green: dandelions, clover and grasses. And they are easier to find before trees leaf out and vegetation provides additional cover for big black bears.

“Bears are visible during springtime along openings and road edges or fresh cuts. That’s where the fresh emerging grasses are and that’s where you’ll find them.

You’ll often find scat on the road because bears travel on roads. Bears are much more visible in the spring than in the fall,” described Vashon.

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32 Bear Hunting

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Jan/Feb 20210

Bear biologist, Jennifer Vashon and her son on a field day in Maine.

At right: Maine bears in a winter den. Photos by Jennifer

A Year of Bear Scat Here is a quick rundown of what you are likely to see in scat by the season.

Vashon said, “Scat will contain evidence of grasses, Aspen buds and catkins in the spring. Also, of course, insects. You’ll see the exoskeletons in bear scat in the springtime. Then as the berries start waking up coming into summer months, you’re going to see some purplish and reddish scat. As you move later in the summer and the blueberries ripen, you’ll see more berry-based dropping and see seeds in the scat. You might see whole berries in bear scat. The things that are more ripened are going to be more easily digestible. Foods available to bears in the fall are much more digestible than what’s available in the spring. The other thing to consider is how they just shovel in the food. Some of this matter is not digestible. They’re putting so much matter in there trying to get the fat put on in preparation for winter.”

The first week of May, I have seen black bears shimmy up an Aspen not much bigger than my wrist, snap off the tops of the tree branches and throw them to the ground. That bear will climb down and strip the just-about-to-break buds of the aspen like a teenage boy eating a skewer of meat. Around the bottom of that tree there are usually bear scats full of aspen buds. About the same time, I found the centers of dandelion plants chewed right down to the roots and the bear scat in that dandelion patch is deep green and slick. Later in the summer and into the fall where I hunt bears, some of the scat is full of raspberries, highbush cranberries, rose hips and blue berries. Other scat is full of seeds, wild grasses and clover.

There’s nothing more exciting to me while scouting or hunting bears than finding a Coke-can-sized bear scat that would fill a dinner platter. I spend so much time examining bear scat during hunting season it makes my hunting buddies uncomfortable. May you never walk by another bear scat without thinking, “What is there to learn from this?” Enjoy the examination, there is nothing like it.

www.bear-hunting.com

Bear’s diet varies and includes grubs and insects.

Ususally, some part of the exoskeleton of the insects is evident in the scat. As much as 85% of the animal matter black bears eat can come from insects.

Bear Hunting 33

The term “bear dog” means something dif-

ferent to every houndsman. It seems simple, but the

definition isn’t clear-cut. It’s often an issue of preference and style. However, the specific tools needed by a bear dog differ by region. Topography, forest type, hunting pressure, and the population dynamics of bears all effect what skills are the limiting factors to consistently catch bruins. Ultimately, that’s what we’re identifying – the limiting factors of hounds catching a bear in the different regions. Another way to say it is, “If a hound doesn’t have enough of (insert trait here), then it won’t catch bears consistently here.”

However, foundational traits of any bear dog remain consistent. Most houndsmen agree that any bear dog worth his salt has got to have loads of desire, a good nose, and the stickto-it-ness to stay with tough bruins whether they’re runners or fighters. Though the differences may be nuanced, let’s explore the differences and limiting factors of hounds in the East and West. We interviewed two houndsman, one from Maine and the other from Idaho, to hear what they look for in a bonafide bear dog.

Bear Dogs in Northern Maine Mark Dufresne has hunted with hounds all over the country, but he primarily hunts and guides in Northern Maine with Maine Trophy Outfitters. He began by describing the landscape he hunts, “Logging is a big industry in Maine and the forest is in a regeneration phase. We’ve got a lot of spruce and fir. Depending on its age, it can be so thick that a man can’t push through it.” He went on, “We’ve also got a lot of water and thickets, and it’s some of the toughest terrain in the state. I find it harder to tree bears here than many places.

A different style of dog prevails in Northern Maine.” When guiding, Mark is targeting the older mature male bears. “I find that an older bear usually won’t tree here, no matter how much dog pressure or grit you have.” He said, “When a big bear is in regenerated spruce he’s comfortable on the ground.

The dog pressure doesn’t affect them, and they’ll typically bay on the ground.”

Mark went on to describe the type of hound he’s looking for. “I’m not concerned with a hound’s speed in these thickets. These larger bears are prone to stay on the ground and fight. I seek out small bears in training season to get dogs in shape, but I’m targeting the big ones in hunting season. In Northern Maine, this is usually not a fast race. Once the bear is caught he usually just walks.” There seems to be a correlation between the openness of the terrain and a bear’s response to climb a tree when trailed by hounds. In Mark’s experience, hunting the open hardwoods of Southern Maine, Central Vermont and New Hampshire, the bears are more likely to be treed and the races are also much faster. In this type of environment, a fast dog with a head-up trailing style is key. In the thickets of Northern Maine, speed isn’t the limiting factor for catching bears.

Mark elaborated on the bears he’s after, “These older bears aren’t rattled by hound pressure. They aren’t fazed by the presence of the hounds. To clarify my objectives, it’s different for an outfitter like me than a recreational hunter that just wants to tree a bear.” The objectives of every hunter are slightly unique and Mark was quick to point out this fact.

However, he knows exactly what he needs in his pack.

“These older bears take a dog with mental toughness - some people call it grit. I don’t want a dog that will jump on bear and get injured. I want a dog that has tremendous endurance to bay all day. When guiding an experienced hunter, they can kill a bear quickly, but often it takes much longer – often 34 Bear Hunting

all day. I need a dog that will stay focused and bay as hard after eight hours as he did the first hour.” This is key in Mark’s opinion. He’s wants a dog that will keep the intensity and pressure on a bear all day. Houndsmen agree that this is a desired trait all over the country, but it’s highlighted in this type of terrain. Mental toughness, endurance, and desire to keep up the intensity of a bay become the limiting factor here. The thickets of coastal North Carolina would also reflect a similar response from big bears. Thick vegetation and big bears often translate to bears that won’t climb.

“Many dogs lose their voice and with it, their intensity.

Barking is hugely important. If they aren’t barking, we can’t slip in on the bear. Barking is the backbone of the pack’s momentum on a bayed bear. When one dog quits barking it takes away momentum. I want a hard-baying dog that really works a bear close, but won’t latch onto him. He’s got to keep the bear spinning.” Mark went on, “Every dog has a different baying style. Some of mine like to bay up close in the bear’s face while some prefer to work the backend. Having both types of dogs takes away a bear’s thought process.

Rather than deciding where he wants to run, he’s spinning and focused on the dogs. This also gives opportunity for the hunter to slip in.” Mark said, “I’ve got hounds that six to eight hours later are baying as hard as the first hour. Speed isn’t the limiting factor with these bears. I’ve got to have dog that can do this day after day and not get hurt.”

Mark concluded, “Forest type influences the type of dog more than anything. I like a smaller dog for thick stuff. A big dog gets beat up in the thickets. However, it all comes down to heart and desire, but I favor the small dogs.

They get through the woods better and don’t break down as quick.” Mark’s description of “mental toughness” he says is slightly different than a generic definition of a hound with grit. The key characteristics of a mentally tough hound are endurance, the ability to stick with a bear on the ground, the wherewithal to not get hurt, and the propensity to bark continually. This is what he’s looking for in a bear dog in Northern Maine.

Bear Dogs in Northern Idaho Leon Brown of Clark Fork Outfitters has hound hunted all over the country, but his home is in the panhandle of Idaho where he’s raised hounds, hunted, and guided his entire life. Leon started off by saying, “Geographic differences change what houndsmen want. Certain foundational traits, like drive and desire, are the same almost anywhere.

As much as anything, the differences in hounds are the result of personal preference of hunters. Some look for dogs with extreme grit, and others think it must have a great nose.” A true bear dog is going to do well in any part of the country, however, what a houndsmen breeds for is slightly different everywhere. And this is the core of this discussion – defining the key things a houndsman breeds for that he wants consistent in his pack.

Extremely steep mountains and vast sections of country without much road access characterize northern Idaho. Leon said, “For my hunting, nose is a very important aspect, but having a balanced hound that can do it all is important, too. Often you can’t turn other dogs into a race in this country, so the dogs you turn out at first are going to have to do it all themselves.” All hunters want a balanced hound, but here it’s a top priority. Leon said, “You can’t hunt a one dimensional dog out here.” He expounded, “A dog’s got to be able to strike, trail, tree it and stay treed. If they’re missing one trait they aren’t capable of doing the Jan/Feb 2021

Bear Dogs East vs West

by Clay Newcomb

job.”

@clay_newcomb

In contrast to Northern Maine, the majority of bears that Leon’s clients kill are treed. However, one thing needed in abundance is “devotion to the tree.” He described this, “In a lot of places, devotion to the tree isn’t as big of deal, but a lot of these bears will be ahead of the dogs when they tree and then climb really high. They could be 80-feet high in an evergreen totally out of sight. Dogs without a strong tree instinct will lose interest after a while if they can’t see the bear.”

Additionally, hounds may have to stay treed for long periods of time waiting for hunters to arrive. Big country without roads can mean long walks to the tree. It’s essential that a hound stay until the houndsman arrive. Leon expounded, “In some parts of the country, if your dogs stay treed for an hour you’ll probably get to them, but here you need a dog that will stay treed for a lot longer!”

Leon says, “We get on some rough bears that want to bay, but most of our bears run more than they fight or walk.

It’s a foot race to catch a bear in Idaho right now - so speed is very important at all stages of the race!” Leon says that if a hound cold trails slowly it’ll be worn down by the time it jumps the bear. “The faster and fresher they are when they catch the bear, the more likely they’ll tree the bear. That initial speed to jump a bear quickly is important,” he says. “The www.bear-hunting.com

Leon Brown of Clark Fork Outfitters in Idaho with his Plott bear hounds.

main factor of speed is trailing style, not just physical physique. The fastest sprinting dog may be the slowest trailer. The older “slower” dogs often move a track quicker than young dogs.”

In conclusion, Leon looks for his hounds to be well balanced, have a great nose, be fast trailing, be natural tree dogs with extreme endurance for running a bear all day in the steep mountains. “Grit is factor here, but it’s maybe not even grit. It’s really “stick” that we’re all looking for, not necessarily a dog that’s trying to grab the animal, but they’ve got to run to catch and stay treed until we get there. A dog in my pack has to be able to do it all by himself, because he may have to in this country.

That’s what makes a bear dog for me.”

The common denominator amongst all bear hunters is to have dogs with extreme desire that will get it done in whatever conditions in which they’re faced.

We know that everyone is going to be slightly different in what they prefer in a hound. Every houndsman has the right to define what a bear dog means to them, and most likely the terrain is going to help define the kind of hound needed to catch game.

Bear Hunting 35

Three

Phases of the Spring

by Clay Newcomb

@clay_newcomb

Timing is everything in hunting.

The best destinations in the world can be highly productive for a certain species at a given time, and at other times year can be only average.

Oftentimes spring bear hunting is lumped into one broad category covering the months of May and June. Hunters booking hunts in remote destinations would do well to understand the general phases of the spring hunt and the related bear activity during that time period. Knowing what to expect and what questions to ask your outfitter are critical for choosing the right time hunt. For the do-it-yourselfer, this information will be invaluable as you plan your hunting, too.

The springtime for black bears is dominated by two biological realties and a third external factor. The need for bears to find food and build up their fat reserve after months of denning is the first reality. Black bears emerge from their dens between March and April in most parts of the bear range. They den from 90 to 150 days, depending on their northern latitude and food availability. When they emerge, they are looking for green vegetation, carrion, and basically anything with digestible calories.

Spring hunting, whether spot-and-stalk or bait hunting, capitalizes on a bear’s need to eat.

The second springtime reality is the bear rut. Bears can basically breed anytime they aren’t denning, but the peak breeding period is in a 60-day time period between late May, June, and early July. Most spring bear hunting seasons only go through mid-to-late June. The rut has played a part in many successful spring hunts ending with giant-headed boars in the backs of UTV’s and on pack frame backpacks. Understanding the timing of the rut combined with a knowledge of what bears are doing in terms of feeding will help you decide when to go hunting.

The third factor is weather. In hunting, weather is either your greatest ally or your worst enemy. Springtime bear hunting can be dominated by weather conditions. An early spring can have the bears out of the dens early and ahead of their usual schedule. A late spring can have bears way behind and hardly awake by the time you are hunting. Weather is the most unpredictable part of spring bear hunting. However, if you understand the generalizations of the region you’re hunting, you’ll be equipped to make a solid decision about timing.

Three Phases of the Spring Mature boars are usually the first bears to emerge from the winter den. Sows with cubs are typically the last. Boars come 36 Bear Hunting

out early in order to start packing on calories to build up their bodies for the coming rut. Just like whitetail deer, boars roam long distances and expend great amounts of energy looking for receptive sows. They burn lots of calories, and feeding becomes secondary to breeding later in the spring. By emerging early they are getting a jump-start on the calorie game. We will categorize the first part of the spring as Phase One, the mid spring as Phase Two, and later part as Phase Three. Timeframes will vary based up how far north you’re hunting. We will make some assumptions with dates that could flex either way. Let’s define these phases and discuss the pros and cons of hunting them.

Phase One (Dates – April 1st – May 10th): Early Spring Pros: Oftentimes this is when mature boars become easily patternable over bait or on green vegetation. Not many green leaves allow for great visibility for spot-and-stalk hunting. Bears are focused on feeding, not rutting, so if you find a mature boar, he’s usually very killable. Many outfitters claim this is their best time for killing giant boars. The sows and cubs usually aren’t out of dens or active on baits. No rutting activity can be a positive as the bears are locked on food. Bears aren’t moving long distances, so if you find one, he’s likely not going very far.

Cons: Expect colder hunting conditions, possibly even snow. Expect to see fewer bears. Bears during this phase are getting their stomachs adjusted to food and aren’t eating much. On a weeklong hunt you might expect to see just a handful of bears. No rutting activity. Typically won’t see a lot of immature bears, and certainly not many sows with cubs. In this time period you can run the risk of inclement weather putting the bears back in their dens for a few days.

Phase Two (Dates May 11th – June 1st): Mid Spring Pros: Phase Two of the spring is a popular time for black bear hunting. Many outfitters start taking their first batch of clients after May 10th. The deeper bears get in the spring, the more active the baits become. More bears are emerging from their dens, they are eating more as their stomachs are adjusting to digesting food, and they’ve had time to find bait sites or grassy meadows, etc. In most Canadian locations the leaves haven’t greened up yet, temperatures are still cool, and natural food availability is low.

The closer you get to June, the more natural food will become available. However, during Phase Two, bears will be responding very well to bait. The later part of Phase Two can also have some good rutting activity. This time period is probably the safest time period to spring bear hunt. The best times for spring black bear hunting are before the climax of spring green up, but not too early when bears are still sleeping and sluggish.

Cons: Not a tremendous amount of rutting activity until later in Phase Two. Possibility of seeing a lot of immature bears and sows with cubs. Possibility of outfitters being booked during this time frame.

Phase Three (June 2nd – June 30th): Late Spring Pros: The biggest advantage of hunting during Phase Three is the influence of the bear rut. During this time big boars will begin to roam looking for receptive sows. Just like in the whitetail rut, you never know what to expect Jan/Feb 2021

Understanding the Pros & Cons in the Timing of Spring Bear Hunting When is the best time to hunt bears in the spring? That’s a tough question, but this article will give you insight into the three different stages of the spring hunt. www.bear-hunting.com

Bear Hunting 37

every time you go to the bait or on the mountain to glass. A big boar could be anywhere at anytime. The second positive about hunting this time is milder temperatures. Hunting Phase One and Two in the North can mean colder temperatures, which is a negative to some hunters. In the month of June, in most regions, you’ll find moderate temperatures.

Thirdly, bear sightings can be high as all the bears are out of the dens and feeding in full force.

Cons: The biggest con of hunting Phase Three is that in most places it will be 100% green. Visibility will be low.

Natural food will be highly available, and bears may respond less to bait than they did several weeks before. On a spotand-stalk hunt, bears can spread out because food is everywhere. Earlier in the spring bears were concentrated on the scarce food sources, be it a bait site or grassy meadow. The bear rut can also be a negative. When spot-and-stalk hunting, rutting bears can be hard to catch as they always seem to be moving. Rutting boars aren’t predictable, so if you see one at a bait site one day, he may not be there the next. Hunting the bear rut has both positives and negatives.

Generalization About The Bear Rut When trying to understand the bear rut it can help to compare it to the whitetail rut, though it is biologically quite different. The bear rut isn’t as intense as the whitetail rut because offspring birthing dates aren’t as critical because of delayed implantation in sow bears. Conception date is critical for most mammals, because it determines birth dates.

The fertilized egg of a sow bear, however, is stalled (delayed implantation) until late fall when it is attached to the uterine

wall to begin the 60-day gestation period. Basically, this means that it doesn’t really matter when a sow is bred.

This translates into a drawn out breeding period. The whitetail rut is a spike of breeding activity. The bear rut is a long arch of breeding activity.

However, the months of May and June for bears can be compared to the months of October and November for whitetails. In whitetail hunting, rut related activity begins to pick up in late October, and peaks in mid November. For the part of the bear rut that we can hunt, rutting activity begins to increase the last week of May, and continues to increase throughout the month of June.

The 20th of May through June 1st is comparable to the “pre-rut,” much like October 20th through November 1st for whitetails. June 1st – June 30th is considered the bear rut, comparable to the month of November for deer.

Just like in whitetail hunting, the rut can produce some great results. However, it can also be slow when target bucks are locked down breeding does. The same can be true with bears. A big boar may stay with and breed a single sow for three to five days. If that sow isn’t where you’re hunting, the boar won’t be either. However, killing a boar cruising bait sites or feeding areas looking for a receptive sow is the name of the game.

Summary The timing of hunting spring black bear is critical. Generalizations are just general assumptions based upon previous experience, and can be overturned on any given spring. However, dividing the spring into these three parts will help will guide you in your deci-

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Jan/Feb 2021

sion of when to hunt. It could also equip you with fodder for some good questions for your outfitter.

To summarize what we’ve discussed, the early spring (Phase One) can be great for locating a giant bear on food source, but you’ll likely see fewer bears on your hunt. It will likely be cold. Phase Two is one of the most popular times for spring bear hunting because it’s before green up, but most bears will be up and active. Expect to see bears very active on baits. The bear rut dominates Phase Three of the spring. All the bears are out of their dens, and a giant boar could show up at anytime. However, natural food is at a peak, and bears may be responding less to bait.

All three phases of the spring have their pros and cons. Be sure to talk with the outfitter or local hunters about the trends they see in the regions they hunt. Much of your decision on the timing of your hunt depends on what your goals are. If opportunity is your number one priority then later in Phase Two and earlier in Phase Three might be your best choice. If you are after a trophy class boar, discuss with your outfitter the earlier hunts, or even the rut hunts. In lieu of all these assumptions, big bears are killed at all times during the spring. However, understanding the progression of the spring will make you a better bear hunter.

The author and Ryan Greb killed these huge Saskatchewan bears in the third stage of the spring - late June. There was a lot of rutting activity going on that had the bears moving. They were hunting with Bear Pro Safaris.

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Bear Hunting 39

COVID

Bear

by Gunther Tondelair

@wizardlakeoutfitting

A typical black bear baiting season, for me as

a full time outfitter, begins in November. While my

Edmonton Bowzone Whitetail clients are on tree stands, I am scouting and getting 150+ empty drums filled with butcher scraps, beaver carcasses, farmer’s oats, and restaurant grease. Running three spring black bear baiting camps in Northern Alberta requires a lot of equipment and winter preparation.

In January 2020, COVID-19 hit us all with a lot of uncertainties. Regardless, bear camp had to be ready for spring, so I continued with preparations. Life eventually turned into a day to day waiting game for border closure updates. As the snow began to melt, it was clear that COVID-19 measures were here to stay.

The reality of this, as an outfitter, meant no clients and a lot of investment gone to waste. Most pressing were the meat drums thawing in the yard. They had to go out to baits, regardless. On the bright side, this presented a rare opportunity to spend a spring in bear camp, as the hunter. After 20 years of guiding hunters to hundreds of trophy bears, 2020 was going to be the guide’s year.

The first big bear that came to mind was a well-known ‘Corona’ colored bear named “Blondie.” This big colored bear was on the radar for many years at one of my camps run by master guide Jeff “The Bear Man” Leighton. Seems like every year Jeff would send me a picture of one of our clients with a big colored bear. I would proclaim “that’s him!” He would respond “you’re wrong!” and later prove it, with a new trail camera picture of Blondie.

For years hunters chased Blondie trying everything from multiple stands to removing the beaver at nights, in an attempt to encourage daytime movement, but nothing worked. In all the years Blondie had only ever been seen, in person, twice! The first time was in 2017 when he snuck in on a bowhunter, spotted him in the tree, and vanished. Then in 2019 when a hunter, carefully concealed from a distance, missed him with a rifle. Blondie appeared to be the unkillable bear.

Blondie mostly visited only one bait site in the central portion of our baiting area. Each year he would typically hit the bait early and then disappear mid season. Big bears typically cover large areas,

40 Bear Hunting

especially late spring when rutting activity increases. It is not uncommon to find the same big bears on several bait sites many miles apart. It was suspicious that in all the years Blondie never appeared elsewhere in our area.

Jeff suspected this was because the bear spent most of his life across a near-by river outside our guiding area, and perhaps on the edge of his home range, only coming across to hit the bait. More immediately concerning was recent logging operations in the immediate area of the bait site. This was threatening to possibly push the bear out of our reach.

Despite my desire to want to hunt for this elusive colored bear, I had an old area that I had not hunted in 12 years that needed scouting for a new camp. This was a perfect opportunity to establish some bait sites, maintain trails and set up the camp.

With kids in tow and guides ready to exchange labor for bears, we were eagerly headed north five hours drive to bear camp. The old area quickly proved to have big bears. First thing we arrowed was a big, aggressive P&Y black bear, just shy of 20”, in camp midday, with the kids sitting around the fire. We had bears in camp nearly every night and big bears were showing up on most of the baits.

I was thankful for being able to experience all of the adventures of bear camp with my kids. One evening they surprised me with how ‘into the hunt’ they were, when they broke down in tears of disappointment for me not killing a medium sized colored bear. They couldn’t understand why I wouldn’t shoot it.

After two weeks in bear camp, and with 6” of snow in the overnight forecast, we decided to head home for a few days.

We arrived home late in the evening. The next morning I drove alone five hours north to check the trail cameras at Blondie’s camp. My plan was to arrive in time for an evening hunt. I was prepared to sleep in the truck and hunt the next or two day if needed.

I parked my truck at a logging road, loaded up my ATV with bait, and drove several miles to Blondie’s bait. On arrival, I could see that the bait site was destroyed, three drums of bait knocked over and ravaged. I topped up the bait, added a fresh beaver carcass, then drenched it all in grease. I swapped the trail camera card out and got settled into the tree stand.

Anticipation was high while going through the pictures but disappointment prevailed with surprisingly no pictures of Blondie.

I decided to hunt anyway as there were plenty of other bear action on camera. Most recently, there was an exceptionally large black bear and two medium sized bears, one blonde and one black. While on stand I noticed that I had cell service at the bait site. I planned to return in the morning with a cellular trail camera to install, before heading home.

The next morning, after setting up the cell camera, I was curious about what might have come to the bait overnight, so I swapped the card out of the regular trail camera. On my way home I stopped and grabbed the cards out of a half dozen other bait sites.

Jan/Feb 2021

The big Alberta bear had eluded hunters for years.

In 2020, with no hunters in camp, Wizard Lake Outfitting owner Gunther Tondelair finally met up with the beast. Many Canadian outfitters actually got to hunt in 2020 - a rare thing!

After the last bait, I changed out of my baiting clothes, ate my lunch, and started going through my pocket full of cards. Plenty of big black bears around the other baits but no Blondie anywhere to be found. My last card to check was the night’s activity at Blondie’s bait. I was mostly curious to see if the exceptionally large black bear had shown up after I left at dark. At the very end of the pictures, and in daylight, I was shocked, when suddenly there he was, BLONDIE! My jaw hit the floor. He looked like a dinosaur. He had just found the bait that morning.

I sat for quite some time, in awe, looking over all the pictures of blondie tossing the bait around, before I finally turned the truck around and returned to the bait with my gear and a hunt plan.

Anticipating that this cautious bear might approach from behind the bait site while trying to keeping an eye out for a hunter on the existing tree stand, I choose to hang a portable stand in a clump of trees behind the bait site with good cover. I put a fresh beaver in the cage and spun it around to the back of the crib to encourage his approach from that direction. I drenched the bait site in grease, then I drove the atv away 1/2 mile, and quietly walked back into my stand.

I was in the zone, standing still, scanning only with my eyes for any sign of movement. Believing that whoever saw who first, would win. Finally towards evening, the stillness broke when two medium sized bears, one colored and one black, appeared. They rummaged around the bait for maybe 20 minutes. Suddenly they got nervous and ran off. No doubt, something was approaching from behind me. I slowly turned my head around to see flashes of blonde hair coming. It’s him! He is headed straight for the back of the crib, I grab my bow and come to full draw. He stepped out in my shooting lane, 20 yards broadside... pin on target, release, and thwack! Perfect heart shot, he runs a short distance, and piles up just out of sight. Big blonde bear down! I couldn’t believe what had just happened. It was a sight I have been very fortunate to see many times before, but this time, I could not believe that this bear was mine to keep.

Alone in the vast wilderness with darkness setting in made the reality of my situation clearer. There www.bear-hunting.com

was no hunter to congratulate, no new friendship made, no one to high five, no camp fire to share this bear with. It became obvious the importance of all the other things that make a hunt successful.

Hunting is about much more than just the kill. It was ironic that this hunt happened with me isolated, just as so many of us have been during the COVID-19 pandemic. The friendships, the high fives, and camp fires with sharing stories were missed.

Jeff met me on the highway half way home in the middle of the night to see the bear. By the time my kids saw it at home, we were all ready to return to the bear camp.

Thankful for two bear tags in Alberta, I was headed back to bear camp with the kids. We hunted for two more weeks and got a lot of important work done in setting up the new camp. The kids and I spent many long hours together at baits, with a lot of memorable encounters. We passed up numerous big bears. We had them fighting and chasing; we even had them try to come into the blind with us. We had an exceptionally large black bear on the trail camera called ‘Hank the Tank.” I was waiting on him as an excuse for not shooting. Then one evening, towards the end of season, there he was, Hank the Tank walking straight at us. He came right to the beaver and stopped perfectly broadside at 10 yards, and then lay down to eat for 20 minutes. When I looked back at my kids, I could see by the look on their faces, with big eyes and wide grins, that they now understood why I didn’t have to shoot the bear. They understood all that was truly important to make a hunt successful, and for that I am most thankful.

Many months later, I am still day to day waiting for sustainable COVID-19 solutions that will give us back our rights to host 2021 hunters for the world’s greatest social distancing activity - hunting.

Green scored 19 3/8” P&Y, estimated weight of 400lbs, and hide was cut for taxidermy, not to square the hide properly, so estimated in the 7’ range.

www.shutterstock.com Menno Shaefer

Bear Hunting 41

Canning

Bear Meat

by Tim Fowler

@timothydfowler

The last six months my non-hunting friends

asking increasingly specific questions about how to turn animals into meat. Grocery shortages

in the early weeks of Covid-19 alarmed them about food security while I was sorting my inventory of bear, moose, elk, deer, grouse, pheasants, rabbits, pike, walleye, and other frozen proteins. They were astounded by my Instagram feed featuring all manner of game presented in delicious ways.

Meanwhile, there was no chicken in the grocery coolers to be found and one of the largest beef processing plants in our area was shut down because of an outbreak. It got me thinking about how lucky we hunters are.

Then I remembered the time my freezer got unplugged. If you’ve ever lost a freezer full of meat, I understand your anguish. Early in my independent life, somehow the freezer became unplugged. A week passed and with it a whole year’s worth of steak, ground and roasts. It was rough. It was a lesson that has stuck with me.

I got to thinking maybe it was time to tear a page from grandma’s culinary playbook and fill my pantry with canned (bear) meat. Today’s pressure canners are safe, precision appliances that will save you time and money over a few years and free up high demand freezer space.

Properly canned meat won’t go bad. Because of the slow moist heat, the process is perfect for tougher cuts and all the flavor is locked in the jar. If I would’ve canned some of that meat back then, we would have been further ahead.

My hunting buddy told me about bottled moose and rabbits from when he hunted in Newfoundland. More than half of his hunting meals on that trip were based around meat that

Cut chunks of the toughest meat on the bear and use one percent salt by weight in each jar.

Canned meat is a great way to use those tough pieces of shoulder, neck and flank meat.

42 Bear Hunting

was home canned. He reported it delicious. I was skeptical.

Recently I canned a batch of meat because my freezer is full to the gunnels, and I have un-punched moose, whitetail, and elk tags, with a high percentage of being successful.

Get the Right Equipment I have my grandmother’s pressure canner but because of her fear of exploding aluminum and destroying her home and family, the pressure part is decommissioned. Now, I use this as my stockpot. Recently, I purchased an All-American pressure canner, the 15-quart size for $289. It does seven quarts or 10-pint size jars at a time. Check out the full line of canners at www.allamericancanner.com. Don’t mess around with canners; get a quality canner. I can heartily recommend All American Canners. Pressure canners run at 10 or 15 psi depending on the elevation of your kitchen. Canning protein and non-acidic foods need the sterilization of the heat that comes only from a true pressure canner. Spend the money!

Delicious Results I was pleasantly surprised at how delicious the canned meat was on our last hunting trip. I emptied the contents of a jar into a carbon steel fry pan over the blazing blue flame of the Coleman 425. As soon as the meat was heated through and the juice evaporated down to a thin gravy, I dished it into bowls, added a thick slice of buttered homemade sourdough and handed it over. I can report it was delicious. Peter, my hunting partner recommended I just eat it plain. He knows first-hand how much I like to mess with stuff. “Just taste the game before you get fancy” was his advice. The just-canned recipe was delicious, but the possibilities for fancy are nearly endless. You can can anything from bears to moose and rabbits to squirrels––using pretty much the same process.

A Simple Recipe for Canning Start with clean quart mason (or equivalent jars). I put mine in the dishwasher for sanitizing just before I use them.

Use new lids for each fresh canning session. The lids have a rubber seal that molds itself to make an airtight seal; once used they cannot be used again safely to seal.

Cut the bear (or pretty much any other game from deer to moose, including bone-in rabbits or hare) into chunks.

Because the meat is going to cook under pressure and high temperature for 90 minutes, you can use the toughest most sinewy chunks of trim you can find. Tough as tennis balls chunks are turned tender and yummy in the process of canning. It will all be tender and delicious. Weigh the meat that goes into the sealer jar. My preference is to measure metric because the gram calculations are precise and simple. Add 1% salt by weight.

That means for about a pound and a half to two pounds of meat required to fill a jar to one inch below the mouth, you will need 1-2 tsp of salt. The reason I like grams is I used 660 grams of meat and 6.6 grams of salt. Now I know where my starting place is if my guests want more or less salt. My preference is to put salt in the jar but suit yourself. Add half of the meat, half of the salt, the rest of the meat and the rest of the salt. One percent salt seems a bit salty for some of the folks around the campfire, once you condense the liquid, but when you add some veggies, cream and wine, 1% is perfect. You will need to experiment a bit to find what suits you best.

Set up the canner to the manufacturer’s directions. All American Canners suggest a light film of olive oil on the gasket-less sealing edge. Fill with water to the recommended level.

Top the jars with lids and just tighten the ring until the lid conJan/Feb 20210

tacts the jar. Place the jars into the canner, put the canner lid on and tighten it down. Turn the heat to high. Start the timer once the steam starts to vent. At 10 minutes add the pressure regulator weight to start steam pressure building. Once the pressure builds to the targeted pressure, set the timer to 90 minutes. Because I live above 1,000 ft altitude, the steamer requires 15 pounds of pressure to safely operate. The pressure regulator rattles occasionally to let off the excess steam. All American recommends one to four rattles per minute or rattling at least once a minute and no more than every 15 seconds. I use my lap-timer on my smartphone to monitor the time between rattles. It requires a bit of fiddling with the heat to make it rattle at least once a but no more than four times every minute. At 90 minutes, shut off the heat and let the canner cool and the pressure dissipates on its own. When the gauge says there is no pressure, remove the regulator and let sit several minutes before removing the lid. Use special canning tongs to remove the hot jars and set on a multilayered cotton towel so as not to temperature shock (and crack) the jars.

The resulting cans will keep almost indefinitely but you may as well use them before the end of the next hunting season.

Recipe for Elk Camp Canned Meat Dinner

onion and red pepper. Heat a cast-iron or rolled carbon steel fry pan on the woodstove and sauté the mushrooms and onions in three tablespoons of butter. Add two cloves of garlic, smashed.

When the mushrooms start to brown and the onions just begin to caramelize, add a can of meat and stir to melt the juice and warm the meat. Add half a cup of 35% cream (coconut milk would be a good substitute here.) and half a cup of red wine and a tablespoon of Dijon mustard. Add the sliced red peppers. Simmer until most of the liquid evaporates and the sauce thickens. Drain a can of baby potatoes and add to the pan. Heat through and serve with thick slices of sourdough bread.

The recipe above is a simple way to expand a quart of canned meat and make a fast camp dinner. There are plenty of options to make canned meat a delicious meal. Add tomato sauce instead of cream and wine to mushrooms, onions and peppers. Or switch it up with some chopped apple, onions and curry. Or opt for a handful of fresh (or dried) herbs and add some instant noodles or minute rice. Think of the canned meat as a base to be manipulated with additional ingredients limited only by your imagination.

Based on the reaction around the wall tent during the last winter hunt of the year, we will be putting canned meat on the menu permanently. My strong recommendation is that you add pressure canning to your culinary repertoire. Your hunting buddies will thank you.

Slice two cups of fresh mushrooms, a medium

Using an All-American pressure cooker, the author cooked down his bear meat to be used at a later time. Canned meat doesn’t need refrigeration. See this simple recipe for a great example of how to use canned meat.

www.bear-hunting.com

Bear Hunting 43

A baculum is a bone found inside the

penis of many mammals including bears, raccoons, dogs, some monkeys and many small rodents. More animals have it than people

often realize. People over time have found many uses for these bones like wearing them as totems for fertility, drink stirrers, or using baculum from larger mammals in tools like knife handles. Many have sharpened the ends of the bone and used them as “tooth picks” or eating utensils. Some hunters use these bones to help keep count of how many male bears they’ve killed. We’ve heard rumor of modern hunters that have over 200 in their collection. It’s pretty folksy stuff that us bear hunters can’t get enough of.

You can use this process to clean and whiten any baculum you bring back from the field. The main part that makes this work is the 40V Developer which has a high concentration of hydrogen peroxide. You can buy it on Amazon, but we found that it was much cheaper and readily available at local beauty supply stores. I purchased my bottle when my mom was visiting, and I used her as a decoy for going into Sally’s Beauty Supply. You may need a unique strategy for explaining why you’re at a beauty supply place. Whatever you do, don’t tell them what you’re actually going to be doing with the peroxide.

Allow this to be a guide and not a hard set of directions you follow. It is a pretty forgiving process just remember that prolonged exposure to the 40V can damage the bone. If you boil the bone too much it can soften. The end product should be a beautiful, white bone that is sure to be a conversation starter.

1.

Gather the stuff

2.

boil in dish soap

44 Bear Hunting

DIY

Bear

Baculum

By Kolby Morehead

@kolby_morehead

How to Do It • Salt and dry baculum in a plastic bag. This is the easiest way to preserve the baculum until you’re ready to process it. It will stay good indefinitely when salted.

• Rehydrate dried bear baculum: Add a couple drops of dish washing liquid to water and bring to a boil. Remove it from the heat and let the baculum sit in hot water for up to thirty minutes.

This helps rehydrate the dried-out tissue and takes care of undesirable smells.

• Remove the Tissue: take baculum from water and use a knife to remove all tissue from the bone. You many need to repeat the hydration process more than once to get the bone clean. You’ll need all the tissue off the bone.

• Boil in Hydrogen Peroxide: Bring a new pot of water to a boil (approximately three cups).

And add an equal amount of 40V Developer solution to the pot for a 50/50 ratio and bring to a boil. The 40V Developer is concentrated hydrogen peroxide that whitens the bone. Once it comes to a rolling boil remove the heat and let the bone sit in the hot liquid until it cools. Bring the solution back to a boil (a third time) and remove the bone from the pot while the liquid is boiling and lay it out to dry.

3.

scrape off the tissue

Jan/Feb 2021

4.

Boil in peroxide/ water mix

6.

boil in peroxide mix again

Get the Good Stuff

8.

5.

7.

scrape again

let it dry

finished product

The key to getting bone ultra white is in the type of hydrogen peroxide you use.

You don’t need the kind of stuff you use on cuts, but rather the hair care product found at most beauty supply stores. Also, it’s cheap. This bottle cost less than seven dollars. www.bear-hunting.com

Bear Hunting 45

Legendary Bear Hounds: part 35 Swiger’s Lucky Duke Article by steve fielder

T he making of a bear dog is a process.

Long before the bear-catcher-in-dog-hide’s value is realized,

long before the harvest record is tallied, long before the tales of valor and athleticism are chronicled, the work of the bear dog breeder must take place. Bear dogs are born, not made. A wise breeder once said, “When the tie is broken, the training is done” referring to the belief that at the instant of conception, nature puts all the dog can be into motion. A hound’s abilities are instilled at breeding and may only be enhanced by a savvy hunter with the skills to help that dog become all it can be. Those skills largely involve the determination to put the dog in the bear woods at every opportunity.

The story of the legendary bear dog this month began, as all hunting dog stories do, a long, long time ago. If we wanted to go back to the settling of the country in the seventeenth century we could start there. We could even cross the wide ocean and begin our tale hundreds of years earlier in Germany, France and the British Isles. In consideration of the limits of time and space, we’ll fast forward to the 1950’s for our beginning.

Readers of my work will recall that I am the son of a lifelong bear hunter. My father, Homon Fielder discovered his passion for black bear hunting with hounds on a cold December night in 1954 along the limestone-strewn, cascading Williams River in eastern West Virginia. The coonhounds of Fielder and his friend struck a bear track on the river’s bank, crossed the swollen torrent and gained elevation as the bear climbed toward the lofty peak of Spruce Knob, the Mountain State’s highest summit. The baying of the hounds was lost in the howling winds of an approaching snow storm but the thrill of the chase would never die in the mind and soul of my dad. The impact was so strong that it would propel him into a bear hunting career that would span fifty years following his breed of choice, the imported German Plott Hound.

My father’s earliest attempts at breeding Plott hounds involved dogs that were primarily used for raccoon hunting but had been used with good success for bear hunting as well. The dogs represented the efforts of the breed’s oldest

46 Bear Hunting

Swiger’s Lucky Duke treed on a West Virginia black bear. He could strike from the rig, cold trail a bear and run to catch and he did it all from a very young age.

breeder at the time, Isaiah Kidd of Sinks Grove, West Virginia. As the importance of bear hunting grew within the native Tennessean, the desire to hunt with hounds that were specifically bred for bear hunting grew accordingly.

He began to select hounds from his own breeding that were particularly adept at bear hunting and used those hounds only as his breeding stock. In the early seventies he discovered the similarities in his dogs, both in ability and pedigree, to those of the well-known Plott breeder from Illinois, Everett Weems. It was in cooperation with Weems that Fielder produced the hounds that form the foundation for the family dogs that produced our subject this month, a legendary bear dog named Swiger’s Lucky Duke.

Lucky Duke’s story, from a historical standpoint, began when Homon Fielder bred his top bear hound sire, an Isaiah Kidd-bred male named Bear Pen Sam to a western-bred female named Snyder’s Gypsy Brendy. Sam was sired by a Ferguson-bred male named Burnett’s Tom and his dam was strictly Kidd-bred. Kidd’s Geep was an inbred female. Her dam, Kidd’s Goldie, had been bred to her own sire, Kidd’s Rock. The union of Sam to Brendy produced CH Bear Pen Rip. Rip exhibited his athleticism, track speed and desire to catch black bears at an early age. When Fielder acquired the female puppy that would become NPHA Hall of Fame member CH Bear Pen Fancy, straight from the Marion County, Illinois pen of the aforementioned Everett Weems, and when Fancy checked all the boxes as a bear dog of the first order in her own right, Jan/Feb 20210

Swiger’s Lucky Duke

Duke’s Litter – Evan Workman, second from left, holding Sassy, owned by Lydell Perry, on left and Swiger’s Lucky Duke, on right. These six Plotts are from the same litter sired by Drum and out of Naomi.

Rip was chosen to sire her first litter.

From the mating of Rip to Fancy came a female coon and bear dog Fielder named Bear Pen Plott Blackie.

Blackie exhibited early on the ability to cold trail, to run with speed and to tree with authority on scent whether on bear or coon. Blackie’s place on my list of favorite Plott females, produced by the Bear Pen line, is at the very top. When my father and I jointly agreed that it was time for Blackie to produce a litter, we agreed that the smart choice would be to take her to Illinois and breed to her uncle, the brother of CH Bear Pen Fancy, named Weems Plott Punie. My father and I had each hunted with Punie. Dad hunted with him on bear in West Virginia and I hunted coons with him on several occasions in Illinois. The mating of Bear Pen Plott Blackie to Nite Champion Weems Plott Punie resulted in what would be one our most successful litters in terms of the numbers of pups that finished into top hounds. The second and third generations in the pedigree of the litter reads like a Who’s Who of Plott bear dogs of that era; Weems Plott John, Haug’s Swampland Star, Ursus Rowdy Plott, Weems Little Punch, Bear Pen Sam, Snyder’s Gypsy Brendy, Weems Plott Butch (twice), Weems Plott Jill (twice), Bear Pen Fancy and Bear Pen Rip. Among the male puppies in the litter was a saddle-back that we sold to Charlie Hill of Hempstead, Texas.

Hill named the dog Hills’ Plott Solaman, a unique rendition of the Solomon of the Old Testament. Solaman, like his littermates, started early, exhibited the bloodline’s nose, speed, grit and tree power and would become the choice of males from that litter to carry on the line. In April of 1993, a grandwww.bear-hunting.com

daughter of Bear Pen Plott Blackie named Bear Pen Santina Grande was taken to Texas to visit Hill’s Plott Solaman. Tina, the nickname we chose for Santina Grande, was a daughter of NPHA Hall of Fame Bronco’s Fancy Julie, a daughter of Blackie sired by NPHA Hall of Fame Bear Pen Plotts Bronco.

Tina’s grandsire on the bottom side of her pedigree was the great Mountaineer Santana, owned and hunted by John Harris of West Virginia and one of the most revered Plott bear dogs in the history of the breed.

I kept a dark brindle male from the mating of Solaman to Santina Grande that I named Roper. He would become GRCH NITECH Bear Pen Rio Grande Roper in coonhound circles. I enjoyed Roper for many years as a coonhound but would learn later on in his life that his greatest asset was his ability to produce top bear dogs. Roper was advertised in a popular coonhound magazine one year and drew several of the Plott breed’s best females to our breeding pen. One of those females was UKC World Show Champion, Grand Champion, Grand Nite Champion Capital City Sam’s Go Annie, owned at the time by Marlo Arp of Centralia, Illinois. From the mating of Roper to Go Annie came a beautiful litter of dark brindle Plott puppies. One of the males was purchased from Arp by bear hunter Evan Workman of West Virginia. Evan’s intent was to have a puppy that would develop into a hound capable of winning competition hunts for coonhounds. What he got instead was a phenomenal bear dog that continues, through the science of cryopreservation, to produce phenomenal bear dogs that are in turn producing phenoms of their own. Workman’s hound, CH Tacy Hills Desperado, aka Drum, sired by Roper and grandsired by Hills’ Plott Solaman, was featured in a prior issue of Bear Hunting Magazine. He is the sire of record of Bear Hunting 47

The Workman/Swiger party and the bear harvested by Kora Powell.

A rare Eastern color phase bear treed by the Workman/Swiger party during training season of 2020.

Swiger’s Lucky Duke.

Evan Workman and Scotty Swiger have been longtime hunting buddies. They hunt together, largely in the Tucker County region of northeastern West Virginia, one of the most rugged and beautiful areas of the state. Swiger has hunted for forty years or more and has owned many top coonhounds that have earned grand championships in competition but like Workman, directs his attention these days to catching bears with his Plotts.

Evan Workman told me the story of the origins of Swiger’s Lucky Duke. “Scotty bought Duke’s mother from Floridian Bo Hammock at Plott Days. He named her Swiger’s Lucky Naomi. Naomi’s lineage is primarily North Georgia, the kennel name chosen by renown Plott man Wayne Allen of Cartersville, Georgia. Her sire was North Georgia Plott Raider and her dam was out of Bill Pearcy’s Goldwater Hide, a famous coonhound of his day. Naomi was about eighteen months old when Swiger bought her,” Workman said.

Naomi proved to be a bear dog worthy of breeding and she was bred to Evan’s Drum dog. The litter, consisting of seven pups, may be one of the most successful litters in the history of the Plott breed with each pup in the litter making an exceptional bear dog. When Drum died, the pups were approaching two years old and had to fill the void left by Drum.

According to Workman, Swiger kept two of the males and named them Duke and Dusty. Lyndell Perry and Terry Mayle each took one pup and Matt Mewshaw took two, leaving one puppy unaccounted for as we discussed the litter. Each of these men hunt with Workman and Swiger.

“Duke was the total package,” Workman said. “He was a big hound with a big mouth and was a very good-looking hound. He could cold trail a bear, strike from the rig, and run to catch and he did it all from a very young age,” While this writer never hunted with Duke, I did see the hound and was taken by his striking conformation and houndy appearance. He was indeed an exceptionally good-looking hound.

48 Bear Hunting

Workman remembers several hunts with Duke that were memorable. “Chris Powell from Indiana brought his daughter Kora here and she killed a bear. It was mid-winter but we were hunting on bare ground. It was the first day of our late season in December. We free-cast four dogs and they all struck a bear track. Three of the dogs treed a bear. From the tree, we could look across to another mountain and see Duke over there with another bear treed. Our friend Johnny Hager from southern West Virginia was here and I told him to go to Duke and to tie the dog. Before Johnny could get to Duke’s tree, the bear came out and got away. We were standing at our tree with a big bear treed and here comes Duke running a sow and a cub right through the bunch of us, by himself. We were treed under a point on the mountain and didn’t hear him coming when the bear popped over the point with Duke right on her. He ran the bear right through us and treed it by himself.”

As a credit to his breeding, Duke proved his greatest worth to the West Virginia hunters as a producer of bear dogs. “Duke had twenty-nine pups registered with UKC,” Workman said.

Keeping it all in the family, Workman is looking to a son of Duke’s named Bo to get the job done these days on those West Virginia bruins. “I’m hunting an eight-year-old male out of Duke named Bo,” Workman said. “He’s the closest to being like old Drum of any dog I’ve seen. Scotty gave Bo to a fellow that hunts with us,” Workman said. “We regretted giving the dog away and so I bought him back.” Workman says Bo is extremely fast, has a great mouth and handles like a kid. “He routinely strikes tracks out of the truck that other dogs miss. He’s smart. He never bobbles. He’s eight years old and he looks old but he has a beautiful mouth and is a beautiful tree dog.” Continuing with his description of the offspring of our subject, “He’s sneaky but he’s not aggressive. He just stands back and bays but he won’t grab the bear. I’ve Jan/Feb 20210

Swiger’s Lucky Duke

Kora Powell, daughter of Chris Powell, with her West Virginia black bear harvested while hunting with Swiger’s Lucky Duke and his packmates.

gone to him with a bear caught on the ground and I know if the bear breaks the bay, I can stop him, even on a bear he can see. He has a great handle.” Workman said. “On the other hand, his sire Duke is plenty aggressive on a bear stopped on the ground.”

Breeding bear dogs within a family line has not only proven to be successful for Swiger and Workman, it’s a never-ending process. The pair bred Bo, the Duke offspring, to Star, a seven-year-old female sired by Drum and out of a female owned by Wisconsin Bear Hunter’s Association president Carl Schotel. Since Star and Duke were half-brother/half-sister and out of Drum, it’s an aunt/nephew cross. Remember the uncle/niece cross that produced Bear Pen Plott Blackie at the start of this line?

The proof is in the pudding and Scotty is now hunting a one-year-old male out of the Bo/Star cross that he calls Cash. He’s a big, beautiful hound like his grandsire Duke and in Workman’s words, “he’s totally natural on coons at night and on bears by day.” After hunting several top-performing, titled coonhounds in his career, Swiger is blown away by the young hound’s performance on coon at such a young age.

As this article was being written, the late season for bear in West Virginia was in full swing. I have spoken with Evan Workman often at the close of each day of hunting and with the exception of a rough start on opening day, the group has been treeing bears every day. The hounds they are using, including Chris Powell’s maternal grandson of Drum’s named Diable, are Drum-bred hounds, descendants of the Bear Pen hounds going back to Bear Pen Sam of the sixties. Bear dog breeding is a process and Swiger and Workman understand very well that once the foundation is laid, the proof is in the way the bricks and mortar are laid in the subsequent courses to come.

Bo and Star - Duke’s son Bo, nearest to Evan Workman, and Duke’s half-sister Star, treed on a black bear.

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Bear Hunting 49

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Bear Guns 6.5 300 Weatherby

By Kolby Morehead

@kolby_morehead

It was a cool fall day, and I was riding shotgun in my dad’s pickup on

a piece of land we had permission to hunt. As we neared a creek, we saw movement. We had unknowingly dropped in on a group of feral hogs. Dad handed me his new rifle as a thirty-pound pig stood up just inside the brush at twenty yards. Looking through the scope you would have thought that I was aiming at Hogzilla as it more than filled up the scope on the three power. I slowly squeezed the trigger, BOOM! The pig disappeared and as the recoil pulsed through my shoulder. I immediately said, “What the heck, what did you just hand me?!” Yeah, he slipped a big caliber on me, a .300 Weatherby Magnum definitely not the .270 or .25-06 he usually toted around. It kicked like a mule.

I don’t know how long it took for my dad to stop laughing, he was pretty proud of himself. The pig was right where I shot him minus the majority of a shoulder due to the missile that made impact. Later that year I would shoot a whitetail with the same rifle at a little over 300 yards. Needless to say, I became a fan of the 300 Weatherby Magnum. More than that I became a fan of Weatherby and associate it with fond memories of being in the field with my dad. Now I have taken down game near and far with it.

In the 1940s, Roy Weatherby began developing a series of hunting cartridges that became famous including the 300 Weatherby Magnum like my dad’s. In the early 1950s he took that same .300 case and necked it down to seat a 6.5 mm/.264-inch bullet but never released it into production as it was not a popular bullet at that time. In this last decade with the release of popular 6.5mm calibers like the 6.5 Creedmoor, 6.5 Grendel and the 26 Nosler the folks over at Weatherby decided it was time to release the fastest 6.5 yet with muzzle velocities around 3,500 fps.

The 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum was released in 2016 and has become a popular round in the hands of sportsmen in this short 50 Bear Hunting

Weatherby Vanguard MeatEater Edition Weight: 7.15 pounds Overall Length: 46.6” Graphite Black Cerakote Fluted Bolt Body Three position saftey Multiple color options

Caliber Summary:

Summary: Good for all North American Big Game with correct loads.

Bullets: 127 - 156 grain Sectional Density: .287 (140 gr bullet) Ammo: Available online and at some retailers.

Suggested Range: As far as you’re comfortable 400+ yds amount of time. This round takes the guess work out of shots sub 400 yards with only 9” of drop at that distance. For hunting in dense forest, it isn’t a game changer, but for you the guy that hunts in places where long shots are possible, you want a flat shooting gun that you don’t have to do a lot of in the field calculations. This round is well capable of taking down a bear but make sure and do research on the ammo first. It doesn’t matter what kind of potential or BC a caliber has is if the projectile isn’t what you need. I would lean towards a 140 grain that will give you better sectional density. This caliber is one worthy of the gun safe.

Jan/Feb 20210

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Bear Hunting 51

Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association Inc. Jan/Feb 2021

57th Annual Convention BIG FRIG Coolers WBHA SPONSOR

WBHA Annual Raffle: You NEED NOT BE a WBHA

member in order to purchase Annual Raffle tickets and you need not be present to win. Grand Prize- 2021 Yamaha Viking UTV or $10,000.00 cash. 50 additional prizes to win. Ticket inquires: Jim Hamilton, Ph: 715-460-3033, Email: jimscat1977@gmail.com WBHA Member Raffle Info- If you purchased tickets for the 2020 raffle and you still have ticket money on file, they will be waiting for you at the convention. You MUST BE a WBHA member in order to purchase Member Raffle tickets.

Pre-purchased raffle ticket packages will be available for pick-up during regular convention hours. Pre-purchased ticket packages come pre-labeled with member’s ID# on each ticket.

Ticket package increments include 200 for $200, 75 for $100, 25 for $50, & 10 for $25 (Single tickets will be available at the Annual Convention) All pre-purchased packages must be picked up no later than 10am on Saturday, March 27th, 2021.

WBHA Member Raffle will close at 1:30pm. WBHA Member Raffle drawings will be held and announced intermittently during the SOS Auction beginning at 1:45pm. Winners will have 10 minutes from drawing to claim prize. If you are not able to claim prize within 10 minutes, you will forfeit your prize and an alternate will be awarded the prize. Order tickets either on the website or mail in the order form below.

Friday Night Banquet – If you purchased tickets for the 2020 banquet and you still have ticket money on file, they will be waiting for you at the convention. March 26, 2021, 7pm. The 2021 Annual Convention Banquet will be held at the Holiday Inn & Suites. Banquet Tickets are $30 for adults and $15 for kids 4-12 (Under 4 free) this includes meal, key note speakers, raffles, door prizes and visitation time. Dinner tickets can be picked up at the convention on Friday. Order tickets either on the website or mail in the order form below.

Governor’s Bear Tag Raffle- Tickets for a chance to

win a 2021 Bear harvest tag. Only 500 tickets will be sold.

Drawing will be held at the Convention on Saturday, March 27, 2021 at 4:00 PM. The winner must choose Zone of Harvest at the time of issue. Tickets can be purchased at the convention or purchased ahead of time using the form below.

Save Our Sport (SOS) Auction- A huge number of items as well as many puppies will be auctioned off on Saturday. All proceeds from this auction will be used to aid in the advancement and protection of our sport. We are in need of your donations please help save our sport! Contact: Carl Schoettel 414-531-2296 or Eric Tuckner 651-775-7296.

Vendor Information: Any business or organization wishing to attend as a vendor can contact me by e-mail or phone and I will get you on the contract list. Contact: Jacob Trochinski, Ph: 920-203-3725, Email: jacob.trochinski@ gmail.com Our Convention is closed to the public! Become a member at the door and join the WBHA for 2 days of fun, entertainment, education, and a chance to win many great prizes.

For a complete Convention schedule and more information, including WBHA clothing, visit our website or find us on Facebook.

Convention Member Check-In: To expedite the member check-in at the convention have your valid membership card ready at the door. A worker will check your card, if valid, you will be given your wristband(s) and you will be able to enter the convention. Those that need to renew their membership or are new members wishing to join, you will be directed to a membership table. Check your expiration date and renew ahead of time to speed up your check-in time. Yearbooks will be mailed again this year to your residence.

Save the date- ALL TOWN HALL MEETINGS HAVE BEEN CANCELLED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

WBHA MEMBERS ONLY TICKET PREORDER FORM COPY OR CLIP & SUBMIT WITH PAYMENT

NAME _____________________________________________MEMBER #__________ ADDRESS___________________________________CITY_______________STATE____ZIP__________ GOVERNORS TAG RAFFLE QTY _____ X $ 20.00 TOTAL __________ ADULT DINNER TICKETS QTY _____ X $ 30.00 TOTAL __________ CHILD (4-12) DINNER TICKETS QTY _____ X $15.00 TOTAL __________ MEMBER 200 TKT PKG QTY _____ X $200.00 TOTAL __________ RAFFLE 75 TKT PKG QTY _____ X $100.00 TOTAL __________ TICKETS 25 TKT PKG QTY _____ X $ 50.00 TOTAL __________ 10 TKT PKG QTY _____ X $ 25.00 TOTAL __________

GRAND TOTAL __________

Mail to: WBHA, 594 Rural St, Berlin, WI 54923

Call John Trochinski 920-229-0365 or email at bigjohntro@gmail.com 52 Bear Hunting

Jan/Feb 2021

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Bear Hunting 53

Aaron Corsaro DIY in Canada Spring 2020

Gracie Foster First Bear w/ dogs West Virginia

Jon Brenden Minnesota DIY Fall 2018 John Pagel with Brother Lewis First Bear Alaska DIY Fall 2020

Collin Leibensperger Allagash Maine 445 pounds Fall 2020

54 Bear Hunting

Jan/Feb 2021

Stephanie Brenden First Bear 461lbs Minnesota Daren Head Russell Pond Outfitters Idaho Sept 2020

Brian Drabot Pennslyvannia Fall 2020

Patrick Chamberlain Georgia Nov 2020 Nine year old son in photo

Ben Clark Maine Youth Hunt Fall 2020

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Bear Hunting 55

The End of 2020, Challenges Coming in 2021 some things every sportsman ought to know about. stay engaged!

by Brian Lynn of Sportsman’s Alliance

With 2020 finally behind us, the promise of

a new year looms. It has to be better than the hardships of the last year we’ve all suffered through. From the pandemic and mandates to the election season and economy, 2020 has shown us exactly how precarious of a position our interests – outdoor or otherwise – are actually in.

Make no mistake, our outdoor pastimes and businesses are under attack, too, and the pandemic did nothing to slow that affront. Animal-rights and anti-hunting activists have used any means necessary to pass legislation and have argued any justification in court or before game commissions – from climate change and safety to muddying Endangered Species Act science and infringing on the Second Amendment – to stop wildlife management tactics. Just as every state in the Union faced fallout from the pandemic, and each handled it slightly different, every state also handled challenges to hunting, fishing and wildlife management differently, which had different outcomes for sportsmen.

Legislation to end the year typifies the diverse means of wildlife management across states and nationally.

New Jersey Bear Ban Upheld, Despite Science A New Jersey Administrative Law Judge issued her initial ruling in favor of Gov. Phil Murphy who unilaterally closed black bear hunting on state managed land in 2018. The governor’s decision to close state lands had no scientific backing and was only done to fulfill a campaign promise.

Sportsmen’s Alliance, Safari Club International and the New Jersey Outdoor Alliance claimed that the state violated New Jersey law by banning black bear hunting on state-managed lands without scientific justification, but instead in fulfillment of a campaign promise. We were hopeful to receive a positive result but in this case the judge sided with the defendant even when limited scientific data was provided to uphold such an order.

During the court proceedings, the state offered no persuasive data or evidence to support the closure of state lands; the very definition of “arbitrary and capricious,” as well as case law. In fact, the governor and commissioner acted against the recommendations and warnings of the state’s own staff, as well as years of supporting evidence. Even the state’s expert witness acknowledged key points to our argument; at one point during cross-examination he paused for a full minute before admitting that closing state lands might increase bear incidents in adjacent communities.

The closure has upended science-based wildlife management, as the bear hunt was a part of the Comprehensive Black Bear Management Plan enacted by the state to reduce human-bear conflict. The plan called for a 20 percent annual black bear harvest rate to maintain ecological balance and protect New Jersey citizens. As a result of the state land closure, bear harvest rates have dropped significantly.

Predictably, an increase in reports of nuisance bears and human-wildlife conflicts has followed. According to the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife Bear Activity Report, from January to September 2019 there were 503 confirmed instances of nuisance bear activity. During the same time period in 2020, there were 811 confirmed instances of nuisance 56 Bear Hunting

bear activity statewide. This represents a 61 percent incident rate increase in just a single year; without question this major spike in incidents can be attributed to the state land hunting closure and subsequent reduction of harvest rates.

“The Sportsmen’s Alliance is disappointed to see this judgement against science-based wildlife management,” said Evan Heusinkveld, president and CEO of the Sportsmen’s Alliance. “We expect governors and fish and game commissioners to stand by the tenants of the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation by protecting science-based management decisions as opposed to following through on campaign promises that have no scientific backing and threaten the safety and well-being of every citizen in New Jersey. When a governor acts to fulfill a campaign promise as he did here, judicial appointments need to step in and correct the matter.”

Pennsylvania Governor Vetoes Bill Protecting Sportsmen, Businesses Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf vetoed legislation that would have deemed hunting clubs, shooting ranges, gun and ammunition distributors and manufacturers as life-sustaining business under state emergency orders. If the bill had been signed, it would have meant these companies could not be shuttered in their ability to carry out business under emergency circumstances. House Bill 2440 received bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate before being sent to the governor.

Continued access to firearms and ammunition is not only a civil right guaranteed by the Second Amendment, it is of utmost importance during state and national emergencies, making this veto effort all the more concerning. Today’s uncertainties surrounding COVID-19 and other societal upheaval makes it all the more necessary to purchase, train and exercise personal protection, as well as the ability to hunt.

By vetoing legislation that protected hunt clubs, shooting ranges and ammo manufacturers, private citizens in Pennsylvania citizens should be concerned that access and the ability to exercise constitutional rights, as well as provide for your family, cannot be guaranteed under emergency orders in the commonwealth.

During difficult economic times, access to firearms and hunting and fishing supplies puts food on the table. A 2013 study conducted by Southwick Associates, the American Sportfishing Association and the Oregon Department of Natural Resources revealed that nearly half of the hunters surveyed (48%) in seven states said that “hunting to save money in a bad or declining state economy was a reason for their decision to go hunting during that time period.” The ability to hunt during difficult economic times is reliant on access to firearms and ammunition; by vetoing this bill, the governor directly threatens the supply chains that hunters rely on to put food on their tables and the ability of people to protect themselves.

Oregon Commission Denies Petition to End Trapping Jan/Feb 2021

Join Sportsman’s Alliance at www.sportsmansalliance.org

The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission voted 3-3 to deny a citizen petition that would have banned the trapping of beavers on federal forest land. In a June 2020 attempt to push this agenda, proponents of the effort claimed that more beavers would lead to more Coho salmon in Oregon rivers and streams. After failing to justify this outrageous claim with science before the commission, animal-rights activists quickly regrouped and argued that the state’s Climate and Ocean Change Policy, which says, “Wildlife shall be managed in Oregon to prevent the serious depletion of any indigenous species,” justified the need for the regulatory change. The Sportsmen’s Alliance, along with a diverse coalition of national and state partners, argued that the petitioners lacked data showing trapping was negatively impacting beaver populations, a position which was supported by the ODFW’s furbearer biologists.

Based on Oregon Division of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) biologist findings, it is clear there is no negative impact on beaver populations as a result of trapping, therefore there was no justification under the Climate and Ocean Change Policy to change the furbearer trapping regulations.

ODFW’s furbearer biologists agree with maintaining the existing furbearer regulations, because (1) trapping and hunting beavers during the breeding and pregnancy season has no effect on population numbers and distributions, (2) all suitable habitat is occupied in the state, (3) a beaver colony of six requires 18 acres of willow trees every year, and (4) there are no major economic effects of the existing rule.

“Folks who stand for wise, science-based wildlife conservation enjoyed a big success in Oregon. National support from the Sportsmen’s Alliance, National Trappers Association and the Fur Takers of America were important, but the real core of the team was in the coalition of many important, diverse interests in Oregon,” said Dave Hastings President of Fur Takers of America. “Oregon trappers are no strangers to this kind of battle, but the breadth of the coalition spoke volumes about the importance of science, facts and data.

From Farm Bureau to the Oregon Hunters Association to The Wildlife Society and beyond, a position of values was met by science and fact. It is never over but, for now, we celebrate this success.”

forward with more active management strategies.

“Returning management of wolves to state wildlife agencies is yet another conservation milestone made possible by the tireless efforts of many conservation partners, and demonstrates the critical importance of the North American Model of Wildlife Management,” said Evan Heusinkveld, Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation president and CEO. “Wolf recovery and delisting is yet another conservation milestone that should be widely celebrated and acknowledged.”

As always, the key for a successful delisting is to scientifically defend the delisting decision in the court against lawsuits brought by extreme animal-rights organizations. This is not easy; over the past decade, SAF has participated in delisting case after delisting case.

“Animal-rights and anti-hunting groups will undoubtedly again rush into court to try and stop this decision instead of relying upon the expertise of the professionals at the Fish and Wildlife Service. However, the science is settled, populations of wolves in the Lower 48 states have recovered and are thriving,” said Heusinkveld. “This announcement is the culmination of more than four decades of work by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, state fish & game departments, conservation organizations and sportsmen.”

While 2020 has ended, the tactics (and outcomes) used in the examples above will repeat in 2021 as new sessions begin at state capitols, and animal-rights activists file new legislation, ballot initiatives, lawsuits and game-commission petitions. The Sportsmen’s Alliance will fight to protect your passions, but we need your voice to be heard, too, in meetings and by legislators.

Feds Delist Wolves in Lower 48 The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) today announced the final delisting rule for gray wolves in the Lower 48 states. In 2019, FWS proposed lifting the endangered status of most wolves in the Lower 48 states, leaving federal protections in place for a small population of Mexican wolves in the Southwest. Today’s announcement paves the way for state wildlife agencies to once again resume management of wolves, marking their successful departure from Endangered Species Act protections.

The Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation has long sought the delisting of recovered wolves and has been a leading advocate both in litigation to defend wolf delisting decisions, and through legal petitions and comments to the agency. Over the past four decades, wolf populations across the country have rebounded sharply, far surpassing established recovery goals, thereby dictating the need to move www.bear-hunting.com

Bear Hunting 57

@clay.newcomb

How to Become

A Bear Hunter

by Clay Newcomb

Is bear hunting different than deer hunting?

Most of us started as deer hunters. Here are four ways bear hunting is different than deer hunting.

Beginner’s guide to becoming a woodsman, renaissance man & bear hunter

If you’re new to bear hunting, there is a strong

likelihood you have some experience with deer hunting. There are some similarities in hunting the two

species, but usually they’re notably different. Understanding the differences between deer and bear hunting will help you get headed in the right direction as a new bear hunter. Here it goes:

Bear Versus Deer: Densities Bears are low density animals, which means even in areas touting “strong bear populations,” you’re still talking about less than one bear per square mile across the landscape.

Deer are a higher density animal with numbers reaching over 50 deer per square mile in some areas. You’re going to see more deer than bear. Additionally, deer are very visible animals that like edge habitat. You’ll often see deer in open areas along the edges of fields and roadways. Bears are “animals of the shadows” that prefer dense timber. Their dark hair tells you where they’ve evolved to live. Even in areas with good bear populations, you often don’t see a lot of bears. Understanding this will help you calibrate your hunting and set your expectations.

Bear Versus Deer: Shot Placement In bowhunting for whitetails we’ve all heard the phrase “aim low and tight.” This means aim low on the chest cavity and tight up against the shoulder. We aim low on ungulates because they’re prey animals and have an extremely fast flight response to danger. A deer will duck at the sound of the bow shot and aiming low compensates for the animal’s drop.

Bears aren’t prey animals and don’t have the same ultra-fast flight response, so there is no need to aim low. They might drop some, but after watching countless slow-motion archery shots at bear, they don’t drop as much as a deer. So, don’t aim low and tight on a bear.

Additionally, bears have long hair and a layer of fat below their chest cavity making them appear bigger than they are. Deer have short hair and very little fat. If you aim low and tight on a bear you might miss the vitals all together. I’ve tracked multiple bears that were shot too low, and you usually don’t recover them. A bear’s body cavity isn’t actually as big as it looks. Aiming too low can lead to bad results.

Lastly, the front shoulders of a bear are located further forwards on its body than a deer, which gives the appearance that their vitals are located further back. Actually, a bear’s front legs are just further forward. What does this mean for the bear hunter? You can aim slightly further back on a bear than on a deer. In deer hunting, the cardinal sin is hitting too far back.

In bear hunting, that’s less of an issue. I’ve recovered multiple bears that were 100% gut shot. These bears will usually travel around 300 to 400 yards but are recoverable if they aren’t pushed. Bears are notorious for not leaving much blood because of their thick hair and fat, so you’ll have to work hard on gut shot bear, but you’ll find him.

58 Bear Hunting

Bear Versus Deer: Response to Weather In the fall, when a cold front moves through, every deer hunter gets excited. A drop in temperature makes the metabolism of a whitetail increase making them feed more.

It can also stimulate rut activity getting the bucks on their feet. In deer hunting, cold is good and heat is usually bad.

Bears live off a completely different schedule. Bears like to eat when it’s hot and go to sleep when it’s cold. It takes a mental adjustment, but I’d rather bear hunt when it’s hot.

This is counterintuitive considering a bear’s thick fur coat. It seems they wouldn’t prefer the hot weather, but they tolerate it just fine. Bears are designed to gather calories in the warm months and sleep in the cold months. A significant cold front in the spring or fall can shut down bear movement. Monitoring bait sites via trail cameras in the late summer and early fall, I’ve seen that some of the peak movement times of bears are at the hottest times. It’s completely different than deer!

Bear Versus Deer: Response to Human Scent A whitetail deer is always going to respond the same way to human scent – they’re going to avoid and flee.

There isn’t a situation I can think of where a deer would knowingly tolerate human odor. In bear hunting, it’s not that clear cut. Bears are predators and are used to being near the top of the food chain (Humans have been in North America for about 17,000 years, so they’ve adapted to human predation). When hunting baited bears, they learn the human’s routine and become comfortable with some level of human odor at the bait site. This can even translate into some bears tolerating a hunter being at the bait site while they’re feeding. The older bears are usually more cautious. A bear that’s on natural food will be much less tolerant of human odor and will spook if they smell you. Basically, if a bear smells a human in a place a human “shouldn’t be” they’ll spook, but if they’re used to some human scent, they might be tolerant.

Deer aren’t like this. A bear’s response to detecting a human is less predictable than a deer. Deer will always spook. A bear may stomp around or even come closer to investigate if they smell a human.

This isn’t a suggestion that you should be sloppy with your odor around bears. I’m just pointing out that a bear might tolerate your scent in some situations. The key in most of bear hunting is fooling a bear’s nose, because they will try to avoid humans. Good luck in 2021 while bear hunting!

Jan/Feb 20210

Michigan Bear Hunters Association Defenders of our wildlife heritage www.mibearhunters.org

2020 Michigan

Bear Season

By Victor Skinner

The 2020 bear season ended in success for many

Michigan hunters, and the state Department of Natural Resources is anticipating a harvest above the desired quotas for most bear management units.

The coronavirus pandemic slowed the official tally somewhat, but DNR bear specialist Cody Norton expects preliminary figures will be up in most places when he presents the data at the state’s annual bear forum in December. Bear forum members – hunters, beekeepers, conservation leaders and others with an interest in bear management – will provide feedback on those figures and other issues heading into the state’s next two-year regulation cycle for 2021-2022.

“In the (Upper Peninsula), I think every Bear Management Unit except Amasa were at where they were last year or above for bears checked,” Norton said.

In the northern Lower Peninsula, “Baldwin check stations were seeing a good number of bears coming in,” he said. “In Red Oak, the check stations were reporting similar or slightly higher numbers than last year.”

DNR officials view the strong harvest as a positive sign that the bear population is thriving and can sustain higher harvest quotas. They point to a computer model showing population growth across the state, with rapid growth in the northern Lower Peninsula, as well as a trend of rising bear nuisance complaints in recent years.

In 2020, bear nuisance complaints skyrocketed as biologists were prohibited from responding due to the governor’s coronavirus edicts.

Norton said the bottom line is DNR officials will aim to increase available licenses to “stabilize” population growth in the northern Lower Peninsula and look to maintain or slowly grow the population in the UP. “We’re seeing nuisance complaints quadruple in recent years, with farmers, beekeepers and members of the public having issues,” Norton said of northern Lower Peninsula bears.

“Our population estimate shows the population in the northern lower increasing rapidly. Our goal is to stabilize,” Norton said.

“The increases in the past haven’t accomplished that … so we’re looking to increase harvest. We’re not looking to overharvest the population, just stabilize it.”

Michigan Bear Hunters Association President Tim Dusterwinkle, Michigan Hunting Dog Federation representative Mike Thorman, and UP Bear Houndsmen President Joe Hudson all said they plan to resist license increases to focus on keeping the statewide harvest at about 1,500 bears.

The 2019 harvest was 1,663, while the desired harvest was 1,580.

All three groups worked closely with DNR officials to revive the dwindling bear population through license reductions a decade ago, when an annual harvests of about 2,000 bears proved to be too much.

Bear hunters are especially nervous about increasing the harvest because state officials developed a habit in recent years of underestimating the actual take.

“They killed 30 percent more bears in the Carney unit last year than the projected harvest,” Hudson said, adding he wants lower license quotas in several Upper Peninsula bear management units. “I want to rule in favor of the bear.”

In the northern lower, “they want to issue more tags. www.bear-hunting.com

They want to stabilize the population,” Thorman said. “If they head down that path, I hope they do it in moderation.”

“I think we have to be cautious, because we don’t want to get into a situation where we do roller-coaster management,” he said.

“We don’t want to start creeping back up to 2,000,” Dusterwinkle said.

The MBHA is convinced the DNR could do more to mitigate bear nuisance complaints, which increased sharply this year with thousands heading north during the pandemic.

“These cottages were all full of people” near Mio, Thorman said, pointing to traffic at the local Family Fare on a typical Wednesday. “This year you couldn’t even find a parking spot.

They just moved up here (during the pandemic). ‘We’ll go stay up at our cottage and it will be fun.’”

“I have first-hand experience in the UP,” Dusterwinkle said. “The UP was just booming with people after the lockdown was lifted. There was tons of people.”

Dusterwinkle said the MBHA and other groups will continue to urge DNR officials to allow bear baiting earlier and to launch a supplemental feeding program in the spring, to help alleviate nuisance complaints. The MBHA has also funded public awareness campaigns to educate the public about living with bears, and partnered with Michigan college welders to construct live traps the organization donated to the department.

“The MBHA is committed to growing the bear population and want to take advantage of all our options to mitigate nuisance complaints and supplemental feeding is a scientifically proven method being used in different parts of the country,” Dusterwinkle said.

Thorman said anyone familiar with bears understands they’d prefer to keep their distance from people, if possible.

“We are still interested in early feeding of bears in places where there’s nuisance problems because we know it works,” Thoman said. “As long as there’s food out (in the woods) they’ll eat out there.

“But surviving trumps fear, and they’ll do what they have to do to survive.”

The Michigan Bear Forum convenes every December to discuss emerging issues with bears and bear hunting, and it’s the primary sounding board for DNR officials as craft regulations every other year.

Some members of the forum, including some bait and archery hunters, want to increase the bear harvest and reduce the population, though the majority have backed more conservative management in recent years.

Those demanding a smaller bear harvest have the same simple motivation, Hudson said: “Our big concern is the number of bears and maintaining that good healthy population,” he said.

“We need more bears on public ground.”

Join MBHA to make our voice stronger, and receive our association’s 16-page publication, The Bear Facts, four times a year, plus Bear Hunting Magazine, with its MBHA column, six times a year.

To get your membership (worth $20) and magazine (worth $25 more), send only a $20 check, made out to MBHA, to Phil Hewitt, and his address is 7796 Ainsworth Road, Lake Odessa, MI, 48849. Please include your name, address, email address and phone number.

Bear Hunting 59

The Strategic Bear Hunter

by Bernie Barringer

Milestones for bear hunters Goals in bear hunting are different than deer hunting. Here is what the author has set out to achieve in bear hunting.

I’ve always been fascinated by bears, particular-

ly black bears. I was around bears at an impressionable age. From the time I was nine years old until age 14,

I lived in the Methow Valley of Washington state, at the foot of the Cascade Mountains. I spent a lot of time in those mountains, mostly with guys from our church. A couple of men from the church were leaders of the boys group that was called the Boy’s Brigade, and because those two men were active outdoorsmen, we did a lot of boy’s outings that involved camping and fishing. It was on one of these outings that I had my first experience with a black bear.

We headed up into the mountains after school on a Friday and found a campsite where we cooked a quick meal and at dark, laid our sleeping bags out on the ground. The following day we would be hiking into a high mountain lake for some trout fishing. We told jokes and acted goofy for a while as the campfire died down and we eventually drifted off the sleep. I was waken at some point during the night by a chorus of boy’s voices shouting, “Bernie, Bernie, there’s a bear!” As I shook off the sleep, I looked around and every sleeping bag around me was empty.

Soon I realized that the rest of the boys, all dozen of them, were in the back of a nearby pickup looking out from under the door on the topper. “Get in here!” they were shouting.

I made it into the back of the topper in record time. Randy Bame looked at me, wide-eyed, and told me the bear had sniffed me and stepped right over my head while the rest of the boys watched in terror. They all thought I was about to get eaten.

Clearly that was a really bold black bear, but more curious than threatening. That was the first of several encounters I had with bears that fed my fascination with them. So when my family moved to Iowa when I was 14, I took up bowhunting for whitetails and my interest in bears was relegated to reading books about them. But it never went away.

Fast forward to age 40, I was an outdoor writer and I had been successful at hunting deer with a bow, but the urge to hunt bears steadily grew stronger. I wanted to kill a bear with a bow, get my bear rug and check that off my list of cool things I had done. So I booked a bear hunt in northern Minnesota. I killed a bear on that hunt, a chocolate color-phase bear, which would further play into my future as a bear hunter. The urge to hunt bears was a small coal that was fanned to a flame on that hunt. I sold an article about the hunt to Bear Hunting Magazine, which was brand new at the time.

The following year I moved to Minnesota and started baiting bears for myself. The rest is history. Now I have been bear hunting all over North America, killed the four major color phases, and reached several milestones in bear hunting. I’ve experienced several different kinds of bear hunts including hound hunts and spot & stalk hunts.

Deer hunters have things to reach for, goals to attain. A 150-inch buck, a 200-pound buck, a record-book buck, you get the idea. The goals mostly have to do with measuring points on antlers. You probably have noticed, bears do not have antlers.

But there are lots of goals bear hunters can shoot for and sometimes we need something to aim at to keep looking forward.

Hunters, by nature, are collectors and achievement-oriented. So I don’t think I’m alone when I have an interest in checking more

60 Bear Hunting

things off my list. Let’s talk through the options for bear hunters who want to check some things off their list.

Record Books The first and most obvious are the Pope & Young and Boone & Crockett record books, which keep records of the biggest specimens of all big game critters. P&Y entries are limited to archery equipment, B&C records are animals bagged by any legal weapon. For bears of all species, these organizations keep records of the measurements of bear skulls. The width is added to the length in sixteenths of an inch and that’s your score.

Minimums for a black bear to be entered into the all-time P&Y record book is 18 inches, and minimum for all time record book entry into B&C is 21 inches. The archery milestone is very attainable for bear hunters who are patient and hunt the right areas. The B&C number of 21 inches is elusive even in areas that have a lot of big

The author’s Color Phase Grandslam of bears.

Jan/Feb 20210

bears. But hunters who stay with it and are willing to go to areas that have big bears can have a realistic shot at putting their names in the book alongside other hunters who have killed giant black bears.

Weights It seems like every serious bear hunter wants to kill a really big one. (Caution: killing a really big one can lead to a desire to kill more big ones and even bigger ones.) In most areas, a bear weighing 400 pounds is uncommon, and would be considered a real trophy. That’s a milestone to shoot for. But there are 500-pound bears out there; and that’s the next milestone.

People talk about 500-pounders all the time, but a true quarter-ton black bear weighed on a scale is a lot rarer than most people realize. It truly is a remarkable trophy.

Of course, to shoot a bear that size requires just about everyone to travel to where those bears live. There are pockets of big bears where all the genetics, food availability and habitat lead to greater numbers of huge bears. To achieve this goal, you’ll need to up your odds by going to places that consistently produce these giant bears.

You may find it interesting that I have shot a couple bears over 400 pounds and one over 500. The largest skull, a B&C bear, was one of the 400-pounders. The 500-pounder didn’t make the 21-inch minimum. These were bowkilled bears.

The author has met all of his bear hunting goals, including taking a 500-pounder in Manitoba. Bears are unique animals and evaluating them is more complex than it might seem.

Color Phases It’s no secret that I have always been fascinated by color bears. In fact I have specifically targeted them in my quest to shoot the Grand Slam of the four major colors. I’ve chronicled that quest in this magazine so I won’t go into detail here. But for those of you who have an interest in shooting a black bear that ain’t black, let me tell you from personal experience that getting one isn’t that hard in the right geographical location. But getting one of each can take over your life.

The four major colors in which black bears occur are cinnamon or red, chocolate, blonde and of course black. There are colors of black bears that can squeeze in between those categories, but in the interest of simplicity, most people consider these four the main ones. Once again you need to go where the color phase bears live in order to shoot one, and that means the western half of the US and Canada.

Hunting Styles This is another list of things you can start checking off. The three main ways we pursue black bears are baiting, spot & stalk and hounds. To a lesser degree, some bears are shot each year by hunting over food sources, and in www.bear-hunting.com

some locations, drives with huge groups of people pushing patches of woods are common practice.

Some hunters are more experience-oriented than “numbers” oriented, so to speak. So shooting a bear of a certain number of inches doesn’t have as much appeal as trying new things in new areas. If you agree, this category may be for you.

Keep in mind that there are many variations on each of these. I have hunted with hounds in Idaho and Maine, and these two hunts, while both hound hunts, were very different. As another example, spotting and stalking bears in Montana is a lot different than it is in North Carolina. This category could keep you busy for a while!

Species of Bears Of course bear hunting has another Grand Slam that is elite and elusive. There are four species of bears in North America, black bears, polar bears, grizzlies and coastal brown bears. If you have friends or family in the right places, or $100,000 lying around to pay the outfitters necessary to pull this off, shooting these four bears could be a goal. It’s out of my reach, but wouldn’t it be cool?

I’d love to hear your thoughts and see your successes on these goals and milestones. Feel free to email me at bernie@bucksbullsbears.com.

Bear Hunting 61

@backcountrybrian

Western Bear Hunting with Brian Strickland

Picking the right outfitter

H e appeared like magic…literally. One minute the cluster of bait barrels I was guarding was void of life, and

then it was filled with the bruin for which I had traveled nearly 20 hours. Although I had seen over a dozen bears during this five-day Manitoba outfitted hunt with Todd Wohlgemuth, owner of Baldy Mountain Outfitters (www.baldymountainoutfitters. ca), none had jumped my pulse like this one.

Big bears are different than your average bruin, and it was quickly apparent his sixth sense was telling him something wasn’t quite right. As he slowly scanned every direction while inhaling every scent molecule trying to sort it out, I made a move to adjust my camera. In an instant, his blocky head swiveled in my direction and he stared right through me. Our eyes locked as my heart pounded through my chest with each passing second, and when he turned to walk away, I thought my hunt was over. With less than an hour of shooting light left on the last day of the hunt, I knew my 20-hour drive home the following day would certainly feel much longer after this en-counter.

However, when he paused in the brush and stared back at the barrels and began to slowly inch his way in their direction, fate must have had other plans. I gripped my bow a little tighter with each passing second, and when he presented a clear broadside shot moments later and I witnessed my arrow fly true, I knew my 20-hour drive home wouldn’t be so bad after all.

When I started big game hunting over 20 years ago, outfitted hunts were generally off the table. I was either too cheap to part with the Benjamins needed for such an adventure, or frankly didn’t have enough of them. Furthermore, because I often prefer a DIY approach, I passed on the outfitted option.

Over time those feelings have changed. Although the DIY approach is still my preferred method, using the resources that a quality outfitter offers is often a better approach, especially when it comes to spring black bears.

Why choose an outfitted black bear hunt you might ask? Well, they are often considerably cheaper than many other hunts, plus you get to hunt in the spring of the year when virtually everything else is off-limits. Also, with a baited bear hunt, which tends to offer the highest success rates, having the trap set before you arrive is a huge benefit. I’ve personally waited up to a week for a bait to see much activity on DIY hunts out west.

If you prefer the spot-and-stalk approach, a good outfitter is going to know areas that tend to hold bears during this fickle time of year, as well as the lay of the land and effective ways to spot bears in it. This past spring, I made two trips to Big Sky Country hoping to connect with a do-it-yourself bruin. Not only did I leave there with only memories, I didn’t see a bear until the last day of the first trip, and only a few bears on the second. Needless to say, I’m still on my Montana learning curve and I’m certain an outfitter would have made it much shorter.

That being said, picking the right outfitted bear camp to hole up in for a week this spring is certainly not easy. With hundreds to choose from across the Lower 48, Alaska and Canada, there’s plenty of bad apples mixed in with the good ones.

Although I’ve been fairly lucky over the years with only one I would consider to be a little sketchy, we’ve all heard horror stories of others that were complete disasters. But like anything 62 Bear Hunting

Picking the right outfitter can make or break your experience. else, most of these negative outcomes could have been avoided if the hunter would have done a little due diligence.

To start with, you have to determine the type of bear you want to hunt and what you’re willing to spend. If you’re looking for an over-sized, color phase bruin, it’s hard to beat Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. They harbor some of the biggest black bears in North America and there’s plenty of color phase ones in the right areas. These are generally baited-style hunts, are mid to upper range in price and success rates are high. If a spot-and-stalk style hunt for big black colored bears is your desire, you can’t beat British Columbia.

These are mid to upper price hunts as well. If saving some greenbacks is more of a concern than size, then the eastern Canadian provinces of On-tario and Quebec are where to look. You can find these baited-style hunts for $2,000 or less, but don’t expect to see many bears over 200 pounds.

As for U. S. based hunts, Alaska is a top option if you’re looking for size and numbers of bears with both baited and spot-and-stalk options available. These too are mid to upper priced bear hunts, plus the expense of get-ting to this far-flung destination. However, the fact that you’re in The Last Frontier makes it a great choice in my opinion. Then there’s western destinations to consider. Generally, they are mid-priced hunts with largely baited op-tions in Idaho and Wyoming, or spot-and-stalk in Montana. These locations have lots of mid-sized bears, as well as a few hammers. Some outfitters even offer a pack-in style hunt.

Once you determine what you’re looking for, zeroing in on the right outfitter is the next big step.

For me, that choice is largely summed up in one word…ethics. This has to do with their business, personal and work ethics, and once you find an outfitter that meets all three, keep them on the shortlist. As my buddy and pub-lisher/editor of Bear Hunting Magazine put it, “I want an outfitter I could trust to send my kids on a hunt with.” An honest, hard-working outfitter that plays by the rules regardless of the situation is what you’re looking for, and to ensure you find those requires due diligence.

If an outfitter is honest, he will freely provide numerous references of both recent successful and unsuccess-ful hunters. Don’t be afraid to reach out to these people. Most will relish sharing their experiences, both good and bad, and give you an honest impression. Besides a reference from a close friend, these outfitter references are the meat and potatoes when it comes to determining an outfitter’s ethics. Question both the outfitter and his references, and just don’t ask surface questions like trophy potential, hunter success rates, and how many hunters are hosted in a given hunt and season.

Dig deeper. Ask specific questions about the operation, its longevity, guide turnover rates and what to expect overall from a hunt. Although the outfitter can’t control the animals, he can control their profes-sional ethics and those will be exposed if you do some digging.

Don’t just focus on seasoned outfitters either. Although they have built their hard-earned reputation over the years and are generally worth every penny, they had to start Jan/Feb 2021

The author and Todd Wohlgemuth of Baldy Mountain Outfitters in Manitoba and a big spring bear.

The author has hunted with multiple Canadian and United States outfitters and offers helpful advice on picking the right one.

somewhere, and so do younger outfitters. A couple of my best outfitted hunts came from guys just starting out. On both occasions, they worked extremely hard to pro-vide an excellent experience.

If you plan to hunt with an outfitter out west, most of these destinations have guide and outfitter associations within the state. Check to see if a particular outfitter has a complaint history and other issues. Although one complaint shouldn’t be a deal-breaker, multiple ones are certainly red flags. You could also call the state wildlife enforcement agency to see if they have been cited with any

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violations in the past or had their outfitting license re-voked or suspended.

Using a booking agency is also a good option and there are many to choose from in today’s market. Although you may pay a little more, they have done a lot of the leg work for you and can explain the ins and outs of a particular hunt in detail. Many agents have even hunted with the outfitters they represent to ensure they offer the experience advertised.

However, even with a booking agency it’s still advisable to request and call references, as well as do a little online investigating looking for legitimate complaints.

Also, as tempting as it may be to book a hunt from a sports show, keep your checkbook in your pocket. Although you can often find show specials that will save a few greenbacks, booking on the spot eliminates your ability to do your own research.

Lastly, don’t be swayed by fancy websites and social media posts. Although these resources can be valuable tools, they also can be easily manipulated. It wasn’t too long ago that I noticed one of my images show up on an outfitter’s website that I had never hunted with, and I’m aware of other such scenarios as well. On the flip side, just because an outfitter doesn’t have a quality website or social media presence is not a reason to remove them from the shortlist. Truth is, one of my best outfitted experiences was with a nondescript outfitter that relied on returned customers and referrals.

I’ve tried booking with him again and can’t ever land a spot, and that speaks volumes.

Bear Hunting 63

y

Great Hunts

Bruin

Destinations

Spring Hunting in Maine In 1982 Maine closed its spring season, but you can still spring hunt with an outfitter on some tribal lands.

by Al Raychard

Maine has not held a statewide spring bear season for over 40 years. That’s an interesting footnote

considering between 1770 and 1957, bears in the Pine Tree State were considered pests with no closed season and were not established as a game animal until 1969. Everything changed after that, but the biggest change came in 1982 when Maine cancelled its spring season. I remember it well. I had been bear hunting on my own and a few times with guides for several years by then and for several reasons preferred hunting the spring season over the fall.

Few hunters understood the biologics and management goals of the state back then, so the closure was controversial to say the least. Most resident bear hunters and non-residents who came to Maine to partake of the only spring season east of the Mississippi spring season saw the closure as nothing more than a loss of a hunting opportunity, while bear guides and outfitters saw a fair percentage of their annual income disappear. Maine started monitoring bear harvests in 1969, and by the early 1980s harvests had exceeded goals set by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. Rumor had it that the closure was due in part to the killing of too many sows, which if continued unchecked had the potential of reducing the bear population, reported at around 18,000 at the time.

Whether true or not, by 1985 Maine’s bear population had increased to 21,000 based on improved data. It has continued to increase to an estimated 35,000-to-36,000 today, at or near the state’s biological carrying capacity according to the latest black bear management plan. The number would continue increase as the number of bear hunters and harvest numbers in recent years have decreased. Despite this, calls by biologists and hunters alike to reinstate a spring season have gone unheeded by the legislature, most recently in 2019.

However, spring bear hunts are available in Maine. In 1980 the State of Maine and the Penobscot Nation and Passamaquoddy Indian Tribe agreed to terms in their long on-going Indian Land Claims dispute. Signed into law by President Jimmy Carter, the act provided millions of dollars for lands taken by the state since the first European arrivals. Almost immediately large portions of those dollars were put to use in the purchase of trust lands and fee lands throughout the state. Trust lands are lands acquired outside the reservation areas but held in trust by the Federal government, while fee lands are lands acquired by the tribes that are held under relevant laws of the state. Under the Land Claims Act, the tribes were provided sovereignty over the lands they own, including the right of managing fish and wildlife and setting fishing and hunting regulations.

Presently the Passamaquoddy Tribe owns nearly 178,000 acres and the Penobscot Nation roughly 120,000 acres in western, northern and eastern Maine, including some of the best bear habitat and bear hunting territory in the state.

The Passamaquoddy Tribe started offering spring hunts on tribal lands in 2007 and the Penobscot Nation in 2009. Hunts can be arranged through commercial outfitters licensed and authorized to provide spring hunts on tribal lands through a special

64 Bear Hunting

arrangement with the respective tribes. A Maine hunting license is not required for these hunts but a tribal hunting license is and is purchased through the outfitters, many of whom advertise in Bear Hunting Magazine. As most do during the statewide fall bear hunt, lodging, guides, meals and other services are also part of the general package.

The number of permits issued each year is conservatively managed by the tribes, the number to each outfitter is limited and as might be expected, demand is high. Keeping that in mind, interested hunters should contact outfitters well in advance of the spring hunting season, which takes place for about eight weeks in May and June.

Spring bear hunts can also be arranged directly through the Penobscot Nation through registered Penobscot guides. Hunting permits are issued through these approved guides along with other services. A list of approved Penobscot Nation guides is available on the Penobscot Nation website.

Spring is a great time to hunt bears in Maine. Because outfitters have access to a limited number of tribal licenses, hunting pressure is quite low and many outfitters accommodate a limited number of hunters per week.

As a result, high shot opportunities and success rates are not uncommon and considering the bear breeding season takes place in June, large boars are a possibility not to mention it is also the opportunity to partake of the only spring bear hunt in the eastern United States. Along with that, many of the outfitters offering spring hunt are situated on or located near water, and Maine offers some excellent spring angling for trout, salmon and black bass, so make sure to take your fishing gear.

The Penobscot tribal lands offer spring bear hunting. Several Bear Hunting Magazine advertisers guide here in the spring including Penobscot Guiding Service and Mid-Maine Outfitters.

Jan/Feb 20210

Spring Bear in Maine OVERVIEW

Spring in Maine Overview

Estimated Black Bear Population: Not known on tribal lands but 35,000 +/- in Maine.

Areas Open to Spring Bear Hunts: Tribal lands of the Penobscot Nation and Passamaquoddy Tribe.

Spring Season Dates: Typically eight weeks in May and June. Check with outfitters for specific dates.

Bag Limit: Generally one bear. Some outfitters offer a second bear for a separate fee. Check with outfitter for details.

Baiting Allowed: Yes. All hunts are conducted over bait.

Legal Weapons: Handguns, centerfire rifle calibers, muzzleloaders, archery gear and crossbows. Check with outfitters for any specific caliber minimums on tribal lands.

License Availability: Limited number available through approved outfitters. Cost of tribal license generally included in cost of hunt.

Contacts: Penobscot Indian Nation Department of Natural Resources, 1-(207) 817-7330, www.penobscotnation.org/departemt/natural-resources-hunting-permits-information/spring-bear-hunt.

Passamaquoddy Indian Tribe, 1-(207) 853-2600, www.passamaquoddy.com.

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Bear Hunting 65

@j.lesperance

{Hounds and Bears} Column

IN Hot PUrsuit

By Jonathan Lesperance

It was the day after Thanksgiving, and the

final day that my friend Todd would be able to hunt his Nevada bear tag. We were meandering

our way up a snow-covered road, stopping at each set of tracks that were littered across the white landscape. It was quite cold and ice was starting to form along my beard. I was somewhat less than optimistic that we would cut a bear track that day, but as we took a spur road off the main two tracks, we were thrilled to see exactly what we had hoped for. There across the road and heading up the adjacent bank through a stand of willows were the unmistakable tracks of a bear. Assessing the situation, we determined that the bear was alone and big enough to pursue.

Our excitement was no doubt palpable, for as soon as I opened the door of the dog box, the dogs began to bawl – steam billowing out of their mouths and curling into the frigid morning air.

Late Season Bear Tactics for late season hunting. It’s not over until it’s over.

There’s a certain novelty to looking for bear tracks after a fresh snow. Perhaps it’s the notion from our childhood that bears all “go to sleep” once the snow starts to fall; there’s something that seems so incongruous about a large bruin making tracks in the fresh snow. This only adds to the intrigue of looking for bears late in the season, though the absence of bear activity as the temperatures drop can leave the woods with a rather haunting loneliness. Here in Nevada, by the time Thanksgiving comes around, most of us bear hunters in the Great Basin have already shifted our focus towards lions and the occasional bobcat. In fact, most years I’ve noticed a pretty steady decline in bear activity following Halloween. The dirt roads once covered in dusty bear tracks have given way to a blanket of frost or early snow. The green cones in the pinions have opened or fallen, and the bear trails through feeding areas have become occluded with pine duff and debris.

Driving roads for tracks can be very effective with a fresh snow, but the freeze-thaw cycles on dry ground can make driving an unproductive approach. The author’s favorite way to hunt bears during this time of the year is to free cast the dogs into areas that are likely to still have bears moving. *The author’s dog on a late November treed bear.

66 Bear Hunting

Jan/Feb 20210

Biologists refer to this decline in wide ranging and frequent bear activity the “fall transition” period. As hyperphagia starts to conclude for most bears, it can seem like the country that was once full of bears has almost emptied itself of bruins overnight. Our bear season in Nevada ends on the first of December, but our cat hunting overlaps with bear country, so we have ample opportunity to observe these fall transition patterns in person. The month of November can be a very slow time to hunt bears, but for those willing to invest the time and effort it can also be a very rewarding endeavor. Some of our largest bears are taken in the last weeks of the season, and at a personal level there’s a tremendous reward to finding and catching a late season bear, all the more so if it’s done with a blanket of snow.

In my experience, while it is still possible to rig for bears this time of year, the temperatures are often prohibitive to do so.

Driving roads for tracks can be very effective with a fresh snow, but the freeze-thaw cycles on dry ground can make driving an unproductive approach. My favorite way to hunt bears during this time of the year is to free cast the dogs into areas that are likely to still have bears moving.

These consist of two main areas: late season feeding areas and north facing slopes where a bear will be staging for denning.

Late season feeding areas almost always seem to occur near rocky outcroppings. While I am not certain why this seems to be the case, I have heard that it is because bears will start to raid rodent caches where squirrels and other animals have hidden buried stores of hard mast among the rocks. Whatever the case may be, there does seem to be a direct correlation between a bear’s late season activities and proximity to rock outcroppings and boulders.

Similarly, this time of year bears start to do what I call “staging,” where they will make frequent, short distance jaunts from where they are likely to den. These areas seem to be in very dense, thickly vegetated north slopes. Oftentimes, these staging areas are not too far from a late season feeding area. A thick north slope near a boulder field or scree slide is an excellent candidate for free casting dogs into.

Once you’ve located these areas, if a bear is frequenting them there will often be a maze of tracks and trails – at times bear tracks will be on top of bear tracks, going opposite directions and crossing the tracks at perpendicular angles. It can be like a spaghetti bowl of tracks, and undoubtedly saturated in bear scent. This can take a while for dogs to work out, and sometimes the best approach is to start walking a single track out with the dogs or, alternatively, walking a large radius around the edge of the bear activity. With any luck the dogs will get the short end of the track lined out and hopefully they’ll be taking it the right direction once they do (it’s never a bad idea to get your own eyes on the track to confirm)!

If you are successful in getting a bear race started after free casting into these areas, don’t be in too much of a hurry to head out after the dogs. Oftentimes the bear will make a wide-ranging loop and end up back in the area where the dogs started, though bears do seem to have a habit of playing by their own rules. The reward of catching a late season bear, besides the dog work and culmination of your efforts, is that these bears are almost always in outstanding condition, being at the peak of their body weight for the year with accumulated fat and a gorgeous hide that is ready for hibernation. www.bear-hunting.com

The freeze and thaw cycles can make tracking difficult. Look for late season feeding areas for your region to free cast dogs. The author has also noticed that bears, once jumped, will often circle back into the origin area they were jumped.

Below: The author’s late season Nevada bear. Bears cover much less ground in the late season, but many are still up and around, especially on years with good food availability.

Bears den in response to food availability, not the cold.

Bear Hunting 67

Identifying Oaks in the East

By Clay Newcomb

If

you’re going to be a deer, turkey, squirrel or bear hunter in the eastern deciduous forest, you need to be able to identify oak trees. There are over fifty species of oaks in the eastern United States, but they’re categoried into two main groups: red oaks and white oaks. Red oaks have bristled leaf lobes, meaning the leaf tips are pointed. Oaks in the white oak category have rounded lobes (except for a few species with serrated-like edges with a tear drop shaped leaf i.e., a chinquapin oak.) To clarify, there is a species in the white oak called the white oak. This is one of the most widely distributed oaks in the East and is very important to wildlife. However, other species like the post oak are also in the white oak family (see book).

This is the most important thing for hunters to know about acorn production. All the species of white oaks flower every year and the acorns mature in one year. Red Oak acorns take two years to develop, so they can produce acorns every other year. However, immature and mature acorns can be on the same tree at the same time. Additionally, when it comes to how wildlife use the different acorns, white oaks are by far the most sought after by game species. White oaks acorns have less tannin in the nut making them more palatable. White oak acorns begin to sprout immediately in the fall and spoil quickly on the ground.

White Oak *Rounded lobes

*Acorns take one year to Mature *Less Tannin *Sprout in fall

*Acorns take two years to Mature *More tannin *Sprout in spring

They don’t last as long. Red oak acorns sit on the ground all winter and sprout the next spring. The heavy tannin load preserves the red oak acorns. It’s interesting to see the built-in safety mechanisms into the ecosystem. *I suggest this book: Field Guide to Native Oak Species of Eastern North America.

Also, this is a great website for oak identification: www.catmanoutdoors.com/southeastern-oak-trees-1

Bear Questions/Answers With Al Raychard

Q - I have family that lives in Missouri and during a Thanksgiving telephone call my cousin mentioned a proposed black bear season. Is that true?

A - As of this writing in late December 2020 Missouri has approved a bear hunt. In early September of last year, the Missouri Conservation Commission approved the framework for a limited, highly regulated bear hunting season as proposed by the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC). The hunt will take place starting in the fall of this year. Under the proposed framework, among other proposed rules, the hunt would be for residents only, three bear hunting zones in the southern part of the state would be established, and a quota for each zone would be set. Permits would be issued through an application and random draw process. The hunt would take place each year from the third Monday in October and run for ten days or until the quota in each zone has been reach, whichever comes first. According to the latest estimates Missouri is currently home to between 540 and 840 black bears, the population is growing by about nine percent annually, expanding their range and is expected to double in less than ten years. More information can be obtained by contacting the Missouri Department of Conservation or visiting their web site for updates at www.mdc. mo.gov.

Q - Could you tell me which provinces in Canada have a two-bear limit?

68 Bear Hunting

Red Oak *Pointed lobes

A - There are several including Alberta with a supplemental license in many units, and British Columbia with a second tag. Both Saskatchewan and Ontario have a two-bear limit for residents in certain units. New Brunswick has a two-bear limit with a second license as does Quebec, although only one bear may be taken in the spring. Newfoundland also has a two-bear limit, both of which can be taken in the spring or one in the spring and one in the fall. In case you’re interested, here in the states, the limit in Alaska is one to five bears depending upon the unit, and some units in Idaho also have a two-bear limit. Washington has a twobear limit but only one may be taken in the spring.

Q - I am retiring soon and planning a spring black bear hunt and would like to start researching destinations. Which provinces in Canada and states offer a spring season?

A - Almost all provinces north of the border. There are two exceptions. Of the provinces that offer bear hunting opportunities, Nova Scotia does not have a spring season. The same is true of Prince Edward Island, where there are not bears. Here in the U.S., Alaska, Arizona, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming have spring bear seasons. Spring bear hunting is also available on tribal lands in Maine.

Submit your questions to alraychard@sacoriver.net Jan/Feb 20210

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