2022 - Issue 1 - January/February

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Teagan

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Jan/Feb 2022 Volume 23 - Issue 1 Cover photo by @Becca_Spring

by Rebecca Spring

Salty Bears of the Tongass

by Kurt Lockwood

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Teagan

By Bernie Barringer

How to Mess up a Bear Hunt...

26

Use of Leashed Tracking Dogs

By Mike Yancey

Arkansas Bear with Longbow

By Allen Morris

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by Joleen Morehead

DIY Bear Grease Candles

Missouri’s First Bear Season

36

Loss of Washington Spring Bear... 38

44

Kuma Niku Katsu

by Clay Newcomb

40

Cookie

By Douglas Boze

By Jade Berg

Columns

Cuddeback Trail Camera Contest Winner Win a Cuddeback Camera!

58 Bowhunting Bears

by Bernie Barringer - Bear Guru

60 Western Bear Hunting

“PARKOUR” Jim Gibson Wisconsin

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

by Brian Strickland - Western Hunter

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Bruin Desinations

64

Fleshing it Out

by Al Raychard - Bear Hunting Veteran

by Timothy Fowler - Renaissance Man

66 In Hot Pursuit -

by Chris Powell - Houndsman XP

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Bear Grease The Editor’s Note Clay Newcomb

@clay_newcomb

As the calendar rolls in 2022, I’m amazed a what a year 2021 has been. For the bear hunting world, we’ve won some and lost some. Missouri opened its first bear season in October, which is celebration of modern conservation and hunter opportunity. However, Washington state has postponed their spring bear season because of the influence of a non-science based, anti-hunting agenda. There are many groups working on getting this season reinstated. On a personal level, I had a great a fall. My son took a bear in the National Forest, and I killed a nice one in Arkansas. We’ve been eating bear chili and nachos at the Newcomb house like they’re going out of style. We rendered down about twenty-five pounds of fat and have been making bear grease biscuits, too. My cup runneth over, but I still need more bear grease.

At the time of this writing, I’m diving into my annual four months of raccoon hunting with hounds. Typically, my early falls are dominated by the work involved in baiting and hunting bears. After the first week of October my mind quickly shifts to whitetail deer hunting, and there it stays until the first week of December. At this time, we begin our annual Coonapolooza, which is where were coonhunt as much as possible for one month. About mid-January we’ll slow down just a bit as the new year starts to speed up. This gets complicated, because Coonapalooza is also overlapped by Squirrelapolooza. You can guess what this is – we squirrel hunt as absolutely as much as we can until the end of February.

I continue to be enthralled by the opportunity we have as American hunters to enjoy the outdoors in such an unprecedented way for modern times. As we come into 2022, please remain paying and active members of the advocacy groups working to protect hunting. And most importantly, do the best you can in your circles to represent hunting in an honorable way. Remember, hunters won’t decide the fate of our future, but rather those who don’t hunt. And lastly, don’t disparage the ideology or methods of your fellow, law-abiding sportsmen. Everybody does things different, and nobody does it just like you. Unification of the hunting community is critical for our future.

Have a great year!

Clay Newcomb 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 019451) is published bi-monthly by Bear Tracks $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. Media, LLC, 4052 N Abington Ct., FAyetteville,AR 72703. Periodicals Postage Paid at Box 168, West Fork, Arkansas or E-mail us at: CustomerService@bear-hunting.com

West Fork, AR and additional 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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Salty Bears of the Tongass

by Rebecca Spring

@becca_spring

Many of you will be familiar with what our household calls “you suck” emails; those terse messages from wildlife agencies that contain the dreaded word unsuccessful. I had resigned myself to being unable to draw a southeast Alaska bear permit while my husband and friends seemed to pull every year. I was considering changing my name but instead changed application areas and this resulted in the word successful ending up in my inbox.

For those unfamiliar with southeast Alaska black bear applications, they are due mid-December and result emails are sent mid-February. If successful, your tag doesn’t open for 7 months (for fall season) and if you want to hunt the spring you have 15 months to plan your trip. All these tags are for nonguided hunters only. We generally opt for the spring hunt for a few reasons. Foremost, in the spring coastal bears can be found voraciously feeding in tidal salt marshes which means two things; their table quality is prime, and they are active and accessible. A spring hunt is also ideal as it doesn’t crowd the already too short fall hunting season. Although this is a painful wait, it is perfect for DIY hunters to have the time needed to plan the logistics and get the most out of your tag.

The area we drew tags for requires a bit more planning than others. The island has no year round residents and no services. E-scouting revealed an area I wanted to focus on but the flight service we had planned to utilize went under due to COVID-19.

After a lot of phone calls and consulting some local knowledge we locked in a couple awesome pilots, one who had just purchased a DHC-2 Beaver who would fly us in, and another with an amphibious Cessna 185 who was willing to give us two flights out.

The reason we needed this kind of flight capacity was that we were planning on bringing our Pristine Ventures Pioneer X-Stream raft, custom frame and 2.5 HP motor. This would give us the mobility we needed to properly cover the many bays in our planned hunt area. Looking back, we may have still filled our tags without the aid of the raft, but it was worth the hassle and extra expense.

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The hunting area was remote and required planes to access the rugged landscape.

In terms of camp gear, we brought our basic backcountry setup for grizzly country; Seek Outside Redcliff and battery powered bear fence.

We borrowed a titanium wood stove from a buddy on a whim. I didn’t think we’d be able to find much dry firewood, but it ended up being the MPV of the trip (besides my husband). We packed our favorite dehydrated meals as backups but since we were taking the luxury cruise option weight wasn’t much of a concern and we brought some fresh food as well. We landed on chest waders as the best option as we saw ourselves getting in and out of the raft a lot. Southeast Alaska isn’t known for being dry so we figured we’d be pretty much living in them, and in fact we filled both our tags while wadered up.

The next hurdle was to get our raft, motor and frame packed up in an airline-friendly manner and get them up there. Our raft and frame were designed to be packed by mules or fit in a Super Cub, but it still made an impressive mountain of gear. It would be going as freight so we got it all booked, as well as most of our camp gear, and sent it on its way, hoping we would be seeing it soon as we flew out the next day.

We took off in great spirits with just our double rifle case and soft side cooler as check baggage and our backpacks as carry-ons filled with essential gear such as binoculars and Garmin inReach. We got to our destination without any trouble but immediately found out our freight hadn’t. There was a hitch in Seattle and it sounded like our gear might not make it for a week. Luckily we had a good buddy in town who helped us a form up a quick plan. We raided the local hardware store for essentials, did another grocery run and with borrowed gear were ready for plan B. And then we got a call that our gear would in fact be showing up the next day. Re12

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boot and return to plan A with a couple days of our trip lost but thankful for the hospitality of southeast Alaska. I bring this up as an example of how to always plan for the worst on Alaska trips. Expect bad weather and delays! If possible, plan an extra day on the front and back of your trip and most importantly, go with the flow and enjoy it all as part of the experience.

Finally we were able to see our raft loaded up into the Beaver and pile in for the flight to an area we had never seen except in aerial photos.

We hoped expansive, emerald, green grass flats full of bears was in our near future. Unloading in a light drizzle only took a few minutes and before we knew it, we were hearing the radial engine roar away down the bay. We lucked out finding a flat-ish opening to put camp and set to clearing a bit of brush to make space for tent and bear fence. We of course couldn’t

The author found claw marks and bear fur on a tree in camp. Could be a good sign.

Jan/Feb 2022

hunt that day due to Alaska regulations so we took our time getting camp and raft all set to hit it hard tomorrow. No bears were spotted that first day but we did find ourselves surrounded by sea otters and sooty grouse.

First morning of hunting dawned clear and cool and we planned a big trip to scout the area we could feasibly reach with our setup. We fired up the big 2.5 HP and we were off at a roaring 5 mph. The bay was calm, and we managed to cover its entire 12-mile length, which was disturbingly bear-less. With tails tucked we went back to camp for dinner. We decided to check out a nearby river to see if any steelhead were available since the bears didn’t want to play. The river was a tangled mess of downed timber, but we did find some gigantic, fresh piles of bear sign as well as some. With darkness coming on we found a place to set up downwind of the chewed-up grass flat. Not wanting to get stuck navigating back to camp in the dark, I was starting to get gear packed away when Justin said he saw the bear’s nose. Sure enough, there was a bear nose poking out of the dense brush which soon materialized into a rolling black mass of grass-eating fury. As he angry-ate we covered the 400 yards to his domain by creeping up

the river bed. We popped up onto the edge of the flat and I was able to see the upper half of the boar as he fed along, oblivious to our presence at 70 yards. Justin gave me honors on the shot if I wanted it and I did, dropping the bear with 150 grains of non-lead from my 28 Nosler. What my sasquatch husband could see but my short frame could not I was about to find out.

When I approached the bear I saw the lower half of his hide appeared shaved off. There was no disappointment though, I had finally drawn a tag for an incredible area and filled it with a 6-foot plus, grass-fed wilderness beast. Field photos were few as we quickly quartered him out and loaded up the packs, hoping to make it back to camp before the black. The raft performed even with the extra weight, and we were cruising up to our camp at dusk only to find a young boar on our beach. With worries about our supplies we approached our tent but thankfully the bear had kept his distance or the fence had done its job. By 11 pm we had the meat and hide hung and were sharpening knives and celebrating with some whiskey.

The tide and weather didn’t look ideal for a morning hunt, so I spent the high tide pulling the skull and getting the hide fleshed out. We hadn’t seen much bear activity on the morning low tide anyway. This we guessed was due to the late spring, it was early in May and temperatures were cool. I highly recommend bringing a copy of the tide charts for your hunt area.

The author and her husband set up camp in a small flat-ish opening complete with an electric bear fence.

The MPV of gear on the trip was the stove the author borrowed from a friend on a whim.

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The hunters used a small raft with a 2.5 hp motor to stay mobile.

The author took this mature bore while he was in a grass eating fury.

Some rivers feeding into the larger bodies of water were impassable by boat.

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They are invaluable as coastal bears will feed harder, becoming more visible during low tide. It will also help prevent you from getting stranded by the tide if you are hunting from a skiff or traversing a tide flat.

After an early dinner we headed out to the one part of the bay we hadn’t covered and immediately saw bears in every direction. It became overwhelming to try and decide which bear we should be targeting. We’d spot one bear, start stalking and then see another bear we decided was larger or less rubbed.

Finally in the far back end of the bay we saw the king of the flat, and he was in a good spot for a stalk. I cut the motor and silently oared the raft into wader-depth, allowing Justin to slip out using a small hill for cover. He was then able to quickly get under 100 yards from the grass obsessed boar and put him down with single shot from his .338 Win. Mag. Once again we were up to the same process as the night before; get him quartered and packed before the

The author discovered Chaetopsylla tuberculaticeps ursi, a large subspecies of bear flea that caused early extensive rubbing on all the bears they encountered.

The author’s husband, Justin, with his mature bear.

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massive, moss-covered hemlock and spruce and impending dark. We were warmed up and on a roll abundant fish and wildlife coexisting in a land now though and quickly and cleanly had the bear etched by the rhythms of the ocean. loaded up and headed for camp.

The trip to town was perfect with little With inReach weather telling us a storm front fog to obscure the endless inside passage was on the way we messaged the pilot wondering views. We now needed to get our bears sealed if he would have time to grab us the next day. If at the local fish and game office. Make sure we’ve learned anything from our Alaska trips it’s to make the most of your weather windows. He replied this is planned into your trip and be aware your closest office might not be open on weekends. he’d try to make a run for us in the afternoon. That meant the next morning was consumed with getting Some taxidermists are approved to seal, or meat deboned and packed into our soft side cooler you may be able to find a warden to help you out if things go sideways. The biologists were and getting Justin’s bear hide fleshed and the skull appreciative that our skulls had very little flesh pulled. We kept two rear hams bone-in for smoking left on them, evidently, they don’t see this often. whole and broke down the rest into muscle groups Both skulls were green scored just under 19” and and ziplocked, ready to freeze. Justin flew out on we were told they were the largest checked the first flight with the raft, and I was left to break in so far, but it was still early in the season. down camp as the pilot wouldn’t be able to make After getting everything legal we packed the another run until later in the afternoon. With camp hides and skulls up in a fish box ready to freight packed and waiting on the beach I had time to home. We freighted our meat home as well to wander the timber with our single shot .22 looking for sooty grouse and take in part of the masterpiece ensure it would stay in a freezer whenever possible. that is the Tongass, our largest national forest and the world’s largest temperate rainforest. We have been truly lucky to be able to experience a small part of this unique landscape with its unending tracts of

The author and her husband get their bears sealed or checked by local biologists once they arrived back into closest town. Both sculls were green scored at just under 19”. It is suggested to leave time in your plans for this and keep in mind it may not be any places available on the weekend.

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Teagan

By Kurt Lockwood

A yearly father-daughter spring black bear hunt in interior Alaska over bait.

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My daughter, Teagan, and I enjoy spring bear hunting over bait in interior Alaska for special reasons I’ll explain later. Baiting season opens April 15th, a time of year commonly referred to as “Break-Up,” where temperatures and slushy conditions vary significantly from year-toyear. We land on remote frozen lakes, rivers, and tundra with ski-equipped airplanes, then snowshoe hundreds of pounds of cheap dog food, powdered sugar, and a bucket of foul-smelling “stuff” to our registered bait sites.

Then, as soon as the ice melts and we can get back to the baits, we check them by airplanes on tundra tires or floats sometime around mid-May. For this hunt, Teagan and I were dropped off mid-afternoon on June 4th by a float-equipped Cessna 185. As the airplane departed, it sunk in… we were alone, except for the bears and mosquitos. Before getting set, Teagan and I have a ritual of putting out several jars of marshmallow fluff on stumps and branches that eventually gets stuck to bears’ feet and noses. Then, from our elevated platform and hub-style blind, we discuss shot placement and practice getting ready each time a new bear shows up. At approximately 11:30 pm, the big boar we had seen on the game camera finally showed up. We were not worried about the time of day because this far north, we really wouldn’t see darkness until around 3:00 am, and then it would begin to get light again by 4:00 am. He was a cagy guy who had our location pinned and was very aware of his position relative to ours. He laid behind the barrel for over 20 minutes scooped paw-fulls of food from behind cover.

We were heartbroken when the bear got up and left without giving Teagan a shot. I thought she would lose her patience, but she kept at it as I whispered words of encouragement. Even though the spring foliage was dense, I could still see his outline behind the bait. He milled about for a few minutes then walked back into the opening, standing broadside. Unfortunately, two spruce trees were between us that didn’t give Teagan a wide enough opening for her shot. One slow step, another slow

Teagan was uncomfortable around her first bear. This new experience was a lot to take in.

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The author and his daughter on their annual baited spring bear hunt in interior Alaska.

step, and his ribcage was fully exposed by the third step. I asked Teagan if she was on him. She replied, “yes,” and as I whispered our shooting ritual to her, the shot rang out and connected solid. The boar woofed, made three-to-four crashing bounds, then balled-up dead within thirty feet of where he was shot. Wow! I moved quickly to get Teagan’s electric ear muffs off so

After some tears, a good conversation, and a bunch of dad jokes Teagan gave a smile and thumbs up!

Jan/Feb 2022

she did not have to hear the amplified “death moan” often produced by dying black bears.

A grand celebration commenced as we recalled the preparation over the years that led to this glorious moment. Thirty minutes had passed since she shot, the woods were settled, and it was time to get our hands on Teagan’s first bear. I prepared the bear for that “perfect” photo and I was in all my glory, the proudest dad you could imagine.

When Teagan reluctantly sat down next to him, I didn’t see the hesitation and fear she had of that bear. I was talking to Teagan, teaching her, and explaining the process every step of the way but I didn’t see her physical reaction being that close to a big predator, dead or not. I finally got her bear posed just right, cleaned him up, and gave him much thanks.

Now for pictures, the easy part, the fun part.

Not! I took the first photo and noticed Teagan looked petrified. Then, the tears began when the second photo was taken. I want to say I did everything right and was the perfect dad, but most likely I fumbled through it and made matters worse. We tried thumbs up and dad jokes, but the tears kept coming. I’m sure she became as frustrated with me as I was with her and her only outlet was crying. I was task-driven because I knew there was a lot of work to do, which involved getting Teagan a good meal and tucked into a sleeping bag, skinning, butchering, and packing. By 1:10 am we dried the tears best we could and started taking pictures again. At some point, enough photos were taken, and we were both exhausted; it was 1:30 am.

I helped Teagan climb back up into the blind and told her to get ready for bed. I walked towards the lake to “water a tree” when I heard the distinct sounds of a distant black bear popping its jaws. I quickly climbed the short ladder while telling Teagan another black bear was coming in. As I reached the top rung of the ladder, chaos broke out below me. It was violent, loud, so out of place that I couldn’t wrap my head around it at first, but when the enormous grizzly came into focus, I realized we were in a situation. I jumped up on the low platform and looked directly at this enraged animal effortlessly ripping small trees out of the ground. I rushed to Teagan, “Are you okay? Sit down now!” I tried to figure out what this bear had in store for us. The way this Grizz looked at us, I could tell no kind intentions were in his mind – all eight square feet of him would undoubtedly maul us if we were on his level. Shooting a grizzly over bait was legal, but the problem was that I already punched my tag when I had been fortunate enough to harvest a grizzly about a week ago.

Teagan sat there and absorbed the chaos. I was yelling at the bear, and he was roaring back. As suddenly as he erupted from the brush, he disappeared. Did that just happen, I thought. Then it sunk in how fortunate we were to avoid a mauling or worse. We were on the ground, right there, within seconds before he let loose. Whatever set the Grizz off, I am thankful we didn’t have to face him on his level. The woods assumed a new eerie feeling as we reached the darkest hours of the night. Teagan assured me she was okay, and I was not about to convey how serious our situation was. To her, it was just another day in the woods with dad hunting bears.

We had a black bear that needed tending to but

This grizz showed aggresion towards Kurt and Teagan.

He’s lucky Kurt already filled his grizz tag for the year.

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getting out of the tree was not an option right now. I was worried about the meat and hide and didn’t want a single ounce of Teagan’s hardearned bear to go to waste. I contemplated a reasonable time to get back on the ground safely, and after about thirty minutes, my question was answered. He was back! The Grizz stood on his hind legs and looked up at us. His open jaws, yellow teeth, black gums, and pink tongue were vivid at just several feet away. Once again, I found myself face to face with this monster, tracking his every move with my crosshairs. The Grizz and I were in gridlock. He looked downright mad wishing he could get at us as and I wished he would just leave us alone. Again, just as soon as he came back, he ran off.

The big Grizz never touched Teagan’s bear and visited two more times, each just as violent as the first. The woods would seem to just quiet down, and then he’d bust back in beneath our stand as if to appear out of thin air. How can something be so quiet one second and so ferocious the next? About 30 minutes came and went, and our Grizz had not returned or at least showed himself. Teagan eventually fell asleep at 3:50 am. I settled into my chair with my rifle in my lap and dozed off as morning slowly came At 7:00 am, I had a discussion with Teagan that no dad should ever have with their daughter. I gave Teagan strict instructions NOT to come down out of the blind no matter what happened to me

Nervous that the grizz might have eaten part of Teagan’s bear, Kurt was elated to find the bear untouched.

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Finally, some good sleep after a busy night. It took a while to fall asleep with the excitement from the day!

and to WAIT until my buddy in his floatplane arrived later in the morning. I stood at the base of the stand, and Teagan looked down at me while I surveyed the area of Grizzly-slashed trees.

Where was he now? Was he waiting out of sight to attack me in front of my daughter? I took one last glance at Teagan and as sternly as I could reminded her, “No matter what! Do not come down from that tree!”

Rigor mortis set in so maneuvering Teagan’s large bear was nearly impossible. Now and then I’d hear, “Dad, are you okay? Do you hear the bear?” I would respond “No” and asked her how she was doing and if she needed anything.

Although rushed, I managed to skin Teagan’s bear without cutting myself or putting extra holes in the bear’s hide. I was elated to find out the hide and meat were in perfect condition.

As I loaded the last game bag full, I heard the sound of a small, single-engine aircraft in the distance. It was around 10:00 am when I told Teagan to hold tight for a few more minutes as I walked out to greet the airplane. Before I could tell Teagan’s bear story, my buddy pointed to the south end of the lake and told me he saw a grizzly bear chasing a cow moose and its newborn calf. I told him our story.

Teagan was a chatterbox and could not stop telling tales of the hunt while the airplane was being loaded. We were standing on the lakeshore when we saw something brown running through the grass on the far end of the lake. A cow moose and her calf came clearly into view.

They were sprinting along the lakeshore in our diJan/Feb 2022

rection. A split-second later, we saw our Grizz in hot pursuit. Closer and closer they all came, directly towards us.

They weren’t on top of us by any means but the sense of desperation and sheer terror in the eyes of the moose told the all too vivid, timeless story of predator versus prey.

Fifty yards ahead of us, both moose cut into the woods and went out of sight. The Grizz kept coming towards us. Fortunately, except perhaps for the moose, the Grizz veered into the woods, and we never saw him again. We quickly loaded into the floatplane and departed. What a night!

The outdoors can be a puzzling place for all of us, but understandably more so for my daughter. Teagan has a significant Intellectual Disability and was thirteen years old when she shot her first bear in this story. Hunting black bears, specifically over bait provides Teagan increased opportunities for success because of her limited accurate shooting range. Teagan loves to hunt, fish, and trap in our home state of Alaska and she’s one incredible hunter -with more grit than many neurotypical adults!

Teagan and others like her have a story to tell. I suspect there are countless outstanding young people with intellectual disabilities who would love the out-of-doors but lack the guidance to get them there. Teagan has the biggest heart of any person I know. For her, it’s not just time with dad, it is genuinely about the outdoor pursuits.

She can go from pink and sparkles to camo and rifle in seconds. Teagan hunts hard and digs in when it’s time for field dressing, butchering, and cooking. Teagan continues racking up spring black bears, despite our scary night with the Grizz. She is an ambassador to our hunting heritage, and I am proud of her accomplishments. Taking a child hunting for their first time can be trying for the most patient of parent. And, the challenges go up exponentially with a child with an intellectual or physical disability -- but so do the rewards.

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Kurt and Teagan pose together on one of their annual baited spring bear hunts.

The smile tells it all, this is fine dining in the blind.

Kurt probably just told a dad joke too. #dadjokes #gooddad

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Teagan has become quite the bear hunter. She has definitely gotten over her fear of being close to bears and now helps skin bears and even sometimes cleans the skulls!

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Hunting over bait in this area requires multiple trips by plane. Kurt and Teagan get dropped off to bait and hunt.

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I have been doing at least one spring bear hunt in Canada every year for many years, and I look forward to it all year. I love spring bear hunting. I was very disappointed when my 2020 spring bear hunt was cancelled, and when 2021 rolled around and left me with no Canadian options, I decided to do something about it. I was going to do two hunts to make up for the loss of the two Canadian opportunities.

There are a few places in the US where you can do a spring hunt. One is Idaho, and I detailed my spring Idaho bear hunt in an earlier issue of this magazine. There are also a small handful of other spring bear hunting opportunities on tribal lands. That’s right, if you hunt on lands owned my Native Americans and hunt with a native guide, you have a spring bear hunt. I came across guide George Sabattus of Indian Island, Maine who offered spring bear hunts in central Maine.

A couple phone calls and messages with George convinced me that this would be a fun opportunity. He started texting pictures of bears on his bait and that got me fired up. He answered my questions in a way that I felt I would be in good hands.

I had hunted Maine in the past, and I love the state and its hunting opportunities. I much prefer to drive to hunting destinations, but this one would require a series of flights.

In early May I landed in Bangor and took a cab for and hour and a half ride north to the Millinocket area where George is based out of. Habitat-wise, Maine is much like northern Minnesota where I live, other than the fact that they have a lot of beech trees.

Because the native-owned land is in parcels which can be some distance apart, George put me up in a motel the first couple nights, and told me that he would be moving me to a cabin an hour away if I didn’t get a bear right away, where I would hunt another section of native-owned land.

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Jan/Feb 2022

How to Mess up a Bear Hunt in Maine

Maine is a place I love to hunt, and spring is the time I love to do it. But this unique hunt had a surprising twist.

By Bernie Barringer

www.bear-hunting.com

Bear Hunting

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I spent the first day helping George run bear baits and I liked him right off. He had a great sense of humor, and I could tell he was ambitious and willing to work hard to get his clients on a bear. Too many guides aren’t willing to spend the time or the money to really do it right, but he used good quality bait and plenty of it.

The weather was hot and humid. I mean ridiculously hot. There was not way to get into a stand without breaking a sweat, but we made the most of it. I was placed on a bait the first evening which had a couple nice bears hitting it, but didn’t see anything. Not surprising when you consider that it was still 80 degrees at dark when I climbed down. The 4-wheeler ride back to the truck actually felt good with the breeze blowing across me!

Day two brought more warm weather as I spent the day running baits with George. Baiting is one of the things I enjoy the most. I got to ride an ATV through the trails on native land, checking trail cameras, hauling baits and comparing notes on baiting strategy with a guide from another part of the world. Great fun!

On evening number two I sat at the same bait, and toughed it out in the heat. At the very end of legal shooting light, I heard jaws popping off to my right. Sure enough, a bear was coming.

It was too dark to make it out right away, but I pulled my bow off the hanger and noticed that I could still make out my sight pins. I heard the teeth clacking again a minute later and then I could hear an ATV coming down the trail in the distance. Here comes George and this is going to be close. As soon as the ATV’s headlights broke a hill a hundred yards away, I could hear the bear shuffle off. Night number two was in the books.

Day three brought a change in the weather. The high was in the 60’s and a west wind cooled off the forest. George’s buddy showed up with a bunch of lobsters and clams and a big pot to boil them in. He placed a couple cans of beer and some water in the pot and dumped it all in. Once it was steamed, we feasted on a traditional Maine meal of seafood dipped in butter. This is another one of the reasons I love Maine!

A father and son duo from Wester Virginia were staying at the remote cabin and they were heading home so I moved out there along with Bob, another hunter. Despite the heat, the son had shot a bear to take back with him.

Bob was a business man who was a fun guy to spend a bear camp with, despite the fact that he tricked me into drinking some Moxie Soda. If you’ve never had Moxie in Maine, that doesn’t mean anything to you; but let me put it this way, if you never get to Maine to try this local soda with a colorful background, just stay home and eat mothballs which will be a similar experience.

We put up a ladder stand at a bait where 28

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A couple flights and layovers along with a hour and a half cab ride got the author to central Maine.

Fresh lobster and clams are on the menu on a Maine bear hunt. The author and outfitter cooked up and shared a saltwater feast. This is typical of a Maine bear hunt.

I would be sitting for that evening and checked the trail camera. I was excited to see several bears on the camera, including a big male who seemed to be getting interested in a sow that was a regular at the site. This increased my enthusiasm level to say the least.

Getting in the stand that evening, I encountered a completely different environ than I had the previous nights. A cooling breeze made things very comfortable, birds were chirping and flitting about and squirrels were bouncing around as if to show their joy that the oppressing heat of the past few days was finally over.

The bears should be on the move!

About an hour before sunset, I saw my first patch of black fur quite a distance away through the brush. It disappeared, then reappeared a few minutes later just to the right of the bait. I could tell it was a small bear, possibly the yearling that had been with the sow on the trail camera photos. It circled around behind me, then slowly worked its way back in a large half-circle to show up behind the bait again.

Over the next hour, it made circles around the bait site, never committing to the bait site itself.

Several times, it would stop in an opening in the brush on the side of a hill, 40 yards from the bait where it could observe the bait site.

This little bugger was truly scared to death of a bigger bear. My guess was that it Jan/Feb 2022

A big male bear shows interest in a female the day prior to the author hunting this bait.

The author rode along on the atv and helped check and fill baits prior to his first hunt with the outfitter.

The author stayed comfortable in the stand waiting on a bruin to cruise into the bait.

had just been beat up by the big male who probably made off with his mother. I had no intention of shooting this 100-pound bear of course, but I was surprised at its level of caution. Then it walked away for good. Or so I thought.

I kept looking at that opening in the brush, expecting it to come back at some point. Then, a few minutes before the end of legal shooting light, upon glancing over at the spot for the umpteenth time, a surge of adrenaline shot through me. There was a bear sitting there, and this one www.bear-hunting.com

was clearly bigger than the bear that had been around me for an hour. This bear just sat there as my anticipation built. It was getting darker by the minute, and I kept checking the bow in my hand to see if I could still use my sight pins. I didn’t dare pull out my phone to look at the time and risk lighting up my face.

Finally, the bear made a move towards the bait. He had 40 yards to cover and I prayed that he would cover it in a hurry as he disappeared into the thick cover. A moment later he stepped out at the barrel, facing directly towards me. I had no shot. I was sure I was going to lose this opportunity as I already knew my camera wasn’t picking up enough light to video. He moved slowly and cautiously about, picking at bits of trail mix until he was broadside. I settled the pin and send the arrow on its way.

The lighted nock looked like it hit perfectly. The bear crashed off in a half circle, but the noise ended almost as soon as it had begun. There is a lot of moss in these deep woods so I wasn’t surprised that the sound ended that fast. I looked at my phone. One minute left of legal light.

I got down and looked at my arrow.

The blood on the arrow looked good so, after Bear Hunting

29

a few minutes I started looking where the bear ran. I could see vegetation bent over and depressions in the moss but no blood. After going 20 yards and not finding a drop of blood I backed out and called George. He advised we go back in the morning.

I slept well that night expecting to walk up to a dead bear in the morning with no problem. But morning would bring a scenario I was not expecting.

Bob and I headed out to recover the bear after breakfast. We went to the location of the last sound I heard and started looking for sign and blood. We found neither. It wasn’t that concerning at first, but after two hours of body searching, those doubts began to creep in.

There’s this sick feeling I really hate. It’s hard to describe, but if you’ve felt it, you know what I’m talking about. Doubts. Concerns. Bleh.

George had a long way to come and had some errands to run so when he showed up, Bob and I were pretty discouraged. He was surprised because he had taken his time, assuming that we would have a bear recovered right away.

I explained the trail leaving the bait, where I had found the tracks and knocked over brush. George started walking and walked right to the bear within 10 minutes. Not a drop of blood, but he just stumbled across it. It had fallen into a depression in the moss; both Bob and I had walked within a few yards of it but couldn’t see it.

Bob hollered to me, “Here’s your bear but it’s not the one you think your shot!”

He was right. I had shot the 100-pounder. I stood in disbelief for a moment trying to sort out what had happened. The only explanation is that the little bear had come back and committed to the bait at the exact time the larger one had left my vision and moved towards the bait. Where did the larger bear go? I guess I’ll never know.

George threw the bear over his shoulders and walked it back to the truck. I had already made arrangements to donate the bear to one of George’s friends who needed the meat, so it went to the locker and I have the photos and video to remember it by and that’s satisfying enough.

I really grew to appreciate George and enjoy his company on this trip. He has a good thing going, he has the ambition and the smarts, so he’d like to grow it. His limiting factor is finding good, reliable native guides who can help him with the workload. He certainly has good property to hunt, and he has the bears.

Maine is a long way to go for this Midwestern hunter, but I have a hankering to go back and redeem myself. And the fresh lobster is calling my name.

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Above: Bob, the author’s cabin mate took a good boar during camp. This is more like the bear that the author believed he was shooting rather than the small 100 pound boar he took (below).

Outfitter Info:

George Sabattus 207.944.5707 sabattusgeorge@gmail.com

Jan/Feb 2022

George the outfitter easily carries out the author’s bear.

Not the bear the author thought he shot. Be vigilant with bears coming in at dusk!

www.bear-hunting.com

Bear Hunting

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Arkansas Black Bear With a Longbow

By Mike Yancey The great state of Arkansas has a Black Bear program that is the envy of most states. We have a thriving population of bruins and a rich history of hunting them here in what was once known as the Bear State. I am proud to be a part of that bear hunting heritage that we have here in Arkansas, from the Mississippi Delta region of Arkansas to the Ozark Mountains that I call home, we have and hunt bears.

The Preparation for the Hunt The anticipation of the month prior to bear season opening is when we can start baiting bears here in Arkansas on private land is a date that is much anticipated after a long hot summer every year. I have had the pleasure to have history with a bait stand that I have been working and tending for many years now.

Not only do I have a long history with the sight but it is the only bear bait that I have in Arkansas. Often and mistakenly, people have a misunderstood idea or misconception about bear baiting. Thinking that you throw out some doughnuts and some grease and the bears will beat a path to your stand. This is as far from the truth as you can get. Bears are hard to figure out and there are no sure fire methods to success.

It took about seven years of baiting this sight every year, one month before the season opener to finally get consistent bear activity. You must put in the time and work to make it work. Location and persistence are the key, but that’s not to say that you won’t put out some bait and have a bear fall in love with your spot either. Just know that you need to rely on your hunting ability for success and not the bait.

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You must locate the bait site in an area that will allow you to hunt it as far as direction of wind and the expected travel route of the approaching bears.

Once you have that figured out as best you can the bears will find you if you are anywhere close to where they are.

Grease from cooking at a bait site will allow the bears that are coming to the site to leave a scent trail in the woods from their feet that every other bear in the woods will follow for miles around.

Bear attractants are also a huge key to bringing and keeping bears coming to your site. I have used an attractant called Wilderness Freaks Bear Attractant in Butterscotch scent for three years now and have had a bear killed opening day for these last three years at my site! It has a calling power that is second to none and the bears seem to love it, I wouldn’t make a bait station without it.

The Bow The opening day was fast approaching and I had decided that I would hunt with a sinew backed cedar bow that I had made several years ago. A bow that had accompanied me on a mountain lion hunt in New Mexico but no other hunt since. The bow is 58 inches long and 50@26’’ and will send a 617 grain hunting arrow to the target with deadly efficiency.

As I get older and drop from the sixty pound bows to the fifty pound bows I want the best I can get for the hunt. This little bow is easy to draw and shoot and I knew that if given the chance at a bear it would prove worthy of my confidence in it.

Jan/Feb 2022

The Hunt The day of the hunt arrived with a cool north wind and the first real hint of fall in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas. The dogwoods and sumac were the first to start showing off as fall began to make its presence known. The drive down the rough and winding dirt mountain roads brought back memories of past hunts and adventures from a lifetime of hunting these rouged Ozark Mountains woods. I had decided to not arrive before daylight this opening day because I had been getting a lot of bear activity just before daylight and didn’t want to spook a bear off the bait as I went in to hunt.

Instead I decided to drive to the site on an old logging road the same way that I always do when adding bait and checking the trail camera. Once at the site, I added bait and Wilderness Freaks attractant to the area like I always do. Then drove my truck out to leave the way I always do. Once away from the site I simply slipped back to my ground blind as quietly as possible. With the excitement of a kid the night before Christmas wondering what this day held instore I entered my pop up blind for the day.

I had many pictures of bears at the site all hours of the day so you could never tell when one might appear. The only reason for concern and its one that happens every year is that once the acorns begin to ripen and fall the bears will leave you high and dry for the natural mast crop freely available to them in every direction.

As the morning turned to afternoon I ate my lunch and drank a cup of coffee as the sound of white oak acorns dropped from their lofty perches high up in the mighty oaks that covered the ridge that I hunted.

The sound of this, in years past would have upset me but I have come to realize that what a better place to be than right in the middle of what they are looking for as the squirrels further proved my idea as they too took advantage of nature’s bounty.

It was the alarm bark of those very squirrels that alerted to the presence of an approaching bear to my stand in the last thirty minutes of shooting light. After setting in a ground blind for eleven and a half hours, the sound of barking squirrels was a sound that brought joy to my ears and my bow to my hand as I readied myself for the chance of a shot at what I thought to be an approaching bear. Just as the little squirrels had promised by listening to their sounds of alarm as they began barking, I could track the bear’s movement along the ridge that led around my stand location. As the barking of the squirrels got closer to my location the level of excitement began to grow as I began to feel my breathing becoming more rapid, anticipating the moment as I began to look for any sign of what I hoped to be the approaching bear.

Just like a black shadow moving across the forest floor the bear made its silent appearance. I have never heard a bear approach a stand, they simply appear! As the pulse in my bow hand quickened I anticipated the chance of a shot. The bear came by the bait and walked past it and straight for my ground blind. At three yards the bear stopped but didn’t allow a shot because it was between the shooting windows of my blind. I had already drawn and let down twice thinking that the bear was going to walk past but never did.

Finally it turned allowing me to draw and shoot at three yards. I watched in disbelief as the arrow kicked up

The author took this beautiful Arkansas bruin with a self-made bow.

www.bear-hunting.com

Bear Hunting

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flying harmlessly through the hair of the bears back. My shot was so close that I didn’t have room to keep the arrow fletching from hitting the cloth material of the shooting window.

The only sound made as the arrow flew over the bears back was the string from the new string tracker that I was trying out for the first time on this hunt. To my great fortune and surprise the bear simply made a big half circle as I readied a second arrow on my bow string. The bear raised up on a log to look the situation over just long enough for me to lock in for the shot. This time I watched as the Douglas Fir shaft tipped with a single bevel 185 grain Grizzly head and 75 grain Woodyweight passed effortlessly through the broadside bear standing at just over fifteen yards.

At the shot the bear spun and ran back in the direction that it used to approach, the sound of rustling leaves this time gave me directions as to where to begin my search. As the sound of the retreat stopped I knew the trail would be a short one.

I gathered up my needed gear to field dress my quarry as well as taking a quick compass reading just in case I became disoriented in the dark woods as night fall was quickly approaching.

The blood trail was a short one as I sorted it out amongst the forest floor. There isn’t much that can compare to the feeling of relief a Primitive Archer feels as he approaches the prize at the end of a successful hunt. The reward of harvesting big game with a wood bow that you made from material that you harvested as well as made with your own hands is one that every hunter needs to experience in his hunting lifetime. One should also experience the amount of work that lays ahead once you have a downed bear. As I stood over the mature male bear I realized that given the ruggedness as well as the steepness of the terrain that the bear ended up in, I would need help. I did the field dressing and rolled the carcass so the body cavity could cool out as best it could. Then I quickly made my way back to a road allowing for the best and shortest recovery of the bear.

I had to drive a mile or so to get on top of a mountain that would allow me cell service I needed to call and check in

the bear as well as recruit a couple of younger men to help me retrieve my prize. Another part of the huge effort involved in the game we so willingly pursue.

With a successful harvest of a big game animal in the bag with a sinew backed cedar bow as well after many hundreds and hundreds of shots over the years to its credit and other bows that I have built just like it, my confidence in the sinew and cedar is even more justified. I think that you too will be pleased with the speed and ease in shooting such a sweet bow and the added opportunities in future bow building that awaits you.

The author is the owner of Pine Hollow Longbows.

Look them up when you get a chance.

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Jan/Feb 2022

BJ Applegate

Harvested by Josh Dotson 387 lb Boar

Mike Province 68 Years Old

2021 Missouri Bear Season Photo Submissions The inaugural Missouri black bear hunt is a big win for conservation. These are five of the twelve bears taken over the short first season.

Congratulations to all of the successful hunters in Missouri this year! #GUARDTHEGATE

Travis Rasmussen

www.bear-hunting.com

John Day

Bear Hunting

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Missouri's First Bear Season

by Allen Morris

As the Black Bear Population continues to grow and expand across the United States. The first Missouri Black Bear Season is in the history books, Missouri joins 32 other fall bear hunts across the U.S..

This historical 10-day Black Bear season in 2021 for Missouri is as important as the first Missouri wild turkey spring season in 1960, the first modern Missouri deer season in 1944.

All these events happened because of HUNTERS took a stand in 1935, about 75 Missouri hunters met at a hotel in Columbia were disgusted with then the current state of the wildlife regulations controlled by the government and special interest groups, which eventually formed the Missouri Department of Conservation in 1937.

Hunters place a value on wildlife, habitat, and conservation. Because of hunters the Black Bear population across the United States continues grow.

Missouri Black Bear Season 2021 – 10 days – October 18 thru 27th. – Population of around 1,000 Black Bears.

MISSOURI BLACK BEAR SEASON BREAKDOWN This very restrictive and highly regulated Missouri Black Bear started when 6,335 Missourians applied and 400 tags in May of 2021. The quota of 40 Black Bears was set and you had to decide on which Bear Management Zone you were going to apply for. This is a Missouri Residence only hunt and would only occur across Southern Missouri south of the Missouri River.

The very restricted part of the Missouri Black Bear Hunting Regulations is that NO baiting is allowed, NO dogs are allowed, and NO electronic calls are allowed. Also, the season timing is weeks after the acorns start dropping across Southern Missouri The highly regulated framework included the bears allowed in each zone and if 80% of the quota was reached, they would consider closing the season for that zone before the 10 days were over.

Quota Breakdown Bear Management Zone 1 – Quota 20 Black Bears – 200 Permits issued Bear Management Zone 2 – Quota 15 Black Bears – 150 Permits issued Bear Management Zone 3 – Quota 5 Black Bears – 50 Permits Issued

Only single Black Bears could be taken by hunters, and MDC offered black bear hunting online classes since Missouri residence have never experienced black bear hunting in their lifetime.

Each night at around 10:15 p.m. was updated and the hunters would have to call the 800 number for the Missouri Department of Conservation Black Bear Status to find out current bear taken in Bear Management Zone and if the BMZ was still open or closed.

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MISSOURI HUNTERS ARE SUCCESSFUL! History was made with the first bear checked on October 18th, 2021, Est. 250 lb. sow black bear which was taken by John Day in Zone 1, Taney County on private land – No Ear Tag. Twelve bears were taken in this inaugural season!

Bear Management Zone 1 – 9 Black Bears Bear Management Zone 2 – 3 Black Bears Bear Management Zone 3 – 0 Black Bears

Current data with 12 of the hunters – 6 black bear boars and 6 black bear sows.

Current data with 12 of the hunters - 11 bears had no ear tags or collars and 1 bear had ear tags and estimated at 5 to 7 years old.

If you look at the BMZ for Missouri then look at the Arkansas black bear harvest map for 2020, which shows high harvest just south of the Missouri state line and Zone 1 in Southwest Missouri is the reason for the higher population and higher success rate in zone 1 for hunters.

THE OLD HISTORY OF MISSOURI BLACK BEAR – OZARKS The old history of black bears in Missouri was the history of high demand. In September of 1700’s, missionary was descending the Mississippi River. Near what is now Scott County, Missouri, he noted, “Today we saw over 50 bears, and of all that we killed only four to obtain some fat. Those that came down the Mississippi were lean, and those that came down from the direction of the Ohio were fat.”

Bear fat was particularly prized by the early frontiersmen, often rendered into nutritious bear oil for transport and storage. However, that was not all hunters desired. Bear meat was considered a more preferred, pork-like meat and making bear bacon was common.

Jan/Feb 2022

While exploring the Missouri River, the men of the Lewis & Clark expedition had a taste for bear. They killed ten to twelve bears on their passage through the state in 1804. Clark reports that on June 7th, in what is now Howard County, Missouri on the north side of the Missouri River, the hunters, “who had given us only deer brought in this evening three bears.”

Reports from other parts of the state indicate that bear numbers were equally impressive. In 1819, a traveler wrote “the wild below the Ohio, on both sides of the Mississippi abound with bear”.

By the 1830’s large numbers of bear were being taken by hunters in New Madrid County, Missouri along the Mississippi River to protect the “cattle industry” and it was in these isolated wildlands in Missouri’s Bootheel, that the last known population of black bears were thought to have survived.

Other travelers reported that occasional individuals could be found in the Bootheel until the great flood of 1927.

OZARK MOUNTAIN HIGHS AND LOWS Henry Rowe Schoolcraft traveled through the Ozarks in the winter of 1818. He noted in his journals that bear meat was a staple in the White River region which this river has had dams built and formed lakes like Table Rock Lake and Lake Taneycomo since that time.

A hunter named John Shaw was reported to have killed 300 bears near the southwest corner of the state in 1811. He had the skins and 800 gallons of bear oil to prove it. Another settler in the White River area reportedly had over 1000 pounds of bear bacon stored.

Just like the whitetail deer, wild turkey no wildlife could survive that kind of market hunting pressure and habitat changes by the clear cutting of timber; bear and other wildlife populations plummeted statewide.

Even Arkansas old history the state nickname was the “BEAR STATE” with guesstimates of 50,000 Black Bear in the state at one time.

HISTORY OF THE MISSOURI BLACK BEAR – OZARKS Black bears travel looking for new home ranges. Two tagged Missouri black bears have been taken by hunters in Arkansas.

The Missouri Department of Conservation deserves credit for the management of Black Bears in Missouri from research, data collecting, bear sightings, bear den checks, ear tags, GPS collars and nuisance complaints and numerous public and online meetings.

Missouri black bear was considered extirpated in the 1950’s, The initial black bear population in the Missouri research project in 2012 was around 300 to 350 bears with some DNA testing a remote population in the Mark Twain National Forest still had small population since 1950. Today it is around 1000’s black bears in Missouri.

OKLAHOMA - OZARKS This is the same path that Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation took for its management of Black Bear Season – FY 2000 - As a starting point the Oklahoma put the population at 450 Black Bears, admittedly a conservatively low number by the Biologist.

Oklahoma had its first black bear season in 2009 and 19 Black Bear were taken on a limit of 20 in www.bear-hunting.com

one month of hunting in only four counties it was open in. More than 100 bears in the four-county area open to the hunt had been tagged for research or as nuisance bears, and none of them turned up among the 19 killed.

The limit of 20 was set as a conservative harvest, 10 percent, of the most conservative population estimate of 200. With well over 100 marked bears out there, the Oklahoma Biologist say there is a large number of bears if we harvest almost 20 and don’t get a single one,” “The upper end of that population estimate was 700. Oklahoma Biologist, there’s a lot more than that.”

With 13 years of Black Bear Hunting FY 2021, the quota, methods, counties have expanded on black bear hunting in Oklahoma and the population estimates are around 2,500 bears.

ARKANSAS - OZARKS Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is the real hero of the success story of black bears. The reintroduction effort is still, to this day, considered the most successful reintroduction of large carnivores in history in the world. 1950’s before restocking of black bears into Arkansas the population was estimated at 30.

In the late 1950, black bears reintroduction of black bears in the Ouachita and Ozark Mountains of Arkansas.

That initial relocation of about 250 bears from northern Minnesota and Manitoba, Canada, turned into thousands of bears in the mountains of Arkansas, which then expanded into southwest Missouri and eastern Oklahoma.

Even the DNA trait 23% of black bears reintroduce where phase color. That still exist today in Arkansas, can be seen in Missouri and Oklahoma. The population went from 280 bears in 1950 and 70 years later along with 41 years of bear hunting. Arkansas is now home of 6,500 Black Bears, with quota increases, and methods expanding, which the Black Bears come in and out of Missouri and Oklahoma and this Region with 10,000 Black Bears.

With the ever-growing population Arkansas averages about 120 nuisance bear complaints a year back in 2015 and Missouri reports several roadkill bears yearly now.

Because of this conservation success story along with huge population expansion and growth. Big black bears and the existence of older population exist today in all three states. A 500 lb. to 600 lb. tranquilized Missouri black bear was recorded during research project. A 600 lb. Missouri black bear hit and killed near Thayer, Missouri. In Arkansas 638 lb., 580 lb. black bears have been taken with the most recent 570 lb. Arkansas black bear in 2020. In Oklahoma a 675 lb. and a 550 lb.

Black Bear have been taken by hunters. In the Arkansas black bear research, a 28-year-old female black bear was the oldest bear tagged in Arkansas at one time and was still having cubs at that age.

But the conservation success story does not stop in those three states black bears have been reported in Eastern Texas, Southern Illinois, Southeast Kansas along with Louisiana and Mississippi having reports now.

We applaud the Missouri wildlife department for making conservation based decisions in a day that it is not always guaranteed.

Great Job from the BHM Team!

BearHunting 37

The Loss of the 2022 Spring Bear Season in WashingTON

by Douglas Boze

@bozeandbears

POLITICS AND EMOTION OVERRULE SCIENCE

There are two entities we need to keep in mind during this discussion: the WDFW (Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife) and Fish and Wildlife Commission. The WDFW recommends and enforces game law. The Fish and Wildlife Commission is a group of 9 commissioners (similar to the supreme court of game law), 3 from the west side of the state, 3 from the east and 3 floaters, who establish hunting and fishing polices. Despite 9 required commissioners appointed, there are currently only 8 appointed on the Commission. The Commission is appointed by our Governor (Gov. Inslee is not hunter friendly) and confirmed by the legislature (many of which are just as friendly to hunters as Inslee).

So, as happens most years, a recommendation for some changes to certain topics came up. In this case it was for our special draw spring bear season. Keep in mind, this is a special draw, meaning you have to put into a lottery system basically, and only 664 tags are allotted for the roughly 3-month season (Mid-April through June) for the entire state. These are for very specific areas that are allowed to be hunted due to tree damage (bear peel the trees to eat the cambium layer and kill off the tree causing a large financial loss for our timber industry), and human-bear conflict. The recommendations were nothing over the top, a possible reduction of tags for a unit on the coast from 10 tags to 6 and some clarification of language used in a description of what successful hunters needed to do for checking the hide and skull with the department.

The proposed rulemaking (annual review) states: “The purpose of the proposed amendments is

to carry forward a long-standing recreational hunting opportunity to address bear management by continuing to use recreational hunting under a spring bear special permit in 2022; The purpose and anticipated effect of the amendments is to continue geographically focused spring hunting of black bear in areas where WDFW have observed on-going human-bear conflicts, low fall harvest modification to harvest and inspection procedures.”

(CR 102, Implements RCW 34.05.320) As you can see, nothing major with absolutely no mention of ethics of the hunt or even the possibility of a closure. An online written comment period was open for those who wanted to speak their minds on the subject, either for or against.

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From what I read, most if not all hunters were heavily in favor of keeping and possibly expanding the spring season due to our very healthy population of black bear and declining mule deer and elk herds. The WDFW head Director, Kelly Susewind, and the states biologists were all in favor (due to science proving the sustainability and need for the season) of continuing the hunt as it has gone on for several years.

The online comment period was then extended due to “public interest” (this struck me as odd initially, as it normally isn’t extended). A Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting was held on October 22, 2021, which just happened to be the Friday prior to the second weekend of modern deer season here in Washington (which is only 11-16 days long depending on what unit you hunt). To put it bluntly, it is a very busy time for deer hunters, most of which are out in the field trying to squeeze in all the very limited time we are presented to hunt deer. Was this meeting scheduled on that day by the commission on purpose to limit hunter interaction? I cannot say for sure, but it certainly appears suspect to me as they had 104 other days (meetings are held on Fridays and Saturdays) to choose from. As for me, I had put in my online comments, read what the possible changes could be and thought to myself, “This is no big deal, maybe a loss of 4 permits

on the coast, plus the WDFW looks to continue the season, I am going hunting.” Which is just what I did. I believe many other

hunters felt the exact same way.

So, while most hunters were off with their friends and family trying to enjoy the outdoors during a very limited season, the gate was left unguarded. HSUS (the Humane Society of the United States) capitalized on this and not only flooded the online comments with anti-hunting rhetoric (much of this done during the comment extension), but during the meeting on October 22nd, anti-hunting fanatics (across the nation) filled the public comment (online, in person via zoom) period with their disdain for our heritage. This made it appear as though hunters didn’t care about the subject, which I can tell you could not be farther from the truth.

Fast forward a few weeks and the WDFW gets to present to the Commission their argument to lessen the permits for that one unit from 10 to 6 and change the wording for a few minor items. But instead of sticking to the items lined out in the description, it turned into needing to prove that the spring bear season should continue at all (which appeared never in question in the first place). The 100-page document presented by the WDFW biologists to the Commission more than adequately accomplished this mission with numerous charts showing stable bear growth, low harvest rates for the overall spring/fall season and very low lactating sow harvest during the spring season. For example, in 2021, there were

Jan/Feb 2022

with a purpose. We were able to get to 20 yards from a bear but were unable to get a shot, due to the thick brush.

We could hear him stripping trees and catch flashes of his fury as he attacked the tree, it was a thrilling encounter for him at the time. He ended up not being successful, but the seed of spring bear hunting was planted and has grown within him. My hope is that he can continue to feed that fire.

You may say to yourself that its not your state, or even not what you hunt. But ask yourself, are bucks a little bit more of an easy target when they’re in the rut? Are fish finders cheating? The list goes on. The attack by certain members of the Fish and Wildlife Commission in Washington state, despite the recommendations by the WDFW, its biologists, their supplied science, and the requests of hunters of the state is not just against spring bear hunting. a 28-day period” and “85% of observed calf mortality ocIt is against the North American conservation model all curred between May and September each year” accordtogether. From New Jersey to California and everywhere in between, hunting is under attack, and we must guard ing to one study with a total black bear predation the gate, if not for ourselves, for our future generation of 15.9% of the overall calf mortality. Notice that the mortality occurs precisely during the spring bear hunt. of outdoors men and women. An attack on one of us is an attack on us all. We must band together during every Additionally, another study showed black bear were responsible for 10% of all blacktail deer fawn mortal- single one of these attacks, support each other, speak up for one another and fight for our heritage. Otherwise, the ity. This confirms what we already know as hunters, that black bear do a number on elk and fawn calves. next gate under attack will be yours.

For me personally, the most shocking admisYou can also help by joining the Western Bear Foundation, Sportsman’s sion from one of the “no” vote commissioners came Alliance, SCI, Blood Origins, or any other number of wildlife conservation from Lorna Smith who, when asked to explain her groups. vote stated in an email, “..while the argument is strong 143 bears taken during the spring season and only 1 of those was a lactating sow. Its legal to shoot sows in Washington, but a sow with cubs is discouraged, not illegal. I know of not one, self-respecting hunter who would shoot a sow with cubs intentionally.

Assuming a minimum 20,000 bear population (many estimates are over that amount) the average harvest for the past 5 years (2016-2020) is 6.5% (spring and fall combined) and hunter success ranges from 5-12% across all black bear management units.

While Commissioner Baker even stated that, there is…“No question that calves (elk) are not doing well there (referring to the Blue Mountains, located in our south east corner)” she still voted “no” on the spring hunt. This, despite the response by the WDFW stating, “bear predation is…generally limited to elk calves during

that spring hunting of bears as they emerge from hibernation when they are thin, starving, lethargic and less able to avoid threats violates the hunting ethics of fair chase, in my opinion, …is the underpinning of my vote against a spring bear hunt…” Stop the press right there. The

ethics of the hunt were never under scrutiny and “opinion” should never have been factored in. This should be a non-bias evaluation of the scientific evidence provided by the state, end of story. This statement proves she has a personal bias against spring bear hunting (and the so called non ethical hunters who participate) before even being presented with evidence proving otherwise. When I asked her how many spring bear she has hunted, since she must have obviously observed this bear behavior, she responded with, “Never, nor will I ever”. She has never hunted bear and is preaching to me about the ethics of the hunt. My mind was blown. I was insulted at the insinuation of being non ethical simply because I hunt bear in the spring. I have been drawn for the special spring bear hunt twice and notched my tag on two boars respectfully. Neither of which appeared in any way shape or form, “thin, starving, lethargic and less able to avoid threats”.

So, the commission held the vote, and it was a split vote, 4 voted yes to continue the hunt, and 4 voted no. Since this was a tie, and since there was not a 9th commissioner appointed as is required, the spring bear hunt for 2023 is cancelled (I thought a tie always goes to the runner?). The point is the mantra of “Guard the Gate” was not heeded to its fullest extent in my state and it has cost us a spring bear season thus far. There are a lot of questions that need answered.

My nephew was drawn for a spring bear hunt this year. He was able to go out with family and learn about conservation, stewardship, bear peels and sign, was able to watch herds of elk through the fog, a coyote as 20 yards hunt mice, he was outdoors

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The author’s nephew inspecting a tree recently stripped by a bear during his spring bear hunt.

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Bear Hunting 39

I’ve made candles before. It was in school, and it was one of those fun projects that teachers come up with that doubles as a Christmas presents for the family. Simple, easy, and fun. So, imagine me when I realized that I could make bear grease candles! I guess you could say I’m now on a quest to find everything that I can make with bear grease.

First, I had to gather supplies. For this project you can use old mason jars or reuse old candle jars.

(Cleaned out of course!) That was my plan, until I walked into Target and some cute looking jars. I fluttered my eyelashes at Kolby (my husband) and he said we could get them. Success!

Measurements:

Supplies:

• • • •

• • • •

2 cups of Bear Grease 1/2 cup of Stearic Acid 4 tablespoons of Beeswax 30 drops of your favorite essential oils, I went with a sandalwood blend. You could even use a citronella blend to keep the bugs away in the summertime.

• • •

Jars Rendered bear grease Beeswax Coated Wicks Glue dots- I used them to glue the base of the wick to the jar.

Steric acid- Amazon Beeswax- Amazon (Hobby Lobby was out) Essential oils- you can find at your local health food store.

Notes: This recipe makes about two jars- 10oz candles.

The steric acid used helps the bear grease stay a solid at room temperature.

The scent of the essential oils in this candle was light, so if you want your candle to have more fragrance add more drops!

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ead

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Bear Hunting

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Put the bear grease, stearic acid, and beeswax in a glass jar or measuring cup in a pot for a double boil.

Hot tip: put a cloth in the bottom of the pot, it will keep the heat from transferring directly from the metal to the glass.

Add melted stearic acid to the bear grease and stir.

Add desired essential oils to the mixture and stir well.

Add melted beeswax to the bear grease & stearic acid and stir. www.bear-hunting.com

Bear Hunting 41

Apply a glue dot to the bottom of each wick.

Firmly press the wick to the bottom of the jar.

Secure the wicks so they stay centered while candles set up.

Pour mixture into jars.

Put candles in refridgerator to set up.

Cut wicks to your desired length.

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Jan/Feb 2022

Light and enjoy! Our candles burn at a rate of about 1/4” every 6 hours.

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Bear Hunting 43

Legendary Bear Hounds:

Cookie

Owner, Doug McMann

by Clay Newcomb

Orginally published in the March/April 2016 issue

There is something to be said for the simplicity of breeding the best dogs to the best dogs, regardless of breed. Thinking outside of the “pure breed” box is taboo to some bear hunters, but to many it’s something they’ve done for years.

Bear hunters have always been interested in results.

The bottom line for houndsman is treed bears. Speed, a cold nose for tough tracks, the right amount of grit to stay alive, but enough to pressure a mean bear to bay or tree are key issues. What is amazing about this legendary bear “hound” is that much of its breeding isn’t even hound. This is the seventh article in our Legendary Bear Hound series. All of our previous articles have been on purebred hounds. We’ve done two articles on Treeing Walkers and four articles on American Plotts. Get ready because this article may make the gears in your mind spin backwards. Heck, some of you may not even believe it!

In 2004, outfitter Doug McMann, of what is now Skinner Creek Outfitters in British Columbia, got a mixed breed female named Buffy to be utilized as a companion and pet for the family. The dog was 1/2 border collie, 1/4 German shepherd and 1/4¼ golden retriever. You can imagine how smart the dog was because of the border collie (arguably the world’s Doug McMann of British Columbia with Cookie. She was The dog was 1/2 border collie, 1/4 German shepherd and 1/4¼ golden retriever, certainly an odd pedigree for a bear dog.

smartest breed). The German shepherd in the dog produced some tenacity, aggression and protectiveness. Golden retrievers are extremely loyal, trainable and intelligent. Buffy was a unique mix of all of these things. Buffy, however, isn’t the legendary bear hound, but she was the mother of one.

At the time the family got Buffy, Doug had some Walkers that he was training on big game. At different times he would bring Buffy along for the hunts. He became amazed, as the mix-breed dog would get in on the chases and show extreme aggression and fearlessness on cougars and bear. Doug said, “When Buffy was seven-months old, she was on a cougar that came out of the tree. She grabbed it by the tail when it hit the ground and fought it!”

Doug went on to describe Buffy later in life, “She loved to hunt. When she bit a bear, she BIT a bear. She would bite one in the haunches, and she’d get carried up the tree.” It actually got to the point where Doug was afraid to bring Buffy because she was rougher on game than his hounds.

He said, “She would go for the throat of a cougar.” He knew it was inevitable that she would get killed if he continued to let her hunt.

At the same time, Doug had a male dog named Rudy. Rudy was mainly Black and Tan, but was 1/16th Cameron Bluetick. Rudy had come from Brent Sinkler’s stock of dogs, a lion hunter in Alberta. According to Doug, Rudy was the most driven track dog he’d ever hunted. He was not fast on the track. He was slow and methodical and could work out the toughest, coldest tracks. He was a never-quit tree dog that would stay on a tree for as long as it took. Rudy was a top bear and cougar hound for Doug. He was the “rock” of the pack, but not too flashy.

At some point, Doug contrasted the qualities of his two dogs, Buffy and Rudy, and envisioned what it would be like to have dog that carried the strengths of both. In a moment of out-of-the-box thinking in 2008, Doug decided to breed the pair. Later Doug would say, “The biggest mistake I made was not keeping the whole litter.”

From a litter of five pups, Doug decided to keep a male and a female. He would name the pair, Cookie (female) and Burger. He gave away the rest of the dogs to people who really never used them for hunting. Sadly, all the littermates were eventually neutered or spade. It was an experimental litter, and he didn’t have much faith in the cross that would be the only one ever made between the two dogs. Two years later, at the age of five, the dam, Buffy, died in a freak accident. Rudy would continue on as a solid member of Doug’s pack for many years. Sadly, later in Rudy’s life, wolves killed him. But as many breeders understand, sometimes there is magic in a unique cross that is impossible to replicate. Such was the case with Buffy and Rudy.

Cookie and Burger Cookie and Burger started off strong at a young age. It helped that they were exposed to a tremendous amount of hunting. In British Columbia, Doug runs his hounds on bear, cougar and lynx more than 200 days per year.

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Legendary Bear Hounds Almost all his hounds are multi-species dogs, but some excel more at certain species than others.

Doug recalls, “Cookie and Burger treed their 20th bear by themselves on their first birthday. I let them sight-run a bear when they were young, and then after that they’d strike a bear on scent.” The pair was exceptionally fast and would literally leave the pack behind on almost every race, even when under a year old. The dogs had uncommon intelligence that helped them work out tricky spots in the tracks. “The dogs had exceptional noses, and they never really stayed on a track, but they drifted it,” Doug said. The dogs also seemed to have just the right combination of grit and smarts to not get killed. However, Burger would later disprove his early positions.

Both of the dogs were exceptionally trainable, far beyond that of most hounds. The border collie, German shepherd and golden retriever in the dogs brought out a deep sense of loyalty and desire to please Doug, who was already a very gifted houndsman and trainer. Doug said, “The dogs never needed a leash or a shock collar. We would be walking and see a bear cross the road several hundred yards away and the dogs would turn and look to me for the command of what to do.” The dogs could be called off any track, from any tree, from any distance with the tone of a shock collar (which was the only reason they wore them). “The cross put brains into the hounds, and that’s what I liked about them. They taught me and my whole pack how to run lynx,” Doug said.

Lynx are extremely tough to track and tree because they just don’t leave much scent in the extremely cold temperatures in which they’re hunted. “A lynx is the real test for a hound and she taught my pack how to tree them. They may go into a five-acre blow-down and stay in there hunting rabbits for two hours. When a dog strikes that track in that thicket, it can be extremely difficult. Cookie and Burger would hit that thicket and waste no time circling around to catch the track on the other side, while my other hounds would be hung up in the thicket,” Doug said. “Lynx are bad about jumping into different trees and coming down 50 yards away and going on their back track. While my other dogs would be slick treed, Cookie and Burger would be ½ mile away running the lynx.”

Cookie treed on an huge British Columbian fir tree.

She was known to beat the whole pack to the tree.

Burger’s Death

impact her. Some would argue that this wasn’t possible, and it was just a “rough cat” that she didn’t like. However, she never pulled It was late winter 2010 and Doug had a off another animal like she did that cat. Additionally, Doug went in cougar-hunting client in camp. They started a nice the next day and treed the cat after striking it off Burger’s carcass. track with Cookie, Burger and two other Walker When they shot it out, it was the only time that he ever had to physhounds. Watching the race on the GPS for some ically pull Cookie away from a dead animal. He couldn’t call her off time, Doug stated to his client, “Burger is dead.” the dog-killing cougar.

“How can you tell?” He replied back.

“Burger isn’t moving and Cookie is coming back,” Cookie’s Development Doug said.

The cougar had killed Burger. According Now two years old, Cookie continued to develop as a to Doug, this was the only time that Cookie ever bear, cougar and lynx dog. According to Doug, her main strength came back from a treed or bayed animal. It’s was her speed. She had an uncanny ability to leave the pack hard to determine what really went on in Cookie’s behind on every race. In order to diversify his pack and not lean mind, but the death of her littermate appeared to too much on one dog, Doug would often start a track with his other www.bear-hunting.com

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45

Desipte her non-hound pedigree, Cookie was an outstanding tree dog.She once stayed treed for 16 hours.

“Cookie was a legendary bear dog, but was even better lynx dog. She used her brain to figure out tough lynx tracks.

Cookie was on over 300 treed bears, 100 cougars, and 100 lynx. Sadly, she died of cancerwhen she was six years old. Cookie and her father, Rudy, at left.

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hounds. “With a 20-minute head start, Cookie would tree ahead of my other dogs consistently.” He said.

Even though she drifted a hot track like a magician, she was also very cold nosed and was an excellent rig dog. “If I found a three day old bear track in the snow, I could unload her and say, “Hunt it up.” She would look at me like I was crazy and track it by sight until she struck it.” The intelligence of the dog and its ability to understand what Doug wanted was unmatched and was clearly linked to its odd pedigree.

Cookie was also a hard tree dog. “She was a mix of that dog that sits back five yards from tree on it’s haunches, and the dog that’s always got his front feet on the wood.” He said. “The longest I left her on the tree was 16 hours before I could get to her. Her brother, Burger, was 7 months old and once stayed treed 21 hours on a lion.”

Cookie had a unique non-hound voice, as one might expect. Doug described it as a high-pitched chop that sounded more like a housedog than a hound. But at the end of the day, the sound of her voice didn’t make a bit of difference to a bear or cougar. Additionally, the dog was also very tough. Doug recalled a time when they were running lynx through ice and snow and Cookie’s paws and ankles were worn through the skin and bleeding. She would have continued on the track except for Doug calling her off for fear of greater injury.

Two of the most memorable stories Doug recalls about Cookie revolved around how she saved him in pinch from some mean bears on the ground.

There were four dogs, including Cookie, that had a mean 150-pound bear bayed on the ground in some thick brush. Doug was 15 feet from the action, but couldn’t see what was going on. He could see the bear’s head and wanted to get a picture of the tussle, so he pitched a rock at the bear while he held his camera ready for a picture. The bear jumped when the rock thudded and saw Doug for the first time. The reckless bruin then charged at him in a flash of amazing speed! When the bear was three feet from Doug’s face, Cookie slammed chest-to-chest into the bear, literally rolling him before it could reach her master.

After the crash the bear retreated. As only a seasoned outfitter can say, “The bear was coming to get me. It wasn’t a bluff charge. Cookie saved my hide that day.” Could the other dogs have done the same thing? Yes. But Cookie always had keen awareness of where Doug was and always seemed to be looking out for his welfare in sticky situations. An almost identical situation would later happen again.

Over the years, multiple clients said, “That dog listens to every word you say all the time.” Doug went on to explain, “She was always watching me.

Whether I was talking to other dogs, or people. She always knew what was going on.” She had a human awareness that wasn’t hound-like.

Over Cookie’s lifetime she was on over 300 treed bears, 100 cougars and 100 lynx. She died in 2014 at the age of six years old from cancer. If she had lived a few more years she would have likely surpassed the magical number of 500 bears treed. Doug said that due to her absence from his pack, in 2015 the lynx tracks have taken on average 30 minutes longer to tree. Though she was an exceptional and truly Jan/Feb 2022

legendary bear dog, she was the best on lynx. Unfortunately, Doug never raised a litter of pups from Cookie or any of her offspring.

Thoughts on Bear Hounds and Training Doug McMann, surprisingly, doesn’t come from a long line of houndsman. It was always a dream of his to own hounds, and it wasn’t until he was 36 years old that he did.

Despite a later start, he’s proven to be extremely gifted with his hounds and training.

He has only recently started breeding his own line of dogs. “I’m really trying to build a line of dogs kind of like Cookie. Dogs that are really intelligent, fast and small.” He’s found that the smaller dogs hold up better with the amount hunting he does and seem to navigate the thick stuff easier. Currently, Doug’s go-to breeds in his custom line are a Treeing Walker and Leopard Hound cross.

The result is a hound that almost looks like a Bluetick without any orange.

Doug says, “Bear hunting is easy up here compared to lynx. There is a lot of scent involved with a bear.” He went on to clarify his point, “However, finding a bear dog isn’t easy. Every dog thinks it can whip a cat, but not many dogs think they can whip a bear. It’s hard to “make” bear dogs. Even good litters from proven bear dogs have some that won’t make true bear dogs. You don’t make bear dogs; they’ve got to be born with it. Most hounds will chase a bear, but most won’t make true bear dogs. They’ll look great until they get a real mean one.”

Doug likes to raise his hounds with a lot of exposure to people. He says that most hounds are a lot smarter than people give them credit for. Secondly, hounds are usually not handled like pets and sometimes this can account for the lack of “trainability.” “When my clients ask me if they can pet the dogs, I say ‘absolutely.’”

Many of the dogs spend their first few months in Doug’s house with his wife and kids. Probably the most effective training technique he uses is the tone on his training collar. At about five months old he begins to lightly obedience train a hound with tones and stimulation. The dogs learn that he’s the boss, and he never has to get rough with any of them.

He says most people are surprised at the way his hounds handle. He only carries leads to the tree in case they want to tie the dogs back from the tree. Additionally, one of his finished hounds is toned trained to come back off a track or tree.

The evening we did the interview for this article, Doug explained how at dark he toned his hounds off a lynx track at dark.

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Closing Cookie was very much an untraditional bear dog with a very untraditional pedigree. Sometimes it’s these out-of-the-box stories that keep us on our toes and show us that there is more than one way to tree a bear. Legendary bear dogs come in all breeds, and on the rare occasion they come from an odd mix of dogs. A bear dog is a bear dog, regardless of what it looks like.

Cookie and her father Rudy, a Black and Tan, treed in the snow.

New Legendary Bear Hound stories starting next issue!

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Kuma Niku Katsu

by Jade Berg

“Kuma Niku” is Japanese for Bear meat. Katsu is essentially a ”breaded cutlet” that is fried and served with rice and shredded cabbage.

In this traditional Japanese recipe I am simply using bear instead of pork or chicken. But any wild game would be a delicious substitute.

I used bear backstraps ( loin) which I trimmed down into steaks and than pounded out very thin, sandwiched between two sheets of saran wrap to ensure a quick even cooking and a nice golden brown crunchy panko breading.

I typically like to season the pounded bear cutlets with salt and pepper about an hour prior to cooking and let them rest in the fridge to allow the salt time to penetrate to the middle of the meat.

Tonkatsu Sauce This sauce is easy to throw together, you can buy authentic pre-made Tonkatsu sauce from a Japanese supermarket or specialty store, but I find this world just as well This sauce is good on anything type of fried cutlet, I like to make sandwiches the next day with this and some shredded cabbage and japanese pickles.

Ingredients • • • • • • • •

1 tbsp Ketchup 2 ½ tbsp Soy Sauce 1 ½ tsp oyster sauce 1 tbsp Brown Sugar 1 tbsp Mirin 1 ½ tsp Worchestershire Tsp Fresh Ginger grated 1 clove crushed Garlic

Combine ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar, mirin, worcestershire, ginger and garlic together in a bowl and stir well to mix.

I prefer to make this a day ahead of time or even a few hours ahead of time to let the flavours blend well.

As always with any recipe use this as a guideline and adjust to your own taste preferences.

Kuma Niku Katsu Recipe The key to these is making sure they pounded out or cut to a uniform thickness to ensure the meat cooks evenly and reaches a temp of 160f without overcooking the breading.

The breading process is very simple, i prefer to keep my left hand for dipping the cutlets in eggs and then my right hand for breading panko, e.g. Wet hand Dry hand. That helps to prevent your fingers from becoming overly coated in panko and flour. Although I’ve seen many do this part with chopsticks or even a skewer to keep their hands clean.

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@chef_jade_berg

Ingredients • • • • • • • • • • •

4 pieces of black bear backstrap cut into 4” long sections Salt and pepper ½ cup flour 2 -3 eggs beaten 3 tbsp cold water 1-2 cups panko breading Vegetable oil Shredded cabbage Cooked sushi rice Tonkatsu sauce Japanese pickles (optional)

Instructions

• Take each bear steak and lay one sheet of saran wrap down on the counter and cover with another, gently but firmly pound the steaks out until they are approximately 1/4 inch thick.

• Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

• I prefer to use 3 bowls for the breading process. One with flour, one with eggs and water mixed together and lastly one with half of my panko in it.

• Coat each bear cutlet evenly with flour in the first bowl and than dip in the egg/water mixture and let excess run off back into the bowl before transferring to panko mixture making sure to fully coat in panko, sometime you may need to use your dry hand to press the breading in firmly but gently. You may need to switch your panko out for new panko halfway through breading if it seems to be clumping together in your bowl due to excess egg wash.

• Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

• Heat a skillet big enough to fry these one at a time over medium heat. Once the pan is hot add enough oil to generously coat the bottom of the pan and allow the oil to start to ripple before adding your first breaded bear cutlet.

• Cook each cutlet for aprox 2-3 min on the first side or until a deep golden brown, flip and allow the other side to brown as well. Setting each cooked piece aside on a plate lined with paper towell to absorb any excess oil.

Ensure they have reached an internal temp of 160f with a meat thermometer or if you are comfortable break on open with tongs and ensure it is fully cooked.

• Chop into thin slices on a cutting board just prior to plating.

Note: You may need to top up the oil in your pan in between cutlets and/or wipe out with paper towel to avoid burnt bits of pank from sticking to your meat, use your best judgement. You cant really mess this up.

To Plate Place a scoop of cooked sushi rice on a plate, and place the sliced bear cutlet on top.

Serve each with shredded cabbage and your homemade tonkatsu sauce and if you like some japanese pickles on the side!

Jan/Feb 2022

Flatten the loin to a uniform thickness, coat in egg, flour, and panko bread crumbs.

This cutlet is ready for the skillet!

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Cook for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Use a meat thermometer and cook to an internal temp of 160 degrees

Bear Hunting 49

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NCBHA Members, We are just about to conclude the 2021 bear hunting season here in North Carolina and based on the numerous unofficial reports we have from our members, the harvest has been quite bountiful, both in the east and western regions. We’ve also heard of several superb bears that could challenge the record book for points.

In the western mountain region, wide areas produced large mast crops and our members’ reports proclaimed to be better than normal. Our eastern bear hunting season is about to wrap-up with excellent results for a second consecutive year.

All of these reports are certainly welcomed news, especially after the severe drought we encountered across the state during the late summer months. Hopefully we will be able to update the season results in our next Bear Hunter Magazine edition.

If you read our last news page, you know that the NCWRC 2022-2023 regulatory proposals are about to be brought to the January NCWRC Public Hearings beginning in 2 weeks.

These meetings/hearings will establish the basis for changing the regulations for hunting, trapping and inland fishing. After

check”. There been the suggestion that all these bear special hunts should expire at the end of the current 10-year Bear Management Plan and be incorporated, in part, into the future Bear Management Plan or the practice ended. Additionally, some hunters are asking what’s the nature of Human-Bear interactions and conflicts; given it’s a bear sanctuary, suggesting perhaps we should be looking at limiting the human element in these sanctuaries. There’s confusion as to why Pisgah and Standing Indian bear sanctuaries are also included in the proposal when they were not the focus of the US Forest Service’s request.

NCBHA Findings: The NCBHA informally discussed how the NCWRC (agency) planned to structure and manage the special hunts. We understand the agency would utilize the same format used for the Daniel Boone Sanctuary special permit hunts and will closely monitor and regulate these hunts. The opportunity would provide equal opportunity for dog-hunting and still hunting in all regards. We were unable to determine if the agency would incorporate or consider a sunset provision or perhaps manage special hunts annually. Open items include party size and number of bears to be taken. The following notes are from these discussions: • Proposing to allow quota permit hunts on three (3) bear sanctuaries: Panthertown-Bonas Defeat, Pisgah, and Standing Indian bear sanctuaries starting this next hunting season (2022-2023).

• Permit hunts would be fashioned after the quota Permit Hunts the agency has on Daniel Boone Bear Sanctuary and other bear permit hunts (e.g., Dare Bombing Range, Holly Shelter Bear Garden Tract, Carteret County) in which there is a permit quota and maximum party size.

• If the proposed rule is approved, the agency will determine the permit quota and party size based on what each of the sanctuthe public hearings in each of the 4 NCWRC Regions, the aries can support while assuring a quality hunting experience.

Commissioners will vote on whether the proposals should be • Research from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville shows that adopted or not. Bear hunters must attend and speak-out on there are high bear densities in and adjacent to the three bear these proposals. Presently, we are tracking one Bear Hunting sanctuaries being proposed for permit hunt opportunities. proposal, which may create a lot of interest. The Bear Hunting • One challenge to meeting the Mountain BMU bear population regulatory proposal is supposed to be shown as G-13 in the objective is the increased barriers to bear hunting opportunities Game Lands section. on private lands due to the rapid increase in human populations and development. Opening up these three (3) bear sanctuaries G-13 Bear: Allow permit bear hunt on opportunities on: to quota permit hunts will allow increased bear hunting opporPanthertown / Bonas Defeat, Pisgah, and Standing Inditunities, which will assist in Mountain BMU population objectives, an Bear Sanctuaries in the Mountain Bear Management while assuring a sustainable harvest.

Unit (BMU).

• By maintaining these three (3) bear sanctuaries as designated bear sanctuaries, the agency would have the ability to adjust Justification: The US Forest Service has requested that the quota of permits if needed each year. That allows us to be Panthertown / Bonas Defeat Bear Sanctuary be opened responsive to both input from bear hunters, as well as our objecto permit hunt opportunities due to increased Human-Bear tives for the bear population. interactions occurring on both Forest Service and adjacent private property. The population management objective in Based on the NCWRC’s vision for the three (3) bear sanctuary special the Mountain BMU is to stabilize the population. Additional hunts, the NCBHA wouldn’t object to the proposal assuming it is harvest using the permit hunt system in these areas will help strictly scientifically managed. However, we encourage NC bear with reaching that objective. hunters to attend the meetings and provide their opinions on this important issue.

Objection: Several bear hunters are objecting to G13 for a variety of reasons, including the historical purpose of the As always, we invite you to join the only statewide association Bear Sanctuary system in North Carolina which was creatdedicated to bear hunting and hunting with dogs. Membership applied to re-establish the bear population into the surrounding cations and renewals should be sent to: NCBHA Member Services, environments and continue to produce bears for this purpose.

130 Holly Mt Church Road, Mt Gilead, NC 27306.

Hunters have asked if this proposed regulation would have Our website is NCBHA.com. Be safe! a stated duration or sunset provision, not wanting a “blank www.bear-hunting.com

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Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association Inc. Jan/Feb 2022 58th Annual Convention March 25 – March 26, 2022 10101 Market Street, Rothschild, WI 54474

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- 2022 Yamaha Viking UTV or $10,000.00 cash. 50 additional prizes to win. Ticket inquires: Jim Hamilton, Ph: 715-4603033, Email: jimhamilton@zimdarshardware.com WBHA Member Raffle Info- 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 26th, 2022. 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.

Governor’s Bear Tag Raffle- Tickets for a chance to win a 2022 Bear harvest tag. Only 500 tickets will be sold. Drawing will be held at the Convention on Saturday, March 26, 2022 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: Send cash donations to: Carl Schoettel 414-531-2296, for item donations contact: Eric Tuckner 651-775-7296, for puppy donations contact: Mark Scheunemann 715-897-1417 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 a 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 before the convention this year to your residence. If you did not receive your yearbook prior to the convention, and you were an active member on 12-31-2020, check the status of your yearbook at the member’s table.

Save the DateThe Southeast Town Hall Meeting will be held on Jan. 15th, 2022at the Berlin Conservation Club, W898 Whiteridge Rd, Berlin, WI The Northwest Town Hall Meeting will be held on April 30th, 2022 at the Browtine, 1361 100th St, Amery, WI 54001 These Town Hall Meetings are “member’s only” events, with memberships available at the door. These events will include guest speakers, legal updates, door prizes, raffles, silent auctions, and a good place to get to know your WBHA Board of Directors and Officers.

Doors open at 1:00 PM

Mail to: WBHA, 594 Rural St, Berlin, WI 54923 Call John Trochinski 920-229-0365 or email at bigjohntro@gmail.com 54

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Sportsmen across Michigan reported a fairly average bear hunt in 2021, though for some it will be a season they won’t soon forget.

While Michigan Department of Natural Resources officials continue to collect registrations across the state, preliminary data shows most of the state’s bear management units are reporting numbers similar to 2020.

In the western Upper Peninsula, early reports showed the Baraga and Bergland BMUs down about 15 percent, while in the Amasa BMU numbers were up about 5 percent. Check stations were generally at or above average in the Carney BMU, and down about 5 percent in the Gwinn BMU. In the east UP’s Newberry BMU, where hunters have complained about dwindling bear numbers in recent years, the harvest “looks like it’s up about 15 percent from last year,” Michigan DNR bear specialist Cody Norton said.

“Across the UP, we were hearing very positive things from hunters,” Norton said. “It just seemed like there was a lot of bear activity this year.”

Below the bridge, harvest in the popular Baldwin BMU, which covers the western portion of the Lower Peninsula, seemed to be “slightly above last year,” he said.

In the Red Oak BMU covering the eastern portion of the Lower Peninsula, “some check stations reported an average number checked in and some reported a little above average,” Norton said.

“We did increase harvest a bit so we kind of expect it to be a little above,” he said. “Hopefully it’s a good sign we increased harvest, but not too much.”

While most hunters reported a typical season in 2021, several harvested very large bears in unique and challenging hunts.

Mio AuSable High School freshman Shayna Stagg tagged a bear of a lifetime this year with the help of her father, Ted Stagg, and family friend, Tim Butler.

Butler drew a tag for the Red Oak BMU and after consulting with the elder Stagg opted to transfer the license to Shayna, while making arrangements for the Stagg family to transfer a tag to Butler’s young son, Brody, then the time was right.

The crew baited near Fairview and within days had multiple large bears on camera, the largest they nicknamed FB, short for fat bastard.

“I figured he was in the 500s, a nice heavy bear,” Ted Stagg said. “We had several bears coming in and we had another bear show up we called Legs, who was over 400 pounds.”

“The two would be within minutes of each other on the bait,” he said.

Later in the baiting season, FB went AWOL for a week, then returned to establish a pattern of hitting the bait between 7 and 7:40 p.m. That pattern continued until opening day, and the Staggs felt confident they would connect with FB. With Brody and Butler along for the hunt, the Staggs were waiting and ready at 7 p.m. on opening day, but FB was a no-show.

“Eight o’clock came wound and we were like, what happened?” Stagg said.

Minutes later, Legs showed up.

“We had a 400 to 450 pound bear in front of us the opening night,” he said. “I asked Shayna if she wanted to take him, but she said, ‘No, it’s not FB.’” Stagg said he tried to talk some sense into the 14-year-old, but she was set on the bigger bear.

“How do you pass up a 450 pound bear?” he said. “I would have never shot FB with a 450 pound bear in front of me.”

Shayna, an experienced hunter, said she had a hunch her patience would pay off.

“I knew FB was there and it was the first day of the www.bear-hunting.com

season, so I thought we could take that chance,” she said.

The next day, Stagg took Shayna from school at lunch to try again, and at 4:15 pm, in came FB. “I kinda wanted to say ‘I told you so,’” Shayna said.

“He was getting to the bait, smelling the barrel, when I shot him.”

A single round from Shayna’s .30-06 in the heart downed the massive boar within seconds.

“I thought he was a lot bigger than he looked on camera,” she said. “It was shocking to see when we put him on the scale he was 647 pounds.”

In nearby Roscommon County, Robert Porter also took a huge bear with a muzzleloader along a swamp known as the Dead Stream. For weeks, Porter hauled in 60-pound packs of bait to three sites, the farthest about a mile into the brush.

After passing on the first day of the season because of bad wind, he headed out the second day and baited his two closest sites before settling into his ground blind at the third, the farthest in.

“I got in about 6:30 and about 7:30 or so two cubs and a sow came in and goofed around,” he said, adding that a loud noise minutes later sent one of the cubs up a tree.

“All of a sudden, they just took off like a rocket,” he said.

Moments later a very large bear wander in, his shoulder well above a driveway marker Porter staked near the site to gauge size. As shooting time waned, Porter used the marker as reference and lined it up with the bear’s front shoulder, then fired just behind the mark.

“There was a billow of smoke and you couldn’t see,” he said.

Seconds later he could make out the bruin repeatedly leaping in the air in some small pines.

“I heard him hit the ground,” Porter said, “and I recorded about half of the death moan.”

Porter called his brother to bring in a sled, but the two soon realized the bear was too much. They gutted the bear and left him overnight, “praying the meat wouldn’t spoil.”

The next day the two and others returned to skin and quarter the bear, leaving the guts and as much of the fat as possible behind.

“I weighed everything when I got home,” he said, “and the total came to 471 pounds.”

Porter added an additional 17 to 18 percent to the weight to account for what they left behind, coming up with an estimated live weight of about 550 pounds.

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.

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Tony Fasano with guide, John Mixon Maine

Dillon Crosby Baited Hunt Maine 350lbs

Tyler Thomas First Bear Western NC

Jessie Gatchet First Bear DIY Hunt Oregon Tanner Johnson 1st Black Bear DIY hunt over bait

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Jan/Feb 2022

Maddox Buel with His mom, Erica First bear Maine

Nathan Buel New York Fall 2021

Hunter Bucher First bear West Virginia

Star Torres with Dad, Cody First Bear Fall 2021 Eastern Idaho

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Email your high resolution bear photos to info@bear-hunting.com or mail a copy to PO Box 168, West Fork, Arkansas 72774. We reserve the right to not publish photos based on image and photographic quality. www.bear-hunting.com

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The Strategic Bear Hunter

by Bernie Barringer

The photo of the bear on my trail camera

Bear# 6007 What we know about wide-ranging bears

made me sit up in my chair. This was a really big bear.

Huge. Definitely an old male; and he was a regular at this bait in Minnesota’s Zone 24. I would get a couple dozen photos and videos of him over the next couple weeks. Every single photo was at least an hour after dark. He was very recognizable because he had square DNR tags in each of his ears.

I filed the info in the back of my mind. During the following year, the 2021 season, I would not be baiting back up in that area, but he was always in the back of my mind. Imagine my surprise when I got another huge male bear with tags in both ears on camera again in 2021, but this bait was miles from the other, it was even in a different zone, Zone 27. As the nighttime photos of this bear persisted, I became curious. Could this actually be the same bear?

Well, my question was answered in a phone call to the Minnesota DNR bear biologist, Andy Tri. First off, he asked me what color the tags were, which I couldn’t answer because I didn’t have a single color photo of the bear, all were nighttime with a black flash camera.

The he told me something that narrowed it right down.

He said if it has square tags in both ears, is a male, and doesn’t have a GPS collar, it has to be bear #6007.

So there you have it, it was the same bear, but he was now at a bait 14 miles as the crow flies from where he’d been on my camera the previous year.

He then emailed me some more interesting information about Old #6007. Info that really made me rethink a lot of the things people consider normal in bear movements and bear home ranges. I have long been skeptical about the way we look at home ranges; in fact I have written about that in this column in the past. Inquisitive, and thirsty for knowledge about bears as I am, I needed to know more.

In short, bears will go where the food is. If you’re thinking that a bear has a home range of whatever square miles, you’re probably thinking of a block and there are distinct boundaries he rarely if ever crosses. This is simply not true. We now know that black bears, especially adult males, can cover a lot of gest of the bears I had on camera. ground.

What I learned from the info that Andy sent me was Turns out that when bear #6007 was three that bears seems to know where the concentration years old, he had denned on top of the ground in a ce- of quality food is found and they will go to it, even dar swamp by Big Falls Minnesota which is more than over long distances. There is a place in Minnesota 30 miles from where he was currently visiting my bait that has a high concentration of acorns and the station. He no longer has a GPS collar, but the biologist bears come from miles around to feed there when did tell me that they know him to be 8 years old. the acorns drop. Many of them come from as much And he’s big. Really big; probably at least 500 as 60 miles away. pounds, judging him in the trail cam photos against How do they know where this food is found? other bears who were visiting the same bait. One of There are a couple theories, both of which seem my clients, Jason from Fargo, North Dakota, killed a plausible and if the facts were known, it’s probably 375-pound bear on that bait and it was the third biga combination of the two. One theory is that the 58

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Bear 6007’s tracking data courtesy of the Minnesota DNR.

At three years old, Bear 6007 denned on top of the ground at the base of a small tree.

generations of bears have been taking their cubs to this area and its location is passed down through the years from generation to generation.

The other theory is my theory so take it for what it’s worth. I believe that bear put a lot of value in smelling the droppings of other bears. They can find out what other bears are feeding on. I really believe its one of the primary ways new bears find your baits and show up out of the blue even after the bait has been out for weeks. If a bear smells some droppings and realizes that this other bear is eating a lot better than he is, he’s likely to follow that bear’s scent trail. As this is confirmed by the scent trails and droppings of other bears, he eventually figures out where the food source is found.

Of course I am speculating, but I have seen a lot of evidence of this over the years. Can this lead a bear to a food source 30, 40 even 60 miles away? Over time, the cumulative collection of this information can lead a lot of bears to one place, and that appears to be the case. I have no doubt that if large numbers of bears are moving towards an area with quality food in Minnesota, it’s happening where you hunt as well. So these are some of the things that bear #6007 has taught us.

So this begs another question; is this big old mature male going to be killed by a hunter? I say I doubt it. He knows enough to never visit a bait site during legal shooting hours. If it was in a state where hounds are legal, maybe he would be killable, although these big males that get to this age are smart enough to figure out how to outsmart dogs as well, and they certainly aren’t going to tree. The likelihood of finding a tree that they can haul their fat carcass up into is slim to none, so there’s going to be a walking ground fight which figures in the bear’s favor.

I’d lay odds that Old #6007 is going to die of old age. As much as I would like to shoot him, or have one of my guide clients shoot him, I’m really okay just knowing that he’s out there and I’m at peace with the knowledge that he’ll probably outsmart me and all other hunters for the remainder of his life. Long live #6007! www.bear-hunting.com

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@backcountrybrian

Western Bear Hunting with Brian Strickland

He appeared just 12 steps from the base of the pine I was perched in, slipping towards the bait like a ghost floating above the forest floor. His raven-black hide looked impressive through the screen of brush he was easing through, and as he crept forward I knew the quest for my first black bear was about to come to a close. With each slow step he took my heart rate increased; but when he paused and raised his nose to inhale the cool mountain air, he knew something wasn’t right. For 10 minutes he stood statue-like, slowly turning his head in every direction surveying the area, and all I could do was wait.

With the evening mountain thermals already rolling downhill, there was no way this Utah bruin was smelling me. I hadn’t so much as even blinked since he appeared, so I knew he didn’t see me. With his sixth senses in overdrive, he knew something wasn’t quite right and I was hopeful the jelly-filled treats that had brought him to this point would push him over the edge.

Other than the bear’s pumpkin-sized head that slowly scanned the area, he stood motionless, trying to locate any potential danger. For a moment I thought his cautious virtue was satisfied and he was going to move towards the bait, but when his coalblack eyes looked up and locked on mine, that all changed. If looks could kill, Search & Rescue would have found me dangling from the tree in my safety harness the following day. And as suddenly as the encounter began it came to an abrupt end as his bulky body lumbered back into the brushy mountainside from where he had come.

As I’ve mentioned in previous columns, I was a latecomer to bear hunting.

Other than an unsuccessful spot-and-stalk hunt in British Columbia one spring shortly after picking up the bow, black bears were never on my radar. I suppose that I could blame my initial lack-luster response to living out west and having oodles of other 60

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First Bear game to chase come fall. Plus, with Colorado eliminating spring black bear hunting opportunities shortly after moving there in 1992, I honestly gave them little thought unless I happened to have a fall black bear tag in my pocket. Even then, it was more of an opportunity endeavor while chasing elk or deer, than a focus. As they say, hindsight is always 20/20, and as I watched the Utah bruin fade back into the mountain, I wish that I would have taken them more seriously back then. They have a lot to offer the willing hunter.

First off, they live in some of the most spectacular country found in the Lower 48 and Alaska. The fact that most of it is publicly owned makes the whole endeavor that much sweeter for DIY hunters. Secondly, you can hunt them during the spring and fall in many places, and with the price of bear tags generally less than other western big game species, they are even more appealing. Also, because you can experience a hunt using so many different methods, there’s rarely a dull moment.

Lastly and most important, they offer a fine hide for the wall and a rich taste for the table.

I had established this bait site deep into the Utah mountain range just six days prior, and it was on day three when my trail camera revealed my first visitor. He was a young bear that seemed to hit the bait daily, and although he was not worthy of an arrow, it was nice to know that one was interested. A couple of days later another one appeared, and when his image flashed across my computer screen, it caused me to do a double-take. He was clearly the one that had left tracks leading from the bait when I freshened it the previous day, and by the number of images my camera collected, he was laying claim to the bait.

As the evening wore on and the sunkissed the western horizon, I still had hopes that either a new boar would appear or the same one would try to slip in again to steal a tasty treat. With fresh pastries, meat scraps and used cooking grease delivered to the bait earlier in the day, the scent was overwhelming Jan/Feb 2022

The author is reminiscing his first of many bear hunts.

and drifting into the valley below.

Just as suddenly as the first encounter occurred a few hours earlier, so did a second. His shadowy form oozed towards the bait, but this time from the opposite direction, and it was clear by his blocky size that it was the same boar from earlier. He stood behind a cluster of spruce for several minutes mere feet from the bait, listening, smelling and watching, hoping the coast was clear.

With my bow already in hand, I clipped my release and waited for his chest to slip through the shooting lane. Adrenaline surged through my body with each passing second, and when his sweet spot appeared I slowly drew, settled and then released. The arrow disappeared through his chest in a flash and as the mortally wounded bruin thundered down the mountain, I was once again humbled by the sheer awesomeness of the whole western experience.

All first big game animals are special, but this one seemed a bit more. Being a late comer to the craft of bear hunting I’m sure had something to do with it, as well as my maturity.

Something about age that slows you down to appreciate the little things in life a little more. As I stood over my fallen prize, I couldn’t help but appreciate the whole experience.

www.bear-hunting.com

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ry

Great Hunts

Bruin

Destinations

by Al Raychard

Montana - Big Sky Bruins There are several reasons why bear hunting in Montana is so popular and should be given consideration for a challenging and memorable bear hunt.

If I had to choose one fair game destination in the northern Rocky Mountains, it would be Montana. Bear hunting with dogs was first prohibited in 1921, before bears were designated a game animal in 1923, but that has changed and hunting with dogs will be legal in 2022. Baiting bears was banned in 1948. The Big Sky State has been a popular destination among both resident and non-residents hunts with approximately 10,000 hunters spending roughly 90,000 to 100,000 days annually hunting bears. That number will undoubtedly continue to increase.

There are several reasons why bear hunting in Montana is so popular and should be given consideration for a challenging and memorable bear hunt. I have hunted most of the western states at some point and while each has something unique to offer few offer such spectacular scenery and wide-open spaces.

Montana covers a tad over 145,545 square miles, making it the fourth-largest state in the Union behind Alaska, Texas, and California. According to the latest census just over 1.8 million people live there. That’s about a 10-percent increase since 2010 but is still under seven folks per square mile making Montana the eight least populated state. Well over half the population live in core areas of Billings, Missoula, Bozeman, Kalispell, Great Falls and Helena, the state capital. That leaves a lot of wide open spaces and suffice it to say Montana has it to spare.

But there is so much more that makes Montana uniquely special and different. About 35 percent of the state is administered by federal or state agencies totaling some 31,300,000 acres. Over 16,800,000 acres are in the form of ten national forests with familiar and legendary names like Beaverhead, Bitterroot, Deerlodge, Flathead, Lewis and Clark and Lolo. Each is well known for providing some of the finest game hunting on the continent. Within these and others are a dozen designated wilderness areas, names like Absaroka-Bitterroot, Anaconda-Pintler, Bob Marshall, Great Bear, Scapegoat and Selway covering some 3,300,000 acres.

Then there are the mountains. About 60 percent of Montana in the central and eastern regions is prairie but the Rocky Mountains sprawl from the Canadian border in the north, form the state’s western boundary with Idaho before crossing into Wyoming.

Montana is of course world famous for its big game hunting. Elk along with deer, both mule and whitetail are primary attractions among most resident and non-residents hunters but black bears are also a major draw and Montana is generally considered one of the premiere western bear-hunting destinations.

One reason is Montana has lots bears with the population estimated at around 20,000. That doesn’t sound like a high number considering Montana’s size but the primary bear range is found in the mountainous western regions of the state.

Based on studies conducted by the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks densities are highest in the northwest mountain ranges, the Cabinet Mountains and Lewis Range, southward along the Bitterroots to the Pioneer Mountains and Absaroka Range in the southwest. Good numbers are also found in the Big Belt and Little Belt Mountains south of Great Falls and Crazy Moun62

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tain near Big Timber.

Evidence also suggest bear number are increasing in the southeast region of the state. Previously closed to bear hunting, the hunting of black bear was inaugurated in the region in 2006 and has gained a reputation for producing high success rates and big bears. Officially, Montana is broken into seven Wildlife Administrative Regions. Black bears are hunted in all regions except Region 6 covering the northeast region.

Some units in other regions also have no season.

Each region is also broken into Bear Management Units.

Spring hunting season dates vary by unit with most opening in April. Closing dates also vary. A number of units also carry a quota on total numbers of bears killed and while most are open to bears of either sex may have a quota on the number of females killed. Generally hunters are required to report a bear harvest within five days of harvesting a bear, or within five days upon reaching a trailhead when hunting wilderness areas, but some units under the quota system harvested bears must be reported with 48 hours. Once the quota is reached or approached the unit is closed. Hunters hunting on their own quota areas should check the quota daily if possible by telephoning (800) 385-7826 or (406) 444-1989. There is also a fall archery only season and a fall general season during which cast-and-blast opportunities or multiple species hunts are possible.

As is more common in western states and provinces Montana has its share of colored black bears. By most estimate upwards of 30 percent are some color other than black, including brown, cinnamon and blonde.

While Montana has plenty of public ground for the do-it-your hunter accessing and hunting its remote mountain regions and some of the best bear range is best utilizing the services of a licensed outfitter. Many remote areas are best reached using horses and require planning and equipment for a rewarding hunt. Outfitters can also assist in the license application process and reporting procedure while providing the other vital services, skills and expertise needed for a safe and rewarding hunt. To check whether an outfitter is properly licensed hunters may call (406) 841-2300.

It should also be noted an estimated 1,000 grizzly bears are present in some parts of Montana but may not be hunted. The last grizzly bear hunt in Montana took place back in 1991. Both Wyoming and Idaho were scheduled to have hunts in 2018 after grizzlies were delisted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service but the hunted were halted by a federal judge. Montana had opted not to hold a hunt. According to most research Montana’s grizzly population is growing and the odds of encountering a grizzly while hunting in some areas is increasing. To that end, since 2002 all hunters are required to successfully pass a black bear/grizzly bear identification test before purchasing a bear license. The test is available on the MFWP web site. It is also advised hunters carry and know how to use bear spray while hunting areas where grizzly bears are known to share territory with black bears.

Jan/Feb 20220

Montana Overview

Estimated Population: 15,000-20,000 Bag Limit: 1 per license year Hunting Areas: Basically statewide except most of northeast Wildlife Region 6 and certain restricted areas; certain wildlife areas, state and national parks, some state wildlife preserves and tribal lands.

Spring Season: Yes. Opens April 15. Closing dates vary by unit, either May 31 or June 15.* Fall Season: Yes. September 15-November 29.* Fall Archery Season: Yes, in some BMUs. September 5-14.* Legal Hunting Methods: Spot & Stalk; baiting are prohibited. Hunting with dogs legal starting in 2022.

Required Permits/License Costs: Conservation License (Required) Res: 8, NR: $10 Hunting Access Enhancement Fee: (Required) Res: $2, NR: $10 Black Bear License: Res: $19, NR: $350 Bow & Arrows Res: $10, NR: $10 Required in addition to bear license. Licenses purchased after April 14 and August 31 may not be used for 24 hours.

Legal Weapons: Rifles (No caliber restrictions), handguns, (No caliber restrictions), bow and arrow (arrows must weight no less than 300 grains), muzzleloaders .45 caliber minimum; crossbows except in archery only units. .

Contact: Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks: (406) 444-2535, www.fwp.mt.gov Montana Outfitters Association: (406) 449-3578, www.montanoutfitters.org * Check the 2022 regulations summary for specific open/closing dates.

www.bear-hunting.com

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Fleshing it Out with Timothy Fowler

The Tissue Issue @timothydfowler

Talking about this offensive issue is not as nearly as offensive and experiencing it.

Imagine some dude dropping a deuce on your front lawn, and I am not talking about your granny’s Gin Rummy wild card. You would lose your mind, call the police and the hazmat team because technically, this is biological waste and who knows what kind of risk that might pose to you, your neighbors, and your lawn. I would be furious. While hunting grouse, bears, deer, and rabbits this fall, I came across tissues and turds at nearly every place I stopped. There was even a steaming pile of people poo and paper just behind a bench where people sit to fish at the edge of a lake we came across this fall when I was walking my granddaughter looking for wild cranberries. That pile was a stone’s throw from a working pit toilet.

seeing people’s leftovers and trash and most importantly for the A_S_S_ Movement is their surface sh*ts––I guess to get right into the offensive stuff.

There is nothing near as offensive as stumbling across this tissue issue on your day off hiking or taking your family camping or hunting with some old-time friends. And then there you are a foot off the trail, and there’s a pile (of poop).

“It’s a stinky cross to bear, but I just got sick of it. So, what am I doing about it? Or what is anyone doing about it besides just talking and bitching and moaning? The A_S_S_Movement is a message with intent.”

Booze’s goal is to educate and encourage backwoods travelers to drop the deuce right correctly.

I was furious.

Bury it

In October, while bear hunting, at the end of a very long trail was a turd and a pile of tissue. The person who dropped that didn’t even try to hide what it was. The first week of November, when I set up my outfitter tent again, just where I was going to drive a stake, there was a tissue.

May I say that I am thoroughly disgusted and disappointed in our collective behavior? There are only two reasons for this to happen: ignorance or being ignorant. Ignorance can be addressed with education; the latter, well, that will take some time.

Micah Booze said, “You catch the eyesore quick when you have to put your hands in the dirt or even in fire pits where people put their waste.

I just got tired complaining about it.” He decided to stop talking and start acting. The A_S_S_ Movement is the action-oriented result. You can follow him on Instagram at “the_a_s_s_movement” and follow and share.

What to do?

Micah Booze, the guy who started the A_S_S_ Movement, said, “I’ve spent a lot of time in the woods with my job. I’m a wildland firefighter in Alaska, but I travel the whole continental United States during fire season. The A_S_S_ Movement all stemmed as a parallel in my job and career out there in the wildlands and forests, places where people are camping. These are places where you don’t see many people.

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The most accepted method to drop a deuce is to dig a ‘cat hole’ about 6-10 inches or 15-20 centimeters deep, drop, stir, cover, and tamp. The stirring introduces soil bacteria into the leavings and accelerates breakdown and incorporation into the soil. This method is suitable for backpackers, day-trippers, hunters, and so on. When several people are camped for a few days in the backcountry, a modification of this method is the trench. Dig a 6-10 inch15-20-centimeter-deep trench, keeping the excavated soil along the edge of the trench.

Drop your load at one end, stir, cover, and tamp.

The following user repeats the action as required, and as the trench gets filled in over a few days, campers can expand the trench.

Burn it

Being one of those lucky folks with an Outfitter tent, I set up on Crown Land a few weeks every year to pursue whatever game is open. Some of my best buddies and closest family members share the space for the mutual pursuit of game and enjoying the great outdoors. I felt a bit sheepish about our specific toilet routine until I re-read Meyer’s book. We burn it. Specifically, our method employs a specially designed toilet seat and lid that clamps on a five-gallon bucket. Insert a Kitchen Catcher plastic liner, deal the deuce, wipe, remove that bag (think doggie-do bag, just a bit bigger). Roll that in a paper plate (to keep the bag from melting in the wood stove) and add it to the roaring fire that is making coffee, a nod to your fellow campers, sanitize your hands and carry on—a roaring fire in a stove: perfect.

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Pack it out “What? Are you kidding me? I am not packing that sh*t out.” Well, sometimes there is no choice but to do the right thing. Hiking glaciers? Yes, packing crap out is a big ask. But in some protected areas with a lot of traffic, it is expected. (Think Appalachian Trail) Yes, it may be best to pack it out. I wish the folks that peed on the roadside and wiped would pack those tissues in a doggie bag destined for the trash.

Beyond the simple doggie bag for a tissue, there is an astounding myriad of poop packing devices available online.

Go Prepared If you’re hiking, hunting, fishing, or camping––in addition to a roll of toilet tissue––carry a trowel to dig a cat hole. You can use your hunting knife or pack ax to do the same. I have used the heel of my boot, a broken tree branch, or forest floor litter to make a suitable hole. When we camp, we plan and explain how the routine works to new campers. New folks usually snicker initially, and then they see that you and your hunting partner are dead serious. “Okay, got it.”

They say.

Special Consideration for Women Let’s face it; our rural grandmothers had perfected the skillful art of lifting skirts and having a quick pee on the prairie or in the woods.

Our polite urban society has eliminated the need to pass the skill on to the next generation of young women. Peeing in the woods is one place the gender equality discussion runs aground. Men and boys have been comfortably peeing in the woods forever. (And on the side of barns and granaries, trees, writing their names in the snow,

and so on.) But women and girls have specialty equipment that functions differently.

The grandma I share most of my camping trips with is a Saskatchewan farm girl. Let’s say she is adept. Recently she stepped off the trail with my two-year-old granddaughter to provide some clear and straightforward instruction. She also had a small plastic bag, so this little girl sees a competent demonstration of exactly how the operation works and what to do with the tissue at two years old. If your relationship with your grandmother allows her to demonstrate her skill, go ahead. Otherwise, Meyer recommends women practice the art of the squat in the shower or other safe-splash places to acquire the skill. (Her words, not mine.) An online search for “pee funnels” or “female urination devices” will reveal lavender silicon contraptions that close the gender gap firmly and decidedly quickly. Some cost less than $20 and are easily packed in a handbag or backpack.

Be Prepared to Share Hunters, they say, are judged by what they do when no one is looking. Well, we can see what was left behind when no one is looking. Hunters and outdoors folks are appropriately skilled at shitting in the woods. Let’s find the right time to share our expertise. Can we please be careful to take better care of our wild spaces and roadside stops going forward? Please?

A big congratulations to BHM columnist and contributer Timothy Fowler for winning the ‘Excellence in Craft’ award from the Outdoor Writers Association of America for his Sept/Oct 2020 article ‘Built Not Bought’. We’re proud of you Tim, you earned it!

-BHM Team-

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{Hounds and Bears} Column

IN Hot PUrsuit

By Chris Powell It is a real honor to write this column for Bear Hunting Magazine. When asked to take up the mantle and share my experience of hunting with hounds, my first thought was what can I contribute that would be useful for this diverse audience. Bear Hunting Magazine is such an in depth magazine that covers every aspect of bear hunting; nuance to the max from spot and stalk to cooking to hunting with hounds. Finding regular topics for this column that will intrigue every subscriber will be a fun and fulfilling task.

My goal with this article is to bridge gaps in the hunting community; in this case - the bear hunting community. If you are a spot and stalk hunter, hunt over bait or run hounds I have found that there is room for all of us. There is common ground we share.

There are common objectives we all have to unite around and achieve. It starts with communication and listening. We have to break down the tribalism, put egos aside and realize that being right is not nearly as important as doing the right thing. As a hunting community we have to stop shooting holes in the boat that we all depend upon for survival. We can do this.

My journey with hounds began forty years ago. I did not have a dad or grandfather who hunted with hounds but I did have an uncle through my step mother who was a coonhunter. I became completely enthralled with his hounds at a young age. He must have noticed my infatuation early on and gifted me with my very first hound. From there my infatuation turned to obsession. I read hand me down hound magazines, breed yearbooks, studied pedigrees and scoured the pages looking for information or people who could help me train my hound. My mother credits my hunting with me staying out of trouble. Of her six kids she says she worried about me the least because she knew I was hunting. Not to say that I didn’t give her plenty to worry about but at least the hounds eased her tensions a bit.

As an adult, I joined the United States Marines and took a temporary break from hounds and hunting. After my discharge I was immediately looking for a hound. I still subscribed to Full Cry and American Cooner during my service. Upon my discharge, I also started my career in law enforcement as an Indiana Conservation Officer. During my career, I became a police K-9 handler and certified trainer. It was then that my hound training took a new direction and got some real traction. Due to my professional life, I also saw a need for an organization that represented the interests of houndsmen and a friend and I founded the Hoosier Tree Dog Alliance in 2007.

Two and half years ago I launched a podcast called Houndsman XP. The goal was, and continues to be, to give houndsmen a credible voice in the hunting community. There were plenty of podcasts that were touching on the tradition but nothing solely committed to the topic. Podcast hosts would touch on it and try to discuss it but it always missed the mark. Our goal was to tell our story, take control of the narrative surrounding hunting with hounds and educate

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From the tailgate houndsmen in how to be successful not only in having great performing hounds but also how to co exist and thrive within the hunting community. As a community, houndsmen are woefully behind in public image, technical information, being involved in wildlife management practices and decision making processes. After 150 episodes we have covered all of these topics and many more and have only scratched the surface.

If we are going to begin this journey together; we have to be able to communicate. There is an entire vocabulary used by houndsmen that most who are not involved will not understand. Even if you do understand, seasoned houndsmen will agree that what each means is highly debatable. To complicate the matter further there is a distinct communication between hound and hunter. Each hound is different and it is the hunters responsibility to decipher the code. Let’s run through the basics and you will see what I mean.

Hound Terms Strike: The point in time when a hound indicates that it has detected the scent of it’s quarry. This is normally by giving an excited series of barks. A houndsman will be able to gauge the quality and strength of the scent based on the way a hound barks.

Track: To a houndsman this is not restricted to a physical impression of a footprint in the dirt, mud or snow. A track is a scent trail that is not detectable to the human eye or olfactory senses of the hunter. A seasoned houndsmen and hound can judge the quality and freshness of the scent based upon how the hound reacts to it.

Treed: When the quarry takes refuge the hound will indicate the end of the track by voice change. Bears don’t always climb trees. They may take refuge in a hole or cave and dogs become “treed” in the ground.

Bay: When a bear stops and faces off with the hounds. This usually occurs in thick cover or adverse terrain such as a steep creek bank or downed timber.

Walking Bay: Some bears are just such studs that they are unaffected by hounds and cannot be pressured to climb or stop easily. A walking bay often looks like a UFC fighter walking through a hostile crowd. He is unfazed and ignores the jeering crowd.

Rig: This is a contextual term that is better understood through examples.

“I put my hounds up on the rig”: the dog is placed in a position of the truck for the purpose of winding or detecting bear scent. This could be on top of the dog box, on the hood or simply through holes built for a hounds head to stick out of the the sides of the box.

“I got a rig about a quarter mile back”: while the dog was rigging he detected scent and gave and indication of the presence of scent by barking.

Jan/Feb 20220

Scent: A microscopic living organism that is unique to a specific living host.

This is so complicated that I will have devote multiple future articles to it. To get us started lets just say it is how a bear smells and how a dog smells it.

Split Race: When hounds start a pursuit as a pack and at some point split up and go different directions. It is most common when multiple bears are present and the bears split up and individual hounds make choice to remain dedicated to a particular bear.

Cold Nose: To the unindoctrinated this term is absurd. Who hasn’t had a dog come up and stick its wet, cold nose in the middle of your back in the middle of the night? To the houndsmen this describes the ability of the hound to detect and follow a scent trail that is considered to be older. When a hound is capable of following a scent trail that other hounds cannot, it is considered to be a cold nosed hound.

Hot Nose: When a hound only choses to open on and follow scent trails that are considered to be fresh it is considered to be hot nosed.

That should get us started and speaking the same basic language. This is by no means a complete list. Basically all I have done is give you just enough to be able to order a pint in a Norwegian Bar. In the future I will be using these terms and even breaking them down. By being able to communicate we can establish a dialogue. We can build alliances and we can stand united to preserve, protect and promote bear hunting in all of its honorable facets.

Until next time, you follow your hounds and I’ll follow mine.

www.bear-hunting.com

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Bandit Hat! For sale only www.bearhuntingmagazine.com Bear Questions/Answers With Al Raychard

Q-Could you settle a little debate my hunting buddy and I have going? He says eight western states have a spring bear hunt. I say there’s only six. Who’s right?

Q-The COVID epidemic last year effected many aspects of modern life. I was just wondering if it had any positive or negative effect on hunting.

A-Your buddy was right but things have changed.

In November of last year the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission voted in a 4-4 tie to postpone its spring bear hunt in 2022. The permit-only hunt has been in place in one form of another since 1973 and head each spring since 1999. So the number is actually in the middle at seven now hold a spring bear hunt. The commission will vote again next fall where to allow a spring hunt in 2023.

A-In a survey last year at least 35 states out of 40 surveyed indicated an increase in resident 2020 hunting license sales over 2019, but a decrease in non-resident sales, undoubtedly due to many states had a lockdown on travel during the height of the epidemic. The million dollar question are the increases here to stay? Overall license sales for 2021 in most states are not yet available but it’ll be interesting to see whether the increase in hunters is permanent or just a one-time deal.

Q- I understand Missouri held its first modern-day Q-Do all bears hibernate for the same period of bear hunt last year. I’m just wondering how many bears were killed and are future hunts being planned? time?

A-Yes, Missouri held its first-ever regulated bear hunt A-The quick answer is no. Black bears go into a state October 18-27, 2021. The hunt was open to residents of torpor up to 7-1/2 months, grizzly bears 5-to-7 only and 6,330 hunters applied for the 400 available months and Alaskan brown bears 5-to-8 months. permits. A maximum of 40 bears were allotted to be Duration depends on geographic location, available fall foods and several other factors. In general, the taken. By the end of the season 12 bears had been killed. Missouri’s bear population is growing by about father south you go the shorter bears den up. Bears 9-percent annually and expected to double within the in Florida may not go into torpor at all, or for just a few weeks while studies have shown bears in parts of next decade. Future hunts are planned including for Mexico don’t den at all.

2022 but the number of available permits may vary.

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