2021 - Issue 4 - July/August

Montana bear

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July/Aug 2021 Volume 22 - Issue 4

Magazine

Cover photo by Jason Loftus Untamed Images

by Jana Waller

Pistols and Hounds in Utah

by John Baugus

10

In-Season Keys to Hunting Appalachia

18

By James Jurban

The Mountain Laughed

24

Use of Leashed Tracking Dogs

By Wade Nolan

By Jake Horton

Video Research on Bear Predation

30

by Tim Fowler

Culinary Metamorphasis

Overlooked Western Bear Hunting

32

by Kolby Morehead

38

Don’t Boil. Macerate

By John Murphy

Bear Hunting on Ebikes

By Steve Fielder

42

Cascade Big Timber

36

46

Columns

Cuddeback Trail Camera Contest Winner Win a Cuddeback Camera!

58 Bowhunting Bears

by Bernie Barringer - Bear Guru

60 Western Bear Hunting

“Big Bear. Little Tree.”

Stanley Edwards

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

62

Bruin Desinations -

64

Fleshing it Out -

by Al Raychard - Bear Hunting Veteran

by Timothy Fowler - Renaissance Man

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Bear Hunting

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Bear Grease The Editor’s Note Clay Newcomb

@clay_newcomb

I used to hate the summer S

ummer is here. The natural systems of the earth are now hard at work producing the pallet on which we’ll partake of the fall. I used to hate the summer. I remember where I was standing when I looked across an Ozark vista and my perspective changed. I envisioned the bears eating blackberries and putting on layers of fat. I envisioned the antlers of whitetail deer being fueled by the green, leafy browse. I envisioned the roots of oak trees sucking up water to IV drip their forming acorns. All these things are formed in the summer and are ripe for the harvest in the fall. In an instant, a thirty-year paradigm vanished, and I loved the summer. There is no fall without a journey.

We’ve been on a journey ourselves the last year and a half. Hopefully, the Canadian border will open back up and we can go visit our bear hunting friends in Canada who have been crippled by COVID travel restrictions. This is the second spring where the border has been shut down, which has effectively halted the Canadian outfitting business. I’m planning a trip to Manitoba for a whitetail hunt this fall. I hope the border opens up!

I’m about to start feverishly preparing for my fall bear baiting routine in Arkansas and Oklahoma. I can’t wait to see old friends, be drenched in sweat, and feed the bears (also my old friends). I’ve got my eyes on two giant black bruins. Those suckers are so smart to my ways of baiting it’s like I’m hunting ghosts, but hope remains. The older I get the more I value the routines of the year and see them like the changing of natural systems. I like it that our lives as hunters flow with the rotation of the earth, the growth of vegetation, and with the time cycles of the game. I’m not trying to wax poetic, I just am. What is life without some romance? Life is romantic, and by that I mean it’s deeper and more profound than just a record of human actions. Our life is more than a biological record of eating, drinking, and having children. This human experience is profound. Don’t be afraid to recognize it’s profundity.

You’re going to appreciate this issue of Bear Hunting Magazine. I decided to reprint an article written by the late, Wade Nolan. His article on brown bear predation on ungulates was fascinating and the data staggering. You’ll enjoy Jana Waller’s article on her first hound hunt, and Steve Fielder’s article on Cascade Big Timber. Its got to be one of the best Legendary Bear Hound articles yet. Have a great summer!

Here’s how MeatEater describes it “The Bear Grease Podcast with host Clay Newcomb delivers compelling storytelling through documentary-style episodes exploring the culture, traditions, and history of rural America. He’ll dive in deep with hunters, biologists, anthropologists, and hillbillies to learn about human nature and our ancient connection to the land.

Bear Grease explores unique people, topics, and stories that reveal the incredible value of life lived close to the land.

Part of the MeatEater Podcast Network.”

UPDATE: The Bear Grease Podcast ranked inside the top 20 of “All Podcasts” in the United States the first few days after its release. Our goal is to promote our way of life and culture to the world, hoping to win some approval from the non-hunting public and to engage hunters in a meaningful way.

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Pistols & Hounds in utah

by Jana Waller @skullboundtv

The author hunted in Utah with her friend CJ, a houndsman, for a spring bear hunt. She’s taken bears by all different methods, but this was her first hound hunt.

10 Bear Hunting

July/Aug 2021

S tanding on a ridgeline at the very top of the mountain, we paused to look at the GPS. Not only could we see the hounds were hot on a trail, but we could still hear the unceasing chase echoing below us in the timbered canyon. Music to the ears of any houndsman. The pack was heading in a straight line and moving fast down the drainage. I stood soaking in the beauty of the Wasatch Mountain range of Utah, one of the prettiest places I’ve had the pleasure of hunting bears. Its thick oak brush and deep pockets of pines make it ideal terrain not only for bears but other big game including elk, muleys, moose, wild sheep, and mountain goats. The surrounding snow-capped peaks, from Mount Timpanogos to Nebo, make for a backdrop that’s hard to beat in the lower 48. After thirty minutes or so TJ, my friend and fellow houndsman, looked up from his GPS with a big grin. “Looks like they’re treed!” This was a first for me.

I’ve hunted bears in almost every terrain and with multiple weapons. From spot and stalk in my home state of Montana to running my own baits just over the border in

www.bear-hunting.com

Idaho. I typically spend more time hunting black bears than any other big game species throughout the course of a year.

But despite notching over a dozen bear tags, I have never had the opportunity to hunt bears with hounds. Like most predator hunting, it is widely misunderstood, that I knew. Nothing brings out the keyboard warriors on social media like a bear or cat hunt and when you add hounds to the mix; the lack of true firsthand knowledge seems to increase tenfold. If it was anything like the numerous mountain lion hunts, I’ve been on, I knew we’d work hard, cover a lot of strenuous miles and God willing have sore quads and shoulders with a heavy pack out. It’s safe to say that most critics of hound hunting have never actually been on one.

For many years I’ve gone up into Alberta or Saskatchewan for spring bear hunting, but with the border being closed thanks to Covid I decided to put in for a Utah bear tag. My boyfriend John lives near the Wasatch unit and his co-worker TJ Pace is an avid houndsman. John is always sharing hunting stories of TJ and his crew, comprised mostly of Plott hounds,

Bear Hunting 11

CJ hunts a mixed pack of Plotts, redticks and blueticks. Typical of most western houndsman, registered dogs aren’t a high priority.

with a couple red and blue ticks mixed in.

“There’s no taking time off. Between feeding and caring for a pack, to keeping them in shape for the mountains, it’s a lifestyle. My wife Kayce says it’s an addiction and I’d have to agree,” explains TJ. When I pulled up the Utah draw results and saw I was successful, I was ecstatic and knew I had to coordinate with TJ and find time that we could give it a solid week in the mountains.

The alarm blared at 4 a.m. on our first morning of the hunt. John and I, along with my cameraman Heath Helgert, joined up with TJ at the head of the canyon. All ten dogs bustled with excitement as they stuck their faces through the portholes of the dog box to greet us. It was only an hour later, and we were at the top of the mountain, 12 Bear Hunting

creeping slowly along the dusty roads looking for tracks.

Multiple game tracks peppered the road including deer, elk, moose, and even fresh mountain lion. The sound of gravel popping beneath the slow turning rubber tires was interrupted by an occasional bark from a dog or two, but mostly from their anticipation and not a real strike.

“When the whole pack lights up and won’t quit then you know we’ve got something!” TJ described as we rolled slowly through the dust. Heath leaned out the truck window with his camera, capturing the dogs with their noses high working the wind.

It wasn’t long before the pack blew up. TJ slowed the truck to a halt, and we all got out to search for tracks in the road. He released a couple of his top dogs to try and pick up the trail. There’s a hierarchy of sorts within the pack.

July/Aug 2021

CJ, a Utah houndsman, and the author listen to the dogs strike a track.

For example, when his best dog “Easy” sounds off you know he’s all business. “Nuts” on the other hand likes to occasionally bark for no apparent reason. After a while even I could tell when Nuts was giving us a false positive. TJ opened the flood gates and all ten dogs poured out barking and running over the hill in front of us. It wasn’t long however before they started filtering back to the truck. It was interesting to watch them work. If the track isn’t fresh enough, they simply make their way back to the truck, load up and get ready to head on down the road. With most of TJ’s dogs being experienced, with a lot of hours logged in the mountains, they knew the drill and they knew it well.

We spent the rest of the morning slowly working the one and only main road that went along the top of the range.

I quickly discovered that we’d most likely be putting in the www.bear-hunting.com

hiking miles on this hunt. There weren’t a lot of switchback roads along this part of the mountain. None, in fact, other than some four-wheeler and dirt bike trails. When the dogs are dumped and the chase is on, bears can run a LOOOONG way. And the only way to get to the treed bear is to lace up the boots and start hiking.

We had a couple of other exciting moments that first morning when the pack blew up out of nowhere. It reminds me of September elk season when you’re sitting on a hillside relaxing, almost dozing off, and you are waking with the sound of bugle in the distance that gets your heart racing! From dozing off to an adrenaline dump in seconds.

But after barrage of barking turns into sporadic barks and the dogs start to filter back to the truck, you know it’s not a fresh enough trail. As the sun begins to warm up the ground that Bear Hunting 13

The author is a Montana native and has taken bears in many places in the West, but this was her first hound hunt. The bear was 90-feet up in a giant tree!

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scent dissipates, and it can get harder for the dogs to pick it up. That’s when TJ and his hounds get off the roads and take a hike.

John dropped TJ, Heath, the dogs, and I off at the head of a drainage and drove the truck down to the trailhead at the bottom. It was a three-mile hike down a beautiful timbered creek. Muleys bounced off through the quake trees, but the dogs didn’t even flinch. They were all business as their noses worked the ground looking for their one intended target. With the different smells of deer, elk, moose, cats, and other critters, it amazed me how they were so singularly focused. We had another exciting moment on the hike when the pack sounded off and ran over the ridge for twenty minutes, but they lost the scent and make their way back to us looking almost disappointed.

That afternoon we did another hike in the mountains, this time making a big loop of about seven miles. We found what looked to be fresh bear tracks in the mud around a water seep. The dogs spent time running along the creek bed trying to find a fresh trail, but the sunny 80-degree day didn’t help as the scent wasn’t strong enough to pick up. After an incredible first day of exciting moments and sore feet we made plans to meet the next day.

Unfortunately, John had to auctioneer a banquet in St. George, Utah that evening so it was just Heath and me. We met up with TJ and the furry crew and headed back to the top of the mountain to see what crossed the evening before. On the way up we passed numerous other houndsmen who were lined up to get on to a different road that just opened the previous evening. Not wanting to contend with other hunters we went back up to the top where we started the day before.

July/Aug 2021

The author used a Desert Eagle 429 customized by Magnum Research Inc. The was using a Vortex Razor 3MOA sight. She was shooting a 240-grain bullet.

It was obvious that Heath and I weren’t the only ones a little tired in the rig. The dogs were noticeably quieter than the day before but after an hour they were suddenly jumpstarted like a dead battery! We were taking a short walk down a four-wheeler trail and in unison the pack blew up and dove off the ridge! TJ watched the GPS as the dogs made their way over to the next canyon, their sound echoing from below. This was a stronger strike then all the previous ones but after thirty minutes I could tell there was disappointment on TJ’s face. Staring down at the GPS he said, “I think they lost it. They’re separating and moving in figure eights.” He backtracked to the original track we found in the dusty trail and started to look on the opposite side of where the dogs dropped off. TJ found another bear track heading in the opposite direction. Shortly after that, one by one the hounds made their way back to the truck. “I bet they bailed off that way because of the wind direction in their face but I think the bear went this way!” After giving the dogs a little rest in their box TJ let out ol’ trusty ‘Easy’, put him on the track and gave the “Go get him!” command. Easy exploded off the ridge with that classic hound ball and the rest of pack followed.

We listen closely, the sound of the pack dissolving as they moved deeper into the canyon. “They’re definitely onto something! They just went back up and crossed over the main road,” TJ explained as we headed back to the truck. We all stood on www.bear-hunting.com

that ridgeline watching and waiting to make a move. I stood there in awe of how fast those dogs can move and how far a bear can run. TJ then smiled and uttered those words, “It says treed!”

After moving the truck down the road to get a little closer, we got our packs ready. I was hunting with my Desert Eagle .429 pistol, otherwise referred to as ‘the anvil.’ The gun is a heavy beast but that’s what makes it so fun to shoot, just not fun to pack. It’s decked out with a Vortex Razor 3MOA site and has served me well on numerous other hunts. We headed down the ridge, making our way through the thick oak brush and downfalls. “They’re over on that ridge,” TJ pointed as we made our way towards to distant sounds of the dogs.

The anticipation and excitement is difficult to describe if you’ve never experienced it. We could get to the tree, and it be a sow and cub. Or even a younger bear. As much fun as they are to watch and film, it’s not what you’re hoping for. That’s another reason why hound hunting is beneficial for predator management.

It gives you that opportunity to get close to the bear to make a good judgment call on the sex and age. With every step you make down the mountain and closer to Bear Hunting 15

They were prepared to pack the bear out. The author was using an Eberlestock pack.

the tree, the anticipation builds. TJ suddenly stopped and pointed across to the densely timbered ridge roughly 300 yards away. “Right there.

Through that opening,” he said as I put my binoculars up. A small opening in the timber revealed a beautiful cinnamon colored bear way high in the pines.

It was difficult to talk to one another over the excitement of the hounds as we approached the base of the tall pine. Our smiles said it all. Perched 30 yards above us was a large color phase boar. Along with the obvious telltale sign that it was a male he also had some jewelry. “He’s got an ear tag!” TJ exclaimed looking through my binos. This was the first bear with an ear tag he’s ever treed with a hunter, most likely a problem bear that had been relocated into the nearby mountains. Heath broke out his long lens to capture some great footage and photos while I offloaded my pack, got my pistol ready and walked around the tree looking for a clean shot opportunity.

We were all in agreement on two issues. The beautiful boar was a shooter. And he was in the worst possible position for a shot. He was extremely high in the tree with a lot of thick branches underneath. I was shooting a 240-grain bullet which will pack a punch but shot placement is crucial for a quick, ethical kill. The cameras were rolling well over an hour while I patiently waited 16 Bear Hunting

July/Aug 2021

CJ and the author with the color phase Utah boar. You can’t see it in this photo, but the bear had been ear tagged. Presumably it was tagged as a nuisance bear.

for him to shift his weight and present a different body angle. With the dogs tied back and the noise cancelling ear buds in, I steadied the pistol after giving Heath the thumbs up. A loud shot rang out and the bear climbed up the tree another few feet. Only seconds went by before the boar fell 90 feet, dead before even hitting the ground.

A clean quick kill is always a blessing in any hunt, but especially given the hounds, safety is a factor.

TJ untied the dogs so they could get their reward, a quick smell, and a chew or two, then tied them back as we tidied the bear for some photos and video.

It’s important to me to give a prayer of thanks to God for the animal’s life, in that it can sustain ours as well as giving gratitude for the safe adventure we were blessed with. We took the time to get some great photos before skinning him out and deboning all the meat. Bear meat is one of the most underrated of all game meats and I feel lucky to fill my freezer every time.

I rolled up the head and hide in my Eberles-

www.bear-hunting.com

tock pack which rode perfectly for the steep climb out. TJ and Heath divvied up the meat. My quads and calves were feeling the first pack out of the spring season but it’s always so rewarding when it all comes together. On the hike out I kept focusing on the gratitude of how the hunt unfolded. TJ and his hounds were incredible to hunt with and it’s experiences like this that make me feel that I’m truly living. I can’t wait to share this episode of Skull Bound Chronicles on CarbonTV.com.

After registering the bear with the DWR office the following day we got news that my bear was caught in downtown Orem, Utah a couple of years prior. The problem bear was tranquilized and relocated into the mountains. Two years later he was only two canyons over from where he was released by wildlife officials before running into our crew.

Jana Waller is the host of Skull Bound TV on www.carbonTV. com. Check out Jana on social media @skullboundtv.

Bear Hunting 17

The Appalachian Mountains are thought to

be 480 million years old and once stood as tall as the Rockies. While mother nature has worn down this

ancient landscape over the eons, the Appalachians and more specifically the Blue Ridge and Smokey Mountains, at the southern end of the chain, still provide some of the most rugged and challenging hunting in the lower 48. Gazing across the mountains from a high knob, the endless rolling sea of green appears to go on as far as the eye can see. Hunting bears in this sometimes-impenetrable forest without the aid of bait or dogs is not for the faint of heart. If it’s not steep, it’s thick, and if it’s not thick, it’s far. Much of the time it’s all of the above. Make no mistake, there is nothing easy about hunting public land in the southern Appalachians, but it is one of the most rewarding hunts you could ever hope to have.

It was within the pages of this fine publication that I first read the expression “the sheep hunt of the south” in de-

scribing hunting bears in the deciduous forests of the southeast. This is the perfect analogy, with one slight clarification. No disrespect, but sheep hunters have the distinct advantage of being able to spot a sheep from afar using high powered glass prior to planning a stalk.

Hunting bears in our mountains can feel like looking for a needle in a haystack. Visibility is often limited to under 50 yards if you’re lucky, so understanding how to read bear sign is critical if a hunter is to get one within range.

At the time of this publication, we are in the midst of the dog days of summer with the archery opener just a little over two short months away.

You’ve decided that this is the year you are going to hunt bear, but kids and family obligations have put a dent in your summer scouting plans. Now what? At this point technology is your friend. With a couple of quick Google searches, you can quickly identify some

by John Baugus

photos by John Baugus and Sean Etter

In-Season

Keys to Hunting & Finding Bear Sign in the Appalachians 18 Bear Hunting

July/Aug 2021

Hunting the Appalachians without the use of bait or hounds is one of the toughest bear hunts in North America. The author gives some insight into how to be successful.

www.bear-hunting.com

Bear Hunting 19

In early fall, bears climb trees to find acorns. They leave a lot of sign that’s easy to identify. They also make a lot of noise while climbing making for easier stalks.

Wildlife Management Areas and National Forest spots that have good huntable bear populations. When hunting public land, I would highly recommend downloading one of the several quality map apps that are available to be used on a smart phone. I use OnX maps, but there are several good options.

Using a good map app, I can study the general area I intend to hunt beforehand and identify terrain features that are likely to funnel bear movement. These would include saddles and benches with food sources adjacent to good cover and water. To be consistently successful on bears in the fall it is important to understand their food sources, and how those sources change throughout the course of the hunting season. Generally speaking, white oak acorns are going to be the preferred food source during early season in a typical year.

The best-case scenario occurs during those years when the stars seem to align, and the white oak acorn production is limited to very specific elevations. This limited acorn production will concentrate the bears at those elevations. Finding these spots is not easy and will require burning some boot leather. However, once found your chances of seeing a bear are greatly improved.

During years when there is a bumper mast crop in the mountains the bears can be just about anywhere. If a bear can lay in a mountain laurel thicket with plenty of food, cover, and water then it is going to be tough sledding for the Appalachian bear hunter.

Hunting during these times while much more difficult, can still be done. Before the acorns have started falling on their own, we will look for fresh feeding sign in the form of fresh broken limbs and leaves scattered on the ground at the base of a white oak trees. The bears will climb to the upper canopy of these oaks before the acorns start dropping on their own to access the carbohydrate rich acorns, and in the process, they will leave plenty of evidence in the form of broken limbs on the ground below. Fresh feeding sign is key, so 20 Bear Hunting

July/Aug 2021

You won’t see a lot of tracks, because the forest is mostly covered in leaves, however, in mudholes, trails and roads you’ll find tracks.

Bears feeding on acorns leave scat the consistency of crunchy peanut butter. After a day in the sun a darker crust will form. This is a very fresh pile of scat. This is what you’re looking for.

look for limbs that still have green unwilted leaves, as well as fresh piles of scat in the immediate area. Fresh bear scat consisting of acorns will almost have the look and texture of crunchy peanut butter. Super fresh scat will be tan in color but will quickly oxidize during early season from tan to slate grey and finally to an almost black outer crust developing over the course of several days.

For the gun hunters who are going to be hunting later in the fall finding food sources will still be critical.

Once the white oak acorns are gone or have germinated the bears will turn their attention to red oak acorns. These hardy acorns require four months of temperatures below 40° to germinate so they will provide an important late season food source well into the following spring. Typically, you will no longer see fresh climbing sign at this time as there are ample acorns already on the ground, so continue to keep your eyes peeled for fresh piles of scat. As the days grow shorter the pregnant sows will prepare to den, while the boars will remain on their feet as long as there is enough food to justify their caloric expenditures.

Occasionally, the pendulum will swing completely the other direction and the mountains will experience a total mast failure. During these times bears will almost entirely vacate the upper elevations in search of food down low closer to human populations. Nuisance bear calls will increase during these times as bears will travel great distances often putting themselves in conflict with people as they raid birdfeeders, trash cans, and other food sources near civilization. Finding a remote green clover field on a wildlife management Area in bear country can pay off in a big way during these lean times.

The importance of finding a food source with good www.bear-hunting.com

A Georgia bear feeding on acorns in the early fall. The author snapped this photo while hunting.

cover nearby as well as being in close proximity to water cannot be overstated. Black bears are extremely secretive by nature. All things being equal, a bear will choose a food source immediately adjacent to some thick mountain laurel, rhododendron or other cover allowing him to feel secure while he feeds. Having a good water source in close proximity is also a must, and by close, I mean anything within a quarter mile or so. Bears have a very inefficient digestive system due to the short length of their intestines. This requires an adult bear to drink anywhere from two to four gallons of water per day during this nearly constant feeding period known as hyperphagia to aid in digestion. During years of normal rainfall, it seems that water can be found

Bear Hunting 21

Right: The author’s friend, Sean Etter, with a great spot-and-stalk Georgia bear. Sean likes to slip through the woods with the wind in his face. The author prefers to hunt in trees over good sign.

This photo: more tree climbing sign in white oaks.

in nearly every drainage on the mountain.

However, Bears have been known to use small puddles created by a seep no larger than a hog wallow at higher elevations. Sometimes these small remote water holes can literally act as a magnet for all types of game.

So, once we have identified where the bears are, what’s the next step? I have a buddy who is a traditional bow hunter, and he likes nothing better than to slip along slowly through the woods listening and watching in hopes of sneaking within trad bow range. I know my limitations, and with size fourteen boots and a tendency to move too quickly through the woods, I prefer setting up and waiting for the bears to come to me. Depending on the situation this could mean either brushing in a quick ground blind or using my JX 3 Hybrid tree saddle to ambush them from above. In either case, paying attention to the wind and thermals will be critical. I have personally observed bears hit my scent trail where I walked in and literally follow it to the base of my tree. On the other hand, if a bear comes in downwind and gets a snout full of live human scent your next view will likely be the south end of a fast-moving northbound bear.

Bears have very little patience for live human scent so plan your set up accordingly. This can be easier said than done in the mountains since more times than not the wind direction will be vastly different from what is forecast. The main ridges, knobs and smaller leads end up creating little bowls with wind tunnels blowing in all directions. If it is a windy day the 22 Bear Hunting

thermals do not seem to be as big a factor, however on days with little to no wind you can count on the thermals kicking in early and late in the day so again, plan accordingly. Bears are highly intelligent with different personalities. Some are quite curious, while others are much more skittish. In any event, bears are predators, not prey animals. They are not wired like a white tail deer so take your time, and don’t rush your shot.

Hunting bears in the southern Appalachians is not for everyone.

However, for the dedicated hunter who relishes a challenge it is one of the best opportunities to hunt these shy creatures in the lower 48. Bear numbers are increasing across the Blue Ridge. While you shouldn’t count on seeing one every time you hit the woods, with a little preparation and dedication you have an excellent chance at connecting on one of the most iconic and majestic big game species in North America.

July/Aug 2021

www.bear-hunting.com www.bear-hunting.com

Bear Hunting 23

The mountain

laughed The author’s first trip to Montana proved to be a big challenge with a color-phased reward.

by James Jurban

The author ended up on plan “D” on this hunt after a quota closing the season in their zone and heavy snow pack in an area they assumed would be green.

24 Bear Hunting

July/Aug 2021

The mountains seemed to reject me as

COVID-19 swept in and Montana canceled non-resident hunting. A month later the ban was lifted,

and luckily I was still able to make time to go. I loaded the truck and headed north with the company of my good friend, Ben Vanklombenberg. Two days later, as we drove into southwest Montana, I purchased an over-the-counter bear tag, only to find out that I had to wait 24 hours to hunt after I purchased it. We were forced to spend our first day scouting. I heard a subtle laugh come from the mountains.

We made it to camp and started up the trail, immediately switch backing a very steep incline. Things were looking good: dandelions were popping up along with other green grasses. This was exactly the kind of food source we were hoping to find on these south-facing slopes. It was the last week of May, and my research and advice from some acquaintances said we would hit the mountains at just the right time to intersect the bigger boars as they came down from the high country. High temperatures had been in the 60’s leading up to the hunt, but again the mountains pushed back, and temperatures were forecast to be in the mid 80’s all week long. Hot, just the kind of weather that reduces bear activity.

Our hike took us through patches of cool, dark timber surrounded by hills of green grass. There was fresh sign everywhere. Ben and I pointed out piles of scat and fresh tracks every couple of minutes; we were elated. We stood among several large piles of fresh scat and took in the view as a large blonde boar stepped onto the trail 45 yards ahead. He stood broadside, having no clue we were there. The image of that beautiful mature bear sizzled itself into my mind as he left a fresh pile of scat before slowly waddling his way down into the timber below us. With plenty of food, fresh sign, and now a gorgeous bruin sighted, we decided to head down the mountain to enjoy some elk lasagna for dinner.

After dinner, we drove down the mountain to get cell

www.bear-hunting.com

Bear Hunting 25

Montana is a big place with lots of room to roam, but it’s also intimidating. They found a lot of sign on the first day, but the quota was met the next day closing the season forcing them to move.

reception so I could make sure the quota for this particular unit had not been met within the last day. The mountain roared with laughter. At 11:00 a.m. the quota had been reached, and the unit had officially closed. We sat for several minutes discussing our disappointment after having such a promising morning of scouting. I had two more very promising locations picked out in another unit. I told Ben that spots B and C seemed like better locations, but they were just going to be a lot more difficult to get into.

We headed back to camp, following a scenic snowmelt stream up the mountain. Minutes later, as the sun slowly tucked behind the majesty of the mountains, we spotted a huge black boar along the stream stuffing himself with tender green shoots of grass. We watched him for several minutes while he gorged himself 80 yards from our truck. We chuckled in both disgust and awe as I put the truck in drive and continued up the mountain. As the black behemoth in my rearview mirror vanished from sight, I’m certain I felt the mountain shake as it laughed at us once more.

The next day was a hard one spent on the mountain with steep inclines, treacherous switchbacks, and hot temperatures. We climbed 2,500 vertical feet of elevation on this short four-mile hike and hit snow halfway in. We continued on, and as we neared our waypoint, we stood thigh-deep in snow after post-holing for a half-mile as we 26 Bear Hunting

laid our eyes on the magnificent basin that I’m positive would hold big mature boars, had it not been covered in snow. No grass, no bears, it was that simple. Exhausted, we sat and enjoyed our lunch while taking in the views and discussing the likelihood that plan C would be any different, considering it was at the same elevation, around 7,300 feet. We concluded that a hike into plan C tomorrow would be a colossal waste of valuable time and energy. We strapped on our packs and headed down the mountain. I didn’t have a plan D. I could feel the mountain preparing its victory dance.

The next morning’s hunt had to be a short hike in and out; I had a two p.m. meeting in town. After bouncing some ideas back and forth, we decided on a trailhead that originated at a campground where we could camp that evening. We rolled into camp early that evening, and at sunset, a caravan of trucks, horse trailers, and other campers started pouring into the campground. Our quiet secluded campground by the river suddenly became a popular place to be--not good for hunting. As the purples and oranges in the sky faded to gray, I once again felt the chuckle of the mountains that loomed above our camp.

We hit the trail at first light and had two and a half miles to hike upriver to our waypoint. Aerial imagery looked promising, but the proximity of the campground July/Aug 2021

The author connected on this beautiful bear on his first bear DIY hunt in Montana.

and the apparent traffic that was sure to ensue did not give us high hopes. Once we got away from the campground, we stopped for breakfast and a hot cup of coffee. The views were magnificent. The mountain tops were covered in snow while the hillsides were lush with grass and flowers. Below, the sound of the river mixed with songs from birds as they woke from their nightly roots to greet the new morning. We were in a beautiful place, and despite the obstacles we faced, I was fulfilling my dream to hunt Montana. It wasn’t going the way I hoped or anticipated, but I was here with a great friend enjoying time that would never be forgotten. The sun rose above the peaks and cast its rays down, giving energy to the plants below, but darkness loomed in the distance as thick heavy clouds swept in, bringing with it the rain. We finished our coffee underneath the shelter of an old spruce.

The mountain made sure to remind us who was in control before allowing the storm to pass, leaving behind an incredible double rainbow in its wake. Our hike continued.

The coffee did its job, and we were wide-eyed with energy to spare. There are other side effects of morning coffee, and before long, Ben needed some off-trail privacy. I continued another 50 yards to do some reconnaissance while he lightened his load. I came upon a meadow about 60 yards across that led up the hillside before meeting the timber. As www.bear-hunting.com

I waited for Ben, something felt right about this area, and I stood quiet and still, taking in the sounds, smells, and sights that were in front of me. As I gazed into the timber, movement from the hillside caught my eye--I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Two hundred yards up the steep hillside, in the middle of an avalanche shoot, stood a beautiful chocolate phase bear, and it was coming straight for the river bottom. I quickly removed my backpack and unstrapped my rifle, trying not to lose sight of the bear. I was in disbelief, and for a very brief moment wondered if I should make a move or wait for Ben. That thought was short-lived as the bear continued to make its way down into the river bottom below and disappear behind the fortress of spruce trees. I chambered a round and slid the safety on before jogging toward the trees where I saw the bear disappear. I slowly rounded the edge of the tree line and peeked into the timber.

I didn’t look for more than a second before seeing it standing in a small patch of dandelions, less than 40 yards in front of me. At this moment it was clear that this was a mature sow. I hadn’t seen any cubs with her while I watched her make her way down the hillside, but I immediately began scanning the surrounding area to double-check for cubs. I confirmed that she didn’t have any cubs in tow and looked again at her. She was staring right at me. Interestingly, I think she was just as surprised to see me as I had been to see her, and as she stood Bear Hunting 27

there, slightly quartering towards me, her body language showed an uncertainty of how to react. I don’t think she made up her mind whether or not to run away or to scare me off as she stood, staring at me. I didn’t waste another moment. I brought my rifle to my shoulder and put the crosshairs on her front left shoulder before touching off the round.

She immediately made a dash for thicker cover, but I was expecting her to drop where she stood. After all, it was a chip shot. She ran to the base of the largest tree and for a moment I thought she was going to climb, but she did not. Instead, she laid down and gave her final growl as she breathed her last breath.

Wanting to share the rest of the experience with Ben, I went to retrieve my pack and my buddy before going to the bear. There were laughs, smiles, congratulations, and disbelief as I recounted the last five minutes of our trip. We paused for several minutes to examine this beautiful bear, and then loaded the meat and hide into our packs. As we hiked out, I thought back to all the obstacles that could have kept us from filling that tag and how the mountain seemed to be against us. Perhaps the mountain wasn’t fighting us at all-maybe it was just reminding us of how vital it is to work hard and not give up on a hunt like this, or in any aspect of life. I think I can safely say that without that reminder, the chocolate wouldn’t have been such a treat.

Essential Gear for a First-time Hunt We planned a spot-and-stalk approach for this hunt. The obvious equipment of importance included good boots, quality optics, and a straight shooting gun. All of my optics are different brands, and my rifle is an old reliable hand-me-down, but for over a decade now, I’ve relied on a pair of Danner Pronghorns to keep my feet healthy, and my ankles from breaking in all kinds of terrain and hunting conditions. In my opinion they are the best boots for the money. However, the most important piece of equipment we had, turned out to be our mapping technology. I’ve used OnX Hunt maps on several occasions, and they always proved themselves a valuable tool. On this hunt however, the value brought was immeasurable.

After being kicked out of the first unit we wanted to hunt due to the quota being met, and being pushed out of the other areas we went due to snow, and a lack of food sources, the only way that we were able to identify additional potential areas to hunt was through the use of this mapping system. The aerial imagery combined with the numerous mapping layers that can be added or subtracted, we were very easily able to identify additional areas that were likely to have food, cover and water for the bears we were after. Ultimately having these maps available on our phones in the field and on an iPad back at the truck enabled us to locate and harvest a mature bear.

Traveling from out of state, the author accomplished a big task when he took this nice Montana bear. The mountain “laughed” but in the end provided.

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www.bear-hunting.com

Bear Hunting 29

Video Research on Bear Predation

by Wade Nolan

published posthumously from July/Aug 2017 issue of BHM

I was walking into the wind, north of Wide Bay

Alaska, when my feeble nose picked up the smell of something big and dead. On the Alaska Peninsula, this almost always means you have found a bear kill. Plan A was not to surprise a giant brown bear

as he guards his fermenting dinner. We got out the binoculars and spotted an area about the size of a modest back yard that had been churned up by what looked like a small dozer. In the center of this excavation there was what we bear folks call a “bear pile.” A brown bear had killed and buried a moose above ground. Almost always the bear is handy, so we circled up wind and blew the bear out of the nearby alders where he was sleeping it off. He stayed in heavy cover for a long while and departed, at least for now. We had to get a closer look.

Yep, it was a mature moose - one leg hung out of the mound complete with a coffee-can sized hoof. The top of the pile was compressed as the owner had recently been lying on top to ward off predators and scavengers. It is not at all unusual to find such a “bear pile” in the spring. Both the resident Alaska-Yukon moose and the caribou are in their most stressed time of the year. Winter is tough on these ungulates, and just before green-up is the worst. Add hungry brown bears to the mix, and it’s a bad time to be a moose or caribou. But they have got to eat too. What do they eat and how much? Biologists have been speculating this question for a long time and thanks to some modern science, they are getting answers.

Bruce Dale is the Wildlife Science Coordinator with the state of Alaska, and he teamed up with another biologist out of Palmer, Alaska, Chris Brockman. Together they planned to break some new ground in brown bear research. Their plan was to attach cameras/GPS collars to brown bears and have them shoot selfies to help unravel the bear predation question. I spoke with Chris Brockman to help me understand his research.

They chose to work out of an area that is quite accessible and only about 50 miles from Glennallen, Alaska in the Nelchina River drainage. I know a lot of people who live in this region, and I’m familiar with the wilderness in this vast drainage. Snowcapped mountains tower to the south and catch much of the snow that comes off the Gulf of Alaska. Most of the trees are black spruce with a few white spruces in the dryer places.

Along the vast river and creek bottoms, willow and cottonwood thrive. Willow is the staple of moose. On the higher elevations, dwarf birch, ankle high blueberry bushes and dwarf willow carpet the rolling hills. The pastel green ground cover is caribou moss, a staple lichen of caribou. In short, it looks like much of Alaska. One more thing, the Nelchina Basin is a deep freezer in winter with 40-below being common.

The earlier research was limited to twice-daily airborne observation, which at best got a short glimpse of bears and their prey. Not only was it difficult to see the bears if they were in heavy cover, but also identifying the prey species was complicated. With this new methodology, they may just get a glimpse of what was happening on a minute-by-minute basis.

30 Bear Hunting

Editors note: We published this article in the 2017 July/ Aug issue. It was such a facinating article I decided to run it again. Since this article was written, the author and biologist Wade Nolan has passed away. He was a great contributor to this publication.

Seventeen bears were collared, but only seven kept their collars on. The cameras took a 15 second video every 10 minutes for 60 days.

Here is their research model. They captured and collared 17 bears from 2011 – 2013. Among all the animals you can attach a collar to, bears may be the most likely ones to get rid of the collar. That’s was exactly what happened, and only seven bears supported video collars for the entire data set. The good news is that those seven bears gathered over 36,376 video clips across a period of time when bears are most likely to be feeding on moose and caribou calves. The cameras took a 10-second video clip every 15 minutes from mid-May to the end of June, which is calving season. At the end of the study, bears were re-darted and camera collars collected.

What they learned was remarkable. Video camera footage of these seven brown bears showed that they killed approximately 238 moose and caribou calves across the 45 days. That’s an average of about 34 moose and caribou calves per bear, of which 13 were moose. Note that 75% of the Nelchina caribou herd’s calving area is within the study area. Because moose numbers in the Nelchina Basin dwarf the number of caribou means that brown bears are having an impact on moose calf survival. Don’t forget that bears are not the only predator working on moose calves. Wolf packs and natural calamities also play a major role, although wolves have been intensely managed in the drainage. Also, don’t forget that not all the bears in the Nelchina drainage supported a video camera, most didn’t. It is tough being a moose calf in Alaska.

The research could divide out the daily structure of an average camera equipped bear. It revealed that a brown bear in this study spent on average 60% of his day bedded or resting, 21% of the day traveling, 6 % of his day just standing around, and 6% of his day feeding. Here is the interesting statistic. These bears spent just 1% of their day hunting. Although calves made up most of their red-blooded prey, these bears also ate Trumpeter swans, snowshoe hares and in one case a ten-year-old male brown bear killed and ate a six-year-old sow.

I personally have spent a lot of time observing moose calf predation in Denali National Park. Across a sixJuly/Aug 2021

“Video camera footage of these seven brown bears showed that they killed approximately 238 moose and caribou calves across the 45 days.”

Alaska biologist Chris Brockman was project leader in this landmark study using GPS/camera collars on brown bears.

year period, I was privileged to accompany wildlife biologist Vic Van Ballenburghe as he researched Alaska-Yukon moose. Vic is one of the top moose biologists in the world. One spring we tried to get footage of bear-based moose calf predation across the calving period. Although we observed a couple of feeding sequences, we never actually observed the kill. One afternoon, I was alerted to a situation at mile nine of the park road where a single wolf had taken down two moose calves while the cow moose tried to protect them. She spent the next 20 hours trying to protect the dead calf bodies as the wolf slowly outsmarted her. A wolf weighs 150 lbs. and is not equal to the predatory prowess of a brown bear.

As years spun forward Vic realized that many of these Toklat grizzlies were becoming better and better at targeting moose calves until one year he told me that he estimated that there might have been no moose calf survival in some regions of the park. How could that be?

Here is the likely answer. Bears have a home range and they know where seasonal abundances of food lie. For example, they arrive at salmon streams each year just as the salmon run arrives. In the case of moose, they first discover the area where a mature cow moose chooses to have her calves and the bear enjoys a successful hunt.

Unable to reason, that moose returns the next year to the same area to calve. This area may be under an acre in size. Likewise, the bear arrives the same time the following year and teaches her cubs that this is a hot spot for www.bear-hunting.com

moose meat. The cubs now know the spot and the moose’s chance of successfully raising a calf diminishes. The successful cows switch calving areas.

All this data and observation is part of a scientific management plan that the Alaska Department of Fish and Game uses to set methods and bag limits for species they are managing. Recently, allowing hunting brown bears/grizzlies over bait was added to their management strategy in many game management units. Better science, like GPS collars equipped with cameras, help them do their job.

Bears were located by chopper, and then darted from above. The biologists installed seventeen camera set-ups on bears. Only seven lasted to the end of the research period.

Bear Hunting 31

Overlooke Western fall bear hunting

by Jake Horton

If you start discussing bear hunting with a

western hunter, especially one that lives or hunts in the northern part of the country, they love talking about spring bear hunting. Though

spring bear season gets a lot of attention, most western states also have a fall bear season that hunters shouldn’t overlook. In fact, there are only a handful of western states that have a spring bear season; however, nearly all western states have some sort of fall season. In the fall bears have great meat, lots of fat for rendering, their hides are in excellent condition, and they’re active while storing up reserves for winter denning.

If you do not have plans this fall, consider heading west and buying a fall bear tag. Hunters can purchase many fall bear tags over-the-counter and they can be a great reason to get into the mountains this fall. If you already hold a western tag, a bear tag might be a good addon to your current tag. Bears can also be a good excuse to get into the mountains to scout for other species. It also can be an excellent way to tag along with your hunting buddies if they drew an elk or deer tag that you didn’t draw. Here are some tips to finding bears this time of year that will be better than just relying on good old fashion luck.

Where to start Success in hunting is all about preparation. Aside from financial costs and time off from work, the biggest question is where to hunt bears. Since nearly all western states have a bear season, you need to look at which one is right for you. However, if you are heading out west solely to hunt bears, you can pick whatever state suits you and gives you the best chance at a punched tag.

The first thing you need to determine is tag availability. Most western states have an over-the-counter season, but some are drawn or have specific drawn units.

If you are looking to go hunting this year, ignore those 32 Bear Hunting

July/Aug 2021

ed In the fall, most hunters in the West are chasing horns, but chasing bears might be your next best option. Over-the-counter tags, low pressure, and the opportunity for learning new country for other types of game in future years make fall bear hunting appealing.

www.bear-hunting.com

photo by Jason Loftus of Untamed Images

Bear Hunting 33

drawn units and concentrate on over-the-counter units.

I find that over-the-counter units typically have healthy bear populations, which is why the local fish and game do not regulate the number of tags sold. To determine which states and units within those states offer over-thecounter tags, you can use a tool like GoHUNT. GoHUNT is a western-oriented company that compiles the data for all western states and species, including bears. GoHUNT makes this information readily available to subscribers for a one-time annual subscription fee. You can use this data to determine tag availability, harvest statistics, and season dates, plus more detailed information on bear hunting in the area. I recently started using this tool for my bear seasons, and it has allowed me to quickly pick an excellent bear unit in any western state. Once you have found an area with good statistics, you need to dive into e-scouting and determining where to find bears.

Where to look Whether it is spring or fall, bears love to hang out in hard-to-reach areas in higher concentrations. Typically, it is suggested to look deep and steep and try to locate green slopes near thick timber. These slopes usually provide an excellent food source, while the timber provided security during the day. Steep basins also provide a way to spot bears and hopefully get a shot at a bear. From my experience, start by e-scouting for open areas in the back of drainages lacking trails or easy access. Except for problem bears, most black bears stay far away from human interaction. You may be wondering what food sources western black bears eat in the fall and how to determine where that is. Determining food sources that are active in the fall requires you to find open side hills but then put your boots on the ground to determine what is available during the time you wish to hunt.

The author and a buddy with a good western bear. Fall bears have great meat and lots of fat for rendering.

Finding the best fall food

When to hunt them

Similar to the spring, the fall has bears mainly concentrating on food. They need to get their fat reserves up if they are going to make it through the hard western winter. As you know, bears are omnivores and will eat anything from birds, mammals, fish, plants, and insects. In the fall, bears in areas with high ungulate populations are lucky because hunters often harvest animals and leave the carcass leftovers in the mountains. Bears love to find these carcass piles and will feast on them for days. Since we can never really know where a carcass will end up, this is a tricky food source to hone in on, so sticking with the more stable food sources will help you find more consistent success. The most significant food sources that bear use in the fall are not animals or carcass piles but instead are berries, pine nuts, acorns, insects, roots, whitebark pine nuts, and other plant life found on open sidehills. These food sources are readily available and allow bears to build up their fat reserves prior to denning for the winter, which usually happens between October and November. When a bear finds an area that seems to have good plants, berries, or nuts available, they will stay there day after day. After all, why would they leave food to find food? This is excellent news for a hunter because if you find an area with this forage and good bear sign such as uprooted plants, flipped stumps, or bear scat; you could find success by hunting there in the mornings and evenings. A bear’s day revolves nearly entirely around food, so your hunting should revolve around a bear’s food as well.

Though bears can be active any time of day, they do not usually find themselves out in the sun during mid-day.

During this time, they primarily will forage in dense timber where they are safe from hunting pressure and the hot sun.

If there is high hunting pressure in the area, bears may turn nearly entirely nocturnal, which means the best time to see them out and about will be at dusk and dawn. Depending on the elevation, snowfall, temperature, and food supply, you may see bears still out and about into late November; however, typically, bears will start denning between late October and early November. Usually, the bears that live at higher elevations will den up first since their food is the first to disappear.

The spring might be the most popular time to hunt western black bears; however, the fall is a great time to chase them as well. Some states only have a fall season which means that it is the only time to hunt bears. Before you buy a tag, do some research, do some e-scouting to find hard-toreach trailless basins, and give yourself an ample amount of hunting time to find and harvest a mature bear. Once you arrive to hunt, look for active food sources and concentrate your hunting on them. Dusk and dawn are the best times of day to have bear sighting though it is possible to catch them in the open, moving from place to place at any time, especially if hunters are moving through a bear’s daily timber patch.

Bears can be creatures of habit, especially if there is a good food source, so find the food, and you will find the bears this fall.

34 Bear Hunting

July/Aug 2021

Gohunt is an app on that allows you to search for the best areas to hunt in the West. It’s an incredible tool to help make western hunting easier to navigate.

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Bear Hunting 35

B

ear hunting can be grueling. You have to cover a lot of ground, haul bait and fill the drums in various spots along the outskirts of a strip of forest. 55-gallon drums are ideal for storing the bait but also great for field judging the size of the bear. But you can’t carry all that gear on foot. A truck or ATV is common practice for making those trips around the hunt line as long as you can access those lands by vehicle. However, the smell of exhaust and the noise of the motor will spook anything remotely close by.

In recent years the popularity of fat tire electric bikes has increased a lot, and there are many benefits to using one. Ebikes are classed differently from state to state and depending on the power of the motor, can even be considered the same as a traditional bicycle. Hunters are using these ebikes because they can cover a lot of ground quickly. The motors are whisper quiet, so they don’t spook anything nearby and hunters get to their spots without sweating or leaving their scent.

Bear Hunting on an Ebike

by John Murphy www.ebikegeneration.com

The Benefits of Bear Hunting on an Ebike These fat tire ebikes have motors that put out 160Nm of torque so climbing to elevation or pulling heavy weight on a trailer behind the ebike is no issue.

Whether you need to pull behind a large drum or sacks of oats, the motor does all the work.

Ebikes are powered by a rechargeable lithium battery, and depending on the size of the battery, the bike can power the motor for as much as a 60-mile range before needing to be charged. The top speed of ebikes can vary depending on the model, but the slowest is 20mph on throttle power alone. The more powerful motors can reach 35mph. While you won’t outrun a bear most of the time, it can get you out of a dangerous encounter in seconds.

Ebikes also have a nice feature called ‘walk-assist’.

Let’s say you have a very heavy load on the trailer and you’re not confident you can tackle a difficult patch of terrain. You can walk behind the bike and engage the motor in walk-assist mode and the motor will run at a walking pace and still put out the full amount of torque. So, you don’t have to push the bike or even feel the weight of the load you’re pulling.

You can hook on the trailer and carry up to 200lbs on the trailer and up to 300lbs on the bike. You can drop off the drums and bait and be back to your spot without any nearby game knowing you were even there. While an ebike won’t replace a truck, it can be an excellent addition. Pull it

Bears live in tough places, an ebike can make it easier to get to them. Check out www.ebikegeneration.com

36 Bear Hunting

July/Aug 2021

Ebikes have come a long ways in recent years and can be a good backcountry option for transportation where legal.

Riverside Lodge Manitoba, Canada

off the back of the truck and do the ‘last mile’ activities in silence.

Some other general benefits of using an ebike include getting as much or as little exercise as you like.

You can ride it like a regular bicycle, you can use pedal assist mode so you pedal and the motor helps so you feel like you have very powerful legs, and lastly, you can just engage the throttle and cruise along without exerting any energy at all.

Ebikes are a huge help for guys with mobility issues like knee or other joint pain. It takes the pressure off and avoids undue stress on the body. Not to mention you can get out of dodge quicker than on foot!

Scouting For Bears on an Ebike Ebikes are a great tool for scouting. You get into locations that a larger vehicle either cannot fit or is not allowed access. You can cover a lot of ground and scout large areas of land in under an hour and be back at your camp or truck in a fraction of the time it normally takes on foot. If you set up trail cameras around a large perimeter you can get it done fast and stealthily.

Whether you’re hunting for bear, elk, pig or turkey, an ebike is an excellent addition to a hunter’s gear.

The rules for the correct use of electric bikes on state and federal land is getting more and more relaxed and the types of power allowances vary from state to state, so if you plan to take an ebike on your next trip, just check with the state beforehand. Whether you hunt on an ebike or not, stay safe out there. www.bear-hunting.com

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Bear Hunting 37

Culinary Metamorphasis

by Timothy Fowler

@timothydfowler

B raising will turn tough as tennis balls bear shoulder or moose shanks into the most deli-

Ruhlman is the master of braise and the author of 30 books.

cious center-of-the-plate entrées fit for your best friends and close family, even if they are royalty. Michael Ruhlman wrote the book on braising: How

to Braise: foolproof techniques for the home cook, published February 2015 by Little Brown and Company. Braising is a combination method of cooking that involves searing in pan then slow cooking in liquid.

A quote from the introduction of the book Braise

by Michael Ruhlman:“To braise is to transform. A grilled salmon fillet or steak may be delicious, but these are, at their most basic level, heat and serve items; cooked, they’re pretty much exactly what they were, to begin with, only hot, with the flavorful exterior. A braise, on the other hand, is a metamorphosis.

“When you braise, you begin with a tough, often inexpensive cut of meat, and through your care and knowledge as a cook, you turn it into something tender and succulent and exquisite, the opposite of what you begin with. That is true cooking, cooking that engages both mind and soul. It’s why, of all fundamental cooking techniques, braising is my favorite.”

Perfect for Bear Ruhlman said, “You need a pot and either a lid or some parchment paper. That’s all you need. I like Dutch ovens. Cast iron and enamel, heavy, durable, you know they really hold the heat. You can sear in them, and then you can braise in them. And they’re good for all kinds of things. You only need one your whole cooking career––your whole life in the kitchen. They keep forever, so it’s worth the expense for a great pot like that.

“The biggest problem in home kitchens is dull knives. It makes cooking so much more difficult for so many people. I wish people would have sharp knives in their kitchen––it certainly makes life easier. The food tastes better when using a sharp knife, you know, cuts cleaner. Sharp knives cut herbs better, cut vegetables better. There’s not a lot you need to braise. It’s really about technique. You need so few tools.”

A standard hand meat saw makes quick work of bear shanks and gives you complete control over size of cuts.

Salt and Seasoning: Go Early Ruhlman said, “I’ve always told people that if you want, you can salt your meats as soon as you bring it in the back door. If you salt just before you flour the meat, you can lose some salt. I like to salt at least 30 minutes to 60 minutes (or more) before cooking the meat. Braising allows you to really take pleasure in the cooking, to slow down, to salt your 38 Bear Hunting

July/Aug 2021

Tough as Tennis Balls?

Hit it with a Braise.

Braising is a combination method of cooking that involves searing in pan then slow cooking in liquid.

meat well in advance so that the salt gets absorbed. Pepper is always good on beef, then dust in flour. When that floured meat hits hot fat, that beautiful aroma of browning flour and beef is something I really appreciate. That’s part of the reason that I like to braise because it gives me that sensory pleasure when I’m cooking food, floured meat, and hot fat.”

It is worth noting that as of our interview, Ruhlman had never tried bear, but I can assure you these braising methods work perfectly with bear shanks and shoulder. We’ll get Ruhlman a braised bear sample as soon as possible.

The Ruhlman Blueprint for a Braise

Above: the shanks of young black bear.

This is what a seasoned shank looks like before it goes into the liquid.

Season and flour. “Salt and pepper the meat well in advance, then dust in flour. Shake off the excess flour, get the fat hot, and have plenty of fat in the pan, so that it doesn’t cool off too much––it just makes for a better sear, better crust. You’re looking for a flavorful crust, and the flour helps to thicken braising liquid. The flour browns, the meat browns, and you get a nice flavorful crust,” described Ruhlman.

Add Braising Liquid He continues, “Then you remove the seared meat from the pot, and you clean out your pot. Usually, you’ll need to rinse out your pot because the flour that remains burns, and you don’t want that burned flavor in there. Then you will add your wine. You can start adding your vegetables if you want if you’re going to cook with vegetables. You would stir in some vegetables; you’ll sauté them so that they develop more flavor––the sweet vegetables like carrot and onion. You could sweat those then, and then you would add the meat back into www.bear-hunting.com

Bear Hunting 39

the pot, and then you would add your braising liquid, whether it’s stock and tomato.

“Liquid is what will break down the collagen, which is the connective tissue in these tough pieces of meat. A shank that has been well worked in is full of collagen, and it’s in the joints as well. Cartilage is collagen, skin is collagen, and all the connective tissue within the muscles holding these muscles together...all that’s collagen, and it needs to melt. It can’t melt in a dry environment and needs (braising) liquid. When it melts, it turns into gelatin, a protein that enriches our sauce and gives it more body.

Make a Lid “The next step would be to cover the braise with a parchment lid––the perfect type of lid. You don’t want it to boil because that can overcook things; it can tear apart vegetables and overcook the meat. You just basically cut a circle; that’s very easy. Just fold it in quarters, basically, and cut it into a circle, and cut a little air hole in the middle. You’ve got a beautiful lid that prevents too much evaporation but also does not overcook or overheat your sauce.

Above: The French call this mise en place, the work done ahead and everything in place.

Below: Browning the vegetables and tomato paste prior to adding the to braise.

(Check out Ruhlman’s link how to make a parchment lid, just cut the tip off for a 1/2” vent that works out to the middle of the lid. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtFS6R93UWY)

Braise at 300F “As they tell you in culinary school, braise at 300F until fork-tender––until a fork inserted into the meat meets no resistance. Then it should be completely tender. Remove the meat from the sauce and finish the sauce. I remove the sachet filled with herbs and peppercorns and other flavoring things in there. Then I will often puree the rest with a hand blender to make a sauce. It yields a nice elegant sauce for the braise you’ve taken such care over. That is how it serves––you would always serve it hot, often with some fresh herbs at the end. They’d benefit from that, often with something very bright like lemon zest, lemon juice or lemon zest and parsley or gremolata, (lemon zest, and garlic and parsley). And there is your braise,” Ruhlman said.

Truc is the French word for a trick––our little culinary secret.

Ruhlman shared a couple of braising trucs he has picked up along his culinary journey. “They’re little tricks that I found really valuable that I hadn’t known. I was hanging out in the kitchen with a chef, and he was adding some honey to a braise, and he said, you know what? Always add honey to a braise; something about adding honey really rounds out the flavors.”

Now, I always add honey to a braise.

“Another one of those ingredients was fish sauce.

Asian fish sauce. I learned this from my first instructor at culinary school, Michael Pardus. He noted that you could put fish sauce in anything and improve the flavor. You can put fish sauce in your mac and cheese, and it will improve the flavor.

Wow, it just enhances the umami in a dish, which gives just a more satisfying well-rounded depth that some foods often lack. So the fish sauce is a great salt component that you can add to braises for depth and umami balanced by the honey. It’s

40 Bear Hunting

just beautiful,” said Ruhlman.

You can check out everything about Ruhlman here: https://ruhlman.com Buy his books, sign up for his newsletter and generally bask in the culinary glory of a world class expert.

Now, back to the kitchen.

Note: I interviewed Ruhlman a few weeks back, and you can catch the full interview on my Elevate Your Game podcast. Follow the link on my Instagram @timothydfowler page.

July/Aug 2021

Check out Tim Fowler’s new podcast called

Elevate Your Game

This enamelled cast iron after a decade of hard use has stood up extremely well. Ruhlman says buy one. It started out tough, but the finished meat, after braising, will be tender and flavorful. www.bear-hunting.com

Bear Hunting 41

If you’re looking for the easiest & best way to clean your skull - this is it.

42 Bear Hunting

July/Aug 2021

Don’t Boil.

Macerate Article & Photos by Kolby Morehead

There are things in our lives that hold deep and

personal meaning to us. Most of the time it reminds us of an experience we hold close. A European

mount is a great way to preserve a memory. It takes up less space than regular taxidermy and the white skull has a sort of elegance that lightens up a room and produces some good contrast, complementing any decor. You would be surprised how many people that don’t like skin on taxidermy that enjoy this type of mount.

There are different ways of doing a European mount, such as boiling and pressure washing the skull or using dermestid beetles. Boiling is bad for the skulls causing them to crack and deteriorate. Beetles are great, but are a hassle to keep alive. I believe these method are both inferior to a technique called mac-

eration. Maceration uses naturally occurring anaerobic bacteria in water that breaks down everything except the hard bone. Basically, you leave the skull in warm water (heated by an aquarium heater) for two to four weeks.

The more often you change the water the quicker the process goes. I changed the water twice in a four-week period. When it’s done, all the tissue is easily removed from the skull. Then you’ll use some hydrogen peroxide to whiten the skull.

There are consequences to using bacteria to do work for you. There is a nasty smell, but the beauty of the end product and how easy it is will make it worth it.

You’ll want to wear gloves and a mask. A vapor rub will help manage the smell (I didn’t need it). Editor’s note: you can do this without the aquarium heater in warmer weather.

Boiling skulls is a thing of the past. It easily damages skulls and is labor intensive. Maceration is basically letting the flesh from the skull decompose in water. It works amazingly well. www.bear-hunting.com

Bear Hunting 43

44 Bear Hunting

May/June 2021

Macerating the Skull Tools 1 Bucket with lid 1 Aquarium heater Step 1: You will want to skin out the head as much as possible. It will speed things up if you remove the brain.

Step 2: Put the skull in a bucket, add water, install aquarium heater, cover with lid, plug it in and wait. It’s best to do this outside.

Step 3: Let the setup sit for 1-2 weeks, drain, and fill with clean water. Let sit for another 1-2 weeks (total of 2-4 weeks). Optional: use this time to get rid of any easy to remove tissues.

Step 4: Remove the skull and scrape away any tissue on skull. Most will fall off naturally. Some residual tissue is fine and will boil away during the whitening process.

Whitening the Skull Tools Cooking pot 40 Volume Clear Developer (40% Peroxide) Elmer’s Glue Step 1: Put the skull in a pan and slowly bring to a boil in a 50/50 mixture of 40% by volume peroxide and water, then cut the heat (get developer at a salon store or order online) Step 2: Remove the skull and any teeth from the pot and use Elmer’s Glue to paste them back into the skull.

Step 3: Let the skull rest, it will continue to brighten over the next few days. www.bear-hunting.com

Bear Hunting 45

Legendary Bear Hounds: part 38 Cascade big timber Article by Steve Fielder

T

he year is 1973. President Nixon suspends offensive action in Vietnam and ends US involvement in the unpopular war at the Paris Peace Accords in January. The Miami

Dolphins complete the first and only undefeated season in NFL history, also in January, and Miller introduces Lite Beer for the first time.

The last US soldier leaves Vietnam in A pack of bear dogs March. Secretariat wins including Cascade Big the Thoroughbred RacTimber on the left. ing Triple Crown in June and Uncle Sam issues a DD 214 (honorary discharge) to this writer on July 27 at Travis Air Force Base in California, ushering in ten years of bear hunting with hounds that rank as the most memorable of my life While stationed from 1970 to 1973 near the northern tip of Honshu, Japan’s main island, I cultivated the desire to take a Ussuri brown bear (Ursus arctos lasiotus) also known as the Ezo brown bear, a subspecies of the Eurasian brown bear. A very large Ussuri brown, which is not the same subspecies as the grizzly bear, may approach the size of the Kodiak bear. In the early stages of my planning in which I realized the plan would require a lot of travel, some negotiating with local hunters, and navigating miles of government red tape. I contacted a guy that I believed would have the answers I was seeking.

I knew I would have to gain approval for the firearm I would use and be able to travel by rail and ferry with the firearm, and arrange a local guide to put me in place to take my bear of a lifetime. I immensely enjoyed my tour in Japan, the country side, its customs and its people and the idea of bringing a trophy bear home from there, in and of itself, filled my hunting bucket list to the very brim. The overwhelming attraction lay in the knowledge that the bears of Hokkaido were known man eaters. During the first fifty-seven years of the 20th Century, 141 people died on Hokkaido from bear attacks with another 300 injured. In the worst bear attack in Japan history, seven people were killed and another three injured by an 838-pound brown bear that stood eight feet, ten inches in height. The bear returned to the scene of the massacre the next night while a pre-funeral vigil was underway for its victims of the night before. From 1962 to 2008 there 46 Bear Hunting

“Those who knew him will never forget him. He showed you what a bear dog could do and showed almost every bear he was ever turned on who was the real King of the Wilderness.” – Oliver Smith, III

were 86 attacks and 33 deaths from bears in Hokkaido. The Hokkaido bears were not my father’s black bears of the southern Appalachians and I wanted one.

The contact, gained through my close association with the Plott Hound breed, was Dee DeMoss of Olympia, Washington. I knew that DeMoss was a professional hunter for Weyerhaeuser, a vast holder of timber lands nationally and especially in Washington. Black bears do considerable damage to coniferous trees by stripping the bark, and Weyerhaeuser utilized DeMoss’ Plott pack, known nationally as Cascade Plotts, to eliminate hundreds of bears and effectively reduce damage to young, thinned stands of valuable timber. This was prior to the passage of Initiative 655 in 1996, which outlawed hunting bears and wild native cats with dogs or bait. After talking with DeMoss, who had hunted Hokkaido’s bears with hounds and provided invaluable information, we would learn that the Japanese Ministry had ended the practice of issuing hunting licenses to foreign nationals, thus ending my hope of taking a Japanese brown bear. In my discussions with DeMoss, I asked him about the availability of pups from his Cascade strain as I prepared to take things up where I left off back home and his answer now provides the perfect introduction to the subject of our Legendary Bear July/Aug 20210

Cascade Big Timber Cascade Big Timber was born in 1967 into the kennel of Dee DeMoss in Washington State. He was a government depredation hunter and produced a lot of top bear dogs, but none any better than Cascade Big Timber who reached national fame, and is known as one of the top Plott bear dogs of all times.

Dog story this issue.

When I asked DeMoss if he had any pups for sale, he told me I should contact Knoxville, Tenn., attorney Oliver Smith, III to whom he had recently sold a Plott Hound named Cascade Big Timber for the then unheard-of sum of five thousand dollars. I had read of the purchase in the hound magazines.

DeMoss’ purpose in directing me to Smith was two-fold. Smith was much closer in proximity to my home in West Virginia and thus more convenient.

The second and most important reason was his assessment of Big Timber’s ability. He would later be quoted as saying, “Timber is the best dog I ever owned or hunted with and his abilities in all departments reach near perfection.” I took DeMoss’ advice and I’m glad I did but that’s a story for another day.

Many readers will recall the publicity surrounding Cascade Big Timber in 1970’s. After being purchased by Oliver Smith, the hound hunted in virtually every state where hunting black bears with hounds was permitted. Smith, the son of Knoxville real estate developer Oliver Smith, Jr., had the time and the wherewithal to travel the country with his hounds.

His passion was bear hunting and he spared no expense in gathering what many believed to be one of the most effective bear packs in the history of hunting black bears with hounds. With the purchase of Cascade Big Timber, Smith, III had the leader he was looking for and www.bear-hunting.com

Hunt big Hunt color Hunt here

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began a line-breeding program based on that hound. Employing Bob Giese is a nationally various handlers to help with known bear hunter and hunted the logistics of his hunts, Smith with Cascade Big Timber. was able to compare his hound He says, “To this day, without to literally hundreds of bear hesitation, Timber was the best dogs, on their home turfs so to I’ve ever hunted with...” speak, with amazing results as our story will tell. Let’s look to the words of Oliver Smith, III, printed in the National Plott Hound Association’s yearbook fifty years ago, for his introduction to the hound he would hunt and campaign actively for more than a decade. Smith, regrettably, is now past eighty years old and physically unable to follow hounds.

“It had been almost five months since I hunted with Timber in Washington,” Smith begins. “On the night of September 9, 1972, Dee DeMoss arrived in northern Wisconsin with him. I went to Washington this spring specifically to hunt with the dog I had heard almost legendary stories about and after seeing four bears killed over him there, I understood the basis for the stories. After several Turn this year’s bear into something months trying to buy him, my partner, Clayton Coleman and I were finally able to get Dee to sell one-half interspecial with a company you can trust. est in Timber for $2500, making him the highest priced Plott that ever lived (at the time). We hunt Timber from *Starting at $175/ft September through February and Dee hunts him the rest *Six month turn of the year,” he wrote. “The next morning, we began a 14-day hunting trip which was to prove to be most unbearound on most rugs lievable. In fourteen days of hunting, we took 12 single *Industries first free bears. Unfortunately, Dee had to leave after three days.

With Timber leading the pack, ten of the twelve bears embroidery taken were treed.” *Proffesionally tanned Because of DeMoss’ depredation work with and machine sewn. bears, the hounds on Cascade Big Timber’s pedigree accounted for the demise of a phenomenal number of bears.

NO GLUING! The nuisance bears, due to their overwhelming numbers, could not be effectively trapped and/or relocated due to Free personalized the fear of inputting the same depredation problem into embroidery on the back areas where none previously existed. Apparently DeMrugsbynancy@yahoo.com of your rug! oss kept good records as the following account published 2113 E. Sessions Rd

by Smith attests. As Smith describes the numbers of kills Sheridan, MI 48884 attributed to our legendary bear hound’s ancestors we Since 1995 should keep in mind, despite what hunters of today would certainly regard as overkill, Washington had a lot of bears in those days. And, according to figures from 1996, some twenty years following DeMoss’ efforts with his Cascade pack, Washington could account for a population of more than thirty-thousand bears statewide. Looking at these numbers now, in a day when, by far, the majority of bears pursued by hound packs are treed and freed, we may find them incredulous.

Oliver Smith III wrote: “Timber’s abilities are *Ship your hide from out of state, no problem! no accident, as his ancestry includes some of the best www.rugsbynancy.com the Plott the breed has ever produced. His father, Boss,

616-835-7227

48 Bear Hunting

July/Aug 2021

Cascade Big Timber had over 200 bears killed over him before he was sold to a lion hunter in the southwest. His mother, Cubby, had over 300 bears killed over her before she was killed by a bear.

Diablo, known as one of the hardest fighting bear dogs of all times, had over 300 bears taken over him before he was also killed by a bear. Candy had over 400 bear kills. Bucko (better known as Buckaroo), the famous bear dog owned by Ed Watkins of Tacoma, Washington, had over 200 bears killed over him before his untimely death. Chia holds the all-time record for bear kills, over 500, and was in turn killed by a bear herself at 11 years of age. Each of these dogs were excellent strike and tree dogs and had the speed, agility, and guts in them it takes to get the job done and proved it.”

Smith, as hound hunters are prone to do, spared no words of praise as he extolled the virtues of Cascade Big Timber in various hound publications of the day. “Timber has proven beyond any doubt that he is one of the greatest bear dogs of all time,” Smith wrote. “At six years of age and as of this writing Timber has 294 bear kills to his credit.

We believe that Timber has been hunted with more top bear dogs than any dog in history, all across the United States and both in Eastern and Western Canada and since he reached physical maturity, he has not been out-performed by any dog anywhere.” It has been said that paper will hold still for anything. Although many of those that hunted with Cascade Big Timber have either exited the sport due to maturity or various forms of attrition, I took the opportunity to talk with Bob Giese, a nationally-known, still active bear hunter that hunted with Smith and Big Timber across the United States when the hound was in his prime. We featured Bob and his hound Giese’s Plott Gabby in the January/February 2020 issue of Bear Hunting Magazine.

“Hunting with Oliver was such a good time for me,” Giese began. “To this day, and without hesitation, Timber was the best I’ve ever hunted with, bar none. I never hunted with his equal. I don’t think I ever hunted with a dog as fast as him. Gabby, and one I have now would give him a good run. He may not have always led every race but at the end of the day, he would still come out on top. As to his tracking ability, a lot of people have said he didn’t have a nose. That’s not true at all. If he left on a track, you better pack to him right now or they would never catch up.”

I asked Giese, who hunted with Timber from 1974 until he died in 1980, about Timber’s willingness to mix it up with a bear on the ground. Most hounds people would refer to that as having grit. He said, “I was on several bear on the ground with him. If there was a bunch of dogs there, the bear was always looking for him. When he would spin, the bear would spin. He would always keep the bear’s attention.

I don’t know if it was because he had bitten the bear but the bear was always looking for him.”

I also asked Giese to describe Big Timber in the physical sense. “Between him and Weems Plott Butch, I felt they were the best looking Plotts I’ve seen. He was the perfect size and that contributed to his speed,” he said. “He had super determination,” Bob continued. “He didn’t want another dog close to him. A buckskin female out of him and Lucia, that was five years younger than him, would push him but she couldn’t beat him.” As to Timber’s mouth and treeing style, Giese said, “He had a chop mouth with good volume. I’ve heard dogs that were louder but he had a better than average mouth. You could pick him out from the other dogs and he would be sitting at the tree. His pups were like him. They would be sitting, looking up, focused on the www.bear-hunting.com

Barry Tarlton, a famed Tennessee Plott breeder and bear hunter, bred his top female, Roberta (above) to Cascade Big Timber. The cross produced the two dogs below Tarlton’s Big John who was said to be a “bear-fighting machine.” The author’s Bronco (lowest photo) was a littermate to Big John and proved to be an exceptional dog.

Bear Hunting 49

Cascade Big Timber game,”

Giese was impressed by Big Timber the first time he hunted with him. “The very first hunt is probably the one I remember most about hunting with him. It woke me up.

We ran a sow and a yearling that we started off the rig. I turned loose my best dog and Oliver turned Timber loose and other dogs were turned in too. This was before we had tracking collars. I drove around to the other side of the block. As soon as I turned the truck off, I heard Timber coming,” Giese recalled. “I heard him stop and then he went to treeing,” he continued. “He would stop treeing for 15 or 20 seconds and then start again. I could hear a big roar coming.

When I got in there, I could see there were two bears treed about twenty yards apart. He would hammer one tree, then go to the other tree. He was keeping both the bears up. You could tell by the way they were acting he had put both of them up. When the rest of the dogs got there they split, some on one bear and some on the other. We were hunting one of those big blocks in northern Wisconsin. That impressed me. I recall thinking, ‘What’s he doing?’ He had treed both bears himself before the other dogs got there.

That’s been pressed on my mind all these years. That’s the hunt that impressed me the most.”

Giese recalled the beginning of the end of Big Timber’s illustrious career. “He got hurt in Idaho. The bear came close to the road and a guy jumped out of the truck and shot. The bear broke three of Timber’s ribs.

He probably had another year or two of hunting left in him after that guy wounded the bear but it really affected him. You could see him going downhill.”

Oliver Smith, III wrote of his famous hound in 1979, a year before the great hound’s death, “I made the decision many years ago that when Timber reached the age where he began to lose his speed and agility to the extent that he would begin to get caught by bear that I would stop hunting him. I retired him as that had begun to happen. He is now well past twelve years old and has 364 bear kills to his credit. Timber, without question is the greatest bear dog and Plott of his time. He proved it over and over again from coast to coast. His pups need no advertisement and have sold for higher prices than any dog in Plott history. I have never been able to supply the demand.”

In regard to Big Timber’s reproduction as a stud, he impacted not only the Smithvale pack, Smith’s kennel name, but those of other well-known hunters as well.

Joe Hudson’s Timex female, previously featured in Bear Hunting Magazine was out of Shamrock’s Annie. Annie was sired by Big Timber. Renowned Tennessee bear hunter Berry Tarlton bred his Roberta female to Timber and produced Tarlton’s Big John, described by local hunters as ‘a bear-fighting machine.’ Smithvale’s Chuck, another Big Timber offspring owned by Tennessean Billy Price was inducted into the National Plott Hound Association Hall of Fame as was my Big Timber-sired hound Bronco, a littermate to Tarlton’s Big John. Longstanding 50 Bear Hunting

Plott breeder and fancier Robert Longshore of Georgia got his start in Plotts in 1976 with a female named Barbie Doll, sired by Big Timber and the list goes on.

In closing this tribute I’ll turn once more to the words of Oliver Smith, III because he knew this hound intimately than any of the hundreds of hunters that stepped into the bear woods with the famous hound.

“Timber’s greatness cannot be put into words as many of the things he has done are simply unbelievable. As many men have said after hunting with him, when you tell anyone what Timber did, you have to first say, “I wouldn’t have believed it either, if I had not seen it.”

Cascade Big Timber was born January 8, 1967 and died August 14, 1980. He was, and remains today, a legend worthy of inclusion into the registry of bear hunting’s greatest and best-remembered hounds.

The Nite Life Nation Podcast is hosted by Brent Reaves, Nick Gilliland, and Steve Fielder. From pleasure and competition hunting to training hounds, listeners are welcomed into a relaxed discussion geared toward helping hunters from novices to the most seasoned veteran.

Episodes focus on the time honored traditions and current trends of coon hunting with first hand accounts, humorous anecdotes, and intriguing interviews. The Nite Life Nation Podcast is always fun, always family, and always free.

New Hound

Podcast: The Nite Life Nation

July/Aug 20210

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Bear Hunting 51

NEW Guard the gate stickers

from Bear Hunting Magazine

“Guard the Gate is our rally cry to protect bear hunting. Bear hunting is an entry point for anti-hunting sentiment to enter into North American hunting. It’s more important than ever to protect all methods of bear hunting.”

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Bear Guns 7mm Remington Magnum

By Kolby Morehead

@kolby_morehead

The 7mm Remington Magnum was introduced to the masses in 1962 in a Remington 700 bolt action rifle. It was designed with the intention of being an elk rifle with shots out to 500 yards in mind. Outfitter Les Bowman has been attributed to developing the cartridge in Cody, Wyoming for hunting elk and other big game in the backcountry. The bigger .300+ rifles had a lot of recoil that made it difficult for follow up shots. Since then, it has been a popular effective tool in the hands of sportsmen everywhere.

The 7mm Rem Mag is based on the .375 H&H Magnum necked down to produce a high velocity flat shooting platform with manageable recoil depending on the load and rifle. I recently hunted bear in Montana with a Best of the West Hunter Elite rifle, and it shot like a dream and less recoil than others I’ve shot in the caliber, the muzzle break did its job.

I’ve grown up hunting whitetail and hogs with this caliber and it always performed and if it didn’t drop it didn’t go far. It has a wide range of available bullets to pair with the brass from 110 – 195 grains making this a very versatile caliber. That is the main draw of this caliber, you will be able to find a bullet to fit your pursuits.

52 Bear Hunting

Best of the West Hunter Elite

• Price: $5,799 o With 4-16x42 Huskemaw Blue Diamond long range scope. o Rifle properly broke-in, seasoned and proven accurate to 950+ yards. o 1 single stack RFBC turret o 20 rounds of premium ammunition o TSA approved hard case.

• Mag Capacity: 3+1 • Hinged Floorplate • Synthetic Stock • Stainless Steel Action • Stainless steel premium barrel with Cerakote® Finish • Muzzle break with forward slanted hole design Every rifle is painstakingly hand crafted so that when you purchase one of these rifles, you are acquiring one of America’s finest rifles. Every rifle package is mounted with a Huskemaw Optics Blue Diamond Series scope, one of the most advanced long range hunting scopes available today, creating a turnkey system sure to extend your range and bring you a lifetime of hunting and shooting satisfaction.

These turnkey systems are individually proven accurate to 950+ yards. Available in many calibers to meet all your hunting and shooting needs.

Caliber Summary:

Good for all North American Big Game up to elk.

Bullets: 110gr – 195gr Sectional Density 140gr (Penetration): .248 Velocity 140 gr: 2,900 fps – 3200fps (Depending on Powder & Charge with Barnes TTSX BT Bullets) Energy 140 gr: 3000 lbf-ft Ammo: Wide range of options available at retail locations.

July/Aug 20210

Custom, excellent-quality wildlife taxidermy We are a custom taxidermy studio operating in northwest Montana creating one-of-a-kind wildlife mounts that are hand-crafted works of art. We are not a production shop. Taxidermist John Hayes has more than 20 years experience in the profession and prides himself on fine craftsmanship. We do North American big game, African exotics, small mammals, birds and water fowl, fish, and even some reptile taxidermy. We specialize in bears, too. For hunters, we can do everything from standard head to full-body mounts to preserve your prize. All work is guaranteed. References are available upon request.

John Hayes 406-293-6776 www.hayestaxidermy.com

www.bear-hunting.com

We ship all over North America.

Call Us for a custom quote.

Bear Hunting 53

Wisconsin Bear Hunters Association Inc. July/Aug 2021

BIG FRIG Coolers WBHA SPONSOR

Wisconsin Bear Hunters’ Association 2021 Annual Raffle Winners

$10,000.00 Cash or 2021 Yamaha Viking UTV . . . . . Dennis Brown, Burnett, WI Browning AB3 30/06 Wood. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Randy Shaffer, Clayton, WI Kimber Micro 9mm Two Tone. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tom Jensen Neenah, WI Traeger Pro Series 22 Grill. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Charles Wachsmuth, Holcombe, WI Vortex Diamondback 20-60X80 Spotting Scope W/ Tripod . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dennis Kremsreiter, Merrill, WI Glock 20 Gen 4 10mm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Morse, Brewerton, NY Confluence Sound Kayak And Kayak Paddle . . . . . . Ron Luepke, Tripoli, WI Cuddelink Starter Kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Clayton Wold, Prairie Farm, WI Stoeger M3020 20 Gauge Camo . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Boyles, Barneveld, NY Ruger American .243 Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ken Bruesewitz, Colby, WI CVA Accura V2 LR .50 cal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Larry Knapp, Mount Hope, WI Ruger American 6.5 Go Wild . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Al Lilla, Sparks, NV Springfield 1911 .45 acp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Hannah Freymiller, Boscobel, WI Wicked Ridge Rampage X-Bow . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carel Brandenburger, Red Bud, IL Vortex Viper 10X50 HD Binoculars . . . . . . . . . . . . Jason Dahse, Oshkosh, WI Savage 110 Engage .270 Package . . . . . . . . . . . . Robert Hall, West Concord, MN $523.00 Scheels Gift Card. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adam Penk, Greenwood, WI $523.00 Scheels Gift Card. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Susan Bricko, Aniwa, WI $522.00 Scheels Gift Card. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eugene Janezich, Bremen, IN $522.00 Scheels Gift Card. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joanne Roiger, Medford, WI 4 Scheels Trollling Combos, 2 Right And 2 Left Hand Planer Boards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Clint Buchner, Bloomer, WI $500.00 Scheels Gift Card. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dale Hagemann, Mendota, IL Stoeger M3000 12 Gauge Black . . . . . . . . . . . . . Andy Schmidt, Gresham, WI Benelli Nova 12 Gauge Camo. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Robert Ellis, Soldiers Grove, WI Browning AB3 .300 Synthetic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michael Crippen, Sanford, MI Sig Sauer P365 9mm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ken Wendler, Neenah, WI Surround View 360 Blind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adam Erickson, Neillsville, WI Leupold Bx4 Guide 10X42 Binoculars . . . . . . . . . . John Trochinski, Berlin, WI Vertical Pellet Smoker. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Morgan Gonyo, Eau Claire, WI Long Lake Tent and 2 Cosmic Sleeping Bags . . . . . . Peter Dale, Hillsboro, WI Henry Goldenboy .22 LR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tom Ryan, Saint Germain, WI Taurus Judge.45LC/.410. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Karly Heimke, Oconto Falls, WI Sitka Timberline Pants and Sitka Kelvin Lite Jacket . . John Jashinsky, Menomonee Falls, WI Winchester XPR .350 Legend. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ryan Olson, Port Wing, WI Kennetrek Mountain Boots . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eric King, Clintonville, WI Mystery Ranch Sawtooth Pack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lynn Moeller, Granton, WI Hoyt Klash Bow Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . John Jashinsky, Menomonee Falls, WI LEM 12# Grinder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Patrick Emond, Lakeville, MN Yeti Tundra 50qt Cooler W/2- 50 qt Ice Packs. . . . . . David Lyga, Arcadia, WI Winchester SXP 12 Gauge Camo . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rick Weis, Marshfield, WI Savage Axis II 6.5 Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mike Daffinson, Medford, WI Lone Wolf Hand Climber . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kory Kais, Milwaukee, WI Revolt Predator Call . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Donald Busche, Hales Corners, WI Raven Pigeon Thrower W/ Case of Clays . . . . . . . . Andrew Pedretti, Chaseburg, WI Remington 783 .308 Package . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dustin Duffy, Hastings, MN SKB Quad Hard Case . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Doug Gerke, Burnett, WI Ruger Security 9mm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cindy and David Jefson, Westby, WI Leupold 1300i Rangefinder. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ken Kirn, Willard, WI Benchmade Osborne Knife . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Paul Drydale, Bolckow, MO Scheels Rain Jacket And Scheels Rain Bibs . . . . . . . Andrew Ballweg, Baraboo, WI

Drawing was held March 27, 2021 All state and federal regulations apply.

Winners are obligated to pay all tax, licensing and fees associated with prizes.

License # R0011342-A-22149

Thanks to all who sold and bought tickets for our annual raffle!

3/19/8 - WI UPDATED 3/20/12 - WI 4/21/8 - WI

WI Bear Hunters 4x10.indd 1

54 Bear Hunting

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

3/31/21 11:54 AM

July/Aug 2021

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

Report from MBHA

By Victor Skinner

The Michigan Bear Hunters Association recently delivered

a new bear live trap to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, the fourth donated by the MBHA to help state wildlife managers with nuisance bears.

The effort started several years ago with some funding coming from the sales of Michigan Bear Management Cooperator Patches – another joint venture between the MBHA and DNR. The MBHA took over the cooperator patch program in 2008 and has since raised tens of thousands of dollars for bear education, outreach and management. The program solicits designs annually from Michigan students, then selects a winner who receives $100 at the MBHA’s spring convention. The popular patches are sold through the MBHA and DNR, and a portion of the proceeds have gone to manufacturing bear live traps to update the DNR’s aging fleet of traps.

DNR officials previously purchased the live traps from a Michigan fabricator, but the MBHA partnered with college welders at Ferris State University and Kirtland Community College to replicate the devices with donated labor. The move creates substantial saving for the DNR, a meaningful project for aspiring welders, and better options for dealing with bears raiding bird feeders and trash cans.

“This is the fourth one we’ve made, and I believe it’s the 10th of the new style,” said former MBHA director Bill Austin, who helped organize the effort. “The last couple of traps we’ve had to dig into our own money, the patch sales haven’t covered the cost of them.”

The latest trap, delivered to DNR officials in Gaylord in late May, was hauled to the Upper Peninsula. The previous three MBHA sponsored traps went to DNR offices in the northern Lower Peninsula.

The recently delivered trap also took twice as long to produce as the previous ones, delayed by restrictions related to the coronavirus.

Austin said the MBHA approved the trap in 2019, then took an example to replicate to Mark Prosser’s welding students at Ferris State University in January 2020.

“Then COVID came along and shut them down until January 2021,” Austin said. “They got started, back in the classrooms and welding shops, and went to work and got it done in late May.” Austin said both the class of 2020 and class of 2021 worked on the project, with the former starting the trap and the latter finishing the job.

Cody Norton, the DNR’s bear wolf and cougar specialist, told The Bear Facts the new trap made its way to Marquette, where it’s now ready and waiting for action.

“I actually went and picked this one up at the (Mackinaw) Bridge,” Norton said.

DNR and MBHA officials are now exploring options with college welding programs in the Upper Peninsula to continue producing the devices, and replacing the older style traps.

“We’re looking for partnerships in the UP,” he said. “We’re hopeful we can get that partnership going.”

It’s unclear exactly how often the DNR has used the MBHA sponsored traps since they were donated, but several are in www.bear-hunting.com

service as at northern Michigan DNR offices.

DNR officials most recently deployed one of the new style traps to catch a bear in the resort town of Traverse City, where the animal was raiding bird feeders, dumping trash cans and roaming a local grocery store parking lot.

After numerous attempts, DNR staff trapped the bear in April, then fitted the bruin with an ear tag and radio collar, took a tooth sample, tattooed it’s lip, and released the animal about 90 miles away, near Alpena.

Over the next several weeks, DNR officials tracked the bear with weekly plane flyovers as it slowly made its way back to the Traverse City area, though it avoided humans along the route, DNR biologist Steve Griffith told the Traverse City Record-Eagle.

“He’s stubborn,” Griffith said. “But hopefully he’s a little bit reformed. We’ll keep our fingers crossed.”

Griffith told the news site that if the bear gets into more trouble, officials may attempt to relocate him to the Upper Peninsula, or to wildlife preserve. A last resort would be to euthanize the bear.

“The MBHA’s trap program was created to help DNR officials avoid the use of deadly force when dealing with nuisance bears, which we believe is in the best interests of the animal and Michigan residents,” MBHA President Keith Shafer said.

“The MBHA advocates for a conservative bear harvest and our members work tirelessly to protect black bears across the state, particularly in areas where the population is expanding and residents are still learning to live with bears.”

DNR officials increased the bear harvest in the northern Lower Peninsula for the 2021-22 seasons based in part on increasing bear nuisance complaints. MBHA members and partner organizations have highlighted the substantial increase in traffic to northern cabins during the pandemic, and questioned the methods the state uses to classify complaints.

The MBHA has also contributed to public awareness campaigns to educate Michiganders about living in bear country, and common sense measures residents can take to mitigate conflicts. The organization is also pushing to allow earlier baiting and a supplemental feeding program in the spring aimed at keeping bears in the woods, though DNR officials have resisted those ideas.

“While the MBHA advocates for more bears, we’ve also focused on ways to help residents understand and value bears as much as our members,” Shafer said.

“The donated traps and work to educate the public is a key component to what we do, and an important aspect of conservation we can’t overlook.”

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

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

Bear Hunting 55

David Schaeffer First Bear!

Wisconsin

Levi Cater First Bear 394lb boar Minnesota 2020

Thomas Nelson Montana Spring Bear 2021

Kylie Edinger First Bear!

Wisconsin Fall 2020

56 Bear Hunting

Zoe Camden with brother Kohen First Bear!

Wisconsin Fall with HER Hounds - 412 lbs

July/Aug 2021

Parker Forrest First Bear!

Spring 2021 Alberta

Nikki Hickey First Bear!

Oregon 2021

Matt Tyree Spring Alberta

Kevin CaulOntario First Bear!

Ontario

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Check out the Bear Hunting Magazine YOUTUBE Channel & our PODCAST

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

Bear Hunting 57

The Strategic Bear Hunter

How long should i bait before season?

by Bernie Barringer

The author believes more is better than not enough.

The question didn’t

come as a surprise to me, but the person asking it seemed surprised by my answer. It was April and I was

doing a bear hunting seminar at a sports show in Northeast Wisconsin; from a packed room a hand was raised in the back. The question was this, “I’m expecting to draw a kill tag next year, when do you think I should start baiting?”

My answer was, “Right now.”

I went on to explain that bait sites become better and better the more they are used.

Bears keep checking back, year after year. Ask any outfitter who starts baiting in the spring and he’ll tell you that he often sees bear tracks at the site when he arrives to put out the first load of bait for the year. Good bait locations become great bait locations the more they are used. In some cases, generations of bears have been feeding at the same sites for many years.

This person had waited ten years to draw a tag for that area and he wanted to make the most of his opportunity. My advice to him was get the bears coming soon and keep them coming. In Wisconsin, you can start baiting bears in April. You don’t necessarily have to keep bait there all summer, but put some out often enough that they keep checking it and get a reward when they do.

You’re training them to keep tabs on the site, and then two to three weeks before the season, make sure they have bait always available and they will camp out nearby if your bait supply is quality bait and they get rewarded every time they come.

In Minnesota, you can only start baiting two weeks before the hunting season, but there is an angle you can use that is perfectly legal. In fact there are two angles. You can feed bears year around, but you cannot hunt within 100 yards of where you have put food out prior to the official baiting period. So you can feed the bears 100 yards away from where you plan to put your bait for the hunting season, then just move the bait when the official baiting season opens.

The other little-known tactic you can do in Minnesota is something I have done many times. Put out your bear baits in years you do not draw a tag. You 58 Bear Hunting

The author learned from Tom Ainsworth of Grandview Outfitters, that to bait as long as possible is a good option.

Baits get better over time.

July/Aug 20210

might call it pre-baiting. Because I will be guiding in a new area of Minnesota this year, I established some bait sites last year. This helped me get the bears conditioned to the sites and also gave me an opportunity to analyze the number and size of the bears with trail cam photos.

This concept was first introduced to me many years ago the first time I hunted with Tom Ainsworth in the Duck Mountains of Western Manitoba. Tom had about 36 bait sites he would bait every year, but he would only hunt his clients at about 20-25 of them. Each year he rotated sites that were not hunted, which increased the number of bears and created an environment where the bears could feed undisturbed. He was willing to spend a lot of extra money on bait in order to provide a hunt that surpassed even the high expectations of his clients.

I know some of you are thinking you have trouble getting enough bait for a few weeks of baiting, much less baiting all summer and even in years you don’t have a tag.

My answer to that is just do what you can. Put out the bait whenever you can and everything you can do helps. The more bears you have visiting the bait site, even irregularly, the more competition for the food, and the more competition and interaction between the bears, the better it is for you.

I can hear some readers asking a question that I know is coming so I’ll try to answer that one before it’s asked. I have hunted in areas with low bear population where this strategy may not be the best strategy. Seems when there is only one bear visiting a bait, they tend to get lazy and slip into a daily pattern of showing up just after dark. In this rare case, you might be better off waiting until hunting season opens to start baiting and then hunt the bears as soon as they hit the bait. I have found the strategy to work when I am hunting far from home and have a limited time to get it done.

On the other hand, I have seen bigger, mature nocturnal bears work their way into daylight visits when there is competition for the bait. Some people reduce the amount of bait in an attempt to cause the nocturnal bears to come in earlier so they don’t miss out.

Cutting back on bait has been counterproductive every time I have tried it. If the bears are not rewarded each time they visit they simply stop coming.

They set the schedule we do not.

If you have plenty of bait on site, and the smaller bears are coming in first, in many cases the bigger bears will slowly work their way into coming earlier if they feel safe at the site. If you have created an environment at the bait site which doesn’t offend their comfort level, they will eventually come in earlier as they continue to have a positive, safe experience each time they come back. I’ve seen this take a week or more, but in a best-case scenario, I had a 400-pound male who went from coming in an hour after dark to coming in 15 minutes www.bear-hunting.com

Trail mix is a high quality bait.

Bear hunters also use oats, corn, dogfood, pastries, bread, popcorn and basically anything rich in calories.

before dark in just four days of even intervals. He arrived a little earlier each day.

Every situation is different and the best bear hunters roll with the punches. Pay close attention to the mature bears and the time between their visits on your trail camera, then as the season nears, pay attention to the timing of their daily visits. Do what works for you within the regulations of the state or province you are hunting.

The author will often bait even on years when he doesn’t have a tag, just to keep the bears accustomed to the site without hunting pressure.

Bear Hunting 59

@backcountrybrian

Western Bear Hunting with Brian Strickland

are you physically ready?

If you don’t live out West this may be the biggest question - are you physically & mentally ready?

It’s early summer now and you’ve thinking

about it long and hard; you’ve finally decided to take the western plunge. Living out west, it’s an

easy choice for me, but if you’re coming from east of the mighty Mississippi, it’s a big decision. Granted, I’m sure that decision involves elk, mule deer or antelope, but with most western destinations also offering easy-to-get bear tags, why not add a little spice to your western adventure. Bear populations are booming and you never know what you may stumble across.

That said, besides e-scouting, calling wildlife officials, getting your equipment ready and surfing the web trying to get a handle on what you’ve signed up for, the thought of being both physically and mentally prepared should also be at the forefront of your preparation.

Let’s be clear, you’re not chasing the woodlot whitetails you’ve been accustomed to. Western hunting is filled with obstacles that simply don’t measure up to what the whitetail woods provide, which is one of the reasons your adventure-seeking soul decided to travel west. Furthermore, western game is tough. Not only do they live in more rugged and remote regions which vary in elevations from 5,000 to 12,000-plus feet, but they often have to travel significant distances for food and water, and also deal with climates of extreme. They are survivors and the western hunter has to be prepared both physically and mentally to successfully match wits with them.

If you’ve done a little internet research already, you’ve no doubt ran across Dan Stanton. Not only is he the creator of elkshape.com, but he has also produced numerous articles and videos on the physical and mental demands of western bowhunting, and is the host of “The Elkshape Podcast.” With a BS from Eastern Washington University in Exercise Science and a MS from the California University of PA in Exercise Physiology, he knows this subject well and is always willing to put bowhunters on the path to physical and mental success.

Without a doubt, “physical fitness contributes to mental toughness,” explains Dan, but it’s having the right mindset or “mental toughness” that will get you through the difficult times a western hunt will undoubtedly throw at you. “We all need to be in good shape when bowhunting out west,” says Dan, “but grinding it out day in and day out, and working as hard on the last day as you did on the first while dealing with the uncertainties that come at you, really begins between the ears.” Most people are not born mentally tough.

It’s either because of circumstances in life they choose to defy that pushes them to such a level, or simply the sheer will and determination to over-come difficulties that helps them reach a mental tough pinnacle. In a nutshell, to build mental toughness you have to test your limits, get comfortable with being uncomfortable and have a “can’t quit attitude” regardless of the situation.

60 Bear Hunting

To achieve this, Dan says you first have to answer the “why,” and it has to be BIG enough to push you to the limit. For him, it’s living out of a pack while chasing a mature 6X6 herd bull that is living in some remote, no-name basin. Dan says, once you have answered the why, you have to develop a plan by identifying small goals that will get you in position to achieve the greater one by working backward towards it. Too many hunters seem to get stuck in a “goalless purgatory,” insists Dan, meaning they have a general idea of what they want to accomplish but wondering around with no idea how to get there. Instead, build a framework to success by setting and achiev-ing small goals that build to the ultimate goal you are trying to accomplish.

Furthermore, set goals that challenge yourself by identifying physical weaknesses and making them your strength.

“Most people live in their comfort zone every day,” insists Dan. “You have to get out of your comfort zone because I can assure you the elk or mule deer you’re after doesn’t live there.”

“Separation is in the preparation,” Dan says, and you have to do something physical every day if you want to achieve your ultimate western goal. “There’s no magic formula or fitness program that can be prescribed to suit everyone,” says Dan, “but when you train do so with a high level of intensity.” Workouts should be monitored with a stopwatch so you’re competing against the clock and yourself. This is an example of those little goals you must accomplish to achieve the greater one. Each time you push yourself to the limit and succeed, you’ve not only improved your stamina, strength and endurance, which greatly impact a west hunt, but you’ve also enhanced your mental toughness by accomplishing something your mind and body were screaming you couldn’t.

It may be as simple as running 400 meters that includes air squats, pushups and sit ups at the end, running a mile, or hiking three miles in hilly terrain with a 40-pound pack on your back. Any number of things will help you attain the physical goals you’re trying to achieve. However, Dan says the idea is to push yourself every time and change the training routine so you can identify the areas in which you are weak and make them strengths.

Lastly, Dan says you also can enhance your mental toughness through your daily lifestyle. “Do you look for the high road? Do you challenge your mental capacity every day by doing things you don’t want to do?” Doing this leaves little room for “selfishness, compromise, or distraction,” and helps build discipline in your daily life. This type of mindset builds the foundation of success in hardships and difficult times, which you will no doubt face. “Hope is not a strategy,” and you have to be purposeful in the physical and mental training to really achieve your western hunting desire.

July/Aug 2021

Dan Stanton of www.elkshape. com is fitness guru specializing gearing up for Western hunting. He’s also a bear hunter.

You might be surprised to learn what he suggests.

“Do you look for the high road? Do you challenge your mental capacity every day by doing things you don’t want to do? Doing this leaves little room for “selfishness, compromise, or distraction,” and helps build discipline in your daily life. This type of mindset builds the foundation of success in hardships and difficult times, which you will no doubt face. “Hope is not a strategy,” www.bear-hunting.com

Bear Hunting 61

y

Great Hunts

Bruin

Destinations

Maryland bears With an estimated population of over 2,500 Maryland has had a limited hunting season since 2004.

by Al Raychard

Maryland is famous for many things. The beauty

and bounty of Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary within the United States and its world famous blue crabs, served with copious amounts of Old Bay or Chesapeake Bay seasoning, of course. For you Ameri-

can history buffs, the Civil War Battle of Antietam was fought near Sharpsburg on September 17, 1862. More Americans died that day than any on other day in the nation’s military history. “Bloody Antietam” it was called. Casualties totaled more than 22,700 for the Union and Confederacy. When it comes to bear hunting, Maryland isn’t as well-known as some of its many other natural wonders and historical footnotes but it doesn’t mean bears don’t exist in the Old Line State and hunting opportunities aren’t available. They do and they are!

In fact, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources black bears are thriving within the western counties of the state. The latest population estimate puts the number at more than 2,500 adult and sub-adult bears, not including cubs in the occupied counties of Allegany, Frederick, Garrett and Washington. The population is highest in Garrett and Allegany Counties, is estimated to be increasing by about 12-percent annually with bears commonly reported in other regions of the state, particularly during the spring mating season.

Black bears are actually native to Maryland but as in other states enjoy less than a stellar history. Due to human settlement and expansion, habitat loss and fragmentation, bounties in the 1700s and indiscriminate killing through the 1800s bear numbers dwindled. By 1960 bears were near extirpated from the state, found only in the remote hills and mountains of Allegany and Garrett Counties. In 1972 the black bear was added to the state’s endangered species list.

Over the next couple decades things changed. Habitat conditions improved, research and monitoring program were initiated by the MDNR and bear numbers responded in kind. In 1980 black bears were removed from the state endangered list and in 1985 bears were elevated to “forest game” status.

In 2004 Maryland held its first bear hunt since 1953. The hunt took place only in part of Garrett County, all of Allegany Count, a quota was set and of more than 2,270 applicants only two-hundred permits were issued. A total of twenty bears were taken during that first hunt.

Maryland has held a bear hunt every year since and each year the number of permits issued, number of applicants and bear killed has increased. In 2014 450 were issued, 3,631 hunters applied and 69 bears were taken. In 2016 Frederick and Washington Counties were also opened to bear hunting. In 2019 800 permits were issued among over 5,200 applicants and 146 were 62 Bear Hunting

taken. Last year 950 permits were allotted, the highest ever.

Only 2,643 hunters applied and just 117 bears were killed largely due to COVID-19 but natural food shortages and wet, windy conditions were also contributing factors. As of this writing the number of permits to be issued for this year’s hunt has not been established but should be similar to 2020 or slightly higher. The number of applicants will undoubtedly be higher as well considering the COVID epidemic is losing steam and more hunters will be itching to hit the woods.

Since Maryland initiated its bear hunt almost two decades ago most bears have been taken on private land. In 2020 it was 74-percent. Hunters are reminded written permission is required to hunt on private property. Fortunately Maryland has plenty of public land in the four western counties open to bear hunting. In Allegany County Green Ridge State Forest east of Flintstone covers 45,000 and Dan’s Mountain Wildlife Management Area covers over 9,500 acres. The Warrior Mountain WMA covers another 4,800 acres.

In Frederick County Cunningham Falls State Park in the Cotoctin Mountains covers 4,400 acres and the Frederick City Watershed Cooperative WMA offers 7,000 acres of good bear habitat. In Garrett County the Potomac-Garrett SF in the southeast portion of the county off Rt. 135 covers nears 10,000 acres and the Savage River SF, the largest state forest in the state offers plenty of room on its 54,000 acres.

In Washington County the Indian Springs WMA near Clear Spring offers 6,400 acres and the Sideling Hill WMA an additional 3,600 acres.

Additional information on these and other properties will be found on the MDNR web site under “Public Land Hunting Opportunities.” Wherever bears are hunted careful planning is advised. Many of these public areas consists of rolling to steep and rugged topography that can be physically demanding, access can be limited to some and while some offer primitive camping areas and nearby facilities other may not.

July/Aug 20210

Maryland Overview

Maryland OVERVIEW

ESTIMATED HUNTABLE BEAR POPULATION: 2,000-2,500 +/-.

LEGAL LIMIT: One bear per permittee/sub-permittee team for the season.

LEGAL HUNTING HOURS: One-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset.

OPEN AREAS OPEN TO HUNTING: Allegany, Garrett, Frederick and Washington Counties.

SPRING SEASON: No. FALL SEASON: Yes. October 25-29, 2021.

HUNTING LICENSES/PERMITS REQUIRED/FEES: Resident hunting license-$24.50. Non-resident hunting license - $130. Nonrefundable Bear Hunting Permit application-$15.

BEAR HUNTING PERMIT AVAILABILITY/INFORMATION: Bear permits are only issued through lottery. Applications accepted starting in mid-July through end of August each year. Hunters can apply through their COMPASS account at compass.dnrmaryland.gov, at a Licensing and Registration Service Center and local sporting licensing agents. Drawing take place first week of September. Preference points are issued to hunters not drawn. Successful applicants (permittees) may designate up to two sub-permittees who are allowed to participate in all aspects of the hunt.

BAITING ALLOWED: It is illegal to directly hunt bears over bait. (See regulations for specific details on baiting).

DOGS ALLOWED: Dogs may not be used to hunt bears but training dogs may be used to find a dead or wounded bear. (Additional rules apply. See regulations for details).

LEGAL WEPONDS: Handguns, centerfire rifles, shotguns, muzzleloader rifles/pistols, vertical bows and crossbows. (See regulations for information on allowed calibers, minimum draw weighs and particulars).

CONTACT: Maryland Department of Natural Resources, 1-(877) 620-8367; www.dnr.maryland.gov.

Located in Wisconsin but can ship anywhere in the country!

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Bear Hunting 63

@timothydfowler

Fleshing it Out with Timothy Fowler

Maine getting closer to target An interview with a Maine bear biologist & discussion about their bear harvest goals.

If you hunt, you know the frustration of not

hitting your target. When this happens, you check your gear, your projectile and make adjustments.

Eventually, you get on target. The state of Maine has struggled to meet their target – the target number for annual bear harvest.

The state of Maine’s challenge with bear harvest numbers The state of Maine hasn’t hit the bear harvest target since 2005. That’s 16 years. Jennifer Vashon is the senior black bear biologist with statewide jurisdiction to manage the bear population in Maine. This includes managing conflict issues between bears and humans and managing the population at a biologically feasible number. Bear Hunting Magazine talked with Vashon about how Maine is trying to increase the bear annual harvest and hit the target.

While Maine doesn’t have a spring bear hunt (there are a few specialized exceptions), bear hunters have access to four methods of pursuing bruins: spot and stalk, hunting over bait, hunting with hounds, and old-fashioned bear trapping. Still, only 11,000 of the total 200,000 hunters pursue bears in the state of Maine. That’s just five and a half percent of all hunters. With the pandemic this last year, Maine saw an increase in all license sales with an increase of 1,000 bear hunters to 12,000. (That is a year-over-year increase of 9%, which is quite a step up in hunter recruitment.)

Hunters are critical to the conservation of bears Hunters have a critical role in the conservation of black bear populations in Maine.

“You know, we view hunters as an integral part in terms of how we manage our populations,” said Vashon.“We have been below harvest objectives since 2005. To maintain our bear population at current levels, we need to remove 10 to 15% of the population annually. Based on our current population estimate of over 35,000 bears in the state, we need to harvest between four and five thousand bears annually. We’ve been harvesting 3000 on average.”

Clearly, Maine bear hunters need to up their game.

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

She explained, “When I was a kid and was thinking about what I want to be when I grow up, I knew I wanted to spend my time outside in the outdoors. Suppose I could work with animals and wildlife––even better. I was probably 12 or 13 years old, and I was a avid reader––still am today. I found a book, a fiction piece about a young girl who had lost her parents. She was an avid 64 Bear Hunting

Not every bear hunt ends in success. Maine’s success rate is about one in three.

photographer and an anti-hunter. She went to photograph a bear hunt in Pennsylvania because she was concerned and appalled by the bear hunt. Throughout the story, she got to know the state bear biologist in Pennsylvania, opened her eyes a little bit, and changed her perception of what bear hunting was and why the hunting of bears exists. That was really pivotal for me in terms of, oh, I can find a job in the outdoors and work with animals. I can work with wildlife if I become a wildlife biologist. That really fascinated me––this reading about this young girl’s journey through understanding there’s bear management in the state of Pennsylvania. Fortunately, when I was in college, I ended up getting to meet the biologists that the author had spent some time with. I ended up going to work for him the year I graduated from my undergrad. I was working with black bears. It brought me full circle.”

Vashon hasn’t harvested a bear––yet.

“Our major focus is to engage more resident hunters here in the state, trying to get them interested in going bear hunting. You know, there’s perception out there that (bear) meat isn’t good table fare. And as you know, and I know, it’s excellent. My favorite is the black bear loin rubbed with salt and pepper and cooking it on the grill. Very easy. It doesn’t take much time and is super tender. To me, bear tastes very similar to pork loin. So I really enjoy that.” We do too!

“I have two teenagers, and we go bear hunting. We haven’t had a successful bear hunt yet. But my July/Aug 2021

Data collected from collared bears is one key piece of the population planning puzzle for the state of Maine.

husband has had two successful bear hunts in the past.

Our teenagers are still junior hunters, but they’re now to the age where they can start to sit independently. For the last couple of years, we have been running baits with our boys.”

Even with hunters having access to multiple tools and methods to take bears, Maine is still not meeting its harvest goals. It seems there are two ways to get at this target: increase hunter numbers and increase success. Most of Maine’s 200,000 hunters are residents. But bear hunters, on average, hover around 11,000 hunters––roughly half are non-residents. The challenge for residents is the densest population of bears is in the northern part of the state, where the forest is thick, and the population is thin.

“Northwestern Maine is mostly commercial forest land, and that’s where our bears are. Hunters have to travel away from home, often, and hunting black bears is more challenging than deer hunting where most people could hunt in their backyard,” explained Vashon.

Increasing the bear harvest is complicated “Bear population modeling is a complex effort.

We get as much information as we can about bears and consider all that data to determine how many bears are in the population. We can’t do a census like we can for humans. We want an estimate and to have some confidence around that estimate. Right now, we’re working with www.bear-hunting.com

researchers at a couple of different universities to do an even more complex population model, which we’re really excited about. It’s called an integrated population model. Basically, it’s taking all the data that you have available and using that to inform your model. Hopefully, we’re going to have some updated estimates from that effort.”

The state of Maine engages in a public process in terms of setting black bear population and harvest goals and objectives. Back in 2017, with significant public engagement, they developed a 10-year big game management plan. Hunters participating in this process is critical because they bring their knowledge and experience to the table. Professional bear hunting guides have a significant role in the bear harvest in the state. So part of Maine’s focus is on working with them more to understand the barriers and what needs to be done to increase harvests. At the same time, Maine wants to provide a satisfying hunting opportunity. This is all part of the engagement process.

“Our big challenge in Maine is to increase our harvest, so we look at increasing opportunities. We want to provide more and more opportunities for hunters. We have really dense forests, so hunting black bears in Maine is really difficult. In Maine, we’re very fortunate to have very liberal hunting opportunities. We have a fall season where we allow dogs, traps, bait, and spot and stalk methods. Despite all these opportunities, about one in three bear hunters are successful.

And so that shows how challenging it is to harvest a black bear successfully,” said Vashon.

Bear Hunting 65

{Hounds and Bears} Column

IN Hot PUrsuit

By Travis Reggear

Tone Training a pup Getting a handle on your hound isn’t hard but takes some work and common sense.

(originally published in 2013)

By the time this article comes out, the snow

will have melted, and the bears will be padding around waiting for a pack of bear dogs to tempt their fate. I will be somewhere out in the woods taking in a

bear race and listening for some of my younger dogs that are creating a place for themselves in my pack. Anyone that has ever hunted with me knows that I put a lot of time into training and breaking pups and yes, I am extremely picky when it comes to finishing a dog. Many people ask me, “How do you get your dogs to mind and handle the way that you do?” Well, over the years I have created a method that works quite well for me when teaching pups, or even grown dogs, to be obedient when told to come.

Any, and all, dog handler should know that not all methods and techniques that work for one per­son will work for another and not all dogs can be handled and taught the same.

Let’s face it, not all dogs read the script to see how the day is sup­posed to play out. There is always an exception to the rule.

That being said, here is how I go about teaching a dog to do the simple task of coming to me before I take them hunting.

First and foremost, teach a pup to come when called.

This is a lesson that most hunters overlook when starting a pup. I see hunters leading older dogs to and from the truck or likewise scenarios all the time. They have overlooked the first command that all dogs should learn and that is “Here.” When a hunter tells a dog Here it means to me, immediately; not when the dog feels like it. Nothing makes me more frustrated than when I have to be around a dog that does not listen. Some dogs act like they get a buildup of earwax which makes them act as if they were going deaf. Every dog person has their own kind of ear cleansing remedy, my favorite is proper use of a shock collar.

I usually wait for my pups to get six to seven months of age and then I start to put a handle on them. This is the age that I like to start taking them hunting. I start by going out in the morning after I have had my first cup of coffee and putting a shock collar on those that I intend on putting a handle on. After the pups have had the shock collar on for a few hours, I go out into my big kennel that they are accustom to and casually try to mix in with their surroundings by just doing day-to-day things and not anything out of the ordinary.

When training a pup to come to me I always get down to the dog’s level so not to tower over them. Most of the time the pups will come over and want to be shown attention so as they are coming towards me, I repeatedly say “Here, Here,” as they come my way. When they get to me, I praise them a lot.

As time goes on I will move my position in the kennel and try to get the pups to start to lose interest in the newness of me being there. This has to be done so the command “here” can be reinforced.

When the pup or dog starts to lose interest in you it is 66 Bear Hunting

One of the most important things you can, and must, do is teach your dogs to come to you when called. Starting in a pen or with a check cord is important. Getting on their level and praising them when they do is very helpful.

time to start with the e-collar. As the dogs are away from you playing, say to them in a demanding voice, “here, here.” When they do not listen to you, start by toning the dog, give them enough of the tone so you know that they have heard it and know that it is not normal. The tone will not mean much if anything to the dog yet. Then start by stimulating the pup on a low setting of stimulation while still saying “here, here.” Note: this should be done in a big kennel or on a long check cord. Either one will keep them from trying to outrun the stimulation of the collar.

If the pup comes to you lavish them with praise. If not, repeat the exercise and start to increase the stimulation.

Make it to where the only way that the pup can get away from the stimulation is by coming to you or by being near you. Again, this needs to be done in a kennel or on a check cord so the dog does not try to outrun the collar.

Since the dog cannot run and hide or outrun the collar, the only way it can get away from the stimulation is to come to you. Make sure that you have plenty of time to spend to accomplish this task. Some dogs get it right away while others require a fresh set of batteries. As July/Aug 20210

long as you remain lower than normal in posture and start out mild on the stimulation, working your way up, the pup will catch on sooner or later. After they have learned to come to you when you say “here”, start adding their name in the command. This will get the dog to start to recognize the individuality of the command.

When the handler has the pup coming on command, take a break. Leave the kennel or area and let it have some time to absorb what has just taken place.

After you have given the pup a break, enter the training area and give the dog the command to come to you. If it does, then praise them; if it doesn’t, repeat the process of forcing them to come to you on command. After a while the dog will be tuned into your commands and be waiting to see when you are going to give them an order. At this time, give them another break and then repeat the process.

When you feel that you really have control of the dog in a contained environment, it’s time to take them out of their surroundings and see if they can handle the stresses of the big world. This will tell you just how much it absorbed in the kennel or on the check cord when it was being trained. Anytime you take an animal out of its comfort zone you find out just what it has retained in its training.

As the dog is free to move about, set the scenario up to where it can have the best chance to understand the command that is given. If you have a very intelligent pup, making it handle around the truck and in the yard should be fairly simple.

If you have a bonehead that seems to not catch on, you might want to turn an old dog lose with it. That way when you tell them to come to you, the old dog can bring the pup with it and reinforce the command at the same time you use the collar.

A hunter should also not try to make a pup handle around anything that could be dangerous for them. For example, the freeway or anywhere it could put itself in danger. If the training were to go a little south, you would not want the dog to spook and try to outrun the collar and run out in front of an automobile.

All in all, training dogs is nothing more than common sense. The basis of all training starts with teaching a dog to come to you when you say the command Here. From that point on, a hunter can start to teach a dog whatever they want to be­cause they will have the dog tuned in and alert, waiting for a command. Sometimes the small, simple steps that get left out ends up being the biggest mistakes a hunter can make. www.bear-hunting.com

With some training, you’ll be able to tone your hounds back to you from any distance.

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Bear Hunting 67

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Q - My friend and I have a bet going. I say brown and grizzly bears are the same, he says they are different. Who’s right? A six pack of our favorite IPA depends on the answer.

A - Depends on how much you want to split hairs. Technically, brown and grizzly bears are the same species, Ursus arctos so on technical grounds you’re right. But there are differences based on where they live and primary food sources. Brown bears live along coastal areas and live on a diet of protein-rich salmon, clams, sedge grass and other bountiful food sources. It is what allows them to grow to such large size, much larger than grizzlies, and appear much fatter. Grizzlies are found inland along mountain slopes, tundra areas and forest area where they feed on various roots, grubs and other insects, small rodents, carrion among others. These foods are generally less abundant and lower in protein which is why grizzly bears are smaller than brown bears, and typically more aggressive. The common terms used are coastal brown bears and interior grizzlies. The various big-game record books have a fine line of demarcation (the 62nd parallel) that separate the two for inclusion purposes. My advice, split the cost of the six pack and both enjoy it!

Q - Which states produce the largest black bears?

A - In terms of body weight hefty bears in the 600 to 800 pound range are occasionally taken and have been reported taken in a number of states, North Carolina, New Jersey, Min68 Bear Hunting

nesota, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Arizona to name but a few. Some substantiated many are not. I believe the largest black bear officially weighed tipped the scales at 902 pounds dressed. That’s about 1,100 pound live weight. It was killed in New Brunswick back in 1972. If talking about trophies for the record books, a number of states have produced record heads but in recent years about 26 and 13-percent of B&C record black bears have come from Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, respectively.

Q - I recall reading somewhere that polar bears and grizzly bears are breeding in the far north. Is that actually true?

A - Apparently it is and there has been two confirmed instances of the cross breeding, the first in 2006 and second in 2010. Tests confirmed the bear in 2010 was a second generation cross. The theory is grizzlies are roaming further north and polar bear further south as temperatures warm and ice conditions in the Arctic change, undoubtedly brought on by climate change.

As a result the normal range of the two bears are overlapping. When the cross breeding occurs successfully the result is a hybrid called a “pizzy bear” or “grolar bear.” It is not yet known to what level this is happening but reports suggest hybrid bears are becoming more common in parts of the Arctic region.

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