Bear hunting tactics
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Bear hunting tactics
Its interesting. Showed up in bear camp this week...first thing we were told.
1. Wind does not matter to these bears
2. Take scent free showers and spray down, guys last year never shot bear until he did
3. Grim reapers will not penetrate the fur
DOH. I was gracious and at least took a shower...lol. But wind in relation to stand setups were really not given any thought. The night I killed my bear, that set is fool proof for a sunny day sit. Mountain, bait is at base of mountain, stand is beyond that. Bullet proof. Thermals always will push down the mountain. Just what happened. Bears came in. Calm. No idea I was their. We bantered back and forth all week with the guides on how the wind HAS to be a factor. Bears live and die by their nose. My buddy hunted it the first night. Wind was blowing towards bait because it was cloudy. No bears showed.
We were talking on the way home about the sets and how they could be improved. Most guys just don't think about all of the little things. Backing stands up to terrain so bears cannot get around you as easy. Picking stands based on the wind. But that takes a ton more work. And a ton of thought.
I am not much of a bear hunter...but it makes no sense that bears disregard the wind. Especially big bears / older bears.
Thoughts?
1. Wind does not matter to these bears
2. Take scent free showers and spray down, guys last year never shot bear until he did
3. Grim reapers will not penetrate the fur
DOH. I was gracious and at least took a shower...lol. But wind in relation to stand setups were really not given any thought. The night I killed my bear, that set is fool proof for a sunny day sit. Mountain, bait is at base of mountain, stand is beyond that. Bullet proof. Thermals always will push down the mountain. Just what happened. Bears came in. Calm. No idea I was their. We bantered back and forth all week with the guides on how the wind HAS to be a factor. Bears live and die by their nose. My buddy hunted it the first night. Wind was blowing towards bait because it was cloudy. No bears showed.
We were talking on the way home about the sets and how they could be improved. Most guys just don't think about all of the little things. Backing stands up to terrain so bears cannot get around you as easy. Picking stands based on the wind. But that takes a ton more work. And a ton of thought.
I am not much of a bear hunter...but it makes no sense that bears disregard the wind. Especially big bears / older bears.
Thoughts?
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Re: Bear hunting tactics
I was asked to be oln a bear podcast last week, I think it airs tomorrow? I told the guy interviewing me that outfitters will almost always tell you wind don't matter, but it does... They will tell you bear knows your there, and they come in anyway.... Some m ight even believe that since they heard themselves repeat it so many times... But really, an outfitter has to tell you those things cause he only has one or two baits for you and he has 4 winds... Bears don't live to be 10 to 20 years old by walking into baits with no regard to the wind. Period... I have watched bears circle the baits to the down wind side on many occasions, some busted me and left, and some never scented me, but it happens often. I have seen bears walk straight into baits, and I have seen bears that do know your there and come in anyway... But its usually the small young ones.
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Re: Bear hunting tactics
You are better hunter than the guy you paid. Stupid outfitter rules.
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Re: Bear hunting tactics
dan wrote:I was asked to be oln a bear podcast last week, I think it airs tomorrow? I told the guy interviewing me that outfitters will almost always tell you wind don't matter, but it does... They will tell you bear knows your there, and they come in anyway.... Some m ight even believe that since they heard themselves repeat it so many times... But really, an outfitter has to tell you those things cause he only has one or two baits for you and he has 4 winds... Bears don't live to be 10 to 20 years old by walking into baits with no regard to the wind. Period... I have watched bears circle the baits to the down wind side on many occasions, some busted me and left, and some never scented me, but it happens often. I
have seen bears walk straight into baits, and I have seen bears that do know your there and come in anyway... But its usually the small young ones.
Good info, looking forward to the podcast. I assume it's the Bear hunting podcast with Matt.
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Re: Bear hunting tactics
BassBoysLLP wrote:You are better hunter than the guy you paid. Stupid outfitter rules.
The beauty is? I did not pay. Someone else paid in full. However, because of some criminal charges, he could not get into to Canada. I got in on this one for free.
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Re: Bear hunting tactics
dan wrote:I was asked to be oln a bear podcast last week, I think it airs tomorrow? I told the guy interviewing me that outfitters will almost always tell you wind don't matter, but it does... They will tell you bear knows your there, and they come in anyway.... Some m ight even believe that since they heard themselves repeat it so many times... But really, an outfitter has to tell you those things cause he only has one or two baits for you and he has 4 winds... Bears don't live to be 10 to 20 years old by walking into baits with no regard to the wind. Period... I have watched bears circle the baits to the down wind side on many occasions, some busted me and left, and some never scented me, but it happens often. I have seen bears walk straight into baits, and I have seen bears that do know your there and come in anyway... But its usually the small young ones.
Yeah. Buddy and I came to the same conclusion. We all know with thermals, just because you "think" your wind is going to the bear does not necessarily mean it is. The difference when the bear came in with wind in my favor was pretty obvious. Very relaxed. She never circled me, terrain was not as favorable for her to do that. My buddy was circled the last night and bear winded him.
Another one that kept being said is that bear do not move to baits as well when it is rainy and cool. Much better movement when its sunny and hot. One guys hunted whole week. Never saw a bear.
I just tried to be gracious.
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Re: Bear hunting tactics
I have said this before, all bears are not the same, what happens here in Wisconsin or in other areas of the country can be totally different. When I went to Canada the wind direction didn't matter, bears came in from all directions, when they hit our scent they would just pause for a short time and come in. I don't know if its the lack of interactions with humans that make them so bold and unafraid. I was amazed at how different things were done . The lack of detail was a head scratcher but everyone shot bears and big ones at that. As a guide, that didn't carry over to the way I do things. Here in Wisconsin the smallest of details are what kill big mature bears, there interactions with humans most likely on a daily basis is what gives them the human fear factor. I have made hunters sit in camp because the wind direction was wrong for that day, and when they did hunt they were well rewarded.
When booking a hunt, call the outfitter, drill him with questions, one of the biggest mistakes bear hunters make is they don't ask the appropriate questions, most rely on there buddies when booking the hunt (he said/she said)....in my book when a hunter calls me there is no such thing as dumb questions and I can talk bears for hours. I as well, as a guide, can get a good feel on that particular hunter on what he wants and expects. When booking a hunt, do your homework so there's no surprises and trust your guide, they have been doing this longer than you.
When booking a hunt, call the outfitter, drill him with questions, one of the biggest mistakes bear hunters make is they don't ask the appropriate questions, most rely on there buddies when booking the hunt (he said/she said)....in my book when a hunter calls me there is no such thing as dumb questions and I can talk bears for hours. I as well, as a guide, can get a good feel on that particular hunter on what he wants and expects. When booking a hunt, do your homework so there's no surprises and trust your guide, they have been doing this longer than you.
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Re: Bear hunting tactics
Another one that kept being said is that bear do not move to baits as well when it is rainy and cool. Much better movement when its sunny and hot. One guys hunted whole week. Never saw a bear.
Hmm. Sunny and hot=rising thermals
Hmm. Sunny and hot=rising thermals
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Re: Bear hunting tactics
Mike Foss wrote:I have said this before, all bears are not the same, what happens here in Wisconsin or in other areas of the country can be totally different. When I went to Canada the wind direction didn't matter, bears came in from all directions, when they hit our scent they would just pause for a short time and come in. I don't know if its the lack of interactions with humans that make them so bold and unafraid. I was amazed at how different things were done . The lack of detail was a head scratcher but everyone shot bears and big ones at that. As a guide, that didn't carry over to the way I do things. Here in Wisconsin the smallest of details are what kill big mature bears, there interactions with humans most likely on a daily basis is what gives them the human fear factor. I have made hunters sit in camp because the wind direction was wrong for that day, and when they did hunt they were well rewarded.
When booking a hunt, call the outfitter, drill him with questions, one of the biggest mistakes bear hunters make is they don't ask the appropriate questions, most rely on there buddies when booking the hunt (he said/she said)....in my book when a hunter calls me there is no such thing as dumb questions and I can talk bears for hours. I as well, as a guide, can get a good feel on that particular hunter on what he wants and expects. When booking a hunt, do your homework so there's no surprises and trust your guide, they have been doing this longer than you.
Mike...kind of why I tried to be gracious. Did not want to be that guy. I kept a lot of opinions to myself and went with the flow.
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Re: Bear hunting tactics
The bears might not smell you up in the tree cause the wind is right. But, rest assured they now where your stand is and if your in it. Why do you think when they walk in they look right up at the tree your in? I always have atleast two trees sometimes more where every year and can switch the stand locations. They will look to see if that stand is empty even with a good wind.
I have found that if we try and play the wind here we would sit home most every day. It switches to much or it dies down at sunset anyway. When I set a baitci try to take the prevailing winds in account. Mostly on looking for the spot on the spot and if I can use something to keep the bear from circling.
Nothing is fool proof. The bears always know something is up regardless of wind. Movement in a stand can screw you more then most guys think. Many times I've seen when I've hunted bears laid up watching the bait and stand tree and seeing movement and turning and leaving. The inexperienced person wouldn't even know a bear was near.
I have found that if we try and play the wind here we would sit home most every day. It switches to much or it dies down at sunset anyway. When I set a baitci try to take the prevailing winds in account. Mostly on looking for the spot on the spot and if I can use something to keep the bear from circling.
Nothing is fool proof. The bears always know something is up regardless of wind. Movement in a stand can screw you more then most guys think. Many times I've seen when I've hunted bears laid up watching the bait and stand tree and seeing movement and turning and leaving. The inexperienced person wouldn't even know a bear was near.
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Re: Bear hunting tactics
Great responses. I figured there were some diehard bear guys here. And some of the guides said that...bearS there were different than bears in maine.
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Re: Bear hunting tactics
Wind direction and scent definitely is a factor hunting bears. Even here hunting with hounds, if a bear is bayed on the ground they will sometimes break and run if we try to come in upwind of them.
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