By: Paul Bedard
Hunting black bear can reap big rewards. Here are a number of tips you will want to learn about before you head out to bag the very first bear:
First, learn as much as you can about black bears: what do they eat, when do they eat, what are their usual behavior patterns?
Once you’re familiar with bears’ habits, take some time before hunting season, if you can, to scout out the territory. If this is not possible, you might still be successful, if you contact an Outfitter!
One of the most important things to remember is to remove your scent as much as possible. Bears possess a strong sense of smell and are aware of what people smell like.
They can smell shampoo, soap and if you have been smoking. Instead of wandering right by, they’ll turn and go the other way. Don’t wear cologne, aftershave, perfume or hair spray or gel. To reduce your human smell, use unscented soap, shampoo and deodorant. Also, when hunting black bear, wash clothing in unscented laundry soap and then wash again in plain water.
Don’t wear your hunting clothing around camp, where you may wish to smoke or drink. You’d be surprised at how many scents your clothes can pick up.
If you are in a hunting stand, don’t smoke or eat anything that may give you a detectable scent. If you have to, use a nicotine patch while you are hunting to help curb your urge. Bears can smell tobacco, and know tobacco comes with people.
Stay still and silent. Bring some cough drops or throat lozenges in case your throat gets dry or scratchy. Clearing your throat or coughing will frighten off your quarry. Mint is a good choice for throat drops, toothpaste and mouthwash. Bears truly like mint, so it may help attract them, in addition to covering up any scent on your breath.
Movement will let the bears know you are there. Their visual acuity is based on movement for the most part, like many animals.
If you plan to drink alcohol in your camp the night before you hunt, choose beer, rather than other forms of alcohol. The next day as it dissipates from your system, it will make you smell like bread instead of chemicals. Studies have shown that bears love bread and other carbohydrate-laden foods.
Feeding Stations
If you choose to use a feeding station when hunting black bear, do your research. Most bear hunters who use feeding stations are highly serious about their hunting.
If you’ve ever seen bears eating at the dump, you’ll notice that they choose breads, pasta, pastries and any carbohydrates they can find.
To prepare a feeding station, you’ll want to load it with these same kinds of foods that attract them most. While the bears will realize these are human foods and will still desire to prevent contact with humans, many can’t resist this temptation.
Before you choose to use a feeding station, be sure to check the regulations for hunting black bear to determine if this technique is legal in the region you plan to hunt.
Spot and Stalk Hunting
Spot and stalk hunting is another strategy that works well for bears. This approach works especially well in coastal areas. The key to successful spot and stalk hunts is to spot the bear before he spots you.
This tactic is very successful in the fall when bears are extra focused on discovering food than watching what is happening around them.
Watch for bear tracks close to water sources: if you find them, you know this is a good place to find your bear. Bears must drink a lot to prepare for hibernation.
Calling black bears may be either very exciting or very dull. When it works, your heart is going to be pumping extremely quick as you attract nearby bears.
Make sure you position yourself somewhere you’ve got a good field of vision — the last thing you want is to be surprised by a hungry bear.
Paul Bedard is an experienced hunter and outfitter in New Brunswick, Canada. Together with a team of other experts, he runs BlackBearKingdom.net, the ultimate resource on black bear hunting in Canada. Find out more at http://www.blackbearkingdom.net.