My dogs caught their first bear

And that's fine it's your opinion legal or not. It's the method of the hunt and how long it can go on for based on my personal experience. The one family member that took me on the hunt I worked with at my last job about 7 years ago (2001). We had a discussion about how often they hunted with hounds and he explained that the family was receiving a lot of pressure from the locals as well as other hunters. The local hunters that did not hunt with hounds were being put into the same negative category as the hound guys. The non hound hunters didn't want to have to defend the hound guys because of their ethical beliefs. Eventually the hound hunters started to dwindle with a small handful remaining in the area. The local hound guys could not ethically defend their position because no matter how they tried to explain their methods it came across as cruel and inhumane even though it was legal. Personally I walked away from my first and last hound hunt with mixed feelings even though it was perfectly legal. It really bothered me and still does to this day. I give thanks for a safe hunt as well as the wild game I am able to harvest in a humane manner. I can see hound hunting a thing of the past within the next 10 years.

Maybe youre right yellowdog, but i hope not. In my opinion, after doing a couple methods of hunting bear (bait and hounds), the hound hunt was a lot harder in general and more ethical. I did find it gave us an advantage in targeting a more mature age class of bears which is what we would like to harvest anyways. Was anyone successful on the hound hunt you went on?

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Brodieross....good report and you handled some of the comments very well. Too bad as someone mentioned that 'hound guys' are perceived in a negative way. It's a legal and accepted form of hunting. We should not drag ourselves into arguments that are non supportive of our hunting style.....period!

Usually people who condemn that style of hunting are limited in their experience and background. As an example I could take you to many areas in the south where hound hunting is a way of life and ingrained in family culture. I have been there and ran my hounds with many of those folks over many years......just a way of life.

Dog people should stick together....it's that simple for me. I may not have bear hounds but certainly not going to critique the hunting of hounds on bear, coyote etc because someone else disagrees with it. I speak with a little experience, didn't just go on a hunt with hounds, ran them for 30 years over a lot of geography for sure.

Celebrate your sport....well done.

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Originally Posted by krakadawn

Brodieross....good report and you handled some of the comments very well.

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Hear Hear...!!!

Great report, back in 1997 when we first bought a camp in Eastern Ontario we ran into bear hunters in the spring. We asked them about cubs as well, they told us how easy it was to see the reproductive organs and if the sow was lactating, now that I have grown up and been around farm animals nursing I can see what they mean. Nothing says a sow cannot stash the cubs and go to a bait.

You are doing your due diligence to make sure your animal is legal, you are also scaring the other ones into the bush and reminding them that humans are bad for them, this is what is needed to keep the bear/human interactions down.

In the past I hunted over beagles chasing rabbits, deer up north never bothered me. My only concern here would be to make sure it is a legal bear to shoot. I'm not convinced shooting a bear over bait is much different. I was out for my first bear hunt this spring, never saw one, but was concerned over the fact that how can I be sure it is a legal bear. Do they always have cubs come to the bait. At the range I was at, I don't think I would be able to tell if she had cubs or not.

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Originally Posted by sabmgb

In the past I hunted over beagles chasing rabbits, deer up north never bothered me. My only concern here would be to make sure it is a legal bear to shoot. I'm not convinced shooting a bear over bait is much different. I was out for my first bear hunt this spring, never saw one, but was concerned over the fact that how can I be sure it is a legal bear. Do they always have cubs come to the bait. At the range I was at, I don't think I would be able to tell if she had cubs or not.

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Put bait up that is high and wait to look for the genitals, you can tell a lactating sow, but if they do not stand up or if they are not in a tree then it would be tougher.

Good job pups! I've never ran bear with hounds but there is nothing even comparable to the sound of hounds tonguing on game and I consider myself more of a waterfowl and upland hunter. We use hounds in deer season for our morning hunts. As much as I love sitting out in the evenings, it does pale in comparison to dogging or sitting on your watch and hearing them fire up and start moving your way.

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Originally Posted by yellow dog

Yes they were successful on the hunt I was on and the Coyote was completely spent and was surprised it's heart didn't explode. Even some fresh hounds were added part way through the hunt to put the pressure on. I knew the one particular family member very well and had many conversations with him about hound hunts. I was very intrigued by his family history and the stories he had and jumped at the chance when he invited me to go along. As stated earlier it just isn't for me . I can guarantee some of the hunters on this forum who have little children or grown children do not have their support even with a long winded explanation and that's its legal. And some hunters that use to hunt with hounds no longer do it for this very reason.

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Well, you have had your say in the matter, it is time now to drop the subject and do not condemn others for hunting the way they like , legally.

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Originally Posted by krakadawn

Brodieross....good report and you handled some of the comments very well. Too bad as someone mentioned that 'hound guys' are perceived in a negative way. It's a legal and accepted form of hunting. We should not drag ourselves into arguments that are non supportive of our hunting style.....period!

Usually people who condemn that style of hunting are limited in their experience and background. As an example I could take you to many areas in the south where hound hunting is a way of life and ingrained in family culture. I have been there and ran my hounds with many of those folks over many years......just a way of life.

Dog people should stick together....it's that simple for me. I may not have bear hounds but certainly not going to critique the hunting of hounds on bear, coyote etc because someone else disagrees with it. I speak with a little experience, didn't just go on a hunt with hounds, ran them for 30 years over a lot of geography for sure.

Celebrate your sport....well done.

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Very well stated,
We /I have hunted coyotes behind hounds for well over 35 years and no one has ever condemned us for hunting that way, as as matter of fact, we/I have had farmers call us to get our hounds in and get the marauding coyotes that were around their farms.
Along with running hounds, I also go and call coyotes when the weather and wind is right.
Makes me wonder how some that hunt birds with dogs and then complain about bear and coyote hunters using hounds, how successful they would be at hunting birds if they did not use dogs to find and roust the birds ?