How can I go Bear hunting in this wether ...?

[Bear13]

I shot my bear this spring cold front rain....it dont bother them unless there is strong wind. If not you are good to go

[toddy]

I'd like to hear more on this. Do you know why? I'd guess a large percentage of those are dead bears, not wounded, but just not recovered due to poor or nonexistant blood trails. I've seen the way a bear's fat can plug up a hole and stop the blood trail. And the hair just soaks it up. Also, if you dont get a pass thru, and you're relying on the blood trail from a single hole on the entrance(typically high up), it's going to be a sparse blood trail if you get one at all. Part of the reason to avoid quartering shots.

Or... are too many guys listening to this nonsense of "the middle of the middle"

Coincidence maybe, but they are all American. There is a combination of things. Guys that are used to shooting deer (refusing to accept that a bears anatomy is different), unprepared, out of practice. They also put way to much pressure on themselves to get the bear. They paid the money, traveled a day or two to get to camp and they want their bear. None of them have seen a bear let alone hunted them but they are all experts based on the internet. Shots into shoulders, gut shot bears, grazing the stomach or just clipping the top of the back. Their bad shots are all over and never consistent. I'd say a big thing is they take a low light (still legal) shot they shouldn't. Example - I helped track one night and the guy wasn't quite sure where he hit the animal, but claimed the bear was facing east and was perfect broadside. There was a lot of blood so we pushed on. Bear piled up 30 yards away it was a good heart shot. Here is the kicker. The bear was actually facing west broadside. So had the bear of actually been facing the direction he thought it was it would have been another strait gut shot no vitals. Too dark, shouldn't have shot.

[punkrockerpj]

Well, bin there, done that way too many times. I've tracked close to a hundred bears for so-called competent archery hunters for too many years and too many late hours to agree with you guys. I know of many outfitters who do not want archery hunters for the simple reason they can't make that 'well placed shot' when it comes crunch time. You end up either tracking late into the morning hours or losing the animal completely.
And I can't believe you'd say a bear is an easy kill. The hardest north American animal to put down is generally believed to be a wild boar. Guess what. They're the same family.
I just won't get into the archery vs rifle argument. Aside from the usual keyboard enhanced exceptions its a no brainer what kills better, faster and more humanely. Ask any coroner.

spoken like a true northerner!

[LowbanksArcher]

Coincidence maybe, but they are all American. There is a combination of things. Guys that are used to shooting deer (refusing to accept that a bears anatomy is different), unprepared, out of practice. They also put way to much pressure on themselves to get the bear. They paid the money, traveled a day or two to get to camp and they want their bear. None of them have seen a bear let alone hunted them but they are all experts based on the internet. Shots into shoulders, gut shot bears, grazing the stomach or just clipping the top of the back. Their bad shots are all over and never consistent. I'd say a big thing is they take a low light (still legal) shot they shouldn't. Example - I helped track one night and the guy wasn't quite sure where he hit the animal, but claimed the bear was facing east and was perfect broadside. There was a lot of blood so we pushed on. Bear piled up 30 yards away it was a good heart shot. Here is the kicker. The bear was actually facing west broadside. So had the bear of actually been facing the direction he thought it was it would have been another strait gut shot no vitals. Too dark, shouldn't have shot.

I'd say the outfitter has a big roll in that recovery percentage too. This topic got me curious so I reached out to a large Canadian outfitter that caters strictly to archery(vertical). His numbers were the inverse of what you've mentioned. 80-90% recovery. We chatted about shot placement and some of the bad advise that's floating around out there. I didn't ask if they utilize dogs for tracking. That would boost recovery numbers quite a bit i'd imagine.

[toddy]

I'd say the outfitter has a big roll in that recovery percentage too. This topic got me curious so I reached out to a large Canadian outfitter that caters strictly to archery(vertical). His numbers were the inverse of what you've mentioned. 80-90% recovery. We chatted about shot placement and some of the bad advise that's floating around out there. I didn't ask if they utilize dogs for tracking. That would boost recovery numbers quite a bit i'd imagine.

So how does that conversation play out? Umm "high, I'm calling because some guy on the internet said the bear outfitter he uses has a low recovery rate with their archery clients. What's your recovery rate and why?" lol

[LowbanksArcher]

So how does that conversation play out? Umm "high, I'm calling because some guy on the internet said the bear outfitter he uses has a low recovery rate with their archery clients. What's your recovery rate and why?" lol

lol. Not some random outfit. We chat occasionally. Point is, I wouldn't consider the numbers from your outfitter to be the norm.

[toddy]

lol. Not some random outfit. We chat occasionally. Point is, I wouldn't consider the numbers from your outfitter to be the norm.

I don't think I claimed they were normal. I quite frankly think its insanely terrible.
Keep in mind I am there for one week out of the 6-7 weeks they operate in the fall. The remainder of the season hopefully unfolds differently. I generally don't keep tabs on it once I have left.

[alfoldivandor]

I am back from Bear hunting .... the bugs eat me alive ....
I never going to go this late Bear hunting again ....

[fratri]

I am back from Bear hunting .... the bugs eat me alive ....
I never going to go this late Bear hunting again ....

Did you see anything, how was the actual hunt (besides the bugs) good I hope

[Species8472]

I am back from Bear hunting .... the bugs eat me alive ....
I never going to go this late Bear hunting again ....

Thermacell and DEET = problem solved.