Author Topic: Camouflage and Scent Control For Black Bear (Read 707 times)

DogoCanario · « **on:** September 11, 2005, 11:38:45 AM »

Do you have any reason to believe that your choice of camouflage is just as important in hunting black bear as it is for other game such as whitetail deer? What about scent control?

I know that your method of hunting will influence your answer.

Thanks for your input.

billythekidrock · « **Reply #1 on:** September 11, 2005, 03:48:14 PM »

I mostly call bears and I am more concerned about scent control then camo. Usually I am in jeans and green or blue shirts, but sometimes I will wear camo tops.

Scent control is much more important. If he smells you he is gone.

wipartimer · « **Reply #2 on:** September 11, 2005, 04:21:04 PM »

scent elimination is absolutly crittical, as is noise/ sound discipline. As far as camo, it won't hurt,if legal, but I was wearing a blaze orange vest and hat when my bear looked up at me from about 12-14 feet below me and didn't spook.

Turtle · « **Reply #3 on:** September 13, 2005, 03:51:36 AM »

definitely scent control over camo. Not that camo won't help but I don't believe it's that critical for black bear.
I had a black come into me at 10 yds with a strong breeze in my face. He checked me out for over a minute before finally moving on and here I am with a blaze orange vest and hat.
No bear license in my pocket that year.

-Turtle-

loaded4bear · « **Reply #4 on:** September 16, 2005, 04:50:13 AM »

I have to agree with the previous posters. When hunting black bear, scent control is essential. It's been said that a bear's nose is 100X more sensitive than that of a domestic dog's.
While bears are far from blind, their eyesight ranks a distant 3rd behind their senses of smell & hearing. While camouflage surely can't hurt, many bears have been killed at close range by stand hunters who were mandated to wear blaze orange by local hunting regulations. Bears are much more likely to key in on movement than the color of your clothing. That being said, unless the law requires you to wear hunter orange garments, any camo pattern or subdued color clothing should serve you well while bear hunting. If you MUST wear blaze orange, avoid wearing it on your extremities (hands, arms & legs) as this will only serve to exagerate any movements that you do make.