New to bear hunting

[Daks]

I'm going to go bear hunting this September for the first time. I hunt in the Adirondak Mountains of Upstate NY. I have a pretty bear-y area by my camp, where there's enough sign and noise that the hair sorta lifts up on the back of your neck when you are fishing in the area. It is in the big woods - nothing but trees for 60 miles, only one cross road in all that.

I've got a brand-new .35 Whelen in Rem 7600 from Grice's Gun shop in PA, topped with a Bushnell 4200 2.5 to 10. I'll be shooting Grand Slam 250's or the Rem 250 Core Lokt, depending on which groups better when I go sight the gun in. Been hunting deer for 30 years, so I've got lots of gear. I don't hunt from the trees, though.

With deer, I'd look for trails, forage, bedding, natural funnels. What do I look for for bears? What type of food sources? What sort of bedding do they prefer? I know about sign but apart from just getting lucky and stumbling around in my bear area, how should I go about this systematically?

Can't bait, so that's out.

Any noooooby tips, oh bear gurus?

[oso45-70]

Daks

First let me welcome you to gbo and hope you find what you need to know about what ever it is you happen to be looking for. You ask a very hard question for me to answer because of the difference in the country. I would think you might find someone in your area that is woods wise to put you on the right track. I think you were wise to post here because there is bound to be someone to jump in and give you a hand, Hope you have good luck getting the info you need and also have a good hunt........Joe......

[corbanzo]

Up in AK, they just bed down wherever.  Usually in grass somewhere, you will find a big layed down area, a lot of time they go up in elevation to bed though.... but the layed down grass the same for moose too...   You can also look at the trees, and see if you find hair from where they have been scratching themselves.  Big holes dug in the ground, as in where ground squirrels live, show that they've been digging to try and get to critters.  Bears aren't the most cautious of animals when it comes to their day to day activities, so if you look well, you should be able to notice things pretty easy.  OF course... tracks and poop are always good signs.

[RollTide]

oso45-70 and others

Do you have any good tips for bear hunting here in the southwest US?  I am not trying to hijack Daks thread, but I am new to bear hunting as well and maybe some of the info would be applicable to people in other locations as well.

Roll Tide

[oso45-70]

oso45-70 and others

Do you have any good tips for bear hunting here in the southwest US?  I am not trying to hijack Daks thread, but I am new to bear hunting as well and maybe some of the info would be applicable to people in other locations as well.

Roll Tide

Roll Tide,

The best way to hunt bear in my area is with dogs. Don't know if you have hounds or not. To go out looking for bear is pretty much a hit or miss situation with out hounds. you might go to the Guide & outfitters forum and check. I don't have hounds any more so i don't bother looking for bear. The only bear hunting has been in NM, CO and AZ that i have done, I hope you can get some replys from some one that can help you.
Good luck to ya ...........Joe.............

[Daveinthebush]

Daks:

1.  First pick an area of the state that you want to hunt.
2.  Contact the DEC in the area and talk to the area biologist.  Ask him for siteings and if any farmers in the areas are having problems with bears. If so, ask for a list of the farmers and start calling them for permission to hunt the farms. Bears can be very destructive.
3.  If you want to hunt up around Old Forge, there is a lot of state land up there.  Moose River Recreation area for one.
4. Look for the mast crops of oak and beech.  Learn to identify the trees, beech and oak, by the color of the leaves in the fall.  Saves time finding groves.  Bear love both up that way.
5. Some guys used to hunt in areas around the dumps on the state land. There is probably a set distance back and if you find a trail leading to a dump it can be a honey hole.
6. You can also ask the State Police and Game Wardens for siteings.

[Daks]

Just the list I need to start the process! Thanks a bunch!!!

[shooter]

Daks,
  im originally from Glens falls ,now live in Kingston area.I've hunted bear up near Long lake,newcomb area. 1st-are there any blueberrie fields in that area ? How about Beechnut trees ? I realize alot of upstate NY is Evergreen but if you have any ridges nearby that have beechnut-go in there and look for signs of them climbing (paw marks),also look for branches piled up under these trees-thats a dead give-a-way.If you have the beachnut trees -hunt that area ! Try to get between the thick swampy stuff and the beech ridges and catch them going to,from the food or bedding areas (the thickest stuff around).Also,if the area is thick with bear,you'll see trails.I'd suggest if you live close enough,set out a deercam along a nearby stream or on an edge of a swamp along a trail and monitor the area come this spring.This summer-scout around and look for overturned logs,boulders along trails and logging roads-bears will be digging up grubs,ants and underground hornets nests.You'll see alot of that kind of thing around July/Aug.In Sept,check the beechnut trees -they are very smooth and gray and tracks will scar the bark and leave black scars( claw marks).
Shooter