Hunting Bears

[Piperdown]

I do believe we should thank the anti's and the snowflakes for more bears hitting the dirt this season. It seems to me that more people have been putting in the effort to hunt bears this season and many being successful in cutting their tags on some very nice bruins. So thanks again for getting many of us truly motivated in getting into the hunting of bears, myself included :mrgreen:

[Stone Sheep Steve]

With many areas seeing a drop in the ungulate populations, hunting and eating bears is a great alternative.

If my freezer is full of ungulate meat I tend to be fussy on bears. With lots of room in my freezer, not so fussy.

Win win.

SSS

[Chrispryn]

Agree with Steve. I'm not thanking anyone other than my grumbling belly for my bear success.

Good luck for anyone still chasing boo boo

Chris

[Wild one]

I have always hunted bear and have introduced many to bear hunting. In my opinion a big part of the increase in bear hunting has more to do with hunters learning that bear meat is good eating. When I was a kid many hunters would not hunt bears because they were told they had poor flavour. Personally watched a good number of hunters change their mind just by getting them to try some well prepared meat and not just sausage

In my opinion the Internet educating hunters on bear meat had a larger impact on the number of hunters targeting bears then decreasing ungulate numbers. It’s not a hard sell once hunters taste good bear meat combined with the ability to hunt during spring well waiting for fall to come

For me the fact ungulates benifit for bear hunting is just a bonus but I would be bear hunting regardless of this perk

[Iron Glove]

Don't hunt bear, we really don't like the meat, but have noticed everybody and their Mother out bear hunting near our cabin.
The bears are falling faster than Vancouver Real Estate prices. ;-)
Maybe if all you guys fill your freezers with bear there'll be no room left for deer and you'll leave a few deer for me.

[Wild one]

Don't hunt bear, we really don't like the meat, but have noticed everybody and their Mother out bear hunting near our cabin.
The bears are falling faster than Vancouver Real Estate prices. ;-)
Maybe if all you guys fill your freezers with bear there'll be no room left for deer and you'll leave a few deer for me.

Learn how to cook bear meat you might get out and join the fun. Only hunters I have not been able to convert after a good meal are those who can’t get over how a bear looks skinned or just the fact it’s a bear lol

I will keep hunting ungulates as well because they are really good as well

[decker9]

I hunt bears a lot, but am to damn picky! Lol. Iv lined up on a few this spring, but haven’t pulled a trigger, yet. I tend to target where I moose hunt, I like bear meat, but my main motive besides just getting out there, is to save a moose calf or two. So far this season, I’m failing. As the season gets closer to the end, I won’t be so picky. The rifle I’m using this season, requires a big bear for its first kill lol.

[walks with deer]

i share bear meat frequently i typically enjoy the fresh boost but i share lots to bait more bear hunters out....lol love it..

[Iron Glove]

Learn how to cook bear meat you might get out and join the fun. Only hunters I have not been able to convert after a good meal are those who can’t get over how a bear looks skinned or just the fact it’s a bear lol

I will keep hunting ungulates as well because they are really good as well

We've tried for years but simply don't enjoy bear meat.
Son, on the other hand much prefers bear to venison.
Some years I get a bear tag and join him but not interested myself in shooting one.
Have no problems with the "look" or anything, was at the cabin last month giving a hand to a feller at the cabin across the road who was processing his bear kill.

[RyoTHC]

Out of everything GOS bear is by far the most tasty BUT you have to get way out there away from towns and big rivers or it'll taste like CRAP! I got a Berry patch fall bear last year and it was my first.. I ate that meat faster than I ever imagined. So as soon as spring bear opened I out two more in the freezer ! Have 150lbs of kielbasa, sausage, smokies and peporoni. :D

[Jelvis]

-- All you bear hunters on HBC in 2018 have really posted some world class entertainment for hunters all over the world. I am so impressed with all the threads the posts on black bear hunting this season here, beyond world class photos and stories with them. From rookies to the experienced bear hunters and posters.
Jel -- All you black bear hunters who have shared your photos and hunts on hbc, you have raised the bar on bear, and done an amazing original presentation --
-----------Don't stop believing and thanks for the great presentations on black bear hunting --

[Kill-da-wabbit]

I think I gave away 1/2 my bear from last fall to try to change peoples minds on the false stigma of bad bear meat. And what do you know...I have a new hunting partner this spring!

[Piperdown]

I hunt bears a lot, but am to damn picky! Lol. Iv lined up on a few this spring, but haven’t pulled a trigger, yet. I tend to target where I moose hunt, I like bear meat, but my main motive besides just getting out there, is to save a moose calf or two. So far this season, I’m failing. As the season gets closer to the end, I won’t be so picky. The rifle I’m using this season, requires a big bear for its first kill lol.

Hey decker head to where my cabin is near the Maclarry's ranch, km 35 E. Ootsa saw the nicest chocolate bear there mid May, was a tank, couldn't coax him off of the rez land where the green house is. I am hoping he is still there in the late season :)

[decker9]

Hey decker head to where my cabin is near the Maclarry's ranch, km 35 E. Ootsa saw the nicest chocolate bear there mid May, was a tank, couldn't coax him off of the rez land where the green house is. I am hoping he is still there in the late season :)

Funny you say that, a Reynolds from work here mentioned a couple weeks ago that they seen a huge bear in that same field across from that house, but wasn’t sure if it was a grizzly or a chocolate. Might take a drive out that way one my next days off here. I lived in that green shack with a few guys for a while back when we had a mill at 41km, was definetly no shortage of bears out there back then. Iv kinda avoided that area since tho, usually that lockheart had every bear in that area pretty educated lol.

[mmckimmi]

I do believe we should thank the anti's and the snowflakes for more bears hitting the dirt this season. It seems to me that more people have been putting in the effort to hunt bears this season and many being successful in cutting their tags on some very nice bruins. So thanks again for getting many of us truly motivated in getting into the hunting of bears, myself included :mrgreen:

Maybe this is why I haven't seen that many bears so far... Haha, jokes. It's probably cause I'm new to bear hunting. Only 14 more days till the season closes. I'm feeling the pressure - my freezer is empty!

[caddisguy]

I have only ever had one bear that wasn't delicious. I don't know if it was my fault or if it was because it was an old bear or both. Looked like he had some serious age to him, but I also shot him around 10am solo on a hot day. Never seen so many flies in my life and the meat didn't even start to get cool until around 6pm that day (other than tossing in a couple ice blocks into the roughneck rubbermaid around 3pm) ... anyway, it kind of had this after taste I would compare with "wet dog smell". In fact, anything that came into contact with the blood or fat stunk like dog for months. A little bit of garlic or other spices/seasoning would mask the "off" taste just fine.

Spring bear hunting is great. It's definitely the easiest big game animal to hunt. Very easy to find bears and the meat payoff is significant when you consider the price of beef. I have noticed an increase in bear hunters as well. I believe Wild One nailed it. Social media opened up a lot of peoples eyes. I think when people read it is good table fare, super easy and a chance to get out and hunt in the Spring, it's a no brainer. Guys like Steve Rinella and Joe Rogan probably had something to do with spreading the word as well.

[RackStar]

I’ve been passively hunting bears but never pulled the trigger on the right bear as I’m always stocked up with moose and deer. I took a decent bear last weekend I wanted to do my part in pred control this year after the g bear ban. I’ve never tried the meat before but am getting all pepperoni. Passed on a couple more this morning, looking for a nice rug. I’ve passed on 15-20 bears this spring maybe I should stop being picky and just harvest one more fawn killer.

Good work this spring guys. Lots of fantastic bears on this site. Still time left to go fill them tags guys!

[Stone Sheep Steve]

I have only ever had one bear that wasn't delicious. I don't know if it was my fault or if it was because it was an old bear or both. Looked like he had some serious age to him, but I also shot him around 10am solo on a hot day. Never seen so many flies in my life and the meat didn't even start to get cool until around 6pm that day (other than tossing in a couple ice blocks into the roughneck rubbermaid around 3pm) ... anyway, it kind of had this after taste I would compare with "wet dog smell". In fact, anything that came into contact with the blood or fat stunk like dog for months. A little bit of garlic or other spices/seasoning would mask the "off" taste just fine.

Spring bear hunting is great. It's definitely the easiest big game animal to hunt. Very easy to find bears and the meat payoff is significant when you consider the price of beef. I have noticed an increase in bear hunters as well. I believe Wild One nailed it. Social media opened up a lot of peoples eyes. I think when people read it is good table fare, super easy and a chance to get out and hunt in the Spring, it's a no brainer. Guys like Steve Rinella and Joe Rogan probably had something to do with spreading the word as well.

i,too, have had only one not great bear and it was also on a hot day. Shot at 7am and drove all over the place trying to find a meat locker that was open.Took me until 4:30pm to find one. Kept buying ice and stuffing it into the body cavity.

Now we always take a big cooler full of ice. This last hunt we had a deep freeze and generator. Wasn't that warm but it was nice to have.

SSS

[Piperdown]

[QUOTE=decker9;2014488]Funny you say that, a Reynolds from work here mentioned a couple weeks ago that they seen a huge bear in that same field across from that house, but wasn’t sure if it was a grizzly or a chocolate. Might take a drive out that way one my next days off here. I lived in that green shack with a few guys for a while back when we had a mill at 41km, was definetly no shortage of bears out there back then. Iv kinda avoided that area since tho, usually that lockheart had every bear in that area pretty educated lol.[/QUOTE

For sure a colour phase black bear, had him within 50 yards, he is a real beauty

[45freezer]

Have always been keen on the idea of bear hunting for a number of reasons but have heard such a mixed bag of reviews about the edibility that I really didn't know what to expect out of the meat..."bears stink, they're dirty, you have to season the hell out of it, they have worms...no not trichinosis, worms crawling out of them when you're skinning them!" Also heard that it can be the best game meat around so figured I'd have to try it for myself. Have been eating my way through one for a few weeks now and my opinion now is that the people who "simply just don't like bear" must just be culinarily challenged... I'm sorry. I'm no master chef by any means but I've already found at least 5 amazing ways to cook it and plenty of other recipes in mind to try out. Overcooked it a few times being paranoid about trich but there's nothing about it that I would complain about...my girlfriend might beg to differ on account of the bear farts but Walmart beef will do the same. Everyone that I've cooked it for has thoroughly enjoyed it as well. Joe and Cam definitely opened my eyes to some of the positive aspects of bear hunting but Joe made the comment a while back that he enjoys bear hunting but he likes to eat what he hunts so he hunts elk or something to that nature, his right to an opinion and I fully get what he's saying but the way he worded it seemed to do a bit of a disservice to bear hunting in my opinion. I'll certainly be trying to put something in the freezer that I can eat rare this fall but I already ordered my 2nd bear tag and will do most of my deer hunting in blueberry patches ;) oh ya and no worms whatsoever on my bear, maybe I'm just lucky but it's also possible some people have just been unlucky and spread these urban legends around...don't even ask how long before my bear got into a cooler, had to trim a bit of fat away but it was nice and fresh underneath and is still tasty as can be!

[The_Bear_Man]

Bear is up there with one of the tastiest meats in my opinion. I find it mild and moist and it cooks a lot nice than deer. I have heard people say bear meat is strong or smells but I have found the complete opposite. Even rendering the fat produced no smell and the lard was pretty much odorless. I have one tag saved for a nice fall bear.

[snipersights]

I got to take part in 4 successful bear hunts this season. Never had a better season. Got one myself and helped my friends get three.

[303carbine]

I have tried bear meat cooked in a bunch of different ways over the years, roasts, sausages, hamburger, jerky, etc.
I can't eat bear meat, even at gunpoint.:shock:

[45freezer]

I have tried bear meat cooked in a bunch of different ways over the years, roasts, sausages, hamburger, jerky, etc.
I can't eat bear meat, even at gunpoint.:shock:

Something tells me my reverse seared (in garlic butter of course) bear chops or bourbon BBQ pulled bear might just change your mind...but hey, some people don't like bacon too right?

[Jelvis]

--- I heard from expert wild animal butchers and sausage makers, bear meat makes the best sausage, no doubt in their minds or taste buds.
Jel -- Hey butchers know bo -- some bear sausage coming soon to a diner near you folks :) -

[MDR]

I managed two bears for the freezer this spring, my only regret is I can't take one in fall now. I've made some great burgers, shepherd's pie and pulled bear. I really enjoy bear with a blueberry bourbon sauce. Of the numerous guests I've had for dinner, not one has left disappointed.

["No Choke"Lord Walsingham]

Due to events beyond my control it has now become most unlikely that I will be Hunting in Canada anywhere and BC in particular until Winter '18... So snowshoe hare; yotes, wildcat(s) and schege C schtuff like Squirrel. The current climate in BC is very anti so who knows if anyone else will be, either. Everything could get banned just like Griz was, by fiat.

[Chrispryn]

Just lasted night I served up some bear steaks on the new pellet grill. Wife says she likes bear more than deer.

Win!