BlackBears each spring

[gutpile]

Anybody have an idea how many BlackBears are taken in spring each year in BC ?
We should have no bag limit when it comes to bears , that would really help the moose calfs and fawns, even
if the wolf population remains the same or increases we can do our part in helping the ungulates by taking 2 bears per
year. Even if we don't trap Wolfs we still can make a small differance .

[180grainer]

Anybody have an idea how many BlackBears are taken in spring each year in BC ?

Not enough. Kill bears. Kill all bears.

[REMINGTON JIM]

Not enough. Kill bears. Kill all bears.

Absolutely ! Kill the BEARS ! I'm ALL In ! ;-) RJ

[Foxton Gundogs]

I'm usually good for 2

[HarryToolips]

Definitely need to take more, that being said, I don't think increasing the bag limit will do much, how,many hunters would take more than 2 bear a year? How many hunters take 2 a year?

[MontyLake]

https://www.jstor.org/stable/3873087?seq=1

[GSchott]

This year will be my 2nd season of my hunting career. One of my reasons for becoming a hunter was due to a friend (now mentor) cooking me some black bear meat about 2 years ago...It was the best meat I'd tasted. 6 months later I had my firearms license, my hunting license and a bear tag in my pocket. I was lucky enough to fill a spring bear tag last year in Northern BC. I know it sounds lame and hokey but what a life changing experience... I'll for sure be making another trip this spring to hopefully fill the freezer again this year...I might even try for a fall bear this year because I hear great things about bear fat...My spring bear had little to no fat on him.

[S.W.A.T.]

One's enough for the freezer

[russm]

Id happily kill 2, i can find where they are but they always seem to find me first.

[RackStar]

I’m tagging out this year. Donating all the meat. I can’t eat that shit.

[finngun]

Whatta i can do with dead pooh..we are not eating pooh meat,,no use for hide.. can,t leave it to bush . ? Can i donate it for somebody. I,m not against bear hunting..f.g

[wideopenthrottle]

in my circles I have only met maybe 1 in 15 or 20 hunters that take a bear at all

[Yuritau]

Definitely need to take more, that being said, I don't think increasing the bag limit will do much, how,many hunters would take more than 2 bear a year? How many hunters take 2 a year?

I'll tag out on bears every year, if I'm able. Encouraging the spouse to get a tag or two and come out as well! Can't wait for spring bear to start, as my freezer is getting a bit low on bear atm.

[warnniklz]

This spring I let 46 bears walk (well there's a couple that spooked before I could get in range) before touching the trigger this year. And it had been a few seasons before I decided on killing one... so I guess I'm not really doing my part

[todbartell]

according to the harvest stats for the last 5 years published :

2015 - 3467 resident kills, 991 non resident (total 4458 )
2014 - 2974 resident kills, 1037 non resident (total 4011)
2013 - 2797 resident kills, 936 non resident (total 3733)
2012 - 2820 resident kills, 1062 non resident (total 3882)
2011 - 3142 resident kills, 1150 non resident (total 4292)



5 year average - 3040 resident kills, 1035 non resident
5 year average hunter participation - 12,509 residents, 1408 non residents
24 bears killed per hundred resident hunters actively pursuing bears, 74 bears killed per hundred non resident hunters



checking back 20 years ago, from 1991-1995, avg resident kills was 3213 per year

[elch jager]

... I know it sounds lame and hokey but what a life changing experience...

Not at all. Sounds spot on. Welcome!

[warnniklz]

This spring I let 46 bears walk (well there's a couple that spooked before I could get in range) before touching the trigger this year. And it had been a few seasons before I decided on killing one... so I guess I'm not really doing my part


OH WAIT!! I did have some promising results this winter!

Ol' Tranquilizer hasn't really come out bear hunting because his wife is kind of an idealist. But I had them over for supper and made pulled bear. She loved it and I gave them a bunch of bear meat... so I may have Tranquilizer back into bear hunting this spring.

[barongan]

Not enough. Kill bears. Kill all bears.
agree with youhttps://babang.xyz/assets/10/o.png

[MichelD]

I get a little tired of the “kill ‘em all” attitude that pops up here now and again about bears.

I’m not opposed to hunting bears. This will be my 44th season doing it, but it gets a little wearying when I see posts like “I saved another moose calf by shooting a bear.”

You want to shoot a bear, go ahead, fill your boots but there are numerous other impacts on deer and moose like huge clear cuts from pine beetle logging, oil and gas pipeline road access, tick infestations, highway and rail mortality, unregulated hunting, the list goes on.

In 52 years of hunting and many hundreds of piles of bear scat observed I have found one with fawn hooves in it. There is no doubt that opportunistic omnivores like bears will eat a fawn, that’s true, but on the other hand, I have seen does with young fawns unmolested in bear-rich areas too.
The bear population gets impacted by unregulated hunting too, the black market for bear parts is still active. I’ve pulled road-killed bears off the road too.

[338win mag]

If you only shoot boars not alot has been accomplished..

[moosinaround]

I try every spring for black bear. Could tag out early, but I usually look for a 6'er. Had Hunnifords hickory sticks last fall, so I will kill one for garlic coil, hickory sticks, honey garlic pepperonies, and smokies, so I may need to kill 2 this year! Moosin

[TyTy]

When I read “kill them all” posts or “ I shoot but don’t want to eat edible meat”.....

im not of a like mind and will not associate with fools banter - this is the type of talk that fractures the hunting community. But hey, great job waving a fools flag, make it easier for the rest of us to know who to avoid ;)

[finngun]

Not enough. Kill bears. Kill all bears. not very smart idea... bc forest is not same if no bears around..just control numbers,,,and get rid of danger bears.. and get back grizz hunting..:idea:,,,f--g

[180grainer]

I might even try for a fall bear this year because I hear great things about bear fat...My spring bear had little to no fat on him.
I would think going high into the alpine in early Sept when they are gorging on blue berries would be a good bear. Being high into the Alpine also lessens the odds you'll find a tampon in it's mouth too. Those stats Bartel posted up are interesting. Number of kills back to the beginning of 1990 would have been without the requirement to take the meat. I think. Any one prove me wrong?

[180grainer]

When I read “kill them all” posts or “ I shoot but don’t want to eat edible meat”.....

im not of a like mind and will not associate with fools banter - this is the type of talk that fractures the hunting community. But hey, great job waving a fools flag, make it easier for the rest of us to know who to avoid :wink:
Wow, hey I apologize for tarnishing the good name of hunting. Thought most people would have picked up the sarcasm. But, I guess not. As for waving the fools flag. No problem. Chances are, I did both of us a favor. I'd have no problem hunting bears with the requirement of meat or hide or both. What are your feelings on Wolf? If you want to eat it cause you can't get your moose in the fall or like the meat, go ahead. My thinking is more along the lines of calf/fawn mortality due to predation by bears. To my understanding, it can be quite high. And the last time I looked there were over 120,000 black bears in the Province. That's why I commented on Bartels post. Numbers aren't really that far off. Hunters that is. The numbers are reasonably the same before and after the meat requirement.

[RackStar]

I donate my meat to a elderly man. It’s his fav game meat and my least fav. I get to help my deer /elk spots and feed a older fella who can’t get out and hunt anymore.

[LBM]

I get a little tired of the “kill ‘em all” attitude that pops up here now and again about bears.

I’m not opposed to hunting bears. This will be my 44th season doing it, but it gets a little wearying when I see posts like “I saved another moose calf by shooting a bear.”

You want to shoot a bear, go ahead, fill your boots but there are numerous other impacts on deer and moose like huge clear cuts from pine beetle logging, oil and gas pipeline road access, tick infestations, highway and rail mortality, unregulated hunting, the list goes on.

In 52 years of hunting and many hundreds of piles of bear scat observed I have found one with fawn hooves in it. There is no doubt that opportunistic omnivores like bears will eat a fawn, that’s true, but on the other hand, I have seen does with young fawns unmolested in bear-rich areas too.
The bear population gets impacted by unregulated hunting too, the black market for bear parts is still active. I’ve pulled road-killed bears off the road too.

And some licensed hunters aren’t that great at bear recovery either. In 2018 I was on a moose hunt in Region 5 and met a family when the dad was standing on the road bank looking into some nearby trees. “Nope, you missed,” he said back to a young teenager at the truck. “I don’t see any blood.” They didn’t make any more effort to go look.
We had a chat with them over the next week when we bumped into each other and they said that the teenager, trying to get her first bear had shot and “missed” shooting at 10 bears. Well if they didn’t go looking any harder than looking over the bank how did they know?

On the same trip my partner shot a bear at the side of the road. It fled into the bush and when we got to the spot it had been at there was a little scuff mark in the gravel. No hair, no blood, no other tracks. We walked 30 feet into the trees and guess what? Dead bear.

And this anthropocentric attitude that the bears are killing “our” deer and moose is kind of irritating too. Who says they are our deer and moose? A bear has to eat too.

I tend to agree and its not just bears, so much of the talk/attitude is the same about cats and wolves as well.

[Pauly]

If you want to kill a bear fast just shoot them in the middle of the middle.. game over for mr bear!! And shooting bears just to shoot bears is for ass holes. They play an important role out there. Two a year is plenty.

[180grainer]

I donate my meat to a elderly man. .
That's the way to do it.

[ElectricDyck]

according to the harvest stats for the last 5 years published :

2015 - 3467 resident kills, 991 non resident (total 4458 )
2014 - 2974 resident kills, 1037 non resident (total 4011)
2013 - 2797 resident kills, 936 non resident (total 3733)
2012 - 2820 resident kills, 1062 non resident (total 3882)
2011 - 3142 resident kills, 1150 non resident (total 4292)



5 year average - 3040 resident kills, 1035 non resident
5 year average hunter participation - 12,509 residents, 1408 non residents
24 bears killed per hundred resident hunters actively pursuing bears, 74 bears killed per hundred non resident hunters



checking back 20 years ago, from 1991-1995, avg resident kills was 3213 per year

Interesting, thanks (thumbs up)

We had 5 days to hunt in spring and between 2 families we killed 3 (all males, weren't targeting, just what we killed)..went out on a 3 day alpine deer hike in fall and out of two families, 1 more male got packed home....we just grind it up and eat casseroles, tacos, spaghetti with it....better the ground beef, although we add a tablespoon of butter to it when we fry it up :)

[ElectricDyck]

Between a fall coquihalla berry bear where the meat froze overnight and a quesnel spring grass bear that was in the freezer in an hour there is no differnce in taste..both taste better than ground beef.

[twoSevenO]

Does anyone get their bear meat tested?
Considering that meat like pepperoni isnt really cooked, but rather cured, it seems like the highest risk of trichinosis to me, yet I never hear of anyone getting the meat tested.

Why is that?

[Nailknot85]

I get a little tired of the “kill ‘em all” attitude that pops up here now and again about bears.

I’m not opposed to hunting bears. This will be my 44th season doing it, but it gets a little wearying when I see posts like “I saved another moose calf by shooting a bear.”

You want to shoot a bear, go ahead, fill your boots but there are numerous other impacts on deer and moose like huge clear cuts from pine beetle logging, oil and gas pipeline road access, tick infestations, highway and rail mortality, unregulated hunting, the list goes on.

In 52 years of hunting and many hundreds of piles of bear scat observed I have found one with fawn hooves in it. There is no doubt that opportunistic omnivores like bears will eat a fawn, that’s true, but on the other hand, I have seen does with young fawns unmolested in bear-rich areas too.
The bear population gets impacted by unregulated hunting too, the black market for bear parts is still active. I’ve pulled road-killed bears off the road too.

And some licensed hunters aren’t that great at bear recovery either. In 2018 I was on a moose hunt in Region 5 and met a family when the dad was standing on the road bank looking into some nearby trees. “Nope, you missed,” he said back to a young teenager at the truck. “I don’t see any blood.” They didn’t make any more effort to go look.
We had a chat with them over the next week when we bumped into each other and they said that the teenager, trying to get her first bear had shot and “missed” shooting at 10 bears. Well if they didn’t go looking any harder than looking over the bank how did they know?

On the same trip my partner shot a bear at the side of the road. It fled into the bush and when we got to the spot it had been at there was a little scuff mark in the gravel. No hair, no blood, no other tracks. We walked 30 feet into the trees and guess what? Dead bear.

And this anthropocentric attitude that the bears are killing “our” deer and moose is kind of irritating too. Who says they are our deer and moose? A bear has to eat too.

Thanks for posting this it's refreshing to hear a different opinion than "KILL EVERYTHING" on here. I've been thinking about getting out in the spring to try for a black bear, still hope to some time. What you said about an anthropocentric attitude towards wildlife really hits the nail on the head for me.

[ElectricDyck]

Honestly we shot a WT buck and a WT doe this year in Rock Creek late November, they froze solid overnight (-10)...both are a bit gamey tasting, me and the boys eat it but the wife refuses but she loves the bear meat lol

[180grainer]

Thanks for posting this it's refreshing to hear a different opinion than "KILL EVERYTHING" on here. I

That's a BS comment. You heard "kill everything" on this thread from me. You don't hear that " On here"........

[180grainer]

Does anyone get their bear meat tested?
Considering that meat like pepperoni isnt really cooked, but rather cured, it seems like the highest risk of trichinosis to me, yet I never hear of anyone getting the meat tested.

Why is that?
I looked into that a long time ago. UBC had something where you could do that. But you had to submit various parts, (tongue, liver, heart, etc) if I recall. I actually phoned them. Same time as I did about the ducks I was shooting cause I shot a Pintail with, (looks like worms) cysts and wanted to know about that. Never did send a sample in.

[HarryToolips]

If you only shoot boars not alot has been accomplished..
True story........

[HarryToolips]

I would think going high into the alpine in early Sept when they are gorging on blue berries would be a good bear. Being high into the Alpine also lessens the odds you'll find a tampon in it's mouth too. Those stats Bartel posted up are interesting. Number of kills back to the beginning of 1990 would have been without the requirement to take the meat. I think. Any one prove me wrong?
Or the black huckleberries in clearcuts in September I have found to be good as well for black bears..

[TyTy]

For myself bear season is mostly catch and release, a chance to explore while ‘hunting’. This spring I may get serious to take a bear for some ground for the freezer. I make sausage and pepperoni and anything can taste great in that. Usually pack an open sighted rifle to add to the challenge, it is not too hard to get up close to bears in BC.

No problems here with hunting predators. Cougar and bear tags every year. Just keep it classy, respect to the competition.

[fearnodeer]

Well here the totals for me and my buddy the last few years,

2019 - 3
2018 - 3
2017 - 2
2016 - 4

[Nailknot85]

That's a BS comment. You heard "kill everything" on this thread from me. You don't hear that " On here"........

I may have used similar language to your post which was lazy of me you're right but the sentiment does come up often. Call me out all you want, that's my observation though.

[ElectricDyck]

Up the coquihalla and in quesnel where I've hunted bears lately you see 10 times as many bears as deer. I don't think a larger bag limit wouldn't effect numbers though..there's just not a lot of guys hunting bears.we have 8 tags in our family and usually only fill one or two, living in the city we just don't get out enough.

[bacon_overlord]

Up the coquihalla and in quesnel where I've hunted bears lately you see 10 times as many bears as deer. I don't think a larger bag limit wouldn't effect numbers though..there's just not a lot of guys hunting bears.we have 8 tags in our family and usually only fill one or two, living in the city we just don't get out enough.


Does anyone get their bear meat tested?
Considering that meat like pepperoni isnt really cooked, but rather cured, it seems like the highest risk of trichinosis to me, yet I never hear of anyone getting the meat tested.

Why is that?

I just assume it has trichinosis and treat it that way. Cook to to 160.
The place I got pepperoni made does a hot smoke after curing so it gets to 160 as well.
Testing is probably a waste of time and money IMO. If it does come back positive are you going to toss it?
If you're doing cold smoked cured meats used deer perhaps.

[warnniklz]

I just assume it has trichinosis and treat it that way. Cook to to 160.
The place I got pepperoni made does a hot smoke after curing so it gets to 160 as well.
Testing is probably a waste of time and money IMO. If it does come back positive are you going to toss it?
If you're doing cold smoked cured meats used deer perhaps.

My question to people is "if you get it treated and it comes back negative... will you eat it rare?"

[warnniklz]

My bear hunting area and my deer hunting area is 200km from each other.

[Walking Buffalo]

If you only shoot boars not alot has been accomplished..

If the desire is to lower the bear population, you nailed it.

Hunters need to give less credence to their ego and trophies.
Spread the love around.

[upperleftcoaster]

any big taste difference between a spring bear and a fat fall bear? didn't fill my tag last fall, but looking forward to another shot this year. maybe one of each season? what is your preference.
i don't mind helping with pred control on bears, but i don't want to waste the meat...it had better taste good!

[Rayne]

I harvested one from each season last year. Both were only 3 years old. And I found the meat better than my deer i shot in November

[Squamch]

I'll try to find one to hang a tag on this spring.

[S.W.A.T.]

My question to people is "if you get it treated and it comes back negative... will you eat it rare?"

I wouldn't be able to. Bear is so greasy that I have to almost over cook it anyway.

[snipersights]

Yep the wife’s core# is in the mail. Will be going after bears this year together I’m pretty stoked

[MontyLake]

I wouldn't be able to. Bear is so greasy that I have to almost over cook it anyway.

Funny. I don't find it greasy at all. The fat is on the outside and I just trim it off. Most spring bears don't have any fat anyway, unlike fall bears, which I like for the fat. Render it down and use it for cooking.

[Ron.C]

Funny. I don't find it greasy at all. The fat is on the outside and I just trim it off. Most spring bears don't have any fat anyway, unlike fall bears, which I like for the fat. Render it down and use it for cooking.

Agree 100%. Its all in the prep and how much fat you choose to leave on it.

[IslandWanderer]

Yep the wife’s core# is in the mail. Will be going after bears this year together I’m pretty stoked

Will there be any foot shots on the bears?

[RyoTHC]

I’m tagging out this year. Donating all the meat. I can’t eat that shit.


You must be hunting somewhere questionable lol, next to my white tail my bears have been my favourite meat each season now, mine you I don’t have any elk.. if I did, id still find a use for the bear meat and fill my two tags, since myself and my hunting group started focusing on bears in our local haunts we have watched deer and fawn numbers increase.

[RyoTHC]

Yep the wife’s core# is in the mail. Will be going after bears this year together I’m pretty stoked

maybe a couple dozen range trips first to make sure she is shooting better than her mentor ;)

[MontyLake]

I’m tagging out this year. Donating all the meat. I can’t eat that shit.

Then you probably don't know how to take care of game meat.

Bear meat doesn't age well. Kill it,clean it, chill it, cut it, freeze it.

[twoSevenO]

Then you probably don't know how to take care of game meat.

Bear meat doesn't age well. Kill it,clean it, chill it, cut it, freeze it.

I think he means more along the idea of eating bear meat.
I'm in the same boat. I had a piece of pepperoni once and it tasted well, but I just cant get on board with the idea of eating it and serving it to my family.

They all just seem like they always carry trichinosis, and it grosses me out.

[wideopenthrottle]

it was the filarial worms that did it one year for my hunting partner that used to hunt bears...seeing the worms crawl out of the meat would be a little hard to take for me and i'm not sure I could stomach the meat knowing there were "white spirit worms" in it even if it meant a higher protein count..heheheh...do others here inspect for those worms also or just assume they are there and not look too close...?

[twoSevenO]

Happened to a buddy of mine as well. Of course, you cant know this until the bear is dead.

And anyone who says "just make sure to cook it properly" even when there are nasty worms crawling in it, in sorry, but that is just fu***n DISGUSTING

[Bubbacanuck]

worms are in a lot of things we eat, but when you see them its a different story. Cut open a salmon once and they were crawling all through it....needless to say it became crab bate. I do plan to take a bear and will have the butcher (Abby meats) do up some of his amazing sausages and use the rest for ground. Worms or no worms. Just don't want to see them haha

[wideopenthrottle]

worms are in a lot of things we eat, but when you see them its a different story. Cut open a salmon once and they were crawling all through it....needless to say it became crab bate. I do plan to take a bear and will have the butcher (Abby meats) do up some of his amazing sausages and use the rest for ground. Worms or no worms. Just don't want to see them haha

good advice...I may have to try for bear this year but use a butcher and get sausages instead of roasts and burger that I normally do myself..."out of sight, out of mind" as they say...heheheh

[twoSevenO]

Your butcher isnt even going to take that meat in!

My buddy tried. He felt bad just wasting this bear meat but when he took it in, the butcher told him to go away.

He said he isnt going to risk contaminating his tools and work bench with a wormy bear.

I'd be surprised if others are willing to take in meat that has a clearly visible parasite on it.

[MontyLake]

Happened to a buddy of mine as well. Of course, you cant know this until the bear is dead.

And anyone who says "just make sure to cook it properly" even when there are nasty worms crawling in it, in sorry, but that is just fu***n DISGUSTING

I think the trich worms are much harder to see than the white filial worms that you might find along the backbone and particularly the troat area of bears.

I think many people think those long white worms are trichinella worms but they're not.

Authorities say that the microfilarial stage and the subadult and adult stages do not affect the edibility of the meat nor are the worms of public health significance.

Anyway, if people find bear meat disgusting the solution is very simple: Don't shoot 'em.

[Taurusguy]

My group shot 3 bears last season.... pepperoni is great.. but expensive to have made. Turned one into pepperoni... and the other two into ground.. cant even tell its bear in pasta sauce... ate the tenderloins at camp the same days we got the last two. Didnt see any worms... i had heard bear wasnt good.. but ya know what? ... i dont find anything wrong with it at all... ill be shootin more of them in the future.. meats meat. Maybe i just wash my bears well... they were not gamey at all... if anything just a bit tasteless...garlic? Spices? ... bbq sauce? ... whats the issue? Lol... delicious!... Edit: my butchers took my bears in no problem....also... i spend all evening trimming the fat off the winter bears til theres pretty much none on it... 1 bear was spring bear the other 2 were October bears. Wash and trim wash and trim.... rinse.... wash some more... trim some more... rinse... oh and sip whiskey too.. can do that all night np.

[warnniklz]

I don't understand why people work so hard to make something taste like something it's not.

[ElectricDyck]

I don't understand why people work so hard to make something taste like something it's not.

I guess it's preference, I love a fatty beef steak, that sweet corn fed fat is incredibly flavorful! Deer fat on the other hand tastes like piss and b.o. to me I do my best to trim it off. My buddy has no problem with a little of that flavour....to each their own. I'm not gonna lie I love hunting, cut and care for all my own meat being careful to not waste any but if I could have the same experience hunting angus beef I would lol

[MichelD]

I don't understand why people work so hard to make something taste like something it's not.

That's the way I feel too.

Some people love their pepperoni. Not me. Hate the stuff. I think I've had four or five sticks of pepperoni in my life and that's only 'cause other people provided it.

I sure don't have any of my wild game processed into anything that makes it tastes like "not-game-meat."

[twoSevenO]

I guess it's preference, I love a fatty beef steak, that sweet corn fed fat is incredibly flavorful! Deer fat on the other hand tastes like piss and b.o. to me I do my best to trim it off. My buddy has no problem with a little of that flavour....to each their own. I'm not gonna lie I love hunting, cut and care for all my own meat being careful to not waste any but if I could have the same experience hunting angus beef I would lol

I'm with him on this. I hate that the best compliment I can give deer meat is that its "not too gamey", but that's how I am.

I trim 100% of the fat off and my garbage pile looks almost like most peoples "burger pile". But i cant have it if it has even the tiniest amount of deer fat left behind. Just no!

[wideopenthrottle]

I had a butcher friend use my deer fat (on his suggestion) for making pepperoni instead of buying pork fat and it was great

[Arctic Lake]

My group shot 3 bears last season.... pepperoni is great.. but expensive to have made. Turned one into pepperoni... and the other two into ground.. cant even tell its bear in pasta sauce... ate the tenderloins at camp the same days we got the last two. Didnt see any worms... i had heard bear wasnt good.. but ya know what? ... i dont find anything wrong with it at all... ill be shootin more of them in the future.. meats meat. Maybe i just wash my bears well... they were not gamey at all... if anything just a bit tasteless...garlic? Spices? ... bbq sauce? ... whats the
issue? Lol... delicious!... Edit: my butchers took my bears in no problem....also... i spend all evening trimming the fat off the winter bears til theres pretty much none on it... 1 bear was spring bear the other 2 were October bears. Wash and trim wash and trim.... rinse.... wash some more... trim some more... rinse... oh and sip whiskey too.. can do that all night np.

Taurus. You explained that you do a lot of washing down and trimming when dealing with your bears . Are you doing this when field dressing them ?
Arctic Lake

[whitlers]

I'm with him on this. I hate that the best compliment I can give deer meat is that its "not too gamey", but that's how I am.

I trim 100% of the fat off and my garbage pile looks almost like most peoples "burger pile". But i cant have it if it has even the tiniest amount of deer fat left behind. Just no!

I would have to agree aswell. My garbage pile is probably most people's trim pile. I prefer taking nice lean stew chunks and grind that for burger. Add alittle pork and your good to go

[Taurusguy]

Yup... while they hang in camp. I break out the whiskey and cut/trim fat.... i always seem to get my animals near end of the hunt so i have lotsa water left pver so i will pour some in the chest cavity and i will wipe them down with a wet rag over and over ... all the blood shot spots... all the crevices... wipe n wipe... once im happy with how clean it is i will then let it dry up and skin over... but ill stay on it til i reach that point of happiness lol or i run outa whiskey lol

https://ibb.co/WvFptdT

Ill use a full water jug... bunch goes through the chest,cavity before i hang it.. ill wash n wipe while its on the ground and drain it out the ass.... then once i hang it ill do it in smaller portions... if i run outa water ill go fill it in a near by creek if req to get more water.. ill wipe out all the wounds... blood shot.. cut n trim... and yes i got half a garbage bag full of fat off that guy in the pic lol .. i came back later that evening and trimmed it down even more (was wasting hunting light lol) .... i do the same for deer too ... never had bad tasting game meat ever...had a 2nd one hanging that night.. but i nvr got a picture of it hangin next to the first one. Oh and yes i try and wipe it dry after also... so it skins up faster... i like to spend alot of time on the carcass.. i get ocd lol

[warnniklz]

https://ibb.co/WvFptdT



https://i.ibb.co/d46Jg3h/20191001-125728.jpg

[Pauly]

What’s your opinion on hanging or aging bear? I was taught to never hang bear more than one day unless it’s around the zero mark.. the reasoning is that the jelly type fat on a bear melts easily and can taint the flavour of the meat? I’ve never hung a bear it’s always home and butcher immediately?

[warnniklz]

What’s your opinion on hanging or aging bear? I was taught to never hang bear more than one day unless it’s around the zero mark.. the reasoning is that the jelly type fat on a bear melts easily and can taint the flavour of the meat? I’ve never hung a bear it’s always home and butcher immediately?

I personally don't hang any of my wild meat. To properly age it, you need the right conditions... which basically means you probably need the proper cooler set-up. I'm also not a fan of how much you have to trim off after hanging.

[Pauly]

I personally don't hang any of my wild meat. To properly age it, you need the right conditions... which basically means you probably need the proper cooler set-up. I'm also not a fan of how much you have to trim off after hanging.
Most my deer I get I hang two days if the weather allows just so it has time to relax. I’ve hung deer 3 weeks on a few occasions can’t say I noticed any different from that to only two days .

[MichelD]

What’s your opinion on hanging or aging bear? I was taught to never hang bear more than one day unless it’s around the zero mark.. the reasoning is that the jelly type fat on a bear melts easily and can taint the flavour of the meat? I’ve never hung a bear it’s always home and butcher immediately?

I tried once. Never again. Unlike deer or moose or beef, it doesn't age nice, it just goes bad.

[warnniklz]

Most my deer I get I hang two days if the weather allows just so it has time to relax. I’ve hung deer 3 weeks on a few occasions can’t say I noticed any different from that to only two days .

2 days, 3 weeks... if you don't find any difference, then what's the point?

When I helped ol' beradimus get his moose, out buddy wad giving us shot for cutting it right away and not hanging it for 20 days. Said we were going to have boot leather... not the case.

[Taurusguy]

As long as day time temps are 10c or less... hanging is fine... i was in prince George when we got the 2 October bears so it wasnt like i could just pack up and go back to the lower mainland. I have never had an issue with hanging my meat for a few days and continue to hunt... and like i said i spend alot of time trimming it... i dont mind that at all ... better than sitting around doing nothing when its dark at 6pm and feels like midnight.... also not sure how u got the pic to show up but thanks. :)

[IronNoggin]

Hung five days at 5 degrees:

https://i.imgur.com/HRPV8YW.jpg

Hung four days at 10 degrees:

https://i.imgur.com/5MY6wlD.jpg

Both were Excellent eating.

Cheers,
Nog

[warnniklz]

Just to be clear... I'm not against hanging meat until you have a chance to deal with it. I just don't think hanging it to age it to change flavour or texture is necessary.

[Taurusguy]

Just to be clear... I'm not against hanging meat until you have a chance to deal with it. I just don't think hanging it to age it to change flavour or texture is necessary.

Agreed....

[Islander30]

I love hunting bears, I can do it as day trip from home and there's an extra season that times perfectly for when I've got the "out of season blues" ! What's not to love ! Well I guess I have to admit I don't absoulutaley love the meat, but I make it tasty enough into pepperoni, jerky and smokes, so it's all good.....although I can only eat so much of that "treat meat" so a 2 bag limit is plenty for me, but the population could handle an increase however I doubt many hunters would take advantage of bagging more than 2. Can't wait for April, hoping to get my son his first bear this season !

Edit: I tried load some past pics...they are in my gallery here on HBC but I cant figure out how to move them anymore

[Arctic Lake]

Wow. That bear has a lot of fat on it Iron !
Hung five days at 5 degrees:

https://i.imgur.com/HRPV8YW.jpg

Hung four days at 10 degrees:

https://i.imgur.com/5MY6wlD.jpg

Both were Excellent eating.

Cheers,
Nog

[twoSevenO]

Just to be clear... I'm not against hanging meat until you have a chance to deal with it. I just don't think hanging it to age it to change flavour or texture is necessary.

Agreed.

And i certainly wouldn't hang anything for 10 days at 10*C

[walks with deer]

Hung five days at 5 degrees:

https://i.imgur.com/HRPV8YW.jpg

Hung four days at 10 degrees:

https://i.imgur.com/5MY6wlD.jpg

Both were Excellent eating.

Cheers,
Nog

those are big bears or that dude is a miget..

killing bears in tye spring is easy cover ground thats green tell you see bears or bear pooh.. than look near the poooh youvsee signs of bears eating..find numerous spots like this and keep hunting it.

[Huntingtyler123]

Getting so excited for this spring, so close! Can’t wait to be out

[Liptugger]

I can attest to the size of those bears, they were very respectable .
Well Nog is not actually a midget either.

[walks with deer]

well than those bears are huge.

[RyoTHC]

well than those bears are huge.


midgets are 4 foot. Nog is almost 5 ;)

[warnniklz]

I can attest to the size of those bears, they were very respectable .
Well Nog is not actually a midget either.

He ain't no shockey.

Sorry Steelhead... shouldn't be making fun of you since I don't know you. But the setup was a bench rest shot at 25 yards. They are impressive critters.

[IronNoggin]

those are big bears or that dude is a miget..

I stand just a smidge over six feet.

First bear was seven feet, seven inches nose to tail (without any stretching) weighed in at near 600, and was incredibly pudgy.Way book noggin. Excellent grits:

https://i.imgur.com/9o09JNx.jpg

Second bear was seven feet two inches, but has a longer snout. May score even better... Also good grits.

https://i.imgur.com/RhN0tlR.jpg

Cheers,
Nog

[LBM]

Both incredable bears would like to see the break down on measurements of both skulls i always find that interesting how
the different shape can add up.

[kebes]

Anyway, if people find bear meat disgusting the solution is very simple: Don't shoot 'em.



....or do because ya know, contrary to recent popular belief, hunting isn’t only about putting food in the freezer.

[elch jager]

Beauty rug mount Matt. Thats a hell of a blackie. What did it taste like?
When I hear island bear I think sour salmon... tell me I'm wrong.

I dream of a rug like that for the new man cave. Trying to decide on island or interior for spring bear.

[Walking Buffalo]

Just to be clear... I'm not against hanging meat until you have a chance to deal with it. I just don't think hanging it to age it to change flavour or texture is necessary.

Aging is not necessary.

However,
When you learn how to age meat, you will learn that aging does make a significant effect on texture, and a small to significant change in flavour.
Aging can make the difference between meat that is good, to meat that is spectacular!

So many young* (in butchering experience) hunters these days have developed a mindset that all wild fat tastes bad, same applies to "silverskin"....
They get anal in wasting piles of good food and time in trimming it all away.
Yet they are simply wrong.
It's too bad how learned biases are so difficult to change....

[warnniklz]

I think I may be giving the wrong explication. BUT I guess I should word it "Hanging" meat to age it is un-necessary. There's all sort's of videos out there with different ways to age individual steaks with different methods.

[RyoTHC]

The only time my bears get aged is in the spring when the butcher will hang them in his fridge before cutting, if I’m doing it myself that bear is cut and wrapped within hours of being cold.

nice thing about spring bear is you can almost always find plenty of snow to fill that chest cavity with!!

[IronNoggin]

Beauty rug mount Matt. Thats a hell of a blackie. What did it taste like?
When I hear island bear I think sour salmon... tell me I'm wrong.


Contrary to one delusional member of this fine forum, there are MANY areas on the Island that the bears simply do not dine on salmon. I tend to believe that is by choice, as most certainly could if they wished to.

Both these bears were taken fairly close to one of the Island's largest alfalfa fields - a spot where they were known to make extremely frequent visits to. The area is rich in orchards, and a good smattering of gardens on top of the excellent supply of natural forage in the area.They were both also understood to make use of all these resources. Never was either of them seen nor reported anywhere near a salmon bearing system as they apparently preferred their highlands.

As a consequence, both were excellent eating. Both were rather fat, however the first was basically a Pillsbury Dough Boy type - collected nearly 150 pounds of clean fat off him alone. And that fat was rendered into the finest bear oil I've ever made. Superb!


When you learn how to age meat, you will learn that aging does make a significant effect on texture, and a small to significant change in flavour.
Aging can make the difference between meat that is good, to meat that is spectacular!


I strongly concur!! https://www.tnof.ca/styles/default/xenforo/smilies/Pozitive.gif

Cheers,
Nog

[Dayton.bailey6]

Anyone want to message me on some good areas for bear? Been scouting the past few weeks and have seen no sign so far. I’d love to fill a tag or two this year. Reg8 area.

[Wentrot]

Anyone want to message me on some good areas for bear? Been scouting the past few weeks and have seen no sign so far. I’d love to fill a tag or two this year. Reg8 area.

still early. Don’t give up on those spots

[Mosin]

Anybody have an idea how many BlackBears are taken in spring each year in BC ?
We should have no bag limit when it comes to bears , that would really help the moose calfs and fawns, even
if the wolf population remains the same or increases we can do our part in helping the ungulates by taking 2 bears per
year. Even if we don't trap Wolfs we still can make a small differance .

Take better care of your dog's. You didn't buy a new one did you? After what happened to the last 2?

[Rob Chipman]

"There is no doubt that opportunistic omnivores like bears will eat a fawn, that’s true, but on the other hand, I have seen does with young fawns unmolested in bear-rich areas too."

and

"there are MANY areas on the Island that the bears simply do not dine on salmon"

I've heard a couple things about bears and ungulates. I don't know if they're true or not, but they're interesting.

First was a comment by Val Geist, who said "wolves knock down populations, and bears keep them down".

Another thing I heard (and Nog's comment reminded me of it) was that while bears can be very hard on fawns and calves, as science has demonstrated more than once, it may not be all bears. It may instead be bears that have become specialists in that kind of predation. I can't find the study, but anyway, it involved something along the lines of departing from the "shoot a bunch of bears in the fall to save fawns the next spring" to "shoot the right bears if you want to increase fawn survival".

In case anyone thinks I'm trying to make a sneaky case for saving bears by saying only some of them are to blame, let me add....bear meat is good, but once you start rendering the fat and using it for boots and leather and cooking you'll be doubly motivated to pop a black or two. Yeah, they're greasy, but it's worth it. The rugs feel nice at the bedside on a winter morning too.

Wish me luck - I'm going to try to fill a tag shortly!

[Rayne]

I’m with rob on this one. Much like people are into different things. I don’t have a hard time believing bears practise what they were taught or have learnt through there own hunting and experiences. But I like to fill my freezer so I’ll be out looking for a bear ASAP.

[walks with deer]

I stand just a smidge over six feet.

First bear was seven feet, seven inches nose to tail (without any stretching) weighed in at near 600, and was incredibly pudgy.Way book noggin. Excellent grits:

https://i.imgur.com/9o09JNx.jpg

Second bear was seven feet two inches, but has a longer snout. May score even better... Also good grits.

https://i.imgur.com/RhN0tlR.jpg

Cheers,
Nog

those are great bears.

[walks with deer]

I’m with rob on this one. Much like people are into different things. I don’t have a hard time believing bears practise what they were taught or have learnt through there own hunting and experiences. But I like to fill my freezer so I’ll be out looking for a bear ASAP.

come on up cabin is waiting..we have more bears around than freezer space first one was seen friday..

[ElectricDyck]

"There is no doubt that opportunistic omnivores like bears will eat a fawn, that’s true, but on the other hand, I have seen does with young fawns unmolested in bear-rich areas too."

and

"there are MANY areas on the Island that the bears simply do not dine on salmon"

I've heard a couple things about bears and ungulates. I don't know if they're true or not, but they're interesting.

First was a comment by Val Geist, who said "wolves knock down populations, and bears keep them down".

Another thing I heard (and Nog's comment reminded me of it) was that while bears can be very hard on fawns and calves, as science has demonstrated more than once, it may not be all bears. It may instead be bears that have become specialists in that kind of predation. I can't find the study, but anyway, it involved something along the lines of departing from the "shoot a bunch of bears in the fall to save fawns the next spring" to "shoot the right bears if you want to increase fawn survival".

In case anyone thinks I'm trying to make a sneaky case for saving bears by saying only some of them are to blame, let me add....bear meat is good, but once you start rendering the fat and using it for boots and leather and cooking you'll be doubly motivated to pop a black or two. Yeah, they're greasy, but it's worth it. The rugs feel nice at the bedside on a winter morning too.

Wish me luck - I'm going to try to fill a tag shortly!

Sounds right val said some deer stay up high til the snow is at their bellies while others head down at the first flake...master diversified survival plan

[gutpile]

Take better care of your dog's. You didn't buy a new one did you? After what happened to the last 2?

What's that suppose mean ?
This thread is about black bears !

[warbird2006]

Whatta i can do with dead pooh..we are not eating pooh meat,,no use for hide.. can,t leave it to bush . ? Can i donate it for somebody. I,m not against bear hunting..f.g


I'll take it. Ill take meat and scraps. anyone can PM me. I am in Fraser VaLLEY