Shootable bears

[dutchie]

So I have a question about the regs and what a bear cub is.

I am not asking about your personal ethics ect, I am wondering the translation of a Bear cub.

The regs state that "there is no open season on any bear that is less then 2 years old."

So less then 2 year old is a cub and there is no open season and they can be identified by thier looks and ears... But what about fully mature bears that are still hanging around mumma sow.

I have heard of 6 foot mature bears still hanging with mumma sow after 3 years. The sow hasn't givin' it the boot as of yet.

So that fully mature looking bear (in a family unit), is that legal to shoot or is that a protected animal?

Me reading the regs this is a shootable bear.

I would be curious to know how others read this.

Dutchie

[Riverjet]

As long as there is not a less than 2 year old bear in the presence of the one you want to take, then take it.
You're not allowed to shoot any bear less than 2 years old or any bear accompanying it.

[Steeleco]

I was re-thinking this same question as I was looking over the bear I posted in the other thread. On it's own it would have been dinner.
Besides, how do you deal with Mom while your dressing out her kid?? Could be fugly!!

[Bowtime]

If there is a 6 foot boar with a sow (black bear) its not its offspring I can assure you of that. They are most likely going to get it on!!

[high and to the right]

If there is a 6 foot boar with a sow (black bear) its not its offspring I can assure you of that. They are most likely going to get it on!!

I agree, how do you know that the mama (obviously bigger than the 6 footer accompanying her) isn't a papa and the 6' isn't his lover? A two year old will look small and is usually in the 4' range unless it has great genetics and is a bit larger but seldom over 5'.

Watch for shrinkage as that 6' bear you shot could shrink to 4' by the time you get to it. You have to run really fast to keep the shrinkage down.

[Wild one]

I am with the post above if I seen 2 blacks over 5 ft I would think boar & sow. As for the law it says 2 years or older so I would take the one I thought was a boar but only if I was 100% on the size of the 2 bears I was looking at. The main thing I say with this is if there is a slim chance in your mind that 1 bear is a cub let them go and find another bear as it is not worth the greef if you are wrong.

[yukon john]

no bears in a family unit! a bear takes years to get to 6 ft its most likely a breeding pair

[Elkhound]

from what I read in the regs you could have 5 or more bears all together (I wish) and as long as all of them are over 2 yrs old. Take one.

Illegal to shoot a bear under 2yrs old or any bear in it's company.......so as long as all bears are older than 2....no problem

[Ambush]

It's really pretty easy to tell folks. Just run at them screaming and waving your arms. If the small one climbs a tree and the bigger one tries to chew your a$$ off, then it's a sow and cub.:rolleyes:
Simple.

[Steeleco]

It's really pretty easy to tell folks. Just run at them screaming and waving your arms. If the small one climbs a tree and the bigger one tries to chew your a$$ off, then it's a sow and cub.:rolleyes:
Simple.

I'll be sure to get Buckwheat to try that come Sept!!! :roll::roll:

[sir_brady]

no bears in a family unit! a bear takes years to get to 6 ft its most likely a breeding pair

i also thought a "family unit", which would include a breeding pair, was off limits.

[elkdom]

bears having casual SEX are not considered a family,

a mature pair of bears "hangin out" together are not a family,

and momma bear and papa bear dont team up to raise the cubs,

momma bear raises the cubs on her own, and if she meets a papa bear while in the company of her cubs, the momma bear has to "defend" her cubs from the papa bear, because contrary to "DisneyWorld Bear Fairy Tales" all ADULT bears, both male and females are a threat to cubs!,

other than the momma of the cubs! MATURE bears KILL cubs!

NO! some momma bears dont harbor cubs for 4 or 5 or 6 years!

the momma bear mates , then has her cubs in winter( by herself) and NO papa bear present, then raises her cubs for the next two years, she does not have another cub, or mate until she has set her last cubs OFF on their own! at 2 years of age,,,

if she attempted to MATE while in the company of her last years cubs, the NEW soon to be papa BEAR would KILL the cubs!

[Stone Sheep Steve]

the momma bear mates , then has her cubs in winter( by herself) and NO papa bear present, then raises her cubs for the next two years, she does not have another cub, or mate until she has set her last cubs OFF on their own! at 2 years of age,,,

if she attempted to MATE while in the company of her last years cubs, the NEW soon to be papa BEAR would KILL the cubs!

Not always true.
Heard of numerous sightings of mamas with new and last years cubs present.
Saw a sow with four cubs this year, myself....three new cubs and one from last year. I guess some mama bears have a hard time saying "no"...and this was no where near a trailer park:wink:.

They say a boar doesn't recognize his own cubs(which makes sense)....but will recognize sows that he has previously mated with(although I'm sure he doesn't remember their names;-)).
Maybe this is where family groups with two different ages of cubs comes from??

SSS

[elkdom]

Not always true.
Heard of numerous sightings of mamas with new and last years cubs present.
Saw a sow with four cubs this year, myself....three new cubs and one from last year. I guess some mama bears have a hard time saying "no"...and this was no where near a trailer park:wink:.

SSS

of coarse the small ones wouldnt just be a "RUNT"? from the same litter,or a large cub amongst smaller ones just could be a BIG cub from same litter,like dogs, some pups are huge compared to others from the same litter??

as for BEARS, a breeding male will kill cubs when he finds them, even a POLITCALY correct male mating bear will kill cubs,,,

and momma bears dont adopt other momma's orphaned cubs,
SHE will also kill orphaned cubs,,,

[BlacktailStalker]

It is also entirely possible a boar will breed the same sow year after year (or every second year if she has cubs) if there isnt a high density of bears in the area.
In that case the cubs wouldn't be killed.
Bears are smarter than you'd think.

[elkdom]

It is also entirely possible a boar will breed the same sow year after year (or every second year if she has cubs) if there isnt a high density of bears in the area.
In that case the cubs wouldn't be killed.
Bears are smarter than you'd think.

heh,heh,heh! sure and all the Aunts and Uncles come to visit the cubs on their birthdays ,,,

and MALE bears "bond" with their offspring, teach them how to fish, rummage through garbage dumps, eat tree planters, steal pic-kin-nic baskets!

yep! their all like Yogi and BooBoo bear! lmao :lol:

[Bowtime]

I highly doubt that a sow would have batches of cubs one year apart. I believe the Sow cannot go into heat while with her new cubs. This is the reason for Boars to want to kill cubs, so the Sow will go back into heat.

[hunter1947]

Identifying the size will tell you all you need to know ,thats what I would be looking for.

[dutchie]

So it seems to be a bit of a mixed bag... Some people feel that the actual size is what matters. One thing that i took for granted was in the regs when it said a family unit "the sow" i thought that it ment only the sow.

So in your opinion if there is a Boar in the group with a Sow and Cub, then is that Boar shootable?

We know that a mature bear kills cubs, so is that Boar fair game? or is this being coincidered a family unit?

Dutchie

[Mr. Dean]

What you're reading in the regs is ALL pertinent to bears that're 2 and younger when in company of "other bears". Bears do hang out and feed together, especially if the're not dominant - The trick is to figure out which ones are in a "unit" (family setting) and treat them as protected.... The only way to do this is judge them for their size, which is not all that easy, or take time and observe their behaviours, keeping in mind; when in doubt, keep on walking/driving.

[Mr. Dean]

So in your opinion if there is a Boar in the group with a Sow and Cub, then is that Boar shootable?


Dutchie

..... How do we KNOW this is a boar?

[Elkhound]

..... How do we KNOW this is a boar?

Get real close and lift it's tail;)

[hunter1947]

If a boar was with a cub and sow and the boar and sow where around the same size and you don't know witch one is the boar then you don't shoot ,you walk away and let them be.

Its just like looking for an elk that has 6 points on one side if your not sure the regs say you don't shoot ,same goes with a bear in the post you are talking about.

[Bowtime]

..... How do we KNOW this is a boar?


I would compare this to goat hunting. Im going to assume everybody would want to shoot a Billy over a Nanny. Sometimes they are hard to tell but if you study them long enough you will be able to tell the difference between them. Do your reserch. the sow with have different characteristics in the face.
And if its a boar and sow together and you can't identify one as the boar. Watch for one following. that is most likely the boar.

[Ddog]

isnt a family unit considered 2 or more bear?
If this is the case then unless one bear was trying to mount the second bear, regardless of size i would pass, after all there are a lot of bears in BC and chances are you will have another chance to harvest one.

[Stone Sheep Steve]

isnt a family unit considered 2 or more bear?
If this is the case then unless one bear was trying to mount the second bear, regardless of size i would pass, after all there are a lot of bears in BC and chances are you will have another chance to harvest one.

But the BIG BOYZ show up to play during the rut.
I think you could be missing out on the best time of year to bag a toad.

SSS

[Ambush]

The intention of the regulation is to protect two year old and younger cubs and their mothers. There is no such thing as a bear "family" with the dad helping out. Only in Goldi-Locks or Pacificwild BS does that exist.

Don't shoot cubs or their mothers; all other bears are legal in an open season.