Northwest Bear Question

[badkins84]

So I hear about few bear encounters up in the okaloosa area every once in awhile and i'm curious. Are there certain areas where bears like to be (Brush, trees, valleys, etc) so I can be aware of where to look/avoid while scouting or any general info out there in regards to where to look so you see them before they see me...lol Heard about them climbing trees etc. but would they generally let you know of there presence or spook before you get to close? Hopefully this isn't to general of a question just curious before the "oh sh*t" moment as i have heard of them charging if they have there lil ones with them.

[cshunter1908]

I dont know about where they spend their time besides the woods. I have seen on these shows that the attacks are usually around a water source. My suggestion is that you carry (legally of course). A guy in Alaska had an 800 Brown Bear charging him and he took it down with one round (.454 Casull). He gives his credit to God since he didn't even aim. I give the placement credit to God and the killing factor to the bullet.

[Iluv2hunt]

They won't mess with you

[ALTUCK]

Bears like the same places deer like, edges of swampy areas, palmetto flats, big pines, Oak hammocks. Mostly they like any where there is feed.

I was down at my lease at Fanlew today plowing for food plots. I saw bear tracks in a five acre field, big planted pines and a plot next to a swamp/sinkhole. Then found a torn up feeder in the palmetto flats where I have been watching a good buck.


Altuck

[omegafoo]

Don't worry about the bears and just scout. They won't bother you.

[Cr0ck1]

bears hang in thick stuff. One thing i know is if you have a feeder near some thick stuff. bears will be more of a problem then if you had your feeder in an open field. They love cover. like any other animal.

[30.06]

pepper spray works better than any gun. just dont spray yourself. if you kill a bear in fl your in deep s*#t.

[GoodOyster]

pepper spray works better than any gun. just dont spray yourself. if you kill a bear in fl your in deep s*#t.

And if the bear kills you or maybe just mauls and cripples you for life)?

[drgn4sr]

We have had sows w/cubs just run away from us. never threatened us. we were within 25 yards. Not to say we didn't keep an eyeball on them but they just moved off. Yes she knew we were there. Looked right at us before they took off.

[badkins84]

Well today I decided I'd scoutone last time down one of the trails i have been going to see if there were any "buck" or hog tracks after last nights rain. Figured if i saw tracks they were moving during the day...etc. etc. Got past three of the creek bottoms and then i had a doe spook and run over the trail i was on about 12-15 ft in front of me....immediatly after i heard that i heard a bunch more rustling where the doe was...mind you..no gun...no bow...no knife...nothing lol just preparing for the opening of gun tommorow morn. anyways start seeing a black fuzzy creature start coming out to the trail...Nice... right? First thoughts i had was "nice must be a decent boar!" nope! big fuzzy bear. as the bear came onto the trail 15-20 ft in front of me i stood still for about 5 seconds and he started walking towards me and got about a good two steps towards me...about this time im thinking to myself....well sh*t! do i:
1. stand here and take my chances
2. throw my cell phone at it if it starts to charge, and run like hell for 2 ft before it b&tch smacks me
3. ask him if he has saw any bucks, and take him to dinner tommorow for turkey day
4. take my chances and make slow steps back up the trail

well obviously i chose #4....luckily it spooked as well and ran back into the woods but i ask, once again, other then the fact of being unarmed, even though it doesnt matter much due to the legalities....

What would you of done?

[Iluv2hunt]

1. stand here and take my chances
2. throw my cell phone at it if it starts to charge, and run like hell for 2 ft before it b&tch smacks me
3. ask him if he has saw any bucks, and take him to dinner tommorow for turkey day
4. take my chances and make slow steps back up the trail

well obviously i chose #4....luckily it spooked as well and ran back into the woods but i ask, once again, other then the fact of being unarmed, even though it doesnt matter much due to the legalities....

What would you of done?

shart my pants and ask him for a new diaper

[bodysnatcher]

1. stand here and take my chances
2. throw my cell phone at it if it starts to charge, and run like hell for 2 ft before it b&tch smacks me
3. ask him if he has saw any bucks, and take him to dinner tommorow for turkey day
4. take my chances and make slow steps back up the trail

well obviously i chose #4....luckily it spooked as well and ran back into the woods but i ask, once again, other then the fact of being unarmed, even though it doesnt matter much due to the legalities....

What would you of done?

shart my pants and ask him for a new diaper

X2 LOL

[CanadianBlackBears]

So I hear about few bear encounters up in the okaloosa area every once in awhile and i'm curious. Are there certain areas where bears like to be (Brush, trees, valleys, etc) so I can be aware of where to look/avoid while scouting or any general info out there in regards to where to look so you see them before they see me...lol Heard about them climbing trees etc. but would they generally let you know of there presence or spook before you get to close? Hopefully this isn't to general of a question just curious before the "oh sh*t" moment as i have heard of them charging if they have there lil ones with them.

I have been hunting bears over bait sites for 9 years and have never had an encounter with one. Black bears are more timid than deer and have a hotter nose. Their eye site is terrible which is probably the reason you had such a close encounter with one. It did not smell or hear you but as soon as you made a movement it ran away. When baiting I make the same noise everytime so the bear get used to my my smell and voice. After a week of baiting I will get in my stand right after baiting my site and 90% of the time a bear will come into the site within 15 minutes; therefore, the bears know I am there and even though their hunger urges are so strong, they will wait until they think it is safe. Similar to deer, the big ones will always let the small ones feed first to ensure it is safe and then they will come in and scare the small ones away. Here is a couple pictures of a sow with her 2 cubs which were hitting my site everyday but she always waited about 15 minutes to make sure I had left the area. She never bothered me at all. Pretty cool pics