Registered: Aug 2009
Location: Whiting vermont
Posts: 322

i coon hunt now and im getting in to bear this year never done it and would like to know how much different it is. i know i will be a longer hunt but iv been told not to shoot a bayed bear thats it any thing else would help

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Registered: Aug 2009
Location: Whiting vermont
Posts: 322

bump

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Registered: Jan 2007
Location: Vermont
Posts: 161

Your better off going with somebody your first year and help them out with there dogs and see hows its done. It will help you out in the long run.

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Registered: Aug 2009
Location: Whiting vermont
Posts: 322

i would but there is no one that does it anymore so im on my own i coon hunt now ..

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Registered: May 2008
Location: Strong, ME
Posts: 215

I don't know who told you not to shoot a bayed bear but sometimes you need to.They are usaully the big ones.When you do shoot one you need to make it count,kill it as quick as possible.You need to make the best killing shot you can make and Be ready to run in and finish it off.And that means pretty much putting the end of your barrel on it and pulling the trigger so you don't shoot a dog. Its no picknic pulling your dogs off a bayed bear either,when you can't shoot it.Read everthing you can about hunting with hounds.Good Luck.

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Its a **** poor woman who cant support a man and a pack of hounds.

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Last edited by spruce mountain on 03-11-2010 at 01:22 AM

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Registered: Aug 2009
Location: Whiting vermont
Posts: 322

thank you i was told that if you shot a bayed bear it is pumped and even with a good shot it will go nuts and kill the dogs and u if it can iv been reading every thing i can im trying to do the best i can so i dont get my hounds killed for me not knowing enuff

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Registered: May 2008
Location: Strong, ME
Posts: 215

The bear will go nuts if you don't kill it instantly,but the problem is the dogs go nuts too and bale right in.Thats why you need to run in and finish it off.You realy should go with someone else like Jason said before you get into it.I know that I am a ways away but you can tag along with me if you want.

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Its a **** poor woman who cant support a man and a pack of hounds.

http://www.sprucemountainhunting.com

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Registered: Aug 2009
Location: Whiting vermont
Posts: 322

the bear im starting with is big he is at my work and he has got a run of the place the last guy that saw him told me when he was upright he was at least 7 feet i dont think he will tree

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Registered: Dec 2009
Location: NH
Posts: 63

Most of the time when some one sees a bear they think it is a big one "I say how big" they say over 400 and that means it is 150 or 200 if that. For get all the books and moves, The best way to get into bear hunting is just go do it, and try to go with some one a couple tims a year but make sure the guy you go with is good at it. You will learn from the dogs and it will take years. That will make you a batter hunter.

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steve hurd

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Registered: Aug 2009
Location: Whiting vermont
Posts: 322

thanks for the help y`all

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Registered: Aug 2004
Location: New Hampshire
Posts: 1559

I am not a bearhunter, I am a coonhunter. I have been out numerous times with my bearhunting friends. I have passed up a few bears (sows) and have shot a couple of bears over hounds and I am here to tell you it is a totally different game.

Imo, all of the advise above should be helpful.

Priority is to keep your hounds safe.

I have been out with guys that have some of the best hounds anyone had ever laid eye's on. Hounds that get "worked" everyday in some shape or form and hounds that can't be bought.


A quick, clean kill on a bear is a must, if not bad things can happen extremely fast.

Keep your emotions in check and don't let your adrenalin get the best of you.

If you expect to tree every bear you run and have everything work out perfect, you might want to think again.

Although extremely enjoyable, be prepared for some of the hardest hunting days of your life and you will be all set.

Shoot straight and clean! jmo, wd

Last edited by dogfaceNH on 03-12-2010 at 11:49 AM

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Registered: Aug 2009
Location: Whiting vermont
Posts: 322

thanks after reading all the replys im going to wait on running bear and see if i can find someone i can go with so i am not going it blind i will stick with coon and coyote for now

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Registered: Feb 2009
Location: Newport TN
Posts: 131

One thing to remember is that you can't learn how to bear hunt over night or by reading books or anything like that. you will learn something new everytime you go and one more thing is to not rely on a gun with a scope bc most of the time when you finally get to where you can shoot a bear that scope will be off and then its hard to make the head shot to get the instant kill

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Handler of 2009 AKC World Champion Redbone "Light'in"
Hard Stroakin Kennels & Pure Rage Big Game Hounds
Justin Jackson
"THIS AINT NO BEAUTY CONTEST"
coon and bear dogs of the FINEST kind
Home Of:
BH MTN Nitetime Rascle (Qualified for AKC World Hunt & PKC Super Stakes)
BH MTN Lee's Image (Lee) ----(UKC 2nd & 3rd place & Qualified for the AKC World Hunt)
Hrd Strkn Pure Rage Hammer
Lee's Hard Stroakin Meg
Hard Stroakin Bonnie (A.K.A SPEEDY)
Gone But Never Forgotten:
GRNITECH Owenby's Rebel Sue
NITECH Hanks Wild Meg
PR Hard Stroakin Jake (A Squirrel Treeing Machine)
GRCH Spring Hill Blue Spice
GRNITECH Heartbreak Holly

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Registered: Aug 2009
Location: Whiting vermont
Posts: 322

bump

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Registered: Aug 2009
Location: Whiting vermont
Posts: 322

if you had to say whats the most importing thing to know

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Registered: Feb 2009
Location: Newport TN
Posts: 131

I would say that no matter what you have to protect the dogs. Even if that means sometimes you have to catch them off of a bear or something bc if you do something that gets your dogs killed or even just hurt that could have been prevented it will end your season. Just remember that no dogs means no bears. You would be supprised at the dogs that get shot when baying a near on the ground or get killed bc of people being stupid and not usinga little common sense

__________________
Handler of 2009 AKC World Champion Redbone "Light'in"
Hard Stroakin Kennels & Pure Rage Big Game Hounds
Justin Jackson
"THIS AINT NO BEAUTY CONTEST"
coon and bear dogs of the FINEST kind
Home Of:
BH MTN Nitetime Rascle (Qualified for AKC World Hunt & PKC Super Stakes)
BH MTN Lee's Image (Lee) ----(UKC 2nd & 3rd place & Qualified for the AKC World Hunt)
Hrd Strkn Pure Rage Hammer
Lee's Hard Stroakin Meg
Hard Stroakin Bonnie (A.K.A SPEEDY)
Gone But Never Forgotten:
GRNITECH Owenby's Rebel Sue
NITECH Hanks Wild Meg
PR Hard Stroakin Jake (A Squirrel Treeing Machine)
GRCH Spring Hill Blue Spice
GRNITECH Heartbreak Holly

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Registered: Mar 2007
Location: Northern WI
Posts: 126

These guys have given great advice, to add a couple of things, first go with someone, second, dont turn your dogs on a big nasty bear. Run a few small ones, and they will do some learning,gaining confidence, and so will you. See a few bears shot on the ground, before you attempt it yourself. I use a 45-70. with hot loads. Dont take a knife to a gun fight. Shot placement is everything, but a bear on the ground, if dangerous for you, and your dogs. Take a head, neck shot. If that doesnt present itself, take out the front shoulders, a bear will do a lot of damage, from a lung shot before he is dead. that is why I like the big caliber for the shoulder shots. Then run up and finish him, the second shot. . Never ever, go in the woods, with a scope. Again, your not shooting yards, its feet. Be careful, because a bear always bites something as he dies, your leg or a tree, something, unless you made a perfect chilling shot. LOL.

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Registered: Feb 2009
Location: Newport TN
Posts: 131

I also use a 45-70 now but have used a 30-30 for years with great results. The gun doesn't matter just make sure you are comfortable with it bc they will all do the job as long as you hit then right. And if you ever are unsure about if you can make a shot without hitting the dogs then its best to wait til you have a better shot.

__________________
Handler of 2009 AKC World Champion Redbone "Light'in"
Hard Stroakin Kennels & Pure Rage Big Game Hounds
Justin Jackson
"THIS AINT NO BEAUTY CONTEST"
coon and bear dogs of the FINEST kind
Home Of:
BH MTN Nitetime Rascle (Qualified for AKC World Hunt & PKC Super Stakes)
BH MTN Lee's Image (Lee) ----(UKC 2nd & 3rd place & Qualified for the AKC World Hunt)
Hrd Strkn Pure Rage Hammer
Lee's Hard Stroakin Meg
Hard Stroakin Bonnie (A.K.A SPEEDY)
Gone But Never Forgotten:
GRNITECH Owenby's Rebel Sue
NITECH Hanks Wild Meg
PR Hard Stroakin Jake (A Squirrel Treeing Machine)
GRCH Spring Hill Blue Spice
GRNITECH Heartbreak Holly

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Registered: Aug 2009
Location: Whiting vermont
Posts: 322

iv got a 30-30 with a 150 gr most of the time i use a 8mm Mauser with 170 gr

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Registered: Feb 2009
Location: Newport TN
Posts: 131

Either of them should work but if you have a scope on them I would take it off

__________________
Handler of 2009 AKC World Champion Redbone "Light'in"
Hard Stroakin Kennels & Pure Rage Big Game Hounds
Justin Jackson
"THIS AINT NO BEAUTY CONTEST"
coon and bear dogs of the FINEST kind
Home Of:
BH MTN Nitetime Rascle (Qualified for AKC World Hunt & PKC Super Stakes)
BH MTN Lee's Image (Lee) ----(UKC 2nd & 3rd place & Qualified for the AKC World Hunt)
Hrd Strkn Pure Rage Hammer
Lee's Hard Stroakin Meg
Hard Stroakin Bonnie (A.K.A SPEEDY)
Gone But Never Forgotten:
GRNITECH Owenby's Rebel Sue
NITECH Hanks Wild Meg
PR Hard Stroakin Jake (A Squirrel Treeing Machine)
GRCH Spring Hill Blue Spice
GRNITECH Heartbreak Holly

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Registered: Aug 2009
Location: Whiting vermont
Posts: 322

im a old school guy i put a scoop on and well it gave me a black eye so i took it off and threw it lol

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