Learn the basics before hunting bears

Hunters should approach downed bears cautiously, from the uphill side if possible.
Hunters should approach downed bears cautiously, from the uphill side if possible.

Of all the game animals in Arkansas, perhaps none inspires more awe, fear and desire than the majestic black bear. Just seeing a bruin is enough to excite the most stoic hunter, but killing one is the pinnacle of the big-game-hunting experience.

The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission reported in 1928 that only about 25 bears remained in the state, primarily in the lower White River country. But thanks to a successful restoration program from 1959-1968 in which bears from Minnesota and Manitoba were released in the Ozark and Ouachita mountains, these grandiose mammals made an incredible comeback. The bear hunting season reopened in 1980 after a 53-year hiatus, and today, Natural State bear hunters can pursue their quarry during seasons that run through parts of September, October and November in several areas of the state.

Killing a bear can be extremely challenging, even for the best hunters. Black bears are largely solitary with large home ranges, making it difficult to pattern individual animals. But if you have your sights set on tagging a bruin this season, there are steps you can take to increase your odds for success. Of these, learning and following basic bear-hunting guidelines may be the most important.

Hunting Basics

To start, you should first study several good books on bear hunting, research the sport on the internet and/or pick the brain of a veteran hunter. The more tricks you have up your sleeve, the better your chances for success.

You’ll also need to bone up on which portions of the state you can hunt in, season dates, bag limits, legal hunting equipment and methods, baiting regulations and bear-checking requirements. All this can be found on the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s website at www.agfc.com/en/hunting/big-game/bear.

Once you’ve decided on an area where you will hunt, then it’s a matter of homing in on good bear habitat and looking for signs.

Bears living in mountainous regions of the state like to move around near bluffs. Wooded stream bottoms are also attractive to bears, as are clearcuts. Studies of bear stomach contents show their most important autumn food is acorns, hence there are a large number of sightings in oak/hickory woodlands and mixed stands of hardwoods and pines. The next most significant foods are pokeberries and leaves, which grow in forest openings. Other significant bear foods include hickory nuts, persimmons, insects and carrion.

Spend as much time as possible scouting for signs of bear activity in the area you intend to hunt. Look for food sources, note their location, and check them daily to see if they’ve been visited.

Watch for bear tracks around watering holes. Large, soft black droppings full of seeds and acorn shells are also an indicative sign. Droppings are often found on logs, along with hair left when bears sun themselves. A bear meandering along a stony outcrop often leaves a trail of overturned rocks where the animal searched for insects. Bears sometimes scar tree trunks with their teeth and claws, another sign that can help bear hunters locate a promising area.

When hunting, remember that bears have keen senses of hearing and smell, and are highly attuned to anything out of place in their environment. Always hunt downwind from the area where you expect a bear will show itself. And to prevent a bear from winding you, try one of the products deer hunters use to mask or eliminate human odor.

Some hunters sit on a stand, waiting for a bear to come to them, but because a bear may roam over many square miles, many successful hunters say it is best to cover lots of ground, moving slowly and quietly as you might do if still-hunting for deer or squirrels.

Gearing Up

Selecting the right weapon for bear hunting is important, and knowing how to skillfully use it is even more important.

When hunting with a rifle, most experts recommend .30 caliber or larger. A .30-06 or 7mm Remington Magnum will do the job, but for more killing power, it may be best to use larger cartridges like the .300 Winchester Magnum or the .338 Winchester Magnum.

Remember, too, that black bears have a thick layer of fat and are tough to track if they get into heavy cover. For this reason, only premium controlled expanding bullets should be used. Bullets such as Swift A-frames, Barnes X and Trophy Bonded Bear Claws work very well. They reliably expand to twice their diameter while still retaining over 90 percent of their original weight.

Hunters using muzzleloaders should opt for a minimum of .50 caliber and fire a conical bullet or sabot. Many have excellent success with 370-grain maxi-balls propelled by 80 to 100 grains of FFG powder.

Bowhunters shouldn’t use anything lighter than a 50-pound bow, and one with a 65-pound pull is even better if the hunter can accurately shoot it. The best arrows weigh at least 450 grains. Expandable broadheads can and do work, but fixed heads tend to be better for these heavy-boned animals. Even pre-sharpened broadheads should be honed to a perfect razor edge to penetrate bears’ thick hide, fat and muscle.

When you see a bear and are preparing for a shot, move slowly and quietly so you don’t alert the bear to your presence. Bears are sensitive to sound and movement, and a rapid movement by an archer, a clumsily cocked muzzleloader or the snap of the safety on a modern rifle can send your bear bolting. If you frighten a mature bear in this way, chances are you’ll never see that bear again. The bruin will either depart to some other food source or will visit the area only at night.

Making the Shot

Knowing where to shoot a bear is also important. Broadside and head-on shots are the preferred choices for gun hunters. A bruin hit in the shoulder-blade area won’t travel far. For head-on shots, aim for the center of the chest.

The best shot for archers is not a broadside shot, but one where the animal is angling slightly away. Try to place the arrow just behind the nearest shoulder, midway between back and belly. This gives a clear shot at the vital area without interference from the front leg or shoulder. Broadside shots behind the shoulder blade will also kill a bear.

When you find a downed bear, approach it cautiously. If possible, approach the animal’s rear from uphill. If the bear isn’t dead and is aroused, it’s most likely to lunge forward and head downhill. If the bear shows any sign of life, finish it with a well-placed shot.

Bagging a bear is challenging, but most ardent bear hunters prefer it that way. To them, that obvious degree of difficulty is the reason for hunting. The hunt is a success whether they kill a bear or not, because they’ve faced the challenge and tried.

Still, the chance of success is always there. And all bear hunters hope that maybe, just maybe, this will be their year to bag a bruin, one of Arkansas’

most magnificent and storied game animals.

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