If you’re going to be hunting black bear this year, you’ve got quite an experience ahead of you. This is one of the largest game animals in the world, and requires plenty of stalking ability of the hunter. Black bears are not necessarily difficult to hunt, but they pose a significant challenge to hunters who are used to smaller game. Plus, black bear hunting gives the hunter a chance to test his trailing abilities in the field.
Move Softly and Slowly
Black bears are easily startled by movement, so make sure you stay soft and slow when hunting then. Fast movements or flailing arms or weapons will ensure that the nearest black bears run for the hills, so practice your stealth in advance. You will have to stay on the move to stalk your prey, but that doesn’t mean you have to make a big production out of it. Boots that make little sound and clothes that don’t “whisper” as you walk are best.
Mask Your Scent
Black bears have a highly-evolved sense of smell, so use scent maskers while you hunt. The morning or even before, take a bath with unscented soap, and never use scented deodorant. The scent masking products you can find at any outdoors store will help cover your scent as you stalk your prey. If you think that bears might be sensing your presence, try hunting upwind to help blow your scent elsewhere.
Put Our Your Cigarette
Cigarette smoke has a very distinctive smell, which means you shouldn’t smoke while hunting black bear. In fact, you don’t want to smoke before the hunt if you aren’t going to change your clothes—clothing carries too many foreign scents that can scare your prey away. Besides, you can’t accurately shoot while you’re holding a cigarette, so leave your pack at home.
Take Your Time
One of the major pitfalls of hunting black bear is the tendency to get over-excited. You see a beautiful specimen step out from behind a grove of trees, and your first instinct is to line up a decent shot and pull the trigger. Don’t make this mistake. Take your time to line up the ideal shot before you even think about taking it, and make sure the bear is in a position where you can hit a major organ. Black bears and move significant distance with a poorly-placed gunshot wound, and the rest of your day will be spent trying to find it.
Look for Cubs
In most cases, cubs will precede their mother as they traipse through the forest or a field, but you can’t rely on this to make sure you don’t get a sow who has a line of cubs behind her. It is illegal to shoot a female bear who has cubs, so this is yet another reason to take your time. Listen for the sounds of multiple feet (cubs are less stealthy than older bears), and wait until a bear is in full view before taking that shot.
Black bear hunting is exciting and fulfilling, especially when you take down your first bear. Just remember to check the laws carefully where you’ll be hunting, and talk to an outfitter or game warden if you have questions.
