PA. Bear

[Waynzee]

Does anybody other than myself think that the PA. Game Commision should allow Bear hunting with hounds and bait like they do in Maine.

 

[Gene R.]

Bait yes, hounds HELL NO!
If we had to get both or none, then none. It's a cluster +#ck now with guys driving them now.
Gene R.

 

[Waynzee]

Gene R did you ever hunt Bear in Maine with hounds and bait?

 

[yobuck]

Ive never been in lock step with all the decisions the PGC makes.
But on this one, id agree with current policy of no dogs.
I realize there are large swampy areas that would benefit hunters using dogs.
But where would the line be drawn?
The fact that it is permissible in places like Maine, ought to be enough to satisfy those
who prefer to hunt that way.

 

[Waynzee]

I've hunted in Maine with hounds and it's almost the same as hunting coons in PA. The way the guide I went with would do is nail or wire a 5 gal. pail to a tree, fill it with donuts or other kinds of bait and at night the bear would come in and raid the pail of bait. In the morning we went out and check the bait site if the bear hit it we would turn the dogs loose and usually within a couple of hundred yards the chase was on. Depending on the size of bear the chase could last a short time or if it's a small bear it could go for a while. Point is we coon hunt with hounds why not bear hunt also not a lot of difference. IMO

 

[jwall3d11]

I like it just the way it is. No dogs and no bait. If you want your dogs to hunt for you, go to Maine.

 

[Waynzee]

I don't see anything wrong hunting with hounds. A lot of fellas use hounds for coon hunting and the same hounds if trained right will hunt bears too.
I think PA. should allow hounds for bear season too.

 

[yobuck]

Well you could start attending the Pgc meetings in Harrisburg and ask them the question. While your at it talk about your ideas on semi auto rifles also. Keep us posted.

 

[rharfo]

The PGC is in the dark ages. Primarily because the general PA resident hates change and hunters especially hate change. Semi auto shotguns are allowed but not semi auto rifles, flat out stupid logic. the proposed license increase is gonna fix everything. How about you allow a longer season more weapons and other options then jack up the cost.
I think bait and dogs on private property might be okay but we are never gonna see it.

 

[yobuck]

Anybody incapable of harvesting a deer in PA due to season length and choice of
weapons to do it with should consider what the real reason is for their failure to do so.
The season for bear is now nine days for those who take advantage of it.
But obviously a bucket of donuts covered with bacon fat is preferred by some.

 

[Waynzee]

yobuck, I've been to a lot of PGC meetings and stated my ideas about bear hunting with bait and hounds and hunting with AR15s. They are about as closed to the idea as most people in Pa. I remember when Gary Alt was in charge of the bear season in Pa. and he took his ideas to Maine, they all but threw him out of the state.
The problem with Pa. (and there is many), the PGC is owned by special interest groups and politicians and that is why it is near impossible to change anything.
When I first started hunting in Pa. there was "only" a rifle season for deer and bear. There was no Bow, Xbow, Inline early MZloader late season flintlock and archery season. So who makes all these different weapons ? You get the idea ? And now, it's just a matter of time before you are allowed to use AR15s for hunting bear, deer and whatever else the PGC, SIG and politicians deem ok regardless of what you or I say.
As far as hunting bear in Pa. goes you can get into a whole other discussion about out of state hunters, property owners, seasons, rifle, mzl, bows and xbows and the list goes on this is just a few.

 

[HarryN]

Part of the challenge to the rule change might be that the effort to care for and train dogs is out of reach for many people. I can understand the logic of bait, as it makes the odds of success sufficient to make it worthwhile, and it is something the average hunter can do at reasonable costs.

 

[yobuck]

My first season hunting in PA took place when I was 12 years old in 1947.
And ive never missed a season since including most years for bear also. When I started,
the season was for one week, and always the week before the 2 week buck season.
Gary Ault never actually ran the bear season. He simply performed research on bears
which provided information not known before he did. His information had no affect on
the basic rifle season length or how bears are hunted.
The members of the PGC are political appointments by the various governors for a specific term. In reality they are nothing more than head nodders, as the day to day operation of the commission is run by the executive director and the full time staff.
When you consider the location and population of the state, along with the numbers of
hunters, compared with other states, theres far more to be thankfull for than to be
growling about.

 

[Gene R.]

No I haven't and I have nothing against hound or bait for bears. My problem with hounds in PA is comparing it to hounds in Maine or out west is ridiculous. Vast areas of nothing compared to a gas well road over every ridge or hard top in pa. I know people and have seen the practice of running coyotes with dogs in NW PA. I can very easily see this same technic turn into the same practice for bears. Couple guys with dogs running bear past posters who drove to other side of clear cut to wait for bear to run by. That being much different than hounds chasing bear bear over hill and dale while hand full of guys follow till the hounds tree the bear then judge size and if with cubs or not. At least with the human drives now through the mt. Laurel it take a lot sweat and work for drivers.
The reason I like bait idea is you can make sure it's not sow with cubs or just to small of bear for set standard u self impose. Also it takes work to hump a pack full of bait back into ur bait site. Because ur not going to put your site where every swinging Richard can see or find it.

Off topic I agree 100% we should have semi rifles legal in PA. Semi shotgun for federally regulated waterfowl OK, but no state of PA feels semi rifle is what ? Un fair unsafe, to SCARY, to hunt deer, bear and turkey? OH WAIT , I know it'll sound like war zone! I love hearing that one from anti semi loader defenders. Really, apparently they just started hunting after Gary took over deer management season. Because from '82 through about late 90's it sounded like d-day on coast of France. Now a days you can count on all your digits and have couple extra how many shots ya hear all day!!! PA game Commission is like Bizarre'O world if it makes sense then you bet they'll do the opposite. Keep up the good work Mr. Green jeans of PA your doing great work. Your legends in ur own minds! It gives us **** to bitch about at camp every year, thanks!
Rant over and out,
Gene