Where to rifle black bear hunt?

[Muddyboots]

BTW the unofficial black bear record was killed many years ago in Arrieta, NY. It was full size standing mount in entrance of hotel. I am 6'4" and I had pic of me next to it and it towered over me. I have been looking for the pic but it was on old Kodak 110 camera so the photo is in some album somewhere yet to be found! The head on this was 55 gal drum size, enormous!

 

[WYO300RUM]

I can't believe no one has mentioned Southern California! This is the easiest most comfortable bear hunt there is. Get a plane ticket to Los Angeles, rent an Air BNB in Pasadena, Altadena, Monrovia or any of the cities in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. Just make sure it has a spa or a pool. Sit in a lounge chair by the pool or spa and wait for your bear.

San Bernardino National Forest gets some whoppers. A buddy was a bear guide until the wonderful state stopped hound hunting. He's killed some monsters. I hunted there for 40 years.

 

[Muddyboots]

The history of the Adirondacks is so cool for old time hunting. Lot of the old hotels, restaurants and even gas stations had local deer poles. Buffalo Plaid woolies was winter dress up! Some old photos are out there. Its too bad Adirondack Museum in Blue Mountain Lake is closed for winter because it has fantastic displays of the old days hunting in Adirondacks! Here is a photo of the good old days!

 

[Muddyboots]

Opps sorry for hijack! But wanted to show how nice Adirondacks are for hunters. Wish it was here in Midwest!

 

[WYO300RUM]

The history of the Adirondacks is so cool for old time hunting. Lot of the old hotels, restaurants and even gas stations had local deer poles. Buffalo Plaid woolies was winter dress up! Some old photos are out there. Its too bad Adirondack Museum in Blue Mountain Lake is closed for winter because it has fantastic displays of the old days hunting in Adirondacks! Here is a photo of the good old days!
View attachment 402114

And Caroga lake ! Probably spelled that wrong.

 

[2rjshort]

try NE NORTH CAROLINA the biggest black bears in the world

and lots of them!

 

[2rjshort]

Sw Virgina haș a lot of bear. They started an early 3 day bear season in the end of Sept a few years ago which is a great opportunity to stretch your rifle out since bears are visible in fields late in the evenings at that time of year.

I wish they would give us a week during the end of May when fawns are dropping. Lots of bears running around that time of year.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

DAWSON Forest in GA.
The government had experimental Nuclear Reactors there. The wildlife got really big there. I saw several and a Sow over 500 lbs with to cubs. It is 26,000 acres WMA. Lots of forest. They used to shoot a dozen or so each season. The thing is that you have to hunt them, no shooting over a barrel of twinkles.

 

[yorke-1]

Oregon and Washington are both good options for a do-it-yourself spot and stock bear hunt. Oregon has spring bear tags that aren't too tough to draw and lots of accessible timberland with a good bear population. Washington has lots of bears, but a lot of the land on the west side of the state is owned by timber companies and requires a permit to access.

I've taken 2 spring bear in Oregon and 4 fall bear in Washington. The Washington bears were by far the best eating. Like others said, some of them actually have a slight berry flavor to the meat. It's hard to describe, but there's a sweet smell and flavor that's very unique.

 

[WYO300RUM]

DAWSON Forest in GA.
The government had experimental Nuclear Reactors there. The wildlife got really big there. I saw several and a Sow over 500 lbs with to cubs. It is 26,000 acres WMA. Lots of forest. They used to shoot a dozen or so each season. The thing is that you have to hunt them, no shooting over a barrel of twinkles.

Do they glow at night ?

 

[Sealesniper]

My farm in Eastern NC is loaded in nice black bear. Saw 9 last Friday while deer hunting. I have set up friends and kids over barrels of peanuts and corn to stick them with an arrow or set back 85 yards for a rifle shot. I am expecting to see at least one over 450# go down next sat on opening day, but will probably kill 2 or 3. getting setup is not cheap as I normally spend 5-$6000 a year in peanuts and corn and lots of time but seeing a kid smile is worth it.

 

[HARPERC]

My farm in Eastern NC is loaded in nice black bear. Saw 9 last Friday while deer hunting. I have set up friends and kids over barrels of peanuts and corn to stick them with an arrow or set back 85 yards for a rifle shot. I am expecting to see at least one over 450# go down next sat on opening day, but will probably kill 2 or 3. getting setup is not cheap as I normally spend 5-$6000 a year in peanuts and corn and lots of time but seeing a kid smile is worth it.

A great first hunt for kids. Used to be a favorite before we lost our baiting to the anti's in Washington.

 

[Varmint Hunter]

My farm in Eastern NC is loaded in nice black bear. Saw 9 last Friday while deer hunting. I have set up friends and kids over barrels of peanuts and corn to stick them with an arrow or set back 85 yards for a rifle shot. I am expecting to see at least one over 450# go down next sat on opening day, but will probably kill 2 or 3. getting setup is not cheap as I normally spend 5-$6000 a year in peanuts and corn and lots of time but seeing a kid smile is worth it.

I just came back from a NC whitetail hunt. The cook apparently is an avid bear guide in Hyde. He hunts exclusively with his hounds and has many of them. He produced videos of the hunts so he wasn't just talking smack. He told me that they've taken bears in the 600lb range and that the success rate is over 90%.

Cost is $5,000 and you can only walk away from one small legal bear. If a second legal bear is bayed up (or treed up) you must take the bear or just end your hunt.

 

[ObiWanKannoli]

BC, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Washington are all good for this type of hunt. These western bears show a lot of color phase in the gene pool too.

Not mountainous, but coastal North Carolina has some of the biggest bears you'll ever see.

NY and PA bear hunting is great too, but it's thick woods and doesn't generally lend itself to those classic cross canyon shots of a bear in a clearing eating wild flowers and flipping rocks.