Unpredictable and skittish, killing a brown bear over bait may may be more challenging than traditional spot-and-stalk hunting.
The announcement that certain areas in Alaska would be open to taking grizzly bears over bait a few years back was greeted with mixed emotions. For those of us who already hunt black bears in these areas, it was a welcome relief and a slam-dunk opportunity to take advantage of the ever-increasing number of grizzlies overrunning our baits. It was also met with opposition from some, who predicted the devastation of the grizzly population by using this method. In the 4 years I’ve been able to do it, I’ve learned that neither side was correct, and for the same reason. It’s much harder to kill a mature grizzly on bait than a black bear.
A lot of hunters get a lot of trail cam photos of grizzlies and were seeing them periodically on their black bear sits, but actually getting one on the ground proved to be much more challenging. Photos are one thing, but actually seeing a mature boar grizzly is another. I honestly thought it would be easy, but in hindsight, in all the years of targeting black bears, we only ever had one mature boar grizzly show up while we were sitting.
This story is from the January/February 2017 edition of Bear Hunting Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the January/February 2017 edition of Bear Hunting Magazine.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
THE END OF 2020, CHALLENGES COMING IN 2021
SOMETHINGS EVERY SPORTSMAN OUGHT TO KNOW ABOUT. STAY ENGAGED!
SPRING HUNTING IN MAINE
In 1982 Maine closed its spring season, but you can still spring hunt with an outfitter on some tribal lands.
Bears & Gobblers
SPRING BEAR & TURKEY IN MONTANA
Western Bear Hunting
Picking the right outfitter - Picking the right outfitter can make or break your experience.
Three Phases of the Spring
Understanding the Pros & Cons in the Timing of Spring Bear Hunting
Extreme Utility
Jeff Senger kills for a living.
Canning - Bear Meat
The last six months my non-hunting friends asking increasingly specific questions about how to turn animals into meat.
Bear Dogs - East vs West
The term “bear dog” means something different to every houndsman.
Alaska - One Last Grizzly (DIY)
NOTHING LASTS FOREVER, BUT THE AUTHOR HAS HAD A HECK OF A RUN ON ARCTIC GRIZZLY
Understanding Skull Size in Evaluating Trophy Black Bear
Black bears can be one of the most difficult big game animals to judge before the shot.