28 replies to this topic

[CoyoteHuntress]

Okay We are booked and geting ready to leave friday for our bear/deer hunt... We have never actually hunted bear. We SEE bear, could have shot them if we had tags, but we have never actually hunted bear before.. I dont even know if its legal to call them in...Ill be going thru the regs as soon as I can.. Though to be honest I would seriously be worried about calling something in that is big enough to eat me for dinner when it arrives... Sooooo Short of just shooting one if we happen to come across one while deer hunting.. How do you all hunt bear? Where we are going was thick with bear sign and saw 6 bears in 2 days last year when we were there for archery. Havent been up there this year though. Its opening weekend in this zone sooooo Im thinking that at least they havent been ducking lead for awhile, so maybe we will still have luck running into them... Anyone have any pointers or tips?

[DEERSLAM]

I call bears in with a hand call. Don't know if it is legal with an electric call.Right now you want to focus on food sources. Check bear scat to see what they are eating. If it's fresh and full of manzanita berries hunt the manzanita patches by glassing the surrounding area or calling near the area. spot and stalk is usually a good method though my favorite is setting up a treestand or ground blind on a food source or remote watering area. Hope this helps a little.

[MojaveJ]

We find them in the prickly pear patches down here if the fruit is on them.

[ShooterJohn]

DEERSLAM is correct you can call them and he's right you can't use electronic calls.Here are some helpful tips on bear hunting: http://www.gameandfi...g/gf_aa106202a/Here is something to read on bear calling: http://www.gamecalls...ntingbears.htmlHere's a forum on bear calling: http://bearseast.pro....cgi?board=tipsSee how helpful I am.

[CoyoteHuntress]

Coool Thanks you guys

[Cranky Farmer]

Don't miss !!

[PredatorMaster]

Good Luck! My buddy got his bear in Idaho using dogs. Heard bait barrels work well don't know if they are legal were your going.

[mac]

CH- Good luck. My typical hunt is primarily for deer, but always carry a bear tag. We see bear all the time -- our typical open day/weekend grp consists of 6 ppl...usually 2-3 are making deer drives and the other 3-4 are on stands. To be quite honest, the people located on strategically placed stands near thick draws tend to see the bears and usually 1-2hrs after they've settled on their stands and have been glassing. Bears are very quite and hard to judge their size - 'cept for the REALLY BIG ones. some folks have different ways of guaging size - ears (smaller to the head the better) - walking (bigger ones tend to waddle - LOL...so I've been told) -- any bear - head relationship to body (body mass really overcomes the head), over 150lbs is legal...make sure you really watch the bear for a while if you can't tell if it's a sow or boar...you wnat to make sure the bear doesn't have cubs aound...illegal to shoot a sow with a cub or cubs, unless the cub(s) or over 150lbs (was the case the past two years, the regs may have changed) -- I, personally, will not shoot a bear with cubs of any size.Last, if not least, SHOW PICS!

[CoyoteHuntress]

Actually its 50 lbs not 150 lbs.. Cubs are determined by -Any bear under one year old or or any bear under 50 lbs.. We were talking last night that we want to be able to hunt for one in October or Novemeber after we get back from Colorado so teh fur will be better. I can always go get another tag. Hubby and son have tags right now. So if we happen to fill them Ill grab me a tag come Oct/Nov if there are any avail. Part I think sucks is that the bear skull must be turned over to fish and game withen 10 days.. AND that whatever portion they dont need for scientific purposes shall be returned... My luck they will want to cut cross sections or something LOL.. I am hoping that I can get one nice skull to have cleaned and put in my livingroom We have one odd tag and one even... So IM hoping to heck the even tag is the skull that comes back intact and nice enough to keep. Least it will have all its teeth we hope.. And most defintely will take pics Got me a brand new camara....

[45Colt]

Hello CH,My best to you.When I thought about buying my license,and tags,thought best to not buy any at this time.To leave more money in the credit union.May not go hunting this year.Don't have a partner.So, it would be a waste of money to go hunting.IF you use a call,best to hunt in pairs.Can bring in yotes,and bears.Stay on your toes.Be ready.They can come in at any angle. One to call, one to watch 360 Deg.

[mac]

And most defintely will take pics Got me a brand new camara....[/quote]my bad..."yes" 50lbs...that would look like a dog...LOL...and only "odd" numbered bear tags do the skulls need to be verified by a DFG biologist. Which btw, you can go to your nearest Regional Office to get the tooth extracted and estimations.

[CoyoteHuntress]

Nope ALL bear skulls must be presented withen 10 days.. Only the odd ones have the tooth pulled.. Thats what the regulations state.. Now I KNOW the even tags dont require a tooth to be pulled but from what this book says they want to see them ALL regardless of number.

[mac]

I'll need to re-read...it must've changed from last year...thanks for the insight.

[mac]

verified and checked...interesting on the "Presentation of Skull" section of the regs...I'm wondering if it can be presented/verified by any field agent or if it needs to be delivered to a Regional Office? It really doesn't state. If it's done by the field agent, then I'm assuming he/she most likely won't have the time to take the skull...Last year, when I shot mine, I had an odd-numbered tag and drove to the Regional Office in Ranch Cordova and they didn't event extract a tooth or bother with the skull....I gues it depends on the person, time and place.

[DEERSLAM]

Good Luck! My buddy got his bear in Idaho using dogs. Heard bait barrels work well don't know if they are legal were your going.

No baiting in CA

[ShooterJohn]

Or you could pour honey all over yourself but all you might get is Yogi and Boo boo.

[DEERSLAM]

CH, at most all they take is one very small tooth and turn the skull back over to you on the spot. If you are lucky enough to score on a bear prop it's mouth open with a stick or rock asap so that the tooth can be removed later with out having to pry the mouth open. Good luck.PS...I have found that bear are harder to locate as the season goes on. It's not specifically because of hunting pressure but the food sources are not as predictable causing the bears to roam larger areas lookin for food thus making them harder to predict.

[CoyoteHuntress]

Well it says in the book.... Shall present the skull (even if damaged) to a department office/OFFICER withen 10 days of taking the bear.... SOooooo What makes an officer? Is a regular game warden considered an officer? If so I bet I can find one fairly easy near me... They pass by all the time going over to the County trapper's place.. AND anyone know of any local to my area? (Stockton) Or am I stuck dragging a skull to Sac? AND the office Im taking it to is the same office I got bear tags from correct? Havent never done this so better ask before I drive all over and they say Oh gee you are supposed to go "here".... LOL.. I knew to prop open the mouth.. I do that when skinning so rigor doesnt cause me any problems when skinning But thanks for pointing that out.. Ill have to make sure to remember cuz if we get a bear you KNOW I am gonna be jumping up and down all over the place LOL.. I am soooo hoping they dont take the skull... I really want a nice one for my house.. Would look SOOOO cool with the lifesize mount.. Depending on how big it is Ill either do a standing upright or if its small Ill proably do a down on all fours pose. Might even having it laying down drapped over a log or something... then could have it up high in the house. Ohhh the opssibilities... Guess we better get one first huh LOL...

[Bozsik]

Or you could pour honey all over yourself but all you might get is Yogi and Boo boo.

Hey John,If you pour honey on yourself, that could be considered baiting anyway. That would be a real "Booboo". db

[ShooterJohn]

You're right Dave I guess I wasn't thinking.CH, If you got your tags over in Natomas you would need to take the skull to their office off Hazel Avenue. Out by Nimbus Dam is where their lab is.

[mac]

CH- the only office they have serving the San Joaquin county is in Rancho Cordova. http://www.dfg.ca.gov/regions/2/check with your local game warden to see if he can verify the tooth/skull. However, I was told last year it had to be verified and done by a biologist and normally the field agents/wardens aren't qualified. They sent me from the Truckee area to the Regional office in Ranch Cordova. So, all I can tell you is what I had to do last year. Be safe - Rancho Cordova...

[ShooterJohn]

That's the office off of Hazel Ave. West of the dam. That's where they do all of the Necropsies on the different animals.

[CoyoteHuntress]

Dang it I hate driving all the way over there.... Sacramemnto Traffic is horrid... Okay sooo since we know baiting isnt legal here in Calif....and we know bears like honey.....Would it be considered baiting if I wore my Perfume?  honey1.jpg   21.94K   27 downloads

[ShooterJohn]

That just might be just the trick.

[DEERSLAM]

They will not take your skull.Depending where you are hunting a lot of times on opening weekend F&G sets up check stations. They'll pull the tooth right there on the spot and give you your skull back.

[CoyoteHuntress]

Ohhh Now wouldnt THAT just be so convienant!!

[mac]

I know they used to do this a lot right off the Hwy 89/I-80 area near truckee for many years, but I haven't seen check-stops in a number of years. Calif cut back on a lot of DFG agents unless they move them out behind their desks. I know the agent (as does TruckeeDan) around the Truckee area and he covers a lot of ground. The ranger station called the DFG office to try and get the field agent to come extract my bear's tooth and they told me it could only be done by the biologist - again, it could've been jut the office agnet on the phone or ?? probably depends on who you speak with. My guidance to CH was just be prepared to get it validated in Rancho Cordova. And "yes" I never had a skull taken from me for research.

[Shoot-it]

I have a tip for you if you see a bear with in range shoot it!!!

[CoyoteHuntress]

ROFLMAO Dang I NEVER thought of that! ROFLMAO One thing nice is if we see a bear it IS in range LOL.