PA. Bear

[xarcher]

No, you would not decrease the bear population. Even if the PGC allowed all the above mentioned with the short season and time of the year, bad weather, places to actually hunt bear in PA., nope wouldn't happen.

Hunting over bait legalized + Hunting with dogs legalized + More hunters in the woods = More bears killed. At the very least sitting over a bait pile while hunting deer in a unit that has an extended bear season will yield more dead bears.

 

[Waynzee]

Hunting over bait legalized + Hunting with dogs legalized + More hunters in the woods = More bears killed. At the very least sitting over a bait pile while hunting deer in a unit that has an extended bear season will yield more dead bears.

Ok, you might have more dead bears but it sure isn't going to hurt the bear population in PA. And like I said before hunting over bait you would be able to size up the bear better and see if it's a mother bear with cubs. And hunting with dogs when the bear is treed you would be able to see how big the bear is also. Now, unless you're one of those kill anything that moves if it's black and looks like a bear guys than I guess this kind of hunting is not for you.

 

[WhiteFang]

Following, wife just took a job in Erie

 

[yobuck]

I think a very large percentage of (hunters), would shoot the sow out of the tree or over the bait, which would then leave the young cubs to starve to death.
Years back there was a size limit on Bears in PA, but that led to much confusion and the small ones ended up getting shot anyway and just left in the woods.
Anyway shooting a bear is still getting a bear, and i guess you can always lie about the size when telling the story at work.
Hunters as a rule are pretty good about that kind of stuff. Lol

But hey Waynzee, your side is at least slowly gaining ground.
I'm hearing that 2020 will bring about Sunday hunting.
Friday nights free wings and beer, and Sat. And Sunday brown goes down. Could it get much better?
Maybe ARs with bump stocks and 20 round mags cant be far away. Lol

 

[TRG65]

I've lived and hunted in southern states that allowed dog hunting. I can't stand it. Dogs can't respect posted signs. Not that people do either, but that's a different thread.

I'm all for baiting, Sunday hunting, and semi-auto (msr) rifles, just no dogs. Tracking dogs to help find wounded animals are a different story most anything to aid recovery should be allowed.

I doubt I'd use a semi, too much into my bolt guns, but I have no issue with it. A Rem 760 or 7600 can shoot plenty fast and no one has an issue with those.

I would hunt Sunday, my job is difficult to get time during the week. That would significantly increase my ability to have days in the woods.

 

[rharfo]

Game warden in my area stated that there was a larger than expected kill during archery and muzzleloader. Anybody hear same/different?
I hunted one muzzleloader day and 9 rifle days. Saw one bear but did not get a shot.

 

[Alibiiv]

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.

Perhaps this was not meant to be judgemental, however from here..........I prefer to focus upon what I can do instead of what I "cannot" do, and for "some" of us hunting over a bucket of donuts and fat is the preferred method because that is what we can do due to physical restrictions!! As for bear hunting using hounds I have never done it, I only hunt over barrels of donuts and fat. But....what I can state is that there is a problem with hounds and bait sights. In Maine there are issues/conflicts between bait hunters and hound hunters due to competition for the areas where they hunt. There are times when the hound hunters will come into the baited areas to start their hounds, thus driving the bear in the area out. I've never experienced this on one of my hunts, but have heard from other hunters that has happened to them. Most bait areas are well known, and sometimes boundaries are knowingly overlooked. As with many things there are pluses and minuses with hunting with hounds and with hunting over bait.

 

[Kyle Backenstoes]

From what i understand this year was a record year for bear harvest in PA with some of the earlier seasons. I do not see dogs or bait becoming legal for a long time. Blood tracking dogs for wounded deer only recently got legalized if i recall correctly. Using them for actual hunting seems to be a long ways off in this state.

 

[Pa Grizz]

Good ideas guys, I'm all for anything that makes hunting better for the average guy out there trying to bust his *** and get some venison for his family and maybe if he's lucky a Bear to brag about at work or to his friends. And personally I don't care if it's with his old trusty 30/30 or an AR 15. All I'm saying is I would like to see PA. catch up to the rest of the states with bait and hounds. I can see where hounds would be a problem running a bear onto somebody's private property. Consider this though what if a guy with hounds chased a bear onto your property and you could shoot it ?

We bait but do not run dogs.We get most of our area from people that do not like the dogs running through their fields.I have nothing against running dogs just never got into it

 

[Pa Grizz]

Perhaps this was not meant to be judgemental, however from here..........I prefer to focus upon what I can do instead of what I "cannot" do, and for "some" of us hunting over a bucket of donuts and fat is the preferred method because that is what we can do due to physical restrictions!! As for bear hunting using hounds I have never done it, I only hunt over barrels of donuts and fat. But....what I can state is that there is a problem with hounds and bait sights. In Maine there are issues/conflicts between bait hunters and hound hunters due to competition for the areas where they hunt. There are times when the hound hunters will come into the baited areas to start their hounds, thus driving the bear in the area out. I've never experienced this on one of my hunts, but have heard from other hunters that has happened to them. Most bait areas are well known, and sometimes boundaries are knowingly overlooked. As with many things there are pluses and minuses with hunting with hounds and with hunting over bait.

All baits are GPS by the game wardens.but are available to anyone.So the hound hunters know where they all are

 

[Pa Grizz]

I think a very large percentage of (hunters), would shoot the sow out of the tree or over the bait, which would then leave the young cubs to starve to death.
Years back there was a size limit on Bears in PA, but that led to much confusion and the small ones ended up getting shot anyway and just left in the woods.
Anyway shooting a bear is still getting a bear, and i guess you can always lie about the size when telling the story at work.
Hunters as a rule are pretty good about that kind of stuff. Lol

But hey Waynzee, your side is at least slowly gaining ground.
I'm hearing that 2020 will bring about Sunday hunting.
Friday nights free wings and beer, and Sat. And Sunday brown goes down. Could it get much better?
Maybe ARs with bump stocks and 20 round mags cant be far away. Lol

99% of the time the cubs come into the bait first.You would be surprised how many small bears we find dead that someone left behind

 

[Savage 12BVSS]

Guess these forums let you see how the other states do it. Wow I don't use a semi automatic and never have, but I wouldn't want to not have that freedom. I don't hunt bait for bear anymore either but wouldn't want to not even have the option. And did I read a 9 day season? Guess they must keep it pretty restrictive to keep the population up. Makes you thankful for what you have I guess.

 

[yobuck]

I believe you will find that the 9 day season only pertains to archery hunting in PA.
Rifle hunting is 4 days, unless it's been changed recently.

 

[rharfo]

Rifle season is now 10 days in my unit.