Plan Now for a 2023 Black Bear

Canadian black bear hunts are expensive, require extensive travel, and booking an outfitter.  Booming bruin populations eliminate those hassles right here in the USA and don’t require a passport.

If your state does not offer black bear hunting, a neighboring one probably does.  I live in the Mid-Atlantic states and Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia, all offer black bear hunting with abundant public land and most with over-the-counter licenses.

The bear shown above is near one of my stands on the Mason-Dixon Line which gives me a two-state option.

Pennsylvania- Land of Giants

The Keystone State is hard to beat for bear hunting potential.  Although regulations vary by region and wildlife unit, bears can be taken in three separate seasons beginning with an archery season that lasts nearly two months (crossbows are legal), a muzzleloading season, and a firearm season.
Annually, hunters take huge black bears of 500 and even 600+ pounds, far larger than a Canadian hunter can expect.  A non-resident hunting license costs $101.97, an archery license $26.97, and the bear tag is a modest $36.97.

Safari-Style Hunts

By now, most states have published their fall hunting regulations so you can begin planning a fall bear hunt.
Since black bears, wild turkeys, and whitetail deer love acorns and soft mast, it’s quite possible to find all three species in one spot and it’s likely they will be in the same vicinity.

As the whitetail rut approaches, turkeys and bears will begin feeding heavily to prepare for winter.  Turkeys won’t be hibernating, yet a flock will tear up a forest floor like a rototiller searching for acorns and other mast.  Black bear scat is easy to recognize and when the stools approach the size of your wrist, you have located a monster.

Be Brave, Silent, and Scent Free

Hunting an animal that can kill and eat you adds an entirely new level of excitement to the black bear quest.  Normally, bear hunters use the same tactics as with deer or turkeys like finding ambush spots, using tree stands or ground blinds, and the like.  Bears have an excellent sense of smell, possibly keener than deer so hunting into the wind is critical.  As scary as bear hunting can be, bruins are even more terrified of humans, a great thought to keep in mind.

Minimize Fawn Predation

Research on Pennsylvania black bear populations showed them to be a significant predator, especially of fawns.  Even in early July, a fawn has no chance of escaping a bear once they are detected.  When you kill a bear, sow, or boar, you help increase deer numbers which may improve your hunting success.  Over-harvesting black bears is very unlikely, especially for archers.  Black bears are very wary animals and quickly adjust to human presence and hunting pressure.

Tackling a Black Bear

Despite their ferocious reputation, black bears are extremely susceptible to a well-placed arrow.  I once had a person video my bear kill.  After being struck through the lungs with a standard 3-blade broadhead, the bear took three bounds and went paws in the air.  Almost any modern crossbow will shoot completely through a bear, even a huge one.

Fixed or expandable heads work equally well but do not aim at the bear’s shoulder.  Treat it like a whitetail and shoot behind the shoulder and the bear will probably drop within sight.  Also, black bears often make a “death moan” as they expire.

Teamwork Pays Off

Many an archer has walked up to an expired black bear with his heart nearly beating out of his chest with excitement.  However, once the euphoria is over, the considerable task of getting the beast back to the truck sets in.

First, there are no antlers to grab.  Secondly, even after field dressing, bears are usually too heavy for one person to pick up.  Finally, the fur of the animal is very desirable, and dragging it will ruin the coat.  Getting a bear out of the woods usually requires teamwork, the reason it’s important to begin the planning process.

Maryland’s DNR recognizes this issue and allows a hunter with a tag to take a buddy along and either person can kill a bear.  Bear camps are just like deer and elk camps- lots of fun and more successful when everyone works together.