calvMaverick
09-30-2009, 11:51 PM
Let me first start by saying thanks for the information. Second I have a story for you guys. I am an avid deer hunter in jones county on a private farm. Well last year during deer season we had started seeing signs that we had some bears on the farm. We saw a couple small ones maybe 150 lbs and we found a set of huge bear tracks. Well no one saw the owner of those tracks though. Well last month some of the other guys put out some game cameras and got some photoes of a couple sows. One sow had 3 cubs and the other one had 2 cubs. We also saw signs of where a big bear was going into the bean fields and dragging bunches of beans back into the woods to eat. Well a little more than a week ago I bought a bow and was going to enjoy bow hunting for my first time, if nothing else would give me some ideas of where to sit during blackpowder and rifle seasons. I picked a spot in one of our back fields in a corner where there is a good game trail leading into the field. Well while hunting one early morning I heard a splash in the water behind me where there is a swamp. I looked back trying to figure out what made the noise, seeing nothing I stood straight up, checked my bow and grabbed my range finder. I could still hear something swimming but couldnt see anything. Then right at the edge of the swamp there is a break in the brush I saw a big black bear come out. The bear had to be about 500lbs with small ears and a big scar across his left eye. The black bear started coming up the trail by my deer stand and came within 5 yards of the base of my stand. He continued out into the bean field about 15 yds or so and sat down and started eating the beans around him. After watching him eat for about 10 mins I heard alot of commotion off to my right. I looked over there to see a flock of turkeys slowly wondering up the trail towards the field. The bear must have heard them too because it spooked him and he got up and walked off through the field and into the woods across from where I was sitting. Well I placed a call to a friend of mine who hunts out there with me and told him what happened. He said he had pictures of this bear and some other bears of shooting size on his game cameras. Well after a morning hunt today I talked to the farmer and he said he has seen the bear at all times of the day and he was getting pist because the bear was tearing up his beans. So the guys and I have made up our mind that if we see one of the bears during the wonderful "split season" Jones county has that we would take a shot. I've even bought 180 grain bullets to use instead of the 150 grain I usually use. With that all being said I am a big deer hunter but I was pretty much clueless on bear till I read your forums. Thanks again and hopefully I'll bag that big one.
Chris
Chris