Looking for Black bear hunting tips in north Ga.

[Dallasdave]

I got lucky and found a creek crossing that only a bear could have made and sure enough he came by the next evening, but I was a sissy and hunted from a tree

 

[Piglatinhater]

I've hunted Black Bear in CO and ID. I was successful in ID as it wasn't too far from the road and I had a buddy. It was a spring brown phased bear, +/- 300lbs. In CO there was the opportunity but terrain was way to steep, keep in mind this 8 years ago when I was a wild land fire fighter in peak shape. A dead bear is like a giant slinky, very hard to manage. A small, medium sized bear is kinda manageable. You can pull it around like a deer or carry it out with a small tree (like in the cartoons). A bigger bear you'll have to skin (another acquired skill) and quarter it out.

A moved to ATL years ago because there were an abundant deer, bear, pigs and small game. I still haven't been hunting here. Such is life.

 

[jbogg]

Early bow season look for white oaks with acorns. Next, find the ones the bears are feeding on. If you can find a tree with lots of small limbs /green white oak leaves on the ground underneath you have found fresh climbing sign. Lots of piles of fresh scat in the area are key as well. If all the climbing sign and scat is more than a few days old keep walking. Once you find red hot fresh sign then sit tight mornings and evenings and you will likely see a bear. The first week of bow season it is very possible to stalk up on one as it is feeding in a white oak. Listen for branches breaking and move very quietly into range. Once the acorns start falling heavy they don’t need to climb, so again look for multiple piles of fresh scat. Scouting is more important than anything. Keep walking until you find fresh sign. The last two years there have been acorns at all elevations so the hunting has been tough. They are much easier to find when the white oaks are only producing at specific elevations. Good luck and congrats on a great Chestatee buck.

 

[chrislibby88]

Early bow season look for white oaks with acorns. Next, find the ones the bears are feeding on. If you can find a tree with lots of small limbs /green white oak leaves on the ground underneath you have found fresh climbing sign. Lots of piles of fresh scat in the area are key as well. If all the climbing sign and scat is more than a few days old keep walking. Once you find red hot fresh sign then sit tight mornings and evenings and you will likely see a bear. The first week of bow season it is very possible to stalk up on one as it is feeding in a white oak. Listen for branches breaking and move very quietly into range. Once the acorns start falling heavy they don’t need to climb, so again look for multiple piles of fresh scat. Scouting is more important than anything. Keep walking until you find fresh sign. The last two years there have been acorns at all elevations so the hunting has been tough. They are much easier to find when the white oaks are only producing at specific elevations. Good luck and congrats on a great Chestatee buck.

Thanks. Don’t bow hunt, but I’m gonna go plan an early rifle season trip as soon as they put outage 2018 hunt dates on the northern WMAs. Guessing the acorns will be on the ground by then, and hopefully next year will be a smaller crop.

 

[mfoster]

Get a friend and find a guided bear hunt with hounds,it will be something you will remember the rest of your life.

 

[chrislibby88]

Get a friend and find a guided bear hunt with hounds,it will be something you will remember the rest of your life.

Hmmm. I have hunted racoons with dogs. Pretty fun. A bear dog hunt would be very interesting.

 

[summer44]

I’ve been hearing that the black bear hunting is pretty good in the northern zone. Went on a deer hunt at Chestatee WMA last week. Got an awesome mountain buck and saw a ton of bear signs that really got me interested. Another hunter saw one on the ridge above the valley I was hunting but I never saw one. I want to return next year to mainly target bear, but I have no experience bear hunting. Hell I barely have any experience deer hunting, this is my first year seriously hunting since high school.

Does anyone have any tips/advice for hunting bear in the mountains? We only get one bear day in the central zone, and bears aren’t as numerous down here, so I would rather invest my time up north on a few 3-4 day hunts when the WMAs are open.

I know they eat a lot of the same food that deer do and share the same habitat, and they tend to move less when acorns or other food sources are plentiful.

be some pleace besides where i am hunting cause i never see them while hunting, just when i am scouting, hiking, etc. so a good place is where i am not.. lol

 

[YoungGunGirl]

They don’t really hibernate down here, doesn’t get/stay cold enough. But if you’re going to kill one you’re best chance is before Thanksgiving. They seem to slow down after that. Hang an open can of sardines from a limb about 8 feet high and put a trail camera up to get some pics. Be sure to spray your camera down with scent killer and wear rubber gloves when you put it up, they like to destroy the cameras if they smell them. Very hard to try to pattern them without the ability to bait though. I hate the dang things, they’re all over my hunting property. I really don’t have any desire to shoot one though.

 

[YoungGunGirl]

If you want a few taken off your property I'm happy to volunteer... send me a PM... I live in Woodstock but drive all over the state to hunt

 

[Hillbilly Headbanger]

Yea, I plan on getting up a good group of 5 or 6 guys for the trip next winter. And I’m probably gonna invest in one of those fold up game carts, mainly for deer. Doubt it would hold up a decent sized bear though. I’ve heard of some of those mountiain guys packing tarps and dragging game out on them. Most dudes pack them out a quarter at a time.

If you go to Cohutta, do not use the cart in the wilderness area. Nothing with wheels are allowed off of the open roads. I got a Deer Sleigher game sled. You can roll it up and shove it in your pack. Just hook it to your drag harness and go. Uphill is a chore with it because it wants to take you back downhill. They make standard and magnum sizes. The magnum is more for elk, moose, caribou, grizzly, etc. They're $30 on Amazon.