I just read where the PGC is "considering" an early bear season during the doe only muzzle loader season in Oct. 2019. Archery hunters will be included. Any thoughts?
I read that report in the Trib today also. Sounded like they were tossing around a few ideas. It also reported wanting to make bear season the whole week of Thanksgiving. As well as make all seasons in the extended bear season the Mon to Sat thing.
The early season thing was to move the archery bear season up to October the same week as the early ML. Theory was that more bears would be available in case of early denning and the ML hunters could shoot bears also. We'll see what actually pans out.
Monday through Saturday of rifle deer season would be great for us in 4B. Twice over the past 4-5 years we have had bears in bow range on opening day....with the Wednesday bear season start.
We are starting to have bear damage to our fruit trees.....so I am hoping for the season expansions.
The season expansions being talked about would lead to awesome opportunities. I especially like the idea of moving the archery season and opening up a muzzleloader season.
I listened to the discussion on you-tube and it's a bit scary two of the commissioners actually verbalize they don't care about the data or facts that Ternent will present in January regarding the current population, etc, they just want to whack bears. The one commissioner is basing his opinion on the six sets of bears tracks on a SGL his brother saw one day this season so he doesn't want to hear any actual research or data.
I love to bear hunt, so I'm not rooting for a huge reduction in the bear population as I find it hard enough to find one as it is, but will adapt to whatever they come up with. It would certainly be fun if the resource can support it.
I listened to the discussion on you-tube and it's a bit scary two of the commissioners actually verbalize they don't care about the data or facts that Ternent will present in January regarding the current population, etc, they just want to whack bears. The one commissioner is basing his opinion on the six sets of bears tracks on a SGL his brother saw one day this season so he doesn't want to hear any actual research or data.
It is pretty scary if that's what the commissioner is basing his decision on. There was a time when I thought they listened to the biologists too much. Now I'm not sure they listen enough on some of these issues. I would be in favor of an early ML bear season, but I'm not certain that jumping right in on an entire weeklong season is the right step. A 3 day season to start, see what happens, and adjust from there would suit me better.
I would rather see bear season extended during rifle (any weapon) season. I think all these special weapons seasons before the general rifle season only divides hunters.
I support whatever season they come up with to reduce the population. However, my only concern would be hunters chosing to use poor quality bullets for bear with little to no chance of a follow-up shot.
why do they want to add so much time to bear season? did they over browse their area ? did all those tracks in the snow scare that guy ?
we dont have enough bears to sustain an increase in harvest that all the additional time will add. we have more deer than bear and thats the excuse people use for adding Sundays and starting an earlier season or adding buck for flinters in October ?
but its OK for Bear ? it seems some people are built upside down.
I am not a fan of the muzzleloader bear season admittedly for selfish reasons. Was thinking about it yesterday and came to the realization if I actually wanted to partake in it I would more than likely just stand/still hunt for them and not participate in drives. Driving for bears often involves going through nasty places . Crawling on your hands and knees through mountain laurel. Walking through bolder fields and thick clear cuts. Vegetation at that time still will not have all died off . There is just no way I would be willing to do that with rattlesnakes still being out of their dens. It actually sounds totally insane to me.
Am I reading the season information wrong? Muzzleloader bear starts on Oct 19, but archery bear doesn't start until Oct 28 ... So I can't use a bow for a bear during the muzzleloader season?
I suspect it will work like any other rifle season. Approved archery devices would be a lesser arm, and therefore hunters allowed to harvest a bear using them during that week.
if early muzzleloader for bear actually happens it looks like i will be using my inline for groundhogs this year. they make great practice for big game. if you can hit them, you can hit something bigger at the same distance.
I am looking forward to the muzzle loading bear season if it makes it through the final passage in April.
The only issues I have are that being a senior I will have to carry the muzzle loader all week instead of switching to the rifle midweek. The next concern is that in my experience after the shot there is so much smoke I have no idea what direction the animal went after the shot. Then it is often very difficult to locate the blood trail with no snow. I suspect that will be even more difficult with a bear than it is with a deer. I have also noticed that as I have aged it is getting harder and harder to see blood on the leaves of fall.
But, I will make the best of it if it becomes reality then hope for the best if I get a shot at a bear.
The raw proposal moved the archery bear season to that week. It was anyone who was legally hunting deer that week could also take a bear if they had that license also.
I know the bow hunters org was arguing about something related to the proposal. In the preliminary approval, archery keeps a week specifically for them. I cant imagine them arguing themselves out of an opportunity that week. Maybe they did? Anyone connected to the bow hunter org have any info?
Still haven't received a reply from the PGC. I imagine they are getting pounded...:smile_big:
T/C .54 cal. White Mountain Carbine with a stiff load of Pyrodex and a 430 Gr. Maxi-Ball should work just fine. It sounds like you need a ML stamp in addition to a bear license. Am I right? Either way I am in.:smile2:
Yep, carry the scoped Omega the first three days, then carry the .06 Slide-Trombone the last three days. Look out doe and/or bear. Now all we need to add is buck to the week!
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