Black bear "hunt"

[wpjson]

I have a primitive cabin boardering a wilderness area in Montana. A black bear has been eating my bird seed. I moved my trail cam to the cabin and have good pictures of him stealing my bird seed. I am thinking about getting a license and doing a little bear hunt. I would be sitting on my porch with my TC Hawken. .50 or .54 cal. I have both. Shot would be about 15 feet. I know to shoot the shoulder if the bear is profiled, but where if the bear is standing on his rear legs facing me eating from a feeder. Any advice?

 

[longcruise]

Not a good shot op there, IMO. Would just be patient and wait for the broadside.

 

[FishDFly]

I have a primitive cabin boardering a wilderness area in Montana. A black bear has been eating my bird seed. I moved my trail cam to the cabin and have good pictures of him stealing my bird seed. I am thinking about getting a license and doing a little bear hunt. I would be sitting on my porch with my TC Hawken. .50 or .54 cal. I have both. Shot would be about 15 feet. I know to shoot the shoulder if the bear is profiled, but where if the bear is standing on his rear legs facing
:stir: me eating from a feeder. Any advice?

Is baiting legal in Montana?

In all honesty, that is like shooting a deer at 15' under a feeder off your front porch.

Not really a "bear hunt" is it??

Guess we all have different definitions of hunting. Fifteen feet off a bird feeder on a porch is just not mine for hunting bear.

You going to mount it?

 

[hanshi]

Definitely not sporting or fair chase IMO.

 

[wpjson]

The purpose of this is to eliminate the bear. I have young kids staying out there at times. Plus dogs. I don't really think putting out bird seed is baiting. I have been feeding birds out there for 20 years. No, I would not consider this a hunt which is why there are quatation marks aroung the word.

 

[wpjson]

I will check to see if feeding the birds is baiting. Don't know if it is legal in Montana. Good point. Looking at other threads, seems baiting is common for bear hunting. Oh, I am not thinking of mounting the animal. I would give it away. I have no use for a rug. I would eat the meat however.

 

A black bear has been eating my bird seed. ... I would be sitting on my porch. Any advice?

Advice? Buy some more seed.

 

[Claude Mathis]

The purpose of this is to eliminate the bear. I have young kids staying out there at times. Plus dogs. I don't really think putting out bird seed is baiting.

You're putting out food that several different animals will find attractive. You are chumming and have no control over what is attracted to the "bait".

With all due respect, you've upset the local balance and you want the bear to pay for it, with it's life. I'm not making a value judgement - it's your call.

 

[longcruise]

Either kill the bear or run it off. Buying more seed will only keep him coming back. This time of year they go on a feeding binge and are driven to put on pounds. If you keep it around by having food available it will likely break into your cabin to help itself! Get rid of the attractant and literally attack the bear yelling and throwing things whenever it comes around. Make a visit to your location an unpleasant experience for the bear.

The other option is, of course, to kill it. Contrary to to the tone of some posts here, I see no ethical dilemma. Not much different than dealing with a rat invasion.

 

Contrary to to the tone of some posts here, I see no ethical dilemma. Not much different than dealing with a rat invasion.

So put out cheese and then complain about the rats eating it? People.

 

[wpjson]

Yeah, I buy a lot of bird seed. I am fighting an outbreak of spruce budworm and need the birds to eat the worms and moths. I have a 25 pound chicken feeder hung from an iron pole six feet off the ground. The bear has distroyed several smaller bird feeders that were attached to the cabin or hung from trees. Also, a suet feeder. I have a couple of 2X4s between 2 trees about 12 feet up that I use for hanging animals to skin. I might have to hang my feeder from them. Hunting season coming up will make that interesting. I will have to get any deer or elk out of the area the same day early in the season or I will be sharing with my new cabin mate. :hmm:

 

[longcruise]

Putting out the"cheese" is the cause of the problem there is no doubt about that. Putting out more is certainly not the solution! Even worse, they remember where they got handouts and come back year after year. If its a sow, it will train its cubs to do the same.

every year dozens of CO bears are euthanized under a "three strikes and you are out" policy. We have a saying about it; "A fed bear is a dead bear".

So, train the bear or get rid of the bear!

 

Yeah, I buy a lot of bird seed. I am fighting an outbreak of spruce budworm and need the birds to eat the worms and moths.

You think feeding them seed will make them want to eat the worms? I'm missing the logic here.

 

[wpjson]

I have been feeding the birds at the cabin for 20 years and this is the first time I have have a problem bear. Other bears have wondered through, but never stayed. I did not cause the budworm infestation. I am thinking this is not really an ethical problem. We have deer problems in some cities in Montana, so we reduce the herd size. Of course by feeding the deer with our gardens and lawns we are attracting them. And the improved environment of town life helps them reproduce more rapidly. We could introduce wolves to the streets, but most people oppose that. Fish, Wildlife and Parks folks would distroy the bear because he is on his way to becoming a problem bear. There are 2 homes about a half mile away and several more a mile further.

 

[wpjson]

Yes, attracting birds reduces the worm population. Many birds eat both seeds and bugs. Some like bugs only, so the suet feeder. The purpose of the seed is not to bring in bears.

 

[wpjson]

I also have a lot of bird houses. Blue birds and tanagers eat a lot of insects. You folks have just about convinced me that shooting the bear is my only option. I have never hunted from a fixed position. I have never felt it was really hunting. Shooting this bear is not a hunting trip, but almost every tale I hear about bear hunts involves baiting and hiding.

 

[harleysboss]

Check with FW&P make sure its legal..load that 54 and make some meat! Calling it a "hunt" is whats got everyone upset. We all know, including you,its not a hunt, its problem solving. Just dont waste the bear when you shoot it. And one last thing..wait for a nice broadside tight behind the shoulder shot. Aim small Miss small

 

[Claude Mathis]

Shooting this bear is not a hunting trip, ...

I have to agree.