5 tips for a successful black bear hunt

If you’re a big game enthusiast, hunting black bear may be a priority. Follow these five tips to ensure your bear hunting expedition is a success.

1. Choose your site carefully
Bears are especially active around dawn and dusk and often use the same trails. Look for signs of their passage, then set up your lookout according to their comings and goings. Near a waterhole or at the top of a hardwood-covered mountain are likely to be good choices.

2. Place your bait strategically
Attract bears with an odor bomb attached high up in a tree and orient your bait so that you have the optimal firing angle to hit the vital part of the bear.

3. Install your lookout in the right place
A bear’s sense of smell is very sensitive. To avoid being noticed, stalk your target in a tree stand that’s at least 10 feet high and 65 feet away from your bait.

4. Avoid making noise
Bears have very fine hearing. Guard against sudden movements and the crinkling of clothing. In addition, protect yourself from flies and mosquitoes by using electronic devices or a mosquito net jacket. Otherwise, you may move with each bite and risk alerting your target.

5. Shoot at the right time
When a bear shows up, be patient. Wait until it feels comfortable and settles down to eat. It will then be stationary, which will allow you to take a more precise shot.

Make sure you thoroughly cook bear meat (it should no longer be pink) to avoid the risk of trichinellosis, a parasitic disease.