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Post by ouananiche on Nov 22, 2011 20:20:13 GMT -5
You saw that she was with cubs and you still shot her? Congratulations on killing 3 bears with one shot.
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Post by fishrmanron on Nov 23, 2011 19:33:33 GMT -5
I saw her with one other bear at the time which was not as large as her but nonetheless still a very decent size. When she while heading away stopped and made eye contact with me I shot at her. I never saw the 3rd bear until after she was dead and I heard it long before I saw it. It was half the size of the other so whether it was another cub or not is undetermined. I didn't ask. I was also told the other larger bear may have been a male as they typically run smaller than the sows. When you hunt an area where there are always deer and now all that is being seen is bear sign and bears I would say I did the deer population some good.
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Post by ouananiche on Dec 30, 2011 12:52:15 GMT -5
Sows run smaller than boars. Bear predation is certainly not the reason that deer numbers are down.
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Post by privateer on Dec 30, 2011 22:14:01 GMT -5
Deer population is down, due to bear predation??? Has anyone contacted the Fish and wildlife about this?
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Post by fishrmanron on Dec 31, 2011 19:24:28 GMT -5
When you hunt in an area where this BEAR was taken and you see more bear sign than deer sign it does speak some volume. Bears do predate on fawns. First off AGAIN when the bear came down and stopped in front of me and then turned and looked at me yes i shot her...the other bear I SAW with her was a decent size.....there was no dsign of the 3rd little one until after the big sow was killed. Trust me I felt bad enough...you weren't there, I was and it makes me think about ever shooting another one...but the meat has been excellent and I am getting the rug done and it was a good year....if the others died well shit happens it wasn't intentional
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Post by fishrmanron on Dec 31, 2011 19:29:14 GMT -5
I was very good about the killing 3 bears with 1 shot....but hey now that I seem to be the bad guy I guess shooting that coyote, a female who has a litter of 6-8 pups, twice a year is okay.......i let 5 coyotes go this season...in the past i would have shot every one of them.....the deer are there, you just have to find them.....in over 40 years of hunting whitetails it is the first time I have ever killed 2 bucks......i saw alot and I let alot of littler ones go as well
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Post by fisher1 on Jan 2, 2012 8:48:31 GMT -5
fishrmanron, I've been checking on some "bear facts" and find that the cubs are usually weaned by or during September of the year they're born. The mother does teach them feeding and survival skills for about 1 1/2 years, but the cubs are pretty self sufficient after weaning. Cub mortality would be high if the mother was killed in the spring, but most cubs survive O.K., if they are abandoned in the fall. Obviously best if the mother was around for that first 1 1/2 years, but like you wrote, you were the one there and you shouldn't be criticized too badly. From the deer reports that I see, there are plenty of people shooting fawn deer. Yes, I reallize that the deer population can rebound faster that the bear poulation, but ethically the same issue. I've given my opinion and the facts as I find them, so won't respond to any "rebuttals". As long as you use the bear meat and have a nice rug, no real harm done.
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Post by fishrmanron on Jan 2, 2012 16:26:07 GMT -5
Thanks fisher1, I apppreciate your feedback and I know my post about the coyote was alittle off the wall but I have started letting them pass. Reason being I have seen more deer than ever before and alot of times I have seen deer follow them. Now one more thing about the bears......Had she not stopped where she did and immediately look directly at me things may have been different. First Bear I have ever seen in the woods and that close was unnerving. After she was down and the other one stared me down as it was standing over her was when I heard the other one "crying" so to speak. I will admit I felt like crap as I watched the bigger one meet up with it and then walk off. Sometihing I have never experienced. I have heard deer blatt and bleat but this was different. And you are most likely correct as there was no evidence of any milk left in her. Still nothing went to waste other than bones. Meat is excellent, hide being made into a rug for memories, and the skull being processed for table centerpiece. Again i appreciate your post, was insightful to me as well.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 2, 2012 18:37:40 GMT -5
fishrmanron, I've been checking on some "bear facts" and find that the cubs are usually weaned by or during September of the year they're born. The mother does teach them feeding and survival skills for about 1 1/2 years, but the cubs are pretty self sufficient after weaning. Cub mortality would be high if the mother was killed in the spring, but most cubs survive O.K., if they are abandoned in the fall. Obviously best if the mother was around for that first 1 1/2 years, but like you wrote, you were the one there and you shouldn't be criticized too badly. From the deer reports that I see, there are plenty of people shooting fawn deer. Yes, I reallize that the deer population can rebound faster that the bear poulation, but ethically the same issue. I've given my opinion and the facts as I find them, so won't respond to any "rebuttals". As long as you use the bear meat and have a nice rug, no real harm done. Very well written. Thanks for the great post! Nice job Ron on the bear!
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