SouthEastern black bear

Joined
Jul 13, 2017
Messages
27
Location
Atlanta GA
Questions...I know very little about black bear. I will be going on a 3 day hunt in the Cohutta Wilderness in GA with a buddy. Neither of us have any experience with bear. Unfortunately we will be going in late season, end of November. We plan to hunt high and hope for a food source, we also will be hunting an area that had a major fire last season. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. I cannot for some reason find the BB harvest record from last year. I will not turn down the opportunity, but I understand late season is a sparse hunt. tia
 

Gobbler36

WKR
Joined
Dec 6, 2015
Messages
2,352
Location
None your business
born and raised in north ga before moving to Idaho, I have done that hunt a couple times in the cohutta wilderness, it's a cool place but that is a tough hunt. I think earlier is better because by November most acorn and berry crop will be depleated so I can't give you much info on that late in the season but I went early October and found lots of scat on tops of ridges, around a few of the berry shrubs. But that was as close as I got. Most bears taken there are deer hunters that happen to run into them. I think it can be a good hunt if you use a targeted strategy, I wish I would have had more time to scout, so my advice is to get up there now and early September to try and locate big stands of white oaks and concentrate your efforts on ambushing them at those areas, spot and stalk will not work in this neck of the woods. Pm me if you have some more questions
 
OP
H
Joined
Jul 13, 2017
Messages
27
Location
Atlanta GA
thanks Adam. We are attempting to do a weekend scout and squirrel hunt up there a few weeks prior, but it's the only time I'll get to scout. We had a pretty good burn up there last November that we have been focused on hunting. We will also be able to take pig and/or deer on that 4 day hunt. I've talked to a few rangers and trying to get a hold of a bear biologist because I just do not understand late fall bear behavior up there. I've found little to nothing on what they're doing that time of year. Assuming BB never fully hibernate, but massively slow down, I'll be looking for late season food source and den areas off of the ridges we're planning to scout. I mean, do they attempt to eat at that time of year, or are they just laying there, reading a book, waiting for spring?
 
Joined
Sep 18, 2016
Messages
688
Location
Maryland
Is this a draw or over the counter tag ? I know some guys in North Georgia near Helen, they usually kill theirs early if at all. I know in North Carolina they run them with dogs. I think finding the white oaks or whatever food source is going to be the ticket probably burn a lot of boot leather, good luck !
 

rlmmarine

WKR
Joined
Aug 13, 2016
Messages
532
Location
Ormond beach
My buddies all hunt with dogs up there and say it's a slow game. They don't kill many and it's thick so spot and stalk is out. Try columbia nc it's still over the counter with alot more and bigger bears. You can hunt public land neighboring private being run by dogs and catch them cross I n into public
 

adamm88

WKR
Joined
Sep 6, 2016
Messages
408
Location
Pennsylvania
I dont have any specific advice but there is a Bear hunting pod cast that covers this topic, It was very intersting and had some good info im going to use my self in pa.
 
OP
H
Joined
Jul 13, 2017
Messages
27
Location
Atlanta GA
Bear hunting podcast



Sent from my SM-T530NU using Tapatalk
Super creative!! I know it's a long shot but it's my only one this year. I'm lucky to get those 4 days away from home. We've decided to hunt the wildfire area from last year, its high up on a ridge. If nothing else we could take a pig or a deer home instead. But we will target BB. No tag needed in GA. Just a big game license. The bag limit was upped this year in the northern region. I'm hoping to stumble on good source and active den locations. I mean, I dream about that when I sleep!! Got a number to a bear biologist in GA and I'm hoping to get a little more info from him. The hiking trails in that area are popular late fall destinations so hoping that hikers may bump bears out.
 

ethan

WKR
Joined
Dec 7, 2013
Messages
593
I'm north of you in Tennessee on the plateau. We have a bear season here that coincides with our archery season, no dog season here on the plateau (good thing in my opinion). I get lots of trail cam pics but have yet to see one while hunting. BUT... i am hunting with a friend f mine that has come up with an effective way to hunt them. I'm going with him this year. His strategy is a little specific on location though. He has found an area that is pretty far in so no pressure. The area is a large hollow with a lot of blackberries, white oaks, rock overhangs where he sees a lot of bear sign. The area has several old logging roads and he still hunts these logging roads and when he spots a bear he sets up and predator calls. Apparently if you blind call, bear will typically come in down wind and you'll never see them. But by getting within 100yards and calling, it's more of a predator instinct thing and they come in pretty readily. He said the smaller bears come in slowly but the mature bears come in quickly.
I've not tried this yet, but I'm looking forward to giving it a shot in a few weeks. My buddy has tried this the past three years and killed one last year and missed a good one the year before. But there are a lot of bears in this area and i suppose the set up is just right for this.
 
Top