PA bear hunters?

Wolf-killer

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 24, 2017
Messages
241
Location
PA
That would be a good start. As for scouting, way too early yet. I would gain some access to some areas now, and come mid September start looking around, get some cameras out. I’ve seen more bear near corn fields than anywhere else here.
Like others said, Find corn fields in the fall there will be bears, its way easier for a bear to gorge themselves on corn than picking up acorns & beechnuts. This year you will have a wk of MZ plus 2 wks of archery and the normal bear season, plus some areas have bear the first wk of deer rifle.
A lot of corn was planted late in northern Pa so it won't be harvested till most likely beginning of Nov. Find standing corn and there will be bears
 

TauPhi111

WKR
Joined
Sep 10, 2017
Messages
598
Location
Ohio
If you have a group of guys, drives are definitely the way to go. I've hunted bears in PA every year since 2006 and drives are definitely most successful. After that, i'd probably be patterning them on a food source like deer. Pretty much every means to attract bears to an area is illegal in PA, as well as dogs, so it leaves tactics rather limited. I think calls are legal though. I might try a predator call early in the season this year.
 

CP6

FNG
Joined
Apr 14, 2019
Messages
81
Location
Kinda all over
I hunt a few states south of you for bear, we do very well calling. Vole squeaks, light rabbit in distress, and fawn in distress have all worked. It’s not an every time kinda deal, but we have killed more calling them than sitting around waiting. Another early season tactic we use is hiking ridges when the acorns are still heavy in the trees and listening/watching for feeding bears in the canopy.
 

mym93

FNG
Joined
Aug 3, 2019
Messages
21
I hunt the ANF and I've seen 3 this year just out scouting and walking about and a ton of sign. I'm hoping to cut some tracks and see what happens.
 

palefty

FNG
Joined
Oct 30, 2019
Messages
12
As other have said early on hunt the corn. Most guys who are successful during the archery and early season have taken them along cornfields. For big woods area hunt the mass crop. I have seen the most bear and sign around wild grapes, beechnuts, and acorns. Once into rifle season the most successful camps drive all day, every day. For solo hunting there are two options. One hope for snow, cut tracks and go after them or I have found the bears tend to favor laurel draws as hiding places when being pushed around. Set up at the top of the draw somewhere along the edge that gives you the best vision into the laurel.
 

JGBowman

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Feb 27, 2019
Messages
165
Pocono area bear hunter here!

First I want to say that I believe driving bear in PA can be extremely efficient and effective. A good drive depends on two things. A good group of guys and the right patches of bush. I myself hunt the first two days of bear rifle with a group of guys that drive for them. I have seen several bear this way but to be honest it is not my preferred method. I mainly do it because I enjoy the comradery and most of those guys I only see those two days of the year.

My preferred method is hanging a ladder stand in a thicket/laurel patch that I believe a bear may get pressured into. PA game commission posts an interactive map that indicates how many bears are killed in each county and even specific townships. This helps me look for areas I might want to scout and potentially hunt. Sometimes you can find a township that might be worth driving an extra 10 min to get to. I grew up hunting the county that borders the one I currently live in. From 12 to 18 years old I probable seen 3-4 bear out hunting (deer archery and rifle). Now in the current county I live in I seen about 10+ bear a year (combined hunting and driving to work). I just want to make the point that in Pennsylvania 20 miles can mean a huge difference in bear density.

Next thing I do is find clear cuts or thickets and patches of laurel and rhododendron that just typically hold bear. How would I define "Typically". To mean this means I can go in there most times of the year and find tracks or poo. Maybe not always the freshest but it will have some level of bear sign. Big patches of rhododendron are my favorite.

I like the patches to have some level of topography. Maybe with a bench or borders a hollow, low lying swamps are also money. Most of my ladder stands are 15ft (I don't like to climb high or I try to void it). Being on the high side of the bench even if it is a few ft in elevation makes all the difference when trying to see the bear work through the patches. I also notice that bear rather cruise of the tops of hallows where it is thick.

When I find a spot I like I then take some snips and cut my self a path to get into where I want to be. My path is influenced by typical prevailing wind so I can get in the patches without animals winding me. I use bright eyes to mark my paths so I don't get lost in the thickets. I mark my way in and out. I make my my paths and hang my stands in the summer.

I hunt these spots for both deer an bear. Had several close encounters, some misses, on some nice buck.

July 4th 2017 I seen a bear (point of reference). On November 17th 2018 I seen bear 29. The 29th bear was the first bear that I seen during bear season I could shoot. I missed that bear, when I shot he was 13 ft away during a drive. On November 30th I seen bear number 30!!! I was sitting alone in my ladder stand, it was around 4:00 pm. He was about 65 yards away when I shot. It was my first black bear, estimated live weight 101lbs.
 
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rooster440
Joined
Nov 15, 2017
Messages
381
I haven’t been out once yet this season, been stuck on 6/12s for a few months. Hoping I can get out once this season!!


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Panfish1

FNG
Joined
Apr 10, 2018
Messages
27
Location
WI
Hunted them for years in Northcentral PA, lived there for almost 25 years. Big drives in the thick clear-cuts is your best bet.
 

tommynealy

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Nov 12, 2019
Messages
187
Definitely tough hunting in south central Pennsylvania.


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Joined
Feb 13, 2019
Messages
476
My friends have great luck driving the swamps around the Poconos. I am not that much of a bear hunter but I have shot a couple just through luck. I sit where I think others will push them and that can work.

Mostly, I enjoy taking my gun for hike so I cover a lot of ground and scout for deer.
 
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rooster440
Joined
Nov 15, 2017
Messages
381
My friends have great luck driving the swamps around the Poconos. I am not that much for bear hunter but I have shot a couple just through luck. I sit where I think others will push them and that can work.

Mostly, I enjoy taking my gun for hike so I cover a lot of ground and scout for deer.

If I make it out I’ll end up sitting on an escape route.


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TauPhi111

WKR
Joined
Sep 10, 2017
Messages
598
Location
Ohio
Definitely tough hunting in south central Pennsylvania.


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I will attest to that. Steep country not unlike some areas of the Rockies choked in rhodo and laurel. We comb that junk every year with 20-some guys and usually at least kick out a few bears and usually some bruiser bucks that take refuge in the thick stuff.
 
Joined
Feb 17, 2020
Messages
15
Any PA bear hunters on here? I chased blackies when I lived out west but haven’t since I moved here and want to this year. How are most guys successful out here? Patiently waiting over a food source? Bumping them while deer hunting? I hunt PA and NY for deer and have cut tracks but haven’t seen any while hunting or scouting. Any information is greatly appreciated! Thanks!


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For a solo hunter I would 100% recommend the new early muzzleloader season. The bears seem to be much more active (on food) in mid-October than during the rifle season just before Thanksgiving. Plus, with the appropriate tag, you can also take a doe during the same week. Youth and Seniors even have the last three days of that week (I think) where they are even legal for both with a rifle. Its fast becoming the busiest week of the year in PA.
 

Pawvbow

FNG
Joined
Feb 20, 2020
Messages
36
There were 4 of us hunting northern Pa the last 3 days of the bear muzzloader and we saw 9 different bears and management to kill one and hit one. Also shot one doe. Was one of the funnest hunts I’ve ever been on. Already planning next years trip.
 
OP
rooster440
Joined
Nov 15, 2017
Messages
381
There were 4 of us hunting northern Pa the last 3 days of the bear muzzloader and we saw 9 different bears and management to kill one and hit one. Also shot one doe. Was one of the funnest hunts I’ve ever been on. Already planning next years trip.

Sounds like a great location! Congratulations


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sniper61

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 20, 2016
Messages
192
The numbers can be looked up. But to guess, you have under a 10% chance of harvesting a bear in Pa.
I have done better then that. I have been called lucky .
 
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