Bear

The American Black Bear inhabits forested areas, although it has become more common in suburban areas, as its natural forage supply is destroyed by development and environmental factors. The black bear is approximately 4 to 7 feet from nose to tail, and two to three feet high at the withers. It has small eyes, rounded ears, a long snout, a large body, a short tail, and shaggy hair.

It differs from grizzly bears in being smaller with a smaller shoulder hump, a furred rear instep, a less concave facial profile, smaller claws that are more tightly curved, and longer, smoother, and more tapered ears.

Body fur usually black or brown but occasionally blonde, or rarely white as in the Kermode subspecies of coastal British Columbia. Brown muzzle. White chest patch is uncommon in most populations. Eyes brown (blue at birth). Skin light.

Wild male black bears of breeding age usually weigh between 125 and 500 pounds, depending upon age, season, and food. Very well fed bears can be heavier. The record is 880 pounds in Craven County, North Carolina, and a close second from northeastern Minnesota weighed 876 pounds on September 5, 1994. Wild females usually weigh between 90 and 300 pounds with the heaviest known female weighing 520 pounds in northeastern Minnesota on August 30, 1993. Black bears in captivity may exceed these records.

Distribution

The American black bear is found only in North America. The population is estimated at 750,000. They live in forests as far south as Florida and northern Mexico and as far north as forests grow in Alaska and Canada. In northern Labrador, where grizzly bears no longer live, black bears range out onto open tundra where there are no trees to escape into.

Behavior

Mating usually occurs from late May to early July. In the eastern deciduous forest, mating season can extend into August. The number of cubs in a litter is usually 2 in the western United States and 3 in the eastern United States. First litters are often only 1 or 2. Litters of 6 have been reported in several eastern states. Cubs weigh 1/2 to 1 pound at birth, which normally occurs in January or early February. Cubs usually stay with their mother for 17 months (rarely 29 months). One to six days before the mothers are ready to mate in late May or June, they force their yearlings to stop traveling with them.

Diet

Nuts, acorns, fruit, insects, succulent greens. Meat and less succulent greens are eaten when preferred foods are scarce. A scarcity of preferred foods can result in failed reproduction, stunted growth, failure to add optimal amounts of fat, and death of young bears, especially cubs.

Habitat

Black bears like large forests with many different kinds of fruits and nuts. Small sunny openings within the forest provide many kinds of food for the bears. Lowlands and wetlands provide tender and juicy vegetation. Streams and woodland pools provide water for drinking and cooling. Mothers with cubs like large trees (over 20 inches in diameter) with furrowed bark (like white pines or hemlocks) for bedding sites. These trees are safest for small cubs to climb.

Bear Baiting

Alaska, Canada and similar locations with wide open areas and natural forage make stalking a productive method for bear hunting. Elsewhere, baiting for deer is popular, especially in Maine and even parts of Canada.

Finding a location for a bait site in an agricultural area is basically the same as in a forest area. Look for food, shelter and water. Find what the bears are eating. Look for some type of shelter for them. The bears will usually seek shelter in nearby woods. If possible, choose a bait site located between the feeding area and where the bears are resting.

When scouting for a bait site location be conscious of an approach to a possible stand. Consider what predominate afternoon wind direction is in the area. Also, be in the lookout for other hunters in the area. Chances are, if you think it is a good location, another hunter may think so as well. Of course this depends on the amount of hunting pressure in the area and if you are hunting on private or public lands. Now that you have found that perfect bait location, how do you get the bear to visit it? The most effective way for drawing in bears to a bait site is by burning bacon. Several slices of bacon cooked at the bait site in a camp stove create a scent plume that no bear can resist. The air fills with a thick cloud of bacon odor and the grease particles cling to all the vegetation. There are many scents on the market, and I have tried many of them, but none compare to burning bacon.

While bears are known to have a sweet tooth, sweets are not always their favorites. In the fall, bears are preparing for a long winter of hibernation and are consuming mass quantities of food. Studies have shown that a bear will spend as much as 22 hours a day feeding in the fall. The best source for calories and mass to fill the appetite of a bear is fresh beef scraps.

One of the benefits of baiting bears is the fact that hunters’ baits are assisting bears in preparing for winter. Certainly not every bear that feeds at a bait site is harvested. Many bears go into hibernation with a thicker layer of fat, compliments of hunters.

Basic bait is mixed in a five gallon bucket. Start with a few cups of whole oats and cracked corn. Add five pounds of fresh beef scraps, followed by a few pastries. This is topped off with a few cups of livestock grade molasses. All this will fill a five gallon bucket about 2/3 full. Over-ripe peaches seem to hold a special attraction to them. If available, always add a piece or two of fruit to each bait bucket.