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Follow the Laws of the land...

Or don't Hunt...

The various state laws regarding use of bear meat are interesting in their differences and reflect the opinions of the people in the state (as they should). Most require the meat be taken but some, such as Idaho, do not. I have hunted bear in both Maine and Idaho. My experience from those I have hunted with, talked to and observed is that the opinion of the folks living in those states regarding eating bear meat is completely different. The folks in Idaho consider it unsavory and full of parasites whereas the folks in Maine relish it. Regardless, it is the hunter's responsibility to follow the laws of the state in which the hunt takes place.

Depends on how the animal is classified under the law,here.
At one time bears were classified as furbearers,and as such there was no requirement to take the meat,but you could be charged if you let the pelt spoil.
Now though,bears are classified as big game animals,and as such you can toss the hide.but you will be charged if you let the meat spoil.

For the most part. It should be kill what you will use.

AND, use what you kill!

I would use as much of a bear as I could, but I can see how bears would just be a nuisance animal for people in areas where they are common, like deer are now in some places. Both bears and deer can commit lots of expensive property damage.

Keith

There is a big bear wandering in town here last couple nights.
Have to put the cage out before some teenager gets mauled.

Back in the day we peeled the hide off a bear and left the carcass to whatever wanted to feed on it. Brown, black or grizzly bear. We utilized the hide for years of personal viewing enjoyment. I don't see where that's much different than pulling the hide off a furbearer. I don't know many sports who are turning over twenty grand to eat brown bear meat. Bear meat salvage rules are a way to appease non/anti-hunters and make our sport more palatable to those who don't hunt. That's how I see it.

Good he won't be hunting here either then, CO gave him more then SD could so go for it!

They extended the bear season here for the outfitters,starts aug 15.I pity the guy who is hunting for a rug at that time of year.
Not many locals here hunt bear,and when they do it is for the meat.
Personally,when I want a bear I wait until the hides are nice,either Oct. or spring,and I use the hides and the meat.
Back in the day when I commercially hunted bears for their hides I always salvaged some meat,although it was not mandatory then.
Most of the outfitters catering to the tourist hunters tossed the carcasses in the dump.
Nuisance bears nowadays that return after being caught once wind up in the dump.
Shame really,bear meat is excellent and very good for you when cooked properly.

Our season opens September 1st and I've seen it turn off ninety degrees on opening day. Pretty hard for a bear to prime up under those conditions.

Posco our season also starts on September first. I have been asking our fish and wildlife board to extend our bear season thru our December muzzle loading season. We have a very large bear population. I saw five during spring turkey season. Not many hunters will shoot them here. The wildlife board members tell me it’s political that they can’t extend the bear season. The public thinks the bears are endangered.

I'm sure it's all political when it comes to bear hunting. You've probably heard of our bear referendums? The anti's have twice tried to shut bear baiting down with no success. They'll keep trying. Our season runs through the month of November and a few bear are taken as incidentals by deer hunters during that month.

I wish they would push the baiting season back at least a month. I don't know the rationale for having it so early, the hides certainly aren't what anyone would consider prime.

It was obviously unsportsmanlike not to harvest any of the meat, but I personally think that a 12 year hunting ban and a year of probation is a bit harsh.

Our season always starts September 1 and ends October 15. None get truly prime but some get nice at the end. Many changes here in those last few weeks making it more difficult to keep a big boar around and visiting in daylight. Best to keep the baits full and check daily for the big wanderers. Make sure to hunt them second night they visit.

Osky

I don't like bear meat but plenty do. easy enough to give away

I like it and don't waste any of it. The main thing is know the rules of the state you are hunting in and follow them. Our season opens Aug. 30 hide isn't prime but meat is excellent. The season closes Oct. 31 which is ok as most years all the bear are denned up by then.

I killed a coastal brown bear 15 years ago in Alaska. I don’t think any bear meat was ever kept in the area I was hunting. Skinned them out on the beach and brought back the hide to the boat. The next morning we scraped and salted it. I saw one bear carcus that another bear buried, or I should say was covered up on the beach. Usually the bald eagles would swarm all over a kill in a day or two.

I hunted blacks there also, and the laws were different as to whether the meat was to be salvaged. If I remember right, there was a cut off date, after which you didn’t need to save the meat.

I don't think those big bears are too palatable,unlike a nice savory blackbear.
I know the Cree don't eat the polar bears that wander into the goose camps up on the bay.