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A good bear year #7373153
10/06/21 08:29 PM
10/06/21 08:29 PM
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 9,295
Northern MN
O
Osky Offline OP
trapper
Osky  Offline OP
trapper
O

Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 9,295
Northern MN
Hungry hungry bears in this country this year. I had 3 guests, Nam Vets, with tags here this year all we’re successful. This bear was the smallest of the three at 431lbs on the scale. The other two were 34 and 58 lbs heavier. I do not have permission to show those folks.
I have never seen such lean bears, then again I have one on camera that’s more round than any I have ever seen. Go figure. That round bear and 3 other big framed bears were larger but were nocturnal. I got them to come in early enough to shoot but by that time tags were filled.
After the baits were established, big boars pushed sows and Cubs totally away. Hadn’t seen that before. Great year for new behaviors and learning new tricks.
Osky



[Linked Image]


"A womans heart is the hardest rock the Almighty has put on this earth, and I can find no sign on it"

Jabless in Minnesota

www.SureDockusa.com
Re: A good bear year [Re: Osky] #7373158
10/06/21 08:33 PM
10/06/21 08:33 PM
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 10,421
mn north of blakely
S
Steven 49er Offline
trapper
Steven 49er  Offline
trapper
S

Joined: May 2010
Posts: 10,421
mn north of blakely
Thanks for sharing Osky.

How's it been going?


"Inflation is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon". Milton Friedman.
Re: A good bear year [Re: Osky] #7373162
10/06/21 08:36 PM
10/06/21 08:36 PM
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 9,295
Northern MN
O
Osky Offline OP
trapper
Osky  Offline OP
trapper
O

Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 9,295
Northern MN
Hi Steven
Going very good, thanks for asking. You have been well?
Trying to retire but man things just keep popping up.
The only downer lately is running out of Nam guys still energetic enough to come up bear hunting.

Osky


"A womans heart is the hardest rock the Almighty has put on this earth, and I can find no sign on it"

Jabless in Minnesota

www.SureDockusa.com
Re: A good bear year [Re: Osky] #7373169
10/06/21 08:40 PM
10/06/21 08:40 PM
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 20,241
The Hill Country of Texas
Leftlane Offline
"HOSS"
Leftlane  Offline
"HOSS"

Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 20,241
The Hill Country of Texas
I may have to put a black bear hunt on my bucket list before I get too old to enjoy it one of these years


“What’s good for me may not be good for the weak minded.”
Captain Gus McCrae- Texas Rangers


Re: A good bear year [Re: Leftlane] #7373177
10/06/21 08:45 PM
10/06/21 08:45 PM
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 9,295
Northern MN
O
Osky Offline OP
trapper
Osky  Offline OP
trapper
O

Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 9,295
Northern MN
Originally Posted by Leftlane
I may have to put a black bear hunt on my bucket list before I get too old to enjoy it one of these years



Give a holler.

Osky


"A womans heart is the hardest rock the Almighty has put on this earth, and I can find no sign on it"

Jabless in Minnesota

www.SureDockusa.com
Re: A good bear year [Re: Osky] #7373191
10/06/21 08:54 PM
10/06/21 08:54 PM
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 3,653
Central Texas
C
Chancey Offline
trapper
Chancey  Offline
trapper
C

Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 3,653
Central Texas
Awesome! Thanks for sharing Osky, glad to see you posting. Always enjoy and appreciate your posts. Chancey


Resident Conspiracy Theorist
Accused Moron, Nazi, Low IQ, and Putin Fan Boy
Re: A good bear year [Re: Osky] #7373232
10/06/21 09:24 PM
10/06/21 09:24 PM
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,536
fayette,al.
G
grisseldog Offline
trapper
grisseldog  Offline
trapper
G

Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 5,536
fayette,al.
Nice Bear

Re: A good bear year [Re: grisseldog] #7373238
10/06/21 09:29 PM
10/06/21 09:29 PM
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 9,295
Northern MN
O
Osky Offline OP
trapper
Osky  Offline OP
trapper
O

Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 9,295
Northern MN
Originally Posted by Chancey
Awesome! Thanks for sharing Osky, glad to see you posting. Always enjoy and appreciate your posts. Chancey

Originally Posted by grisseldog
Nice Bear


Thanks guys.
A side note, when I changed over to a new bait mix I suddenly got wolves and bobcats on the cameras. Way more than normal. If I can find the pics I’ll try to post them up. The fellow in this picture and I were together one evening on the stand and watched a lynx come thru as well.

Osky


"A womans heart is the hardest rock the Almighty has put on this earth, and I can find no sign on it"

Jabless in Minnesota

www.SureDockusa.com
Re: A good bear year [Re: Osky] #7373245
10/06/21 09:38 PM
10/06/21 09:38 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,836
Pa
W
Wright Brothers Offline
trapper
Wright Brothers  Offline
trapper
W

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,836
Pa
"After the baits were established, big boars pushed sows and Cubs totally away. Hadn’t seen that before. Great year for new behaviors and learning new tricks.
Osky" <This is the good stuff of Tman.

Been seeing a little sign here. We had a late spring frost but still seeing some soft and hard mast.
I'll be getting a better "view" as the deer rut warms up.
No baiting and no large group to hunt with makes it a "little" different over here.

Your bears you tricked are BIG.





Re: A good bear year [Re: Wright Brothers] #7373274
10/06/21 09:57 PM
10/06/21 09:57 PM
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 9,295
Northern MN
O
Osky Offline OP
trapper
Osky  Offline OP
trapper
O

Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 9,295
Northern MN
Originally Posted by Wright Brothers
"After the baits were established, big boars pushed sows and Cubs totally away. Hadn’t seen that before. Great year for new behaviors and learning new tricks.
Osky" <This is the good stuff of Tman.

Been seeing a little sign here. We had a late spring frost but still seeing some soft and hard mast.
I'll be getting a better "view" as the deer rut warms up.
No baiting and no large group to hunt with makes it a "little" different over here.

Your bears you tricked are BIG.


In Minnesota the bear season starts roughly 2 weeks before the small game/grouse seasons. In a typical year the small game hunters really push the bears nocturnal when they begin in the bush here, all the activity and hunting dogs and atv’s. This year however it went the other way. Once the grouse hunters showed up the biggest nocturnal boars were showing up with plenty of evening shooting light.
Some of the reason may have been the bait change, but I believe there is more to it than that.

Osky


"A womans heart is the hardest rock the Almighty has put on this earth, and I can find no sign on it"

Jabless in Minnesota

www.SureDockusa.com
Re: A good bear year [Re: Osky] #7373300
10/06/21 10:15 PM
10/06/21 10:15 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,836
Pa
W
Wright Brothers Offline
trapper
Wright Brothers  Offline
trapper
W

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,836
Pa
One season that comes to mind.
Large bear population with very little fall/winter feed.
They were eating bushels of sumac berries, ferns, and other yuck.
Many did not hibernate that cold winter,
Barns and corn cribs etc were raided heavy.

Take the basic bear behavior book and throw it out for that season.
Sounds like what you are experiencing.

The most successful folks here hunt in large groups, are experienced with one and other, know the area, and push the thickest steepest roughest terrain all day all season. It's work.

Last edited by Wright Brothers; 10/06/21 10:19 PM.




Re: A good bear year [Re: Osky] #7373455
10/07/21 07:24 AM
10/07/21 07:24 AM
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 10,421
mn north of blakely
S
Steven 49er Offline
trapper
Steven 49er  Offline
trapper
S

Joined: May 2010
Posts: 10,421
mn north of blakely
Originally Posted by Osky
Hi Steven
You have been well?
Trying to retire but man things just keep popping up.


Osky


Outside of all this COVID nonsense it's been great.

You are like most other Minnesotans with a strong work ethic, ain't never going to,"retire"


"Inflation is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon". Milton Friedman.
Re: A good bear year [Re: Wright Brothers] #7373459
10/07/21 07:29 AM
10/07/21 07:29 AM
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 9,295
Northern MN
O
Osky Offline OP
trapper
Osky  Offline OP
trapper
O

Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 9,295
Northern MN
Originally Posted by Wright Brothers
One season that comes to mind.
Large bear population with very little fall/winter feed.
They were eating bushels of sumac berries, ferns, and other yuck.
Many did not hibernate that cold winter,
Barns and corn cribs etc were raided heavy.

Take the basic bear behavior book and throw it out for that season.
Sounds like what you are experiencing.

The most successful folks here hunt in large groups, are experienced with one and other, know the area, and push the thickest steepest roughest terrain all day all season. It's work.


Wright it’s pure thick bush here in my area and tags are by limited draw so pushing bears is not really an option. Other areas in the state can be utilized that way along with a more spot and stalk method as well.
Average hunt time was 3.5 evenings tho lesser sized bears were passed on every day.
Osky


"A womans heart is the hardest rock the Almighty has put on this earth, and I can find no sign on it"

Jabless in Minnesota

www.SureDockusa.com
Re: A good bear year [Re: Osky] #7373703
10/07/21 12:27 PM
10/07/21 12:27 PM
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,687
S Illinois, former cheesehead
K
Kelly Offline
trapper
Kelly  Offline
trapper
K

Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,687
S Illinois, former cheesehead
Osky, how long does it take to draw a tag in your area? Any of those bears bow kills?

How was the berry/nut crop this year?


Enjoy Mother Nature's Glory, everyday!

Once one opens the mind to the plausible, the unbelievable becomes possible!

Re: A good bear year [Re: Osky] #7373718
10/07/21 12:46 PM
10/07/21 12:46 PM
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 2,771
WI
WIMarshRAT Offline
trapper
WIMarshRAT  Offline
trapper

Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 2,771
WI
Originally Posted by Osky

The only downer lately is running out of Nam guys still energetic enough to come up bear hunting.
Osky



Awesome work and looks fun for all those involved. I have to admit I like big bears and I cannot lie.

On a side note, we have a Vietnam memorial in town so maybe I should go down and try to recruit you some folks. I wanted to take my kids to see it since I have no desire to ever go to Washington DC.

https://www.weau.com/2021/09/28/traveling-vietnam-wall-returning-oshkosh/


Also, my sister's father in law (vietnam vet) was out on a disable hunt for deer. When he got to his blind, he found it trashed. This little guy kept circling all afternoon. [Linked Image]





Last edited by WIMarshRAT; 10/07/21 12:53 PM.

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...it's about learning to dance in the rain!
Re: A good bear year [Re: Kelly] #7373776
10/07/21 02:29 PM
10/07/21 02:29 PM
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 10,421
mn north of blakely
S
Steven 49er Offline
trapper
Steven 49er  Offline
trapper
S

Joined: May 2010
Posts: 10,421
mn north of blakely
Originally Posted by Kelly
Osky, how long does it take to draw a tag in your area? Any of those bears bow kills?

How was the berry/nut crop this year?


We got an inch of rain all summer. There wasn't a berry to be found.


"Inflation is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon". Milton Friedman.
Re: A good bear year [Re: Osky] #7373821
10/07/21 03:56 PM
10/07/21 03:56 PM
Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 11,194
Maine, Aroostook
Posco Offline
trapper
Posco  Offline
trapper

Joined: Nov 2017
Posts: 11,194
Maine, Aroostook
Those are some sizable bear, Osky. That's a heck of an average size, sounds like a season to remember.

Re: A good bear year [Re: Osky] #7374014
10/07/21 09:21 PM
10/07/21 09:21 PM
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 9,295
Northern MN
O
Osky Offline OP
trapper
Osky  Offline OP
trapper
O

Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 9,295
Northern MN
Kelly
It takes 4years to draw in my zone..however.. each year tags are drawn at the end of April. Drawn hunters have about 2 months to actually purchase the tags. Tags that go unpaid go up for sale to anyone August 1st at 8:00 am I believe. You purchase online and be quick. I’ve had hunters here who have gotten licenses that way, no points needed.

WI.. I have heard you folks have about a 7 year wait for a tag? In Minnesota fully disabled Vets are allowed a bear tag every year if they want one.

Steven.. absolutely no wild foods here at all. Even the very small and rare pockets of oak did not drop.

Posco… A fact here is the vast percentage of bears killed in Minnesota are barely 200lbs, if even that. That leaves a bunch of big bears for careful patient hunters. The three hunters here this year were patient and super fun folks. What a hoot and two were musicians so my camp was as good time as it gets. Your right this season won’t be for gotten for a lot of goos reasons.

Osky


"A womans heart is the hardest rock the Almighty has put on this earth, and I can find no sign on it"

Jabless in Minnesota

www.SureDockusa.com
Re: A good bear year [Re: Osky] #7374026
10/07/21 09:28 PM
10/07/21 09:28 PM
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 62,664
Minnesota
330-Trapper Offline

trapper
330-Trapper  Offline

trapper

Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 62,664
Minnesota
Very Cool Osky


NRA and NTA Life Member
www.BackroadsRevised@etsy.com




Re: A good bear year [Re: Osky] #7374429
10/08/21 01:32 PM
10/08/21 01:32 PM
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,668
OK
Aaron Proffitt Offline
trapper
Aaron Proffitt  Offline
trapper

Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 7,668
OK
Well done !


Honor a Soldier. Be the kind of American worth fighting for.
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