We started Bear hunting today !

[6pt-sika]

We got our Damage Control Permits on the Peach and Apple orchard friday and we made our first trip today !







My Thermacell !



My cooler !



Fresh cantelope !



My circa 2001 Marlin 444 shooting the Mount Sourdoughs 433-425GC Huckleberry !



And last but not least the nut that goes on the stock !



Well we didn't get any bear this trip or even see any . But I will say I saw a fair amount of sign that they'd been thru !

[Bridger]

The first thing I noticed was the stock on your rifle. Surely that isn't factory, or is it?

[6pt-sika]

The first thing I noticed was the stock on your rifle. Surely that isn't factory, or is it?

Nope that wood came from "Macon Gunstocks" . Got it two or three years ago and had my gunsmith buddies brother shape and finish it after my gunsmith buddy did the inletting !

The stock and forend blank cost me $250 if memory serves . Also got a a steel grip cap from Brownells .

[6pt-sika]

I have another friend that does stockwork fulltime and he's pretty decent at checkering . One of these days I might have him checker the stock and forend for me .

But at the moment I have four 390 grain or larger bullets I wanna try on deer or bear in that gun .

[rjohns94]

Nice set up. What is a thermacell? Cooling device?

[Rusty]

It keeps the skeeters away Mike. They work great!

[Sixgun]

Man! That's livin' large. The only guy in the world that lives better in a tree is Tarsan.---------------6

[RIHMFIRE]

Good Luck next time !

Nice rig...and shootn iron...

cantelope! rather have the peaches!

what kind of stand are you using?
I use a summit viper...very comfortable!

[FWiedner]

Bear question...

I know bears are omnivores, but...

Are the bears coming to the orchards for the fruit, or for other critters that eat the fruit, or both?

Just passing through?

[6pt-sika]

Man! That's livin' large. The only guy in the world that lives better in a tree is Tarsan.---------------6

Dude , if you're gonna sit in a tree for more then couple hours you need to take some creature comforts like water , Pepsi Max , turkey and cheese sandwich , cantelope and of course one bottle to p...i...s...s in

Late summer early fall be it a orchard , a soy bean field or the marsh on the eastern shore one just has to have a Thermacell or the G...D bugs will eat you alive !

[6pt-sika]

Good Luck next time !

Nice rig...and shootn iron...

cantelope! rather have the peaches!

what kind of stand are you using?
I use a summit viper...very comfortable!

The cantelope's for me me me

I have a couple of the no longer made "Brent Hunt's Trophy Whitetail Treestands" , they were at some point bought out by Treelounge and have since ceased production when Treelounge went out of buisness .

[6pt-sika]

Bear question...

I know bears are omnivores, but...

Are the bears coming to the orchards for the fruit, or for other critters that eat the fruit, or both?

Just passing through?

For the fruit .

Thats the only reason we can get permits , wouldn't be so bad if they just nipped off the fruit like a deer . But they tend to break the trees up .

[Nath]

Thermacell......don't scare bears off do it!


It'll turn up.
Have fun.

Nath.

[6pt-sika]

Thermacell......don't scare bears off do it!


It'll turn up.
Have fun.

Nath.

I was a bit surprised we have UNLIMITED bear permits thru the end of Spetember . In years past we never got more then 5 permits .

This place is about a 40 minute drive . The place we've been deer Damage Control Hunting is about 10-15 minutes away .

[6pt-sika]

We did some more bear hunting yesterday !
I didn't see any bear but I did see a pile of deer !

[RIHMFIRE]

man that wood is nice...and deer!

whats growing in the food plot?......chickory?

[6pt-sika]

man that wood is nice...and deer!

whats growing in the food plot?......chickory?

That's actually in front of the guys house that owns the orchard , well his house is maybe 90 yards back up the hill . Nothing but grasses and weeds .

Incidently if I think about it I'll take a picture of his house . It used to be part of an old log cabin/fort that he brought up here from North Carolina !

He used to get into the Rendevouse stuff and Contemporary Flintlock Longrifles !

[madman4570]

Best of luck 6pt

Watch that Thermacell---------------Canadian guide said----they can even up in a stand(smell it)to use only netting.

Up here the bears after the first day of season(about first 10 mins ) know what's up.
Honestly-----they are extremely smart.

If you have any small patches of dense woods surrounded by open fields(even if only say 10 acres etc.)and especially with any blow down of trees------------------------------That's the place.

Going off the log trails and slowly doing a silent stalk in the thicker stuff/down trees. Bears will hide along side/under the blow downs.
You can almost sometimes step on one.

Couple years back my nephew called my good friend(been wanting his first bear)last day of season and told him he has seen sign along this 8 acre wood patch surrounded by fields. My buddy said------that small patch???? Why don't I try your larger wooded sections????
Nephew said-------cause the sign is around that patch. Buddy said OK but I highly doubt it????

He went in the patch walking through the middle log road. Nothing??? started coming back and then he looked over off the road and thought I might as well try the blow downs??? It was thick stuff-----second down tree he came to----------laying flat right along side the bottom tree section/roots/ferns---------not making a twitch-------------------700lb big boar black bear.

Here he is 20ft away,the bear can only go two ways out straight ahead or back over my buddy.My buddy had a 7mm-08
shot him, bear jumped up took off (away from him)thank God. He followed the blood trail to almost opposite side of wood patch where he first went in and the bear was hiding under another blow down. Two more shots did the deal.
6 months/$3K later the 7ft tall 686lb teddy is setting in my buddy's A frame home. Absolutely stunning.They had to use a grizzly blank.
Has it on a big 1 ft thick field stone base(so its 8ft tall) ------what an animal!
And the paws/claws------------------one swipe---------------------------its all over!

Thick woods bro--------------------and go looking for them cause they know you are in that tree?????

[6pt-sika]

Best of luck 6pt

Watch that Thermacell---------------Canadian guide said----they can even up in a stand(smell it)to use only netting.

Up here the bears after the first day of season(about first 10 mins ) know what's up.
Honestly-----they are extremely smart.

If you have any small patches of dense woods surrounded by open fields(even if only say 10 acres etc.)and especially with any blow down of trees------------------------------That's the place.

I've killed two bear from the tree I'm perched . The orchard is behind me maybe 30 yards thru the woods .

The person we are hunting on has a 3 acre orcahrd and only 12 acres total so what you see is about as good as it gets up there !

We all use Thermacell's , my gunsmith buddy lays on the ground with the Thermacell beside him and he's killed several bear inside of 20 yards . So as to them ebing able to smell the Thermacell I think thats a load of well you know !

I got some of the insect inserts with earth scent by mistake a week or so ago and the deer seem to pay that no mind all though I've not tried them on the bear yet .