Bear Hunting Tips

I am getting ready to head north to Minnesota to go on one of my favorite hunts of the year--that's bow hunting black bear.

Minnesota has a very good bear population and offers a good chance of harvesting a really big one with the tag reductions over the last several years.

Black bears have a tremendous nose on them that is actually better than a deer. You really need to practice good scent control while hunting them to fool the big ones to come into your stand site. I have taken nine bears now with my Mathews bow, using Scent-A-Way detergent on all my clothes. Taking a scent-free shower before I go to stand, like I would for deer, using Scent-A-Way soap and spray, has really helped me with that. I also like taking acorn or pine Scent Wafers with me as a cover scent.

Bear are really neat and make a great hunt. They are also a very good versatile protein and tastes wonderful. We make bear roast, stew, burgers, and fajitas with the meat at my house! Good luck hunting this season--remember to wear a full body safety harness and stay connected to the tree if you're hunting from a stand!