If you are interested in learning about the biology of black bears, the Pennsylvania Game Commission has a video that can be purchased for $19.95. You can find out a bit more at this link:
http://www.theoutdoorshop.state.pa.us/FBG/game/GameProductSelect.asp?ShopperID=D311686462544FF6B0BBA70A91136194&catid=VID

Hey Red, this is R F down in Hanford.

Black bears are lots of fun, to be sure. They will travel a long ways to get to a good source of food. They can be expected to come down from the high country in the late fall to munch on acorns if the crop is good.

You have to remember a black bear will eat ANYTHING!!!!

If they can find a food source they will take advantage of it. That means acorns, wild oats, ice chests, whatever.

I have seen horse trailers trashed up in the Sierra's by bears looking to get at the hay left inside or in some cases an ice chest full of beer. I have seen a whole six pack laying on the ground with big holes from their teeth.
They just lap up the beer and go sleep it off some place.

I guess the point is that they are pretty mobile. They will stay in a place for a long time as long as there is a good food source, but when that food source is depleted they will readily move on.

We have killed several by using a call that sounds like a deer fawn. We have also killed a few by checking out where they are eating acorns in the fall.

They can be good eating. The last one I shot Weiberts made steaks, roasts, and sausage out of. On the other hand, I have had people give me bear meat that was AWFULL, I could not eat it, period.

Bears are just one more option around here. I always buy a tag, just in case. Besides, my wife wants a bear rug.

R F

I will try to find what they might be eating. the berries are just in bloom up there right now, so they are probably pretty hungry. this fellow sounded like he was ripping the wood up to get to buggies.

I hear that the lard you can make from a bear is real good for pie crusts. Don't know how much work hat would be though.

RF, do you hunt D7? I just dropped of my application at my stepfathers, I think he said we are putting in for X10 and X4 but are going to do D7 again as well. I never have luck, seems like they don't like to come out until we get some weather, and it has been coming real late in the season. I did see a big deer this last weekend, and without horns can't say for sure, but looked to be a male. I can't wait for season, I am going to try to pull off the bear and the deer, and get some coyotes while I am up there.

You said a fawn call got some results? I'll have to pick one up before season opens.

Red

Behavior will certainly vary with habitat but years ago I did some flying for the state of Maine. One time a collared bear signal was picked up in the morning almost exactly 40 (Forty) nautical miles -- straight line distance -- from where it had been left the previous day. Never heard of another going that far in that short a time period but that one did -- and I doubt that he went by bus!

On a humorous note, a collar signal went stationary in late October right in a small town in the central part of the state. (It wasn't illegal to shoot collared bears but the collar had to be turned in to the state.) A few wardens with a search warrant showed up at the door of the house where the signal was located and demanded the collar. The owner told them he didn't know anything about any bear or bear collar so a tracker antenna was brought out and the signal followed to a pile of stormsash stacked against the fellow's garage. When the sash was moved, an annoyed bear got up and walked away from what was obviously his intended early winter nap...leaving several red-faced wardens in his wake.

They often do what isn't expected and they can really travel when they decide to...

The PA Game Commision video is well worth getting. It's not about hunting them but of their habits.Much of the video was filmed in the county adjoining my home,in the Pocono Mts .I've seen them swim across the Delaware river.Last year the three top weights of bears from that area was over 800 lbs !Food is on their minds always and I've watched one of those Pocono bears just sitting there shoveling acorns into his mouth.

Dago Red,
I just mailed in my app for G38 1st choice, X10 2nd. For the last two years it's gotten into the 80's during the day in X10 so I figured I'd try for the later season.

I've seen bear in both X10 and D8 as well as D13. There are a bunch in those zones. Most are rather bashful. A couple years ago I found my self standing on the opposite bank of Monache Creek from a big one, about 20 to 30 feet away, that was midday. Wasn't during season though. I saw him first and stood very still and when he caught my sent he disappeared into a small bush. It was then I realized how well they can conceal themselves with the sparsest amount of cover. I have a feeling they've become more nocturnal due to the warm temperatures we've been having. I've found them in places that don't get much direct sun, where it stays cool most of the day. They also like to eat those ground squirrel/chipmunk critters that scurry around the rock slides and fallen trees.

Rendered fat makes excellent cooking oil for biscuits and pie crusts. It should be clear if it's rendered correctly. If it gets to hot it turns a brownish color.

I hope to be in the Manache Meadow area again this year, provided I get drawn again. If not I'll be in D8, up on the hill/ridge to the northeast of Porterville, north of Quaking Aspens.
Bill