Just yesterday I was invited to join a group for some bear hunting here in Minnesota this fall. All I know is they have been baiting the area we'll hunt in since August, we'll be hunting in treestands, and they have had success in seasons past.

I have zero experience hunting bears. But it's something I've wanted to try and am pretty excited to have the opportunity in September or October. So that being said, can anyone suggest some reading that would be good to learn a bit of what to expect before I'm sitting in a stand? Any words of wisdom from experienced black bear hunters?

I'm planning on bringing my Winchester .270 and I have Scirocco 130 gr. loads to use. I do have experience sitting in a stand for hours on end thanks to deer hunting, but not bear.

Thanks in advance!

It takes a litle experience to judge the size of a bear. See if you can find some photos of mature and immature bears. A lot of it is in the ears.

I am a firm beliver that a frist timer put some thing at the bait to use as a sizer.

A five foot long log with a stake that is two feet high works well if the bear is higher and longer then the log and stake he most likely is a shooter.

I have seen a lot of ground shinkage from frist timers that 300lb bear turns in to a 100 pounder when they walk up to it.

Should be a fun trip.

If it is early in Sept. expect some bugs.

Don't shoot to fast if the bear is on the bait study it awhile make sure he is what you want.

IMHO any bear that well dress out over 200lbs is a nice bear. A 200lb bear is very good eating get it dressed, skinned and cooled down ASAP

Your 270 well work just fine have help to drag and carry your bear out an ATV is a great help.

Might help to look for little bitty ears with a lot of space between them and short legs, big belly. I've always been told that bears are born with the ears in the size they will be when they get older and mature, don't know if this is true but the bigger bears have tiny ears and a lot of space between them.

Thanks for the responses fellas... much appreciated!

Very good advice from posters re: "sizing" bears. I shot a Spring bear over bait years ago in Maine, it weighed 125 lbs. It looked huge to my teenage self, having never seen a bear in the wild. Soon after, I thought I'd shot a cub, which was illegal! It turned out to be a 2.5 yr old sow (they take a sample tooth), close call none- the -less.

2 old rules of thumb hit me. 1st - look at the size of the head compared to the body. if it looks small it's a big bear, if it looks big its a small one. #2 when baiting don't get to excited about the 1st bear in. it's usually a smaller one, watch it and if it seems nervous or runs away, a bigger bear is in the area and coming your way

I recommend "On Bears and Bear Hunting" by Gilchrist, as a book to read.
The measuring stick isn't a bad idea.

Black bears have to be the most honestly mis-estimated animal. If you look at the hunters photos of 300 pound bears, you will see very few 300 pound bears. Most so called 300 pounders I have seen, we're closer to 200.

There is a table of measurements that I can't find now that based on a chest measurement, gives you the weight. I have found it very close.

My 2 bits: when the bear walks up, if it looks like it has short legs, good. If its butt has more mass than its shoulders, it's female. If there is a space between it's ears that would fit your spread hand than it's good size. If the ears are on the side of the head instead of more on top like a dog, good. If the bear looks like it doesn't have a neck, or much of one, good. Since your hunting bait, you have the chance to prep the ground let the bears come and go then measure the track of the one you like. Rake up soft MN dirt around the bait or along the trails. If the width of the front pad is 6 inches or better you have a bear anyone will be happy with. Trail cam photos? video? All good.

Bear hunting is my favorite NA hunt, I've hunted all 3 North American species. I've hunted and chased many Blacks here in Idaho with hounds, so catch and release is what I do more often than not. PM me if you have other questions. Ive shot several with a 270 win with 130 gr. core-lokt. You are going to be close with bait. I respect your ability to sit in a stand, I can't hunt deer like that, nor bear.

https://www.richardpsmith.com/

Richard Smith's book on hunting black bear and his DVD on field judging size is about as good as it gets. Very current information ( and no I don't know him),
Duncan Gilchrist's books are excellent and perhaps the all time benchmark for bear hunting. He's gone now and his books are out of print, but worth adding to anyone's library.

Thanks for the additional responses.

What are the best hours to be in the stand?

You can kill a bear any time of the day.

The most productive I woulds say 2pm till dark.

But your guide should be able to tell that.

Shoot he most likely has game cam pics with the times they come in.

If I only had a few hrs each day to hunt it would be the last 3.

SG's advise is right on. Leggy bears are young. Wide rolly-polly short legged bears with small ears are big. The only other 2 things I can add is that big males tend to live and travel alone unless trailing a hot sow. And when you shoot a broadside bear, aim for the middle (top to bottom). Unlike deer, elk etc, black bears are much more round.

small bears gallop
BIG bears swagger like a morbidly obese fat man.
legs look short
ears look small
snout looks short
seen them pant like a fat man too.
Aim thru the bear at the offside shoulder
after the shot listen for the crashing to stop
the faster it stops,the deader the bear
good luck,post pictures

Besides the advice already given:

1. Think now if you are also hoping to make a nice rug or hide out of it. If so, you will want to take extra time to size the animal up AND hopefully get a good view of both sides and the color.

2. Bait stations are often close to stands, so the downward shooting angle will be steep. You can shoot too low if aiming as if it's a 3D archery target.

3. Be prepared - don't let skeeters, black flies, etc. ruin your hunt.

4. If using a scope, keep it on the lowest power unless you need more.

Good luck.

Where are you hunting in Minnesota? What area?

Thanks again for more good responses!

quote:

Originally posted by AnotherAZWriter:
Where are you hunting in Minnesota? What area?

Aitkin County.

quote:

Originally posted by Evan K.:
Thanks again for more good responses!

quote:

Originally posted by AnotherAZWriter:
Where are you hunting in Minnesota? What area?

Aitkin County.

Hmmm...you were invited to go bear hunting recently in an area that requires you to draw a bear tag...you give us the impression you had no intention of bear hunting until you were invited.

To be honest this sounds fishy.

I misread the county map I was looking at and it's Pine county (no-quota zone, no lottery). My bad. You are correct I had no intention to go bear hunting this year until invited, but it's been on my "list" so I'm taking the opportunity.

Can you still take 2 bears in the no quota zone..

Haven't looked at the regs for MN in a While.

quote:

Originally posted by AnotherAZWriter:

quote:

Originally posted by Evan K.:
Thanks again for more good responses!

quote:

Originally posted by AnotherAZWriter:
Where are you hunting in Minnesota? What area?

Aitkin County.

Hmmm...you were invited to go bear hunting recently in an area that requires you to draw a bear tag...you give us the impression you had no intention of bear hunting until you were invited.

To be honest this sounds fishy.

To be honest the zone could have had left over tags.

That is true, but they go on sale Aug 6 - and I am guessing they don't last long. I would have expected him to say that.

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:
Can you still take 2 bears in the no quota zone..

Yes.