Any NC black bear hunters here?

[Lowg08]

They offer for Daniel Boone and mt. Mitchell. It’s only for 3 days at a time

 

[Rokbar]

North Carolina offers special permit draws for bear sanctuaries. I will trying to get one this year. I have gotten them in the past. These permits make still hunting allot better. Draw closes the 1st of sept

I looked the info up on those sanctuary hunts. Id forgotten about those. Believe there only for Daniel Boone and Mitchell Sanctuaries. I wish the NCWC would just open all the sanctuaries up as we're overrun with bears.

 

[Lowg08]

We honestly really need 2 tags or buy a second after filling the first. I’m putting in for Daniel Boone this year. I found tons of sign in Daniel Boone last year. Hopefully I can take a big boar this year

 

[timekiller13]

There are a handful of places in western NC where you could spot and stalk some black bears. Most of the western NC public land is big woods and visibility is only decent and not that conducive to long range spot and stalk. There are few high mountain balds that could be productive for long range stuff. Back in college, I spent a lot of time around Asheville/Black Mountain/7 sister range area stalking deer and bear. There some places there we you could potentially spot bears up to a mile away, once the leaves are off. We tried, very unsuccessfully, to spot and stalk them with a bow many times. There were some kudzoo patches that the bears liked to hang out in, but getting in bow range was difficult. In fact, I never got within bow range of any bear. But I was young and dumb and really had very little clue as to what I was doing.

As for the coastal bears, there is a much higher density and the bears down there tend to be much larger. But, hunting them on public land down there would be a chore. Those pocosin swamps are NASTY, THICK, full of mosquitoes, snakes and many other biting critters. And visibility is about 10 yds or less in most places. You may have better luck just driving around and knocking on a farmers door and see if they would let you set up over one of their fields, wave a little cash in their face. You can drive through Washington, Tyrell, Hyde and Dare counties in the evenings and see 50-60 bears in just an hour or two, standing out in the fields. This past year, while driving to the Outer Banks, we counted 35 bears in a 15 mile stretch on Hwy 264. But, be aware that many of those private parcels are probably already leased up by deer hunting groups or bear hunting groups. You may be able to find a smaller farm that hasn't been leased up yet.

 

[stumpknocker]

There are a handful of places in western NC where you could spot and stalk some black bears. Most of the western NC public land is big woods and visibility is only decent and not that conducive to long range spot and stalk. There are few high mountain balds that could be productive for long range stuff. Back in college, I spent a lot of time around Asheville/Black Mountain/7 sister range area stalking deer and bear. There some places there we you could potentially spot bears up to a mile away, once the leaves are off. We tried, very unsuccessfully, to spot and stalk them with a bow many times. There were some kudzoo patches that the bears liked to hang out in, but getting in bow range was difficult. In fact, I never got within bow range of any bear. But I was young and dumb and really had very little clue as to what I was doing.

As for the coastal bears, there is a much higher density and the bears down there tend to be much larger. But, hunting them on public land down there would be a chore. Those pocosin swamps are NASTY, THICK, full of mosquitoes, snakes and many other biting critters. And visibility is about 10 yds or less in most places. You may have better luck just driving around and knocking on a farmers door and see if they would let you set up over one of their fields, wave a little cash in their face. You can drive through Washington, Tyrell, Hyde and Dare counties in the evenings and see 50-60 bears in just an hour or two, standing out in the fields. This past year, while driving to the Outer Banks, we counted 35 bears in a 15 mile stretch on Hwy 264. But, be aware that many of those private parcels are probably already leased up by deer hunting groups or bear hunting groups. You may be able to find a smaller farm that hasn't been leased up yet.

Spot on about the spot-stalk opportunities in Western NC... hiking around that area I could see plenty potential.

Little different terrain but I've done a bit of that in our weeklong season in Upstate SC. No balds, but burns and powerlines in the vast national forests around Lake Jocassee. I like to find areas where saddles meet creeks meet powerlines. Spotted 2 last year between 4-600 yards that got lost on me during a stalk. Would be an interesting application for a long range rig.. need to pay off em school loans first.

 

[KHNC]

I killed one in Henderson county last year without dogs. First two weeks you can bait before dog season opens. Had a corn pile but the bear ignored it the day i killed it. Several different bears had been hitting it at night. The one i killed was wandering through on a ridgetop trail.

 

[Squatch89]

Check out Bladen Co. Big bears..