Arkansas Black Bear hunting

[Ihunt4food]

Just wondering if anyone here has hunted bear in Arkansas
And had any success ? I know some folks have success because
Some years they shut the season down quickly because of the
Quotas being filled early.

Thanks in advance

 

[Marbles]

I'm not of much help. The one person I know who hunted them used bait in the Syllamo Wilderness area. As for me, I have covered a lot of ground in the Ozarks, seen foxes, bobcats, coyotes, and measured five inch cat tracks (some people say mountain lions are still out there) but I have never seen any bear sign or bears and don't know many people who have.

 

[GreenNDark Timber]

I've hunted them quite a bit and taken one with my bow. Baiting is only legal on private land and that's how a vast majority of the bears are taken. Taking one on public land by spot and stalk or hunting a natural food source is an extremely challenging hunt, but guys do it successfully. I just saw a very nice bear during turkey season in the Ozark National Forrest and was able to sneak within 25 yds of him. Had it been bow season it would have been an easy shot.

Since we only have a fall season (typically starting around the first of Oct) success fluctuates each year depending on when the acorns drop. Once the acorns fall the bears seem to abandon bait sites for the most part and are much harder to kill. On years when we have a poor acorn crop or they drop after the season opener, the quota usually gets filled much quicker than years with a great acorn crop or an early drop.

 

[rayporter]

i have seen a couple on public land but they would be hard to hunt.

one guy i know does a lot of outdoor cooking and has had to shoot 2 off his porch

 

[Ihunt4food]

Thanks guys

 

[Pathfinder27]

I never killed a bear or even actively hunted them growing up in Arkansas but we used to run into them all the time at Whiterock in NWA. We’ve had several get into camp at night over the years and one are the seat off of my dad’s 4wheeler when it was in the bed of his truck so they’re there.

 

[Parkercox77]

I never killed a bear or even actively hunted them growing up in Arkansas but we used to run into them all the time at Whiterock in NWA. We’ve had several get into camp at night over the years and one are the seat off of my dad’s 4wheeler when it was in the bed of his truck so they’re there.

My buddy just moved to Rogers, how is the deer population at whiterock?