Trailcam pics

[SwampCat]

Bears are expanding in my home state of Arkansas. It is a management success story that our G&F is quick to tout, but it is an animal almost no one wants on their property. A lot of people like bears - as long as they are on someone else’s land. Kind of like gators - lot of folks that dont live with them think they are cool to see - but would you really want one in you pond where your dogs swim and grand kids fish?

I would not want hunting land in bear or wolf country.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Bears are expanding in my home state of Arkansas. It is a management success story that our G&F is quick to tout, but it is an animal almost no one wants on their property. A lot of people like bears - as long as they are on someone else’s land. Kind of like gators - lot of folks that dont live with them think they are cool to see - but would you really want one in you pond where your dogs swim and grand kids fish?

I would not want hunting land in bear or wolf country.

Bears are no fun to have around, I can tell you. They do a lot of damage, even when it's not for food. Curiosity, play, reaching/stretching - and for food. A neighboring camp on our mountain had a bear tear the lid off a big outdoor chest freezer, hinges and all, to get to an empty hot dog wrapper left in it from the previous hunting season. Nothing else in that freezer! We had numerous things damaged at our own camp over the years, including an underground heavy-walled poly water line. Backhoe service needed to replace that fiasco. Best time see a bear for us ...... in our crosshairs.

Feelslikefar - Good video of that bear. Thanks for posting.

 

[Feelslikefar.]

Never seen a live bear when I wasn't driving, not sure I care to. I've gone back and forth over the years. Used to have zero interest in shooting a bear. Then one tore a giant hole in the side of the cabin, did huge amounts of damage, not just to the structure but things inside. Then I changed to "I'll kill every bear I lay my eyes on!" Gone back and forth a few times. Not sure where I am now, it'd probably be a game time decision. Frankly that's how all my deer hunting has ever been... "Do I really want to shoot this thing?" For many years the answer was usually no and I didn't.
I can usually tell when bears have been about, things in the yard turned over. My nephew, while not young, is still a fairly new hunter and still in the "killer" phase, I have no doubt he'd shoot a bear in a second. So I have no doubt eventually I'll be trying to get one out of the woods whether I shoot one or not.

 

[West_Fork]

Never seen a live bear when I wasn't driving, not sure I care to. I've gone back and forth over the years. Used to have zero interest in shooting a bear. Then one tore a giant hole in the side of the cabin, did huge amounts of damage, not just to the structure but things inside. Then I changed to "I'll kill every bear I lay my eyes on!" Gone back and forth a few times. Not sure where I am now, it'd probably be a game time decision. Frankly that's how all my deer hunting has ever been... "Do I really want to shoot this thing?" For many years the answer was usually no and I didn't.
I can usually tell when bears have been about, things in the yard turned over. My nephew, while not young, is still a fairly new hunter and still in the "killer" phase, I have no doubt he'd shoot a bear in a second. So I have no doubt eventually I'll be trying to get one out of the woods whether I shoot one or not.

That's me too. Whenever I get an animal in the sights I listen for that small voice to say yes or no before I pull the trigger. Proximity to a road is always a factor, but my gut and tying to listen to God is what makes the decision. I am struggling right now in turning the cat hunters loose to reduce the cougars. I like the big cats, but when you get threes and twos on camera, it seems a bit much.

I did have a bear years ago bust the window on a trailer trying to get to the cinnamon bears I left on table. That's ironic. Maybe I should bust in his den and look for some sour patch kids?

Anyone have an opinion on what might be going on with this deer?

 

[Feelslikefar.]

Cat damage?

 

[West_Fork]

Cat damage?

Or maybe it just ruffled its feathers? Or maybe browsing in some wet veg? I think its nothing other than my cwd paranoia. I am not wearing an N95 mask in the forest yet....



.

 

[Turkey Creek]

Some goofy stuff lately! I have this camera set on interval during prime time. Not sure if I got lucky and the bird just landed as the picture took or the shadow may have triggered the camera. Second picture bird shadow is perched on the camera.

 

[bwoods11]

Date is off, beans are getting hit in WC MN …

 

[Feelslikefar.]

This is a BIG rack for my little hill. Technically it's a six pointer. Though it could just be one on one side and three on the other. lol

Once a year we'll get pics of a roaming buck who'll wander in during the rut, that most folks on here would say is a good start, or would be nice in another 3-4 years, but for here they're monsters. We don't get big bucks, or at least big racks.



I guess it's multi factor, no Ag, not particularly high deer density, not lots of competition and adjacent to 1300 acres of state forrest and the orange army.

 

[Feelslikefar.]

 

[Feelslikefar.]

Sure, after I post all that he shows up today with some slightly more respectable friends. lol



I'm surprised all the activity I'm getting on that camera. Making me think setting up a blind down the bottom or up on top. Though I know sitting there watching that narrow strip would get mind numbingly boring. And for a narrow two track path you need to be ready to go and always watching. They likely won't be standing around eating there come November. Also it's close to the cabin. I'm always curious how us being there effects them. Yard full of stinky cars, cabin full of stinky people, kerosene smell whichever way the wind is blowing. I've always been surprised how far away I CAN SMELL it, they've got to be able to smell it for miles.

 

[BenA]

I like big 8s

 

[Howboutthemdawgs]

Love them!

 

[Turkey Creek]

There was a Big 8 that was blind in one eye the Fall we bought our farm. Did not get to hunt much that year and never saw him again after that year. He was definitely on my hit list.

 

[SwampCat]

Starting to shed their velvet

 

[Turkey Creek]

Do your Southern bucks follow the same antler pattern as our Northern ones? Not sure why that just crossed my mind. Since some portions of the south have a different rut time, thinking maybe they hold antlers longer? Maybe not? LOL

 

[SwampCat]

Do your Southern bucks follow the same antler pattern as our Northern ones? Not sure why that just crossed my mind. Since some portions of the south have a different rut time, thinking maybe they hold antlers longer? Maybe not? LOL

Our bucks usually shed mid to late Feb. I live in SW AR. Our rut is around second week in Nov. my son in law lives 120 miles due south in NW Louisiana and their rut is mid Dec. not sure when their bucks shed antlers

 

[Kdog]

The area I hunt in GA is similar to SC's, but the rut is really spread out here depending on what part of the state you are in.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

I've always been surprised how far away I CAN SMELL it, they've got to be able to smell it for miles.

Not trying to one-up you here, friend, - your post #891 - but I have a similar story. Might be eye-opening to some here - it was for me - and it taught me something.

I was in a stand overlooking a powerline, with fields slightly downslope from the powerline. I caught the smell of cigarette smoke on the breeze, but there was no one in sight, and I could see for about 500 yards, which was about the far edge of those fields from where my stand was. I kept smelling that cigarette smoke, and eventually a guy came walking out of the woods on the far side of those fields. I could see him exhale smoke as he stood there at the field edge, 500 yards away. If I could smell his smoke at that distance, I can only imagine how far a deer can pick us up in those mega-noses they have!

 

[West_Fork]