hey gang,
I went looking for bears this past saturday. I didn't see much in the way of scat in my hunting areas yet. It's still early and I know they'll come soon enough. I did see a few piles, but not enough in one area to warrent a hunt. I got to wondering, how can you tell how long ago the scat was left. Living in the very wet portion of the state scat stays moist a long long time. So that doesn't help. Right now the bears are all eating grass, and you can see it in the scat. I did see some scat that seemed to be well formed and others that were all run together more like a cow patty, and I wondered if this wasn't "old" scat that had lost it's "defanition" due to rain and wet. What you do more experiance bear hunters say?
Derek
I think you stick your finger down in it, push it around, then sniff. That's the way I've seen Uncle Barry do it and that's good enough for me!
The other way is kind of what Ray said, but instead of smelling it you get a little bit and taste it, if it taste like fresh grass, its fresh, if it taste like old grass, well you get the picture.
Hope these words of advice help :thumbsup:
>>>Tim------->
yeah I was kinda hoping for some other way. Sticking my finger in bear poop and tasting it, is well, so NOT sexy. *shiver* blah! But I hear it's great for the complexion, you all should rub some on your faces after sticking your finger in it. :smileystooges:
We look at the shine on the Brass Bells..Then we test how pungent the smell of pepper is.
Real Shiny Bells.....Strong Pepper odor....REAL FRESH :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Iron Bull...we don't have THOSE kind of bears here. Just the little black ones. :p
Actually Bard...The contents of the Scat should be a very good indicator as to the freshness. Early bear would be looser, greener, very little if any hair. An progress from there. I don't have your issues here, If I see it on the snow it's pretty fresh.
I mean more along the lines of how long ago that scat was left. an hour, a day, three days.
I know if it's steaming you should hunt, but I want to know be able to get an idea of how long ago it was left other then whether or not it's still warm.
If it has flies on it....its fresh....
If it has no flies on it its probably a day or two old....If it aint hardened yet.
If it is hard......then it aint fresh....
If it has mold on it, its old..
If it is chalky looking......it really old.
Least thats the way it seems to me in GA....your area maybe different.
no fly's around yet. Did have mesquitos though.
and it's like a rain forest in those hills this time a year. Nothing will get dry. Not till may.
your starting to catch my dilema?
Looks like I'm not having chocolate icecream for dessert tonight.
why ever not bentpole? :goldtooth:
Heh.....Terry has it. However, Grampa used to put a little in his lip like Copenhagen----looking for the taste of fresh grass......eww.
Jeff
CAn you smell it without having to touch it? Is it still shiny? CAn you get a whiff of bear from the ground? If you can, then you're in the right zip-code.
Since you don't want to taste it, I'll let you in on the last of my "great indian secrets"...If the Charmin is still fresh and fluffy and damp...its fresh, if you can start a fire with it, look else where!
CHA, CHA, Charmin!
Hope these "Great Words" of advice help!
>>>Tim------->
All that and then say "Good thing I didn't step in it".
Jeff
Derek
A bit different for me on the dry side of the state. As Vance said, I go by what their eating.
At the elevations I usally hunt they start on a small forb near springs that turns the scat a brite green. Later they go to the couse root that turns it black but not like the black they get from meat.
Prime time over here is when they hit the couse root. They spend a fair bit of time on the ridges in rocky spots digging it. Gives you time to size them up and put a stalk on them. If they get to much sun and go back into the timber, you can wait for them to finish a nap and come out again.
I can tell the age fairly close over here but I'd sure be lost on your side o the state.
And I thought that was just a old saying, do bears_ _ _ _ in the woods? I'm not to sure about the bears but you guys kill me :jumper:
Brent
Hey Derek
I spent a week one night in Roseburg, is that any where close to Rosebrug?
Brent
If the bear is still humped up, it's really fresh. Is it considered poor sportsmanship to shoot him before he's done?
Thanks for taking the question seriously Robin.
I am new to bear hunting still, and I don't know what they eat over here to start. Every one seems to think it's just the grass, but I am not so sure. The grass isn't so thick and healthy when they first come out. The few piles of scat I found were filled with all grass though, it's obvious by just looking at it. I don't know what they call the grass, but it's the thick green blade grass you see growing along the side of the gravel roads in the woods. I know as the days progress we'll start seeing more bear scat in and along the roads as they start eating more of the grass. The way I am hunting is to find an area with six or so piles in a 100 yards of road and then set up there. I try to see the bear first, then I call. It's really thick here, I don't like to call without knowing where the bear is.
I don't know about aging Bear crap. I do know Bears love Skunk Cabbage. I bet if you find a place where the Skunk Cabbage is coming up, you'll find Bears.
Oh good idfea Jerry! I do know what skunk cabbage looks, and smells like!
Sounds like your on track Derek. Let me know how your calling go's. I've got some bear sounds on a calling machine I'm wanting to test. I want to be watching the bear when I play the sounds.
Spotted my first bear tracks last week, going thru a patch of snow.
I helped a buddy from Tenn. get a big boar that was real high in Elev.. He was eating skunk cabbage, only one I've spotted doing it. It took me 3 days to talk my buddy into going after him, he thought the ground was to steep.
Heck I am so fired up to get a bear I'd have tied a rope around my waist and handed you the other and and said, "hold this." :goldtooth:
Derek in Jersey in the spring all you have to do is go in the woods with a box of jelly donuts or a pocket full of snickers bars. Sit down start eating bound to have some action. LOL
ONE OF THE WENSELS ONCE TOLD ME take a 16d nail put a line on it 1" from the point, insert the nail into the pile one inch at 45 degre angle count the seconds till it( the nail) falls and thats the age in days....
You could always have your hunt camp rookie taste test the scat piles for ya......LOL :scared:
Bard1,
Don't you just love this place...sometimes you get all the answers you didn't know you needed!
:thumbsup:
Gotta Love It!
>>>Tim------->
Don't know "how" to age it but what I'm wondering is "why?" Does it get any better with age? Like proscuito or a good wine? If so I'd probably salt it then smoke it.
:bigsmyl:
Good luck!
this was fresh enough to make us a bit uneasy. that's a 11 1/2 boot!!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v496/joevt/P1000543resized-2.jpg)
Fresh-
(http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e24/wapiteee/DSC00064.jpg)
I as with an old timer when we came upon a pile like the one in Joe vt's picture above. When I asked if it was fresh he replied, "if it was fresher it would be in the air".
Turdometer.
AAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!So they do poop in the woods !!!!I just knew it!!!!!!
Hmm. well that's almost helpfull I think.
I am heading out for bear agian this weekend. Hope to see more sign then I did last time out.
We've had a lot of days with both rain and sun, so that really gets the grass growing, and hopefully the bears out feeding on it.
If you start sliding in green muck, then, it'll prolly be pretty fresh.
Killdeer :thumbsup:
Some of what the 'scat' looks like depends on the bears diet; the photos show that; the first might be downing some dog food or bear bait; the second looks like the bear was feeding on choke cherries.
Bear scat dries from the outside in; so break it apart and see if its wetter or drier in the middle. If its consistantly wet its probably a fresh pile;if its dry -as it looks in the top picture above it probably is newer too- break the sections apart to find out if they are wet inside.
The same bear can have different looking scat; I will bait with popcorn and then dogfood; and check to see where the bears are - because the sudden change to dog food ( with grease on it)because the scat will be normally look looser; and light brown.
Meat eating bears will have dark scat more often than not.
If you want to see if the bears are watching you -and can legally bait; put whole oats in with other bait. Bears don't digest the oats and if you feed them oats ONE day; you can date the scat really easy.
Put a knuckle on it to see if its warm; if it is; get ready.
when baiting; the bears will go downwind and lay up; always there to scent you ( in a up and down area like Idaho); with wild berries and winter kill; they will do the same thing; so if you find bear scat; stop and look downwind.
When I stalk; I look for bears; but I have found more looking for bushes waving when the wind is not blowing. Bears like to lay on their back and strip off snow berries and other berries; and I have stalked up and tapped them on the nose with my bow tip.
Keep in mind my will states that I am to be cremated and my cremains to be mixed with honey and left where I bear hunt... what ever happened to Brian? "He's where the bears $hit in the woods".
Bears move really fast; I remember a study that showed the average bear traveled 40 yards in 2.5 seconds; so if they come after you either stand your ground and act bigger; or curl up and take your chewing. Your not going to have much time to do this- so keep an arrow on your string when your close- arrows don't penetrate well on an incoming shot; but often they will bite at the arrow - giving you time to nock another; or push your hunting buddy to the ground and take off running :bigsmyl:
It sounds like your spot and stalking; that might not end up with a high percentage total broadside shot. Might; might not. If you don't hear it crash or the death moan- mark the spot; and come back with someone that you can trust.
I track and the rule is the guy following immediately behind me has a shotgun and IF the bear charges; I yell "bear" and hit the ground flat- giving the shooter a safe area for the shot.
Sometimes bears will go a distance; and then turn back and lay up next to their blood trail.
So; keep looking off to the left and right too.
And the other thing that might happen is that other bears eat bears; and you can; and I have - been tracking a bear and got real close to a bear eating the dead bear that was hit.
I once was tracking a spring bear with my son; who thought he had killed the bear. He had not; he had given it a buzz cut and a sore area; and I found it as my coleman lantern was fizzing out.
It stood up in front of me at less than six feet; and I turned to see my son had his gun over his shoulder. I drew and fired my 6 shot .357 at it six times.
I used to be a competitive shooter with a revolver; in fact THAT revolver; and yet- at six feet I missed the bear twice of the six shots.
It was standing; and eye level to me; and I still missed twice- so really be careful - anyone can miss; and I proved it. It was a 6 1/2 foot 18 plus inch bear too.
When I stalk I like to do it when its really windy- in the fall the berries fall from the wind; and not only do the bears find berries on the open ground; but often drunk birds.
I move very slowly and on trails; and into the wind; and only go through noisy stuff when the wind blows hard.
Its really fun. You use eyes and nose for this sometimes more than anything; as bears can be so silent it is incredible.
Good luck; don't stick your finger into the scat; if the bear kills you; the coroner could rule that you stuck your finger where you shouldn't have: and the bear killed you.
That would NOT be a good 'goodbye story' for any hunter :campfire: :archer:
Brian...PRICELESS!! :thumbsup:
Quotedon't stick your finger into the scat; if the bear kills you; the coroner could rule that you stuck your finger where you shouldn't have: and the bear killed you.
good one :D
I think the coroner might just put, died from "lethal inspection" hold on this one stinks, to save the family "em bear ass ment"
:smileystooges: