Leaving Bear Overnight

[bearslayer]

How long can a shot bear lay before being recovered and not have the animal go bad? Thinking of a situation where one is shot with a bow and not able to visably see animal go down or hear a death moan. I know it depends alot on how cool the weather is. Would the animal still be good if one got out there at crack of dawn to look for it? I know a guy should just man up and try to recover that night, Just kind of hesitant to go in after a wounded bear in the dark, especially if it's a big one.

[Muthagoose]

You want excitement follow one in the dark. Its not man up'n its being smart.. You dont have good blood ya might loose em, you might push off. Unless its gonna rain and ya like excitement .

Many bear are found next am and are fine.Temp is the whole thing.

Shot em with a bow couple times they actually don't go far IF you hit em good and remain quiet.

Prefer hunting mid to late sept,Nice and COOL.

[Boar]

I guesse I would'nt leave it overnight, revover it asap. bring a bear back up for tracking if any question about the shot, an back up is personal preference. I like to use either 12 gauge slug or 12 gauge with a 3 inch mag goose load. Get it ccoled down as quick as you can preserves the meat an hide. I've recovered deer in Nov. that have smelled bad the next morning. My 2 cents . Boar

[Muthagoose]

Quote:

or 12 gauge with a 3 inch mag goose load

NICE If your going to break the law at least use 00 buck...

Im not say it would be as good on the table either but worst case it would still be edible.

Most deer in Nov stink anyway let alone testosterone driven buck that ran or is gut shot. Even the does up here smell like litter boxes that time of year...

Its why I have switched to using the big gun's and put them down NOW. Slug gun is perfect,some big bores like 45-70 with a 300 gr hollow point a subsonic dump truck is another. Monster entrance and exit hole's,huge impact and a blood trail a clown could follow.....

Bows do the job just fine its almost scary at times watching bear hunch up and turn to see what bit them IF you stay quiet..

I must be bored waiting for Wednesday to get here.

[charliepete]

I wouldn't leave one over night in the woods in September if I could help it. I had one get some bone rot overight while hanging in a meat cooler with the hide on. Never again, I get them skun and quartered and fool around with the rest of the butchering the next morning.

I've tracked a wounded bear at night. I use OO buck shot. I know that it wasn't legal, but I'd rather be around to pay the ticket.

[Muthagoose]

I agree for up close A much better "upclose follow up" load than a slug for sure and it is a free country.Fine cant be that bad Safety first......

Quicker the process the better for sure.

I will be on the road tomorrow this time HEADING OUT....

[winterwalleye]

muthagoose can't be baiting tommorow yet only starts on the 14th.

[bogwalker]

Bear meat spoils very quickly. They are much easier to track at night with a good light. Blood shows up at night where it may be easily missed in daylight. I occasionally track wounded bear for other hunters and it is rare to find a bear the next day that still has edible meat. My opinion is that if you are not able to handle tracking a wounded bear at night you should not be hunting them. Calm down before taking your shot, use a weapon suitable for taking heavy muscled thick boned big game and make your 1 shot count passing on any questionable shots. Your weapon should be able to make a good wound channel and a good exit hole.

[Muthagoose]

. Ill be scouting,fishing,drinking a beer on the deck over looking the lake for the next 2 days.

Hahahahahahaha

While some of you will be here typing and wishing.

Have all fall OFF and a wife that tells me to get out of her hair!!

"""""""""""gotta love it"""""""""""""""""

Walleye I'm the last guy you ever need to inform about the rules.But thanks anyway,been hunting bear since 77 without a violation.

Have fun I will be SOON.......

[motley man]

I agree with other posts, try to recover as soon as possible. The hide holds the heat in and it can spoil quickly in September. I always have tracking light's in truck or ATV. Headlamp, hand held floodlight, Maglight, and mini Maglight, EXTRA Batteries. I carry lights in if I'm hunting evenings. I try to have a hunting partner with radio and check in after dark or call on cell for help to track after dark. Haven't used tracking lights for blood trail that are advertized, if anyone has give a word on them. Try to listen closely after shot for direction and they don't always give death groan.

[Muthagoose]

Had fair luck with colemans....

I aint saying to not go after em in the dark. Dont jump out of the tree and go running after em..LOL

Give em a bit of time.

Its why I crush,peel and qtr before they get all rigor stiff.

Only had one sit out over night since 77.

Just keep in mind that on a follow up

Some people cant shoot so you cant always be sure they hit good and during the excitement they shoot even WORSE.

Its a blast hunting with Newbies/next day experts..

I am so bored. Waiting till evening for the last client. May even leave tonight,could be fishing in the AM. Hummmmmmmmmmm

[bogwalker]

I have not tried the blood tracking lights. I did purchase a $200 heat sensing unit for locating animals by their body heat. It does not work. I do have an interesting photo if I could figure out how to post it!

[luckey]

Even in cold weather a downed bear laying on the ground will most likely be spoiled by morning. Remember, you kill it around 7:00 PM, start a search around 8 AM find the bear by 9 get it field dressed by 10 out to the truck by 11, pictures and hauling it to processing. No way would I want to go near that meat.

[Boar]

I realize that in MN you can only take big game with a single projectile, that is my first intention always. Not trying to influence anyone to cross the line. I prefer something that will shred thick hide,fat, muscle, bone in close quarters. Boar

[superbee]

If you don't want the bear to spoil, you basically have to get it that night. I never let them go overnight. Give them some time to expire before rushing out. If it is dead, it won't be to far away from the bait site. If you track them a long ways, odds are they will be alive when you come up on them. Then the excitement comes. Shooting bears in low light conditions is a rush. Its best to have someone with, but I only like 1 gun,it could be bad if the guy in the back got to excited. 12 gauge with slugs has worked great on a dozen or so in very close situations and stopped immediately. At 10 feet or less, that's a jolt. Just try to do it safely and remeber to listen along with looking for blood, I have realized I was close when I could hear gurgling.

[Swap Buck]

Superbee,

Do you track a bear by alone or always part of a group? I will be hunting alone as well as part of a group. It just depends on what weekend. I will be shooting a bow this year so I'm sure Mr. bear will be going back into the swamp a little ways. Already have 5-6 bears coming in. I'll have pic's up Tuesday or Wednesday.

[leech~~]

Try and get them out of the woods that time of year ASAP. We had two go bad even when we cooled them down over night. If you go tracking in the dark, bring some refletive tacks or tags to put on trees or leave one guy back where you started from to yell to, or use a GPS. We got pretty lost twice following Bears into the swumps. One time the only way we found or way back is because we could smell our bait, the other time we had a guy stay back to yell to. One other thing I had a taxidermist say if you don't cool down the hide also, it can get hair slip which then can't be tanned for mounting.

[superbee]

I have tracked them alone and with a group. It is definately safer with at least one other person. I wouldn't be concerned following it for 150-200 yds alone. If it goes past that, then it is usually a good chase and then I reccommend someone being with you. Remember safety first, the meat takes a back seat. The hide will more than likely be fine in the morning. If they aren't dead close by, good chance they are just wounded and still alive. So if you assess the situation after following them aways, you will know what to do.