Arkansas Hunting banner
Cancel
Create thread New Forums

2025 Arkansas Black Bear - sucked into it again

2 reading
Jump to Latest
481 - 500 of 514 Posts
#481 ·
Little bit of misunderstanding going on here. First, @Kodiac was referencing the early youth gun season. In most bear zones the youth deer season coincides with the youth bear season. The zones with the lowest total quota this isn’t the case. Female bears enter dens earlier than males, and it’s a common practice to push seasons back to encourage harvest of male bears. That could be the case in the Arkansas bear zones with the lowest quotas. That’s probably giving AGFC more credit than they deserve tho. Even in states as far North as Pennsylvania, they hold modern gun bear season in Nov like most of Arkansas and kill a substantial number of bears at that time. Bears don’t enter dens until late Nov in most places.
 
#482 · (Edited)
stealthycat said:
how many days of hunting did you get in ?
Click to expand...
A Week.Hunted parts of every Day.Mostly mornings and Evenings..I spooked Them..Spent to much time around my bait site..and Acorns, Persimmons started falling..We have tons of Persimmons " old cotton Fields"Two bear dens we know of..
Still learning this Game..Hunted yesterday evening and this Morning.
Hunting a Bluff just above a Creek.." Wild cat hollow "
Good Hunting 👍 👍
 
Discussion starter · #483 ·
arkrem870 said:
That’s fake news if I’ve ever read it. Timing season with acorns falling sucks. Quota is nowhere near filled and likely won’t be. Was the same situation last year. Later season seems to increase young bear and sow harvest as they seem to hang around the baits longer after the acorns fall. Fewer bear coming to baits means less picky hunters.
Click to expand...
do you have proof of that ?
 
#484 ·
arkrem870 said:
That’s fake news if I’ve ever read it. Timing season with acorns falling sucks. Quota is nowhere near filled and likely won’t be. Was the same situation last year. Later season seems to increase young bear and sow harvest as they seem to hang around the baits longer after the acorns fall. Fewer bear coming to baits means less picky hunters.
Click to expand...
Start early like every one else..
 
#485 ·
K-Mo said:
Little bit of misunderstanding going on here. First, @Kodiac was referencing the early youth gun season. In most bear zones the youth deer season coincides with the youth bear season. The zones with the lowest total quota this isn’t the case. Female bears enter dens earlier than males, and it’s a common practice to push seasons back to encourage harvest of male bears. That could be the case in the Arkansas bear zones with the lowest quotas. That’s probably giving AGFC more credit than they deserve tho. Even in states as far North as Pennsylvania, they hold modern gun bear season in Nov like most of Arkansas and kill a substantial number of bears at that time. Bears don’t enter dens until late Nov in most places.
Click to expand...
He’s right about later season dates are aimed at reducing sow harvest.
not all bears are going to den up and even when they do they leave the den at times during winter this far south. Sows will den earlier and stay all winter on the years they give birth, but I’ve seen bear tracks in January in the Ouachitas.
 
#488 ·
stealthycat said:
when they get sleepy ? 😁

google says "Arkansas black bears enter their dens for a period of dormancy, or "winter torpor," from late November/early December to March/April, with pregnant females staying in the den the longest. The exact timing depends on food availability and temperature, with males typically entering and exiting dens earlier than females. Although this period is often called hibernation, it is technically a less profound state of torpor, allowing bears to awaken if disturbed "

the above is pretty correct - I don't get bears on cameras really after Nov 1st that I can remember
Click to expand...
Season starts Dec. 20, after they get sleepy. :)
 
#496 ·
K-Mo said:
Most on here will shoot first legal deer! Poor ole bears have a rough way to go! At least most guys won’t shoot a deer and leave it laying. Not sure the same is true for bears….
Click to expand...
Lot of folks in AR shoot the first bear they see - anytime, anywhere. Up where I used to bear hunt, guy told me he had seen a lot of dead bears - mine was first legal one he had seen. He said it looked just like an illegal bear. I dang sure dont want a bear on my ground.
 
#498 ·
Bear activity for my one target cinnamon bear kicked back up this week with multiple showings each day. (after over a week no-show during opening). So I rebaited yesterday and sat today. Connected about 5pm (Van Buren)! Took my first cinnamon and first harvest with a bow (not crossbow). I am happy and just got in from all the work. :)
 
#499 ·
conway400 said:
Bear activity for my one target cinnamon bear kicked back up this week with multiple showings each day. (after over a week no-show during opening). So I rebaited yesterday and sat today. Connected about 5pm (Van Buren)! Took my first cinnamon and first harvest with a bow (not crossbow). I am happy and just got in from all the work. :)
Click to expand...
That’s great Conway. We’re going to need some pictures.
 
481 - 500 of 514 Posts
About this Discussion
513 Replies
34 Participants
Last post:
K-Mo
Arkansas Hunting
posts
4M
members
37K
Since
2003
A forum community dedicated to Arkansas hunters and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about optics, trails, clubs, gunsmithing, styles, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
Bowhunting Deer Hunting Member Classifieds Waterfowl Hunting Turkey Hunting