# Bear Baiting in Ga.  What's your opinion?



## Etter2 (Aug 27, 2011)

The bear population is obviously still on the rise.  A bear was just spotted in Country Club of the South today.  Would you be opposed or in favor of a spring (late may/june) bear baiting permit that was maybe available by lottery like the quota hunts?

I don't want this to get a baiting thread started.  I've personally been to canada 15 times to hunt bears over bait and have loved every minute of it.  Heck, I like running baits and setting new ones as much as hunting.  I'd love to be able to do that here every few years.  I can't really see any problems with it.


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## benosmose (Aug 27, 2011)

Heck no i like to have bears to hunt.I dont think we have enough to support a bunch of people killing one.I know they are easy to bait and every one would want to do it.Just my opinion though and personally i have hunted them over bait and freerange in montana and i like to spot and stalk better it makes me feel more like im hunting.


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## Unicoidawg (Aug 27, 2011)

no....


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## JayTee (Aug 27, 2011)

I've watched a few of those shows where they shoot a big bruin eatin  twinkies out of a barrel. To me that just aint huntin.
So I vote no.


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## Etter2 (Aug 27, 2011)

JayTee said:


> I've watched a few of those shows where they shoot a big bruin eatin  twinkies out of a barrel. To me that just aint huntin.
> So I vote no.



This thread was started looking at the biological aspect of the hunt, not a personal opinion on baiting.  It's no different than shooting a deer in a food plot, so let's look at it scientifically as management of the population.  It is obvious that the rising bear population is hurting the deer in the mountains.


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## tee p (Aug 27, 2011)

is a deer more important than a bear?  I'm not a biologist and i don't know how to decrease bear population but feeding bears is a bad idea, especially in populated areas such as north georgia


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## Etter2 (Aug 27, 2011)

tee p said:


> is a deer more important than a bear?  I'm not a biologist and i don't know how to decrease bear population but feeding bears is a bad idea, especially in populated areas such as north georgia



Bear baiting is succesfully done in areas much more populated than the north ga mtns


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## JayTee (Aug 27, 2011)

I must've miss-read your post title. If you don't want opinions why ask?


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## bullsprig1100 (Aug 28, 2011)

My opinion is the same for bear as it is for deer, and for the same reasons. I vote 'No'.


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## feathersnantlers (Aug 28, 2011)

*biologically speaking*

why do you need to bait?

To me baiting bears is like shooting cows, they hear the 4 wheeler and come running like pavlov's dog to a bell.


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## GA DAWG (Aug 28, 2011)

Im with ya Etter. Let's bait em!!


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## Etter2 (Aug 28, 2011)

Perhaps we don't need to bait them, but wouldn't most people agree that traditional hunting methods are not adequately keeping this population in check?  Bear numbers continue to rise and the state seems to want them whittled down a bit.  I love bears and don't mind having them in the mountains, but If I did live up there, it would likely bother me to see the deer populations continue to dwindle in many areas.  

I absolutely love running baits and hunting them that way.  If that's not your cup of tea, that's fine, but it's definitely not as easy as most people who have never done it think.


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## feathersnantlers (Aug 29, 2011)

*Personally*

If its privately owned real estate I have no problem with anyone doing what they will long as it doesn't affect your neighbor. Say like a meth lab. 

I dont like how it affects the wildlife.


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## Marlin_444 (Aug 29, 2011)

Put on some boots and load up your weapon then head into the hills.  
No bait needed. 

*V*


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## ranger374 (Aug 31, 2011)

Etter2 said:


> This thread was started looking at the biological aspect of the hunt, not a personal opinion on baiting.  It's no different than shooting a deer in a food plot, so let's look at it scientifically as management of the population.  It is obvious that the rising bear population is hurting the deer in the mountains.



from a biological standpoint, i don't think the bear are as detrimental to the deer population as the idiots in washington are.  The stopped any timber management on national forest lands, which in timber harvesting--by performing managed cuts--or storm/drought damage cuts to harvest timber--which provided different habitats and browse for deer and cover for other animals.  by having just"old growth" forest, when the deer consume most of the browse and there is little cover that they need for raising their young it makes the population more vunerable.

as far as baiting bear, my vote would be no--even though i have yet to harvest a bear--which i have been trying to do(hopefully in a few weeks!!).  it just seems to take the thrill out of actually finding a bear and using actual hunting skills to harvest the bear.  

as the bear population increases, i think you will find that more people will start hunting them--if they think they will actually be able to see and shoot one.  which will possible in turn keep the population in check.


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## Throwback (Aug 31, 2011)

no


t


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## quackman (Sep 1, 2011)

It is obvious that the rising bear population is hurting the deer in the mountains. How do you know this do you have data to back this up or is this what you assume? Bait is not hunting IMO it is shooting and makes a big difference, IMO this give anti- hunters more ammo to blast us with, if you do not posses the skills to scout and locate a deer or bear, spend the time trying to pattern it then take it, why even go in the woods? Bears spend all day trying to fill up there stomach and as a lot of you already know will not leave a feeder or bait pile until it is all gone and continue to come back !! Where are hunter's ethics headed....... No No NO on bait period.


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## Sterlo58 (Sep 1, 2011)

Never had the urge to shoot a bear. Tried eatin' it a few times. Just not crazy bout bear meat.


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## gacowboy (Sep 1, 2011)

Same stance for both Bear and Deer= NO


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## GaryD (Sep 1, 2011)

yes, in limited use


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## FMBear (Sep 1, 2011)

I would vote no.  I've tried a hunt over baits in Maine years back.  While my father got a nice 300+ lb bear, it never seemed like a hunt.  We had a better time trout fishing the lakes and streams together in the morning.  I'll admit that the thick forests of Maine and up into Canada make it a lot easier to get lost trying to still hunt for them, making baiting a safer choice from a guides standpoint.  However, the ridges and hardwoods of North Georgia offer much more opportunity to see plenty of game.

I have been bow hunting bears in North Georgia for 4 years now and have had FUN still hunting the creeks & ridges and spot and stalking the bears.  I've had bear from 7 yards in dense autumn olive stands to them circling my location at 40 and 50 yards.  While I haven't had a chance to send an arrow their way, I never want to just sit for hours on end just looking at a bait again.


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## j_seph (Sep 1, 2011)

Etter2 said:


> Perhaps we don't need to bait them, *but wouldn't most people agree that traditional hunting methods are not adequately keeping this population in check? * Bear numbers continue to rise and the state seems to want them whittled down a bit.  I love bears and don't mind having them in the mountains, but If I did live up there, it would likely bother me to see the deer populations continue to dwindle in many areas.
> 
> I absolutely love running baits and hunting them that way.  If that's not your cup of tea, that's fine, but it's definitely not as easy as most people who have never done it think.


Maybe that is the reason they raised the limit to 2 bears this year.


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## GA DAWG (Sep 1, 2011)

j_seph said:


> Maybe that is the reason they raised the limit to 2 bears this year.


They better raise it to 5 if we wanna ever see anymore deer in the mountains! You can not go in the woods without seeing bear sign right now. Beats anything I ever saw. Still I prolly want be able to kill one but I probably could with bait Personally. I'd like to run one with dogs and tree it and shoot it out. I also think north ga could handle that. Maybe not a free for all but put some kind of quota on it.  It would take a tough son of a gun to follow a hound after a bear in the north ga mountains


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## Etter2 (Sep 2, 2011)

Well I guess most everybody disagrees with me.  I am not a whack em and stack em hunter in the least.  In fact, I've taken up the recurve this year and doubt I will carry a rifle much at all.   Bear baiting probably seems like a joke to anybody who just heads to canada, sits over a barrel and shoots a bear but that's not how I've ever done it.

We showed up at a fishing lodge with thousands of pounds of bait we'd gathered ourselves and ran hundreds of miles of baits every day.  I doubt most people have the gumption to do that kind of work.  I've been there fifteen times and shot 6 bears without ever passing up a small one.  Good luck everybody.  And for the guy who asked about bear predation of deer, just google it.  There have been hundreds of studies on it.  Read some pennsylvania studies.

I'm glad I know how most people stand on it even if I don't agree with it.  I don't agree with baiting for deer either and I guess mostly people have the same argument as me.  Great to be able to share opinions without personall attacks thrown in


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## iowa-boy (Sep 5, 2011)

tee p said:


> is a deer more important than a bear?  I'm not a biologist and i don't know how to decrease bear population but feeding bears is a bad idea, especially in populated areas such as north georgia



baited or unbaited bear hunting is dangerous in any area or situation.  ive been on baited hunts in Minnesota many years and have seen bears some years and maybe a couple on others.  it not how its done , its how its regulated. i can see a regulated fall hunt. a spring hunt is hard unless you know which is which. not all times in the sping does a sow have little ones in tow. this is my second year hunting bears in the mountains and i have to say it is just as much fun as a baited hunt.


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## Mopey (Sep 8, 2011)

Um NO. They call it hunting for a reason, anyone can bait a bear and kill it because they think with their stomach this time of the year. Do the leg work and find the food and you will kill a bear. It's not like it's that hard if you are willing to SCOUT. IMO


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## The Arrow Guru (Sep 8, 2011)

I think that the baited bear stand has it's place and in Canada and places like Maine its done successfully. However here in Georgia I can see them maybe letting bear baiting on private land, but just like deer it would be banned from public land. In my reading, most all bear hunting in Georgia is done on public land. Maybe more access, and opening up more counties for bear harvest. I mean what is the harm in opening more of the southern counties in the northern zone? There are bear in Tallefiaro county, seen on trail cams. Would shooting a bear in that county really hurt any thing? In know in the grand shceme it would really dent the population. Just my 2 cents.


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## Fire Eater (Sep 24, 2011)

I am not hunting bears but have had three come into my stand in the last two weeks; I think that they were attracted to the sweet-smelling home-brewed deer lure that I was using. This morning's visitor did not really want to leave...pics from the tree to follow of him staring up at me as if begging for a cracker like my basset hound. I am not seeing lots of deer sign around this bear-heavy area.


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## barehunter26 (Sep 28, 2011)

Would rather see them open up a short dogging season to thin them out.  That's more traditional than baiting in the south.


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## rivercritter (Sep 29, 2011)

im with barehunter26. i got my tennesse permit this year cant wait for the hunt saturday. im affaid if they did it might really hurt the population i dont know at leest they let u train ur dogs here and it offers great trainin opertunitys.


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## Unicoidawg (Sep 29, 2011)

rivercritter said:


> im with barehunter26. i got my tennesse permit this year cant wait for the hunt saturday. im affaid if they did it might really hurt the population i dont know at leest they let u train ur dogs here and it offers great trainin opertunitys.



and there is a WHOLE other thread discussing that subject. I don't think it should be allowed, but thats just my opinion.


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## rivercritter (Sep 29, 2011)

what is ur opinion on the training season unidawg?


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## Unicoidawg (Sep 29, 2011)

rivercritter said:


> what is ur opinion on the training season unidawg?



Don't think it should be allowed either. It is nothing short of hunting minus the act of shooting. If it is legal to train with dogs it should be legal to hunt with them too. One or the other in my opinion...... But it is what it is.....


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## birddog52 (Sep 29, 2011)

I agree North Ga needs a limited dog bear season even on some wmas Rich Mtn Cohutta etc make it a quota deal and only allow according size area  5 groups 10 dog max for 2 days and rotate let some other groups come in  (NO LIMIT ON HOGS) we will never see many deer back in Mtns until some timber cutting and the hog problem taken care of is my opinion spend alot of time in Mtns see more hogs and bears than deer and turkeys now.


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## JohnK (Sep 29, 2011)

My understanding from a recent "harvester" is that bear processing is $1.00 per pound. I think I'll pass.


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## Blueridge (Sep 29, 2011)

I'm against baiting for bear and deer.


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## JohnK (Oct 1, 2011)

Etter2 said:


> This thread was started looking at the biological aspect of the hunt, not a personal opinion on baiting.  It's no different than shooting a deer in a food plot, so let's look at it scientifically as management of the population.  It is obvious that the rising bear population is hurting the deer in the mountains.



That is not a fact, it's an opinion. Not a good start for a scientific study.


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## Etter2 (Oct 1, 2011)

JohnK said:


> That is not a fact, it's an opinion. Not a good start for a scientific study.



I didnt want to pass a law.  Just asking for opinions.  Un-cinch your panties.  Bear baiting is the way of the world in most states or provinces with a sustainable population.  You don't have to be for it.  Just wanted to know where georgians stood.  Now I know.  Everybody take a deep breath and go look for acorns.


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## Turkey Trax (Oct 1, 2011)

just go back to the place where you belong.


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