# help for a new bear hunter?



## sgrantham (Jul 17, 2012)

ok i was wondering if ya'll could give me some tips on bear hunting. I'm from south ga. and i've never bear hunted but been wanting too. I couldn't talk any of my buddies into going to north ga. with me last year so thinking about coming up by myself this season. From what i've read cohutto would be a good place, but so far that's all i've got. I hunt wma's down here but never been to cohutto and havn't got a clue where to start there. I don't mind walking and scouting just not sure how much time i'll have and would like to spend the most time i can actually in the tree. i'm not asking for anyones spots just any info and points in the right direction i can get. Also any info ya'll feel would be helpful to somebody who's never bear hunted and doesn't know that area. Is it a good idea for me to come try and do this by myself? Guess all my buddies are happy in the swamps with the deer and while i love that myself i've always liked the mountains and really want to hunt a bear. Thanks in advance


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## FMBear (Jul 17, 2012)

The June issue of the GON brings up several good points.  If time is truly limited, as the article states, there's nothing wrong with scouting as you hunt.  Just be sure to review some good topo maps before entering the area.  The 3 items that are always with me are my compass, a GPS, and a broken in pair of boots.  Using your topo, find areas that have saddles and long ridge tops around 3000+ feet.  For bear hunting in GA, its best to be mobile.  Stand hunting works well when over bait in Maine or Canada, but still hunting works best in the mountains.  You can cover more ground and work in for a shot.

As for hunting by yourself, just hunt smart and have that compass and GPS.  Its easy to find your way out when you begin your hunt ascending the mountain to the ridge tops, as going back out down hill is easy to find your way back to the truck.  Plus, if you're successful, getting a bear out of the woods downhill is a feat you can accomplish on your own.

As for sign, just go into my photo album, as I've posted plenty of sign from scouting trips.

Good luck to you!


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## trial&error (Jul 17, 2012)

I recommend a serious workout regiment this summer as well as a camping trip just to show you the kind of terrain you'll be expecting.  It is rough and tough just to get to the ridge lines.   It's very physical.


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## base3448 (Jul 17, 2012)

PM Sent


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## sgrantham (Jul 29, 2012)

thanks guys


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## MarcusDean85 (Aug 3, 2012)

Hunting bears up here in the cohutta is a very good place to start. Been going 5 years now and see bear dang near everytime. Did some calling for one last time and had a big one sneak 30' up behind me. Scary event when your on the ground with a bow. I hunt around Tennessee border and conasauga river so if you need alittle help in what's where pm me. Pretty good with the northern part now.


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## Killer Kyle (Aug 3, 2012)

Cohutta is a great place to hunt.  To reiterate what was previously said and to capitalize on it......you better be working out.  If you don't have trails and hills to hike with a pack where you are, jogging, and body weight squats and lunges  while wearing your pack are your best friend.  Archery and black powder seasons put you on the bears when they're hitting the red and white oaks at ridgetops.  Also, in archery season, dont overlook autumn olive patches and buck berry patches.  The bears are hammering the buckberries hard right now.  I even ate some last week, snd they were darn good.  Also, topo maps are great.  If you have a smart phone with GPS, features like GOOGLE Terrain are decent substitutes, it just typically takes a little time to get a signal.  The 3D topo feature on google terrain is invaluable.  PRICELESS.  It cuts about 90% of the work when trying to find ridgetops and saddles.  If you have a smartphone, or know someone with an iPad, get permission to use it.  It is the best planning tool I have ever used.  Also like FM Bear said, het a  ompass and learn how to use it.  You dont necessarily have to remember advanced skills. You dont even necessarily need how to know how to shoot an azimuth.  Just learn how to shoot a compass direction, and learn how to terrain association to orientate the map.  It can save your life.  It gets cold in these mountains, you dont want to be out here all night.  Also, early season, you might consider packing a snakebite kit.  Learn how to use it.  Familiarize yourself with it so that you dont have to figure it out with paniked, shaking hands after a bite from a rattlesnake when you're an hours hike from anywhere.  Also, I keep ample food and water with me.  I also keep energy gels with me...the kind endurance athletes use.  You'll be sweating, so they provide fuel amino acids, and electrolytes to keep you hydrated....and they only weigh about .5 ounce.  I also keep an emergency blanket and small survival kit.  I hunt alone, and cover a lot of ground in remote terrain.  I've taken a fall more than once, and if you end up with a broken leg, you're screwed.  Always better to be prepared than not, and extra pound of pack weight for a survival kit never killed anybody.   If you go alone, always tell somebody the general area you will be in case a few days go by and searchers need to look for you.   A great attractor scent is imitation vanilla extract.  You can buy an 8 oz bottle at walmart for 92 cents.  Put it in a very small spray bottle and pack it in.  If you pick a good spot and a bear comes in downwind and out of range, a couple sprays could pull him into range.  Dont wear rubber or neoprene boots.  Get some hiking boots, break tbem in WELL.  You'll be glad you did.


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## Killer Kyle (Aug 3, 2012)

....and sorry for the typos....this new phone is kicking my butt!


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## MarcusDean85 (Aug 4, 2012)

I must say that was very informative,mine was short but def not sweet compared to that. Haha what the best advice you could give so far this year? I've been sticking to the oak crops and think I've found a good spot. Missed one big one first year and saw a few last couple years. Like I told him had one sneak up behind while calling. Do you just find good sign and tree stand it or try calling? Still learning this mtn hunting. (from Ohio, been here 7 years)


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## Killer Kyle (Aug 4, 2012)

Most people don't really stand hunt when targeting bear.  You have to find fresh sign i.e. fresh scat and snapped limbs and climbing marks.  When you find fresh sign (within a few days old) hunt that spot.  If it gets late in the morning or evening and you havent seen a bear, get on the move.  Hunt the length of the ridge carefully stalking slowly and quietly.  Also if you hunt public land, you really dont want to tote a stand through the woods.  Thats just plain hard work.   Ridgetops are generally pretty open, so you should be able to easily make a 40 yard shot with a bow or a little further with a rifle.  Bears bed in thickets like Laurel thickets.  If they're not coming to that fresh sign, then they have found food somewhere else.  Hunting gaps in long, high mountain ridges may also be productive, as it serves like a funnel for bears to easily travel through.


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## Killer Kyle (Aug 4, 2012)

As for calling....not many people call here, but varmit calls could bring them from time to time. The use of varmit calls can be regulated in certain areas, so check your state regs to make sure you're using the right lind at the right time and place.  Calling may be more effective in the very late season as acorns and berries become more scarce.


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## Limbbaconeer (Aug 4, 2012)

Killer Kyle,  Not trying to overide this thread, but are you seeing the autumn olive and buck berry on the ridge tops?  Or do these occur lower down?

Thanks


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## Dana Young (Aug 6, 2012)

Autum olive usually grows around old fields not usually on the ridgetops and buck huckell berry usually grows on the sides of ridges not usually on tops.


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## Limbbaconeer (Aug 7, 2012)

Thanks Dana.  I have never seen it high up, and I was curious.


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## Killer Kyle (Aug 10, 2012)

Yeah, the buck huckleberries, I've seen them low.  I saw some pretty dense buckberries in well shaded areas in valleys between ridges and along creeks.  And Dana is correct, most of the autumn olives I know of are food plots in relatively open areas.  By the time bow opener rolls around, the buckberries will be thinning out.  Then its acorn time.  I think the autumn olives will stay around a little longer.


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## Lake_and_stream (Aug 15, 2012)

Couhutta has got some acorns already, was up there yesterday


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## Limbbaconeer (Aug 15, 2012)

What elevation were you at?

Thank you


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## FMBear (Aug 15, 2012)

Limbbaconeer said:


> What elevation were you at?
> 
> Thank you



I'll be up in the mountains tomorrow afternoon, but I found A LOT of white oaks while hiking the Chicopee trails in Oakwood last night.  Elevation was 440-500 feet.  Can't wait to see what my spots in the mountains at 2600-3100 feet are looking!


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## MarcusDean85 (Aug 20, 2012)

Cohutta's looking really good. Went yesterday and found scratch marks on alot of oaks and a lot of scat. One fresh where u could tell he's spending a lot of time in. Lots of scat and branches laying around with leaves still green. Acorn crop is producing great. Also got cut off by a timber ratler in the thick brush on top. Colder weather around dusk has them moving and he didnt want to back down and let me out of there. Not to find of rattlers when branches are still in my face.


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## Joe L (Aug 28, 2012)

A saw a couple of posts here for Cohutta WMA.  I 'm taking my son bear hunting at Chattahooche WMA for his 16th birthday and was wondering if anyone had experience hunting there? We are hunting bear for first time, and while I'm reading all I can about it to prepare I don't know anyone that can give me hands on experience advice. Tips and advice appreciated. We're already on a 30 minute a day treadmill regiment for starters to get ready, lol.


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## Dana Young (Aug 29, 2012)

Chattahoochee is loaded with bear as well.


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