# For your viewing pleasure...



## Killer Kyle (Aug 28, 2016)

This is something I have been wanting to post on the forum for a couple years and finally made it happen. I found this marking tree three years ago, and it has been marked each year since. The crown of the tree has now died since the bark has been girdled, but the bears continue marking it. I could tell multiple bears had been marking it, and it was along a heavily used bear trail. Last year I put a cam on it and left it all summer only to find out I didn't have the right type of SD card in it. I put one on it this year I think in late April or sometime thereabout, and it got hit pretty hard, but I guess my camera was out of range, and none of the early marking was captured. I discovered this when I went back with my friend Tracy to check it on July 10th this summer, so we relocated the camera and moved it about 12 feet closer to the marking tree, and  that did the trick. Now, I also wanted to note this: I decided to try an experiment. I wanted to see if I could provoke a bear to mark the tree, so I....relieved the bladder on the tree right before I walked away (yeah, my cam got that on video too, and that won't be included here). I had done this before and came back to check the tree in two or three weeks, and there was marking on the tree. I thought of it like a local dominant buck reworking his scrapes after they get hit from a different buck. I wanted to see if it was the same with a bear. So, after I gave the tree the treatment, I left it for six weeks. The first video was a quick clip with a decent bear on it. You can see him pulling off a piece of the tree with his left paw right at the beginning of the video. The second vid is him again, and the third vid is a smaller boar which I got a couple videos of and am only including one here. This is bear behavior that isn't often captured on video, so I am proud that I was able to capture a few instances of it.


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## Etoncathunter (Aug 28, 2016)

very cool


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## GA DAWG (Aug 28, 2016)

How long after you peed on it did he come back?


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## Killer Kyle (Aug 28, 2016)

GA DAWG said:


> How long after you peed on it did he come back?



That's the big question. In the custom mode it was in, it didn't post the date and time. I didn't know that at the time I set it, and I found that disappointing. I would love to know the answer to that question as well.


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## king killer delete (Aug 28, 2016)

Kyle you did good


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## jbogg (Aug 28, 2016)

Dang Kyle!  Those are awesome videos.  The last one of you is a great point of reference.  The big bear is easily 6 - 8" taller than you are.  He won't be climbing any trees, he will just push them over.  You will need some help if you catch up to him.  I would be glad to help pack.


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## Unicoidawg (Aug 28, 2016)

Like I said over on FB, that is something that not many people even know they do yet get to see. Awesome pics.


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## T-N-T (Aug 28, 2016)

Way to go bud!
I'll give you hand if you need someone to hunt him.


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## T-N-T (Aug 28, 2016)

Oh, and I have given dollars to ladies doing that same thing before.


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## Cwb19 (Aug 28, 2016)

Awesome videos I didn't know they marked trees like that   I found a white oak that has had fresh climb marks 3years in a row


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## FMBear (Aug 28, 2016)

Awesome job on that, Kyle!  Those are some great videos.  Those are up close and personal and show some great social behaviors.


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## northgeorgiasportsman (Aug 28, 2016)

Awesome man!  How tall are you, Kyle?


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## Bucky T (Aug 28, 2016)

Thanks for sharing!


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## Killer Kyle (Aug 28, 2016)

northgeorgiasportsman said:


> Awesome man!  How tall are you, Kyle?



I am 5'10", and if you look at the highest point his nose reaches on the tree, it is about 8" higher than the top of my head. I put that vid of the day I retrieved the cam for reference. He is a good bear. Not a monster, but a good one.


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## Killer Kyle (Aug 28, 2016)

Thanks for the kind words guys. I was extremely excited to be able to capture such great videos of bears behavior. I hope to get more like it for years to come. Thanks again guys!


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## The mtn man (Aug 28, 2016)

Good work kyle!!!!


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## jbogg (Aug 28, 2016)

What do you judge the smaller of those two bears would weigh?  Would he be 175 - 200lbs?


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## Killer Kyle (Aug 28, 2016)

Mmmmmmm....I'm going to say less than that. You all know how the judging game goes with bears. It's easier to tell when they begin to reach 400+, but when judging 300# and under, it starts to get more tricky. I killed one around 200# year before last, and her ears seemed smaller than the ears on the smaller boar in the video. He seems relatively lean. My guess is 3-4 years old and <150 lbs. 140# sounds about right to me. You guys agree?


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## deerhuntingdawg (Aug 28, 2016)

Awesome videos!! Good work!


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## blood on the ground (Aug 29, 2016)

Very nice Kyle!


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## Killer Kyle (Aug 29, 2016)

TopherAndTick said:


> Oh, and I have given dollars to ladies doing that same thing before.



I have been thinking the same thing! I think I should have added some kind of song like "drop it like it's hot", or "get your freak on", or some kind of Barry White song. Probably would have resulted in a more dramatic effect. Today's generation would probably understand if I'd had.


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## tree cutter 08 (Aug 29, 2016)

Good work kyle! Great videos!


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## ripplerider (Aug 29, 2016)

That second bear is a good un. Look how much bigger his head is than yours. They should really start putting on weight now that the acorns are coming in. Have you ever seen them climb wild cherries and break the limbs down to them? I've seen a lot of that this time of year.


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## Russdaddy (Aug 29, 2016)

nice catch!


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## Killer Kyle (Aug 29, 2016)

ripplerider said:


> That second bear is a good un. Look how much bigger his head is than yours. They should really start putting on weight now that the acorns are coming in. Have you ever seen them climb wild cherries and break the limbs down to them? I've seen a lot of that this time of year.



I have never seen that ripple, but I'm certain it is so! I have three wild cherry trees in my yard, and could not keep the deer away when they were dropping. I mean, I'd spook deer out of the yard at 1:00 p.m., and by 2:00 p.m., I'd have three deer back in the yard again. Those things must just be delicious. I have seen a lot of black gums coming down the last few days. No real feeding on them to speak of. I can't see a bear climbing one for the sparse fruits when acorns are already coming down, but I have read where people have seen them in black gum trees. Lots and lots of muscadine coming down right now as well. Now if the white oaks will cooperate, we will be in good shape! I'm thinking this is shaping up to be a spotty year. It's still hard to tell, but in some places I'm visible seeing white oak acorns, and in some I'm not. Still a little early to tell I guess. I havent been toying binos, just eyeballing it, so I could be missing a LOT of acorns I guess.


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## Wing (Aug 31, 2016)

Awesome video Kyle!  I imagine that's what I look like trying to scratch my back on a door frame


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## Killer Kyle (Aug 31, 2016)

Thanks wing! I just can't help but laugh when looking at those videos sometimes!!


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## NCHillbilly (Sep 1, 2016)

Very cool stuff. I've found several marking trees over the years, but never got to see one in use. Thanks for posting these. 

Ripplerider, I found a lapped cherry tree a few days ago while I was out trout fishing.


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## BufordBassmaster12 (Sep 6, 2016)

Killer Kyle said:


> I have never seen that ripple, but I'm certain it is so! I have three wild cherry trees in my yard, and could not keep the deer away when they were dropping. I mean, I'd spook deer out of the yard at 1:00 p.m., and by 2:00 p.m., I'd have three deer back in the yard again. Those things must just be delicious. I have seen a lot of black gums coming down the last few days. No real feeding on them to speak of. I can't see a bear climbing one for the sparse fruits when acorns are already coming down, but I have read where people have seen them in black gum trees. Lots and lots of muscadine coming down right now as well. Now if the white oaks will cooperate, we will be in good shape! I'm thinking this is shaping up to be a spotty year. It's still hard to tell, but in some places I'm visible seeing white oak acorns, and in some I'm not. Still a little early to tell I guess. I havent been toying binos, just eyeballing it, so I could be missing a LOT of acorns I guess.



I've had the same issue Kyle and I have been carrying my binoculars and the stands of white oaks I've found. From my findings some are loaded and some aren't like you said spotty. Either that or my binoculars aren't powered enough to pick them up I've been getting a lot of my info from the ground cause I haven't been able to spot any in the trees themselves. The ones that are loaded you'll be able to see on the ground plenty of early dropped or squirrels knocked off I walked around for a long time thinking the white oaks either weren't producing or was still too early. I still am not sure what the case is but I have found one spot where I'm positive they're loaded.


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## ripplerider (Sep 7, 2016)

I have jumped quite a few deer under blackgums when the acorns failed, notably 3 on a snowy day on Coopers Creek. The last one was 50 yds. from my truck. I had quit creeping and peeping since the rd. was so close and missed an easy opportunity on the muzzleloader hunt (was a doe.) I hunt all the way out now if theres still daylight. I'm not seeing just a ton of whiteoak acorns this year where I've scouted but I havent took binoculars yet and I dont see quite as well as I used to. Gonna have to wear my glasses full time this year. I've never killed one with them on yet, I have a bad habit of looking over them through the scope when I'm practicing so I'm using an elastic strap to keep them close to my face when I'm shooting.


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