Pros of Hunting a Bear with a Bow

Hunting bear with a bow can be a rewarding process for the more adventurous hunter. There is a large learning curve to consider when hunting black bears with a bow. This same difficulty is both appreciated and loved by veteran hunters, as it evens the playing field. As ridiculous as it sounds, for the professional hunter gun hunting is basically bringing a tank to a fist fight. You already know you’re not going to miss, because well you’re just that dang good! There are times where a gun is preferable to a bow, yet using a bow just feels right for some reason.

Getting up close and personal when hunting bear with a bow is something that only some people understand. That extra special moment when you are this close to a kill and can smell it! There is extra preparation and scouting that comes when using a bow instead of a gun. Due to the extra planning you are less likely to forget something important to bring on your trip. Bow hunters also get to be more selective with their spots, leading to better selection overall when trying to make a big decision on a trip.

There is a certain sense of completion or accomplishment when killing with a bow. You did all of the hard work and earned a good kill, and didn’t take the easy way out. Missing when hunting a bear with a bow doesn’t sting the pride at all. Missing with a gun is a huge hit to the pride, since it is rare and really shouldn’t happen for a good shooter. Rarely anyone gets a confidence hit when missing with a bow, and in the end it turns out to be a valuable learning experience. Some legendary hunts have actually ended with the hunter getting another shot at a bear that got away before!

One of the best parts about using a bow is the amount of add-ons and accessories that can be purchased. There are no two bear hunting bows the same, and it offers a level of personalization that is beyond guns. The accessories also tend to be cheaper than with any other bear hunting weapon, allowing you to load up on specific ammo or backups. Having options makes the hunt more intriguing, so just tailor the weapon to the task at hand. In the end it is all about the experience provided, something that trumps everything else.

The Largest Black Bear in Canada

Within the New Brunswick area are some of the biggest game you’ll ever come across. Everyone plans on running into the big ones when they are in Canada, and even with preparation it can turn into a stunner. This is especially true for hunters that are moving from deer to black bears for the first time. When the shock wears off and they get their first kill, it becomes hard to believe just how massive the target was. Of course a bigger target means an easier takedown, correct?

A big bear doesn’t make it easier to take down, and doesn’t make the critical area any better to locate. The black fur from the largest black bear will just make the target harder to spot. So regardless of how big the bear is, the location that you need to target does not all of a sudden become easier. The average size of the black bears in New Brunswick hover around 400 to 600 pounds. This is typically larger than the normal hunting size in other areas where hunters may see bears that are not even 400 pounds.

The largest black bear on record in the New Brunswick area was caught in 1972, weighing an incredible 1,100 pounds. This monster still had an ultimate weight of 902 pounds after it was dressed, far beyond the normal weight for the area. If you look at a top 10 list of the largest black bears on record, expect to see multiple Canadian spots mentioned. The laws are in effect in a lot of Canadian areas that protect smaller bears. So when hunting season rolls around, the average weight of available bears is more than double that of other areas.

It’s always an amazing story to see big black bears, as they are considered the smallest of the species. This is due to diet and general genetics, so when getting large bears of this size, it is always an accomplishment. Therefore a lot of credit goes to the New Brunswick area for consistently cranking them out at a pace that makes other spots jealous. For the biggest and the tallest, this really is the place to be. Expect more world records to continue to break in the area. And for the lucky hunters, more inclusions in the world’s top list of black bear weight records.

How Long Does it Take to Master Black Bear Archery

Black bear archery isn’t something that you’re going to roll out of bed and master within a year. There is a reason that archery in the Olympics is still one of the most challenging sports to get into. So how long does it take to master such a versatile weapon as the bow? And an even better question is, would the time you put into it be worth the training? Most of the hunting skills you learn with a bow are not associated with aiming.

Finding the size that you’re most comfortable with is the first step. While a lighter bow will be easier to hold, it’ll also be harder to draw. Modern bows are more efficient in design, so faster bows have a lot less problems than they used to. This doesn’t mean you want to go out and get the heaviest available, or even one that is just easy to hold. The key is to get a bow that you’re comfortable holding for long periods of time. A good black bear archery bow will be an extension of your arm, so when it comes time to use it you don’t even realize you’ve been carrying it for hours.

Black bear archery lives and dies with accuracy. Get targets, and practice your stance. Some bow shooters have been using an incorrect stance and posture for years. This bad habit will ultimately affect accuracy to the max, especially with moving targets. A correct stance with good breathing gives more room for being slightly off accuracy, whereas a bad stance will punish the user. And when it comes to hunting targets like black bears, you need as much aiming forgiveness as possible. It is a skill that takes practice and just a little bit of luck.

Learn the importance of penetration, and also your max shooting distance. Usually 40 yards is the max, but your distance as you get better may be a lot shorter. Remember that you want to find the yardage that gives you max penetration when firing at a target. So while one hunter may be comfortable at the 40 yard mark, you may find your skills are more suited for 30 yards. No matter how much better at the bow you are compared to the next guy, if it isn’t penetrating the hide then it is a wasted shot. Find your limitations, so that over time you can eventually conquer them.

How Big are Black Bears in New Brunswick

Just how big are black bears in New Brunswick? You’re talking about the juiciest black bears in the world when it comes to hunting. These oversized baddies are why people come to the area during the hunting season. Bred specifically for size rather than quantity, there really is no other experience like it. This isn’t like hunting large moose or deer, but an entirely different experience altogether. With New Brunswick as the stomping grounds, it still remains one of the least crowded areas. This is an important fact for people that want to hunt in the area and don’t want to be burdened by bumping into fellow hunters.

The year of 1972 still holds the record for the biggest black bear in the area. Undressed it was 1,100 pounds and almost 8ft. long. Since then there hasn’t been a bear that big-at least on record. The question of how big are black bears of today comes up often, and the stats still surprise. Records keep popping up year to year which is amazing since the sport is now considered mainstream. This is a nod to the breeding abilities of New Brunswick that they keep pumping out large black bears.

This is also in contrast to areas outside of New Brunswick that has average sized bears in larger quantities. The bigger quantities may be interesting to new hunters that lack the patience to hunt, but are of no use to the seasoned bear hunter. The quality over quantity argument wins out in the New Brunswick area. For a more satisfying hunt with a sense of accomplishment, a larger more mature black bear is preferred over the run of the mill average sized black bear.

Hunters that follow a rich tradition will usually point you to Canadian areas for a reason. These larger accomplishments aren’t easy to come by, and are some of the most fun you will have as a hunter. And adding to the mystique is how hard it is to gauge a black bears size while in the field. It makes the whole experience a better challenge, as you know you’ll get a shot at easing closer to a world record.

The Alpha Bear Hunter and His Tools

There is a difference between a regular bear hunter and the alpha bear hunter. This isn’t based on gender, and it isn’t based on pedigree and professionalism. What separates the two are the tools that they use, and their master of them. While this simplistic approach to deciding what a real alpha bear hunter is may take some people by surprise, there are many trademarks that point to the tools. Not only do the tools act as a gateway into the mind of the hunter, they also point to superior kill ability in any situation.

An alpha bear hunter knows how to hunt with both a bow and a gun. Some hunters have a preference, with the bow being the choice if you want a challenge. But the alpha hunter understands how important it is to be a master of both, and not one. They are masters with both types, and have accessories that personalize both weapons to their liking. With a little tweaking here and there, they also scout out trips in advance since it will decide just how much tweaking their weapon needs. This means that an alpha hunter is never unprepared when it is time to hunt their prey.

Some key points to mention with an alpha bear hunter is that they don’t shoot at the first bear they see. Patience is key, as they want the best of the best. Many pass on 3-6 bears a hunt just to get a clean shot at the biggest and most mature bear in the area. Not only are the mature bears hard to catch, but they usually lead to challenging kills. You don’t get to be a mature bear in the woods without having a certain amount of savvy and luck after all.

The last thing that makes up the majority of alpha bear hunters is their ability to adapt to change. This is important when it comes to masking scent, mixing up bait and even changing spots. The only stubborn bone in an alpha hunter’s body is the one that refuses to let a target get away. Once a black bear that interests the hunter is in sight, the next time you see it will be with the hunter taking a photo while standing over its body. This is the dominance of the alpha hunter that everyone loves. Partnering up with one makes for a fun hunt as it guarantees the most spectacular kill!