11-20-2010 first day of Bear

[stranger ranger]

Anyone do any good? I sat all day and didn't even see a squirrel, only thing I did see was a dam wood pecker in the tree right in front of me.

[pghchamp]

nothing good for me. you see that "bozo" bear shot in pa. 875 lbs or somethin like that. thing is HUGE

[pghchamp]

[stranger ranger]

jeez luver. I'd shit myself if i seen that in the woods.

[HoodRN]

jeez luver. I'd shit myself if i seen that in the woods.

If you saw it, he'd probably be after your lunch. The thing was tame. It bummed food off of people in a resort community, now they are upset that "Bozo" was killed. They are more responsible for it's death than the guy that killed it (with seven bolts from a crossbow). It was legally taken, but if I was the hunter I wouldn't be doing too much chest puffing. Killing that bear was like hunting an animal from a petting zoo.

[dan58]

Poor Bozo.

http://www.wnep.com/videobeta/afe30b...0-Pound-Friend

[JKchick]

I got a text with that picture i thought it was total crap...... lucky bastard!!

I saw 4 people in the woods on Saturday, no bear, no dear....
Didn't go out yesterday. Just got back from today and saw a big buck...
I guess its time to get ready for next week now...

[HoodRN]

Poor Bozo was probably going to die from coronary artery disease. He probably had a barcalounger and a kegerator in his den.

[YZEATER]

seen 1 set of bear tracks. seen 15 deer, and 1 very nice 10 pt. buck.

[JeepSteeler]

If you saw it, he'd probably be after your lunch. The thing was tame. It bummed food off of people in a resort community, now they are upset that "Bozo" was killed. They are more responsible for it's death than the guy that killed it (with seven bolts from a crossbow). It was legally taken, but if I was the hunter I wouldn't be doing too much chest puffing. Killing that bear was like hunting an animal from a petting zoo.

7 bolts!! How the heck....

Jeezus....I only carry 4 arrows for my bow usually. Guess I"d need to double down for bear season.

That hunter did say that he is regretting the kill now.

[DMG]

Its probably a good thing he killed it before it killed some tourist who didn't hand over his lunch fast enough.

[dan58]

It wasn't one guy that shot it. 4 different people shot it, the last one killing it. CB bolts just don't have the kinetic energy of a bow arrow.

[JeepSteeler]

Eh, the kinetic energy differences are negligible at best - varies widely by what you compare bow v. crossbow. With equalized equipment the vertical bow may have a slightly higher KE, but not enough that it would be a major factor in the number of shots required.

Looks to me like this is just a really big freaking bear and perhaps some poorly placed shots here and there.

[ridgerunner97]

^ Agreed, it was a "wild" animal oh well it got killed legally. If I remember correctly its illegal to feed black bear....hmmmm could be a localized thing though.

[dan58]

Eh, the kinetic energy differences are negligible at best - varies widely by what you compare bow v. crossbow. With equalized equipment the vertical bow may have a slightly higher KE, but not enough that it would be a major factor in the number of shots required.

Looks to me like this is just a really big freaking bear and perhaps some poorly placed shots here and there.

I'd bet it makes a huge difference. That bear probably had 6" of blubber on him. I read that the body shots barely got through the skin. The killing shots were in his neck. When it comes to making an animal suffer because you used a CB, I find fault in that.

[JeepSteeler]

I will agree with your last statement. I'm not a crossbow fan. My brother-in-law runs an archery shop and he won't sell or fix them he hates them so much, even though there is a market for that. Frankly I can't stand them (CB) and wish they stuck to the original rule of only using them if you had a valid excuse (disabled, etc). I find them to be far less accurate due to design and maneuverability than a vertical bow and that to me is the biggest problem. If it won't kill with one clean shot, its the wrong tool for the job IMHO.

I respect your opinion on the KE factor although I disagree.

[YZEATER]

dan, you are mistaken. here is a cheap ass $300 x-bow. only 150 lb, 265 fps. it has 62ftlb of energy.

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Hunti..._SEQ_103854780

my current bow setup. bowtech allegiance. 292 grain arrow, at 305 fps. that works out to be 60 ft lb. sure i could get more, but why? i could shoot a heavier arrow to get more energy.

here is a more expensive x-bow. it has 100ft lb of energy.
http://www.cabelas.com/product/Hunti..._SEQ_103854780

energy has nothing to do with it, both are capable of killing, the hunter has to make a good shot. i don't really like x-bows because the guys who have them think they they are archers.

[Ragnorox]

I use both, depends on terrain and situation. As for a crossbows accuracy, I can place a bolt consistently in the same 3" circle at 25 to 35 yards. 40 to 50 yards anywhere within a 6" circle. And that cheap ass crossbow is what I use.

[JeepSteeler]

You probably put in the practice Ragnorox, I know several crossbow users who think that it's like a rifle and really don't put the time in. Maybe I made a bit of a blanket statement regarding accuracy overall and of course there are going to be exceptions, but I stick with my opinion and I know others share it that vertical compound bow X is going to be more accurate than crossbow X 90% of the time. Getting a bit off topic I guess though so that's all I'll say.

I heard through the rumor mill that this hunter has been chasing this bear for a few years and knew it's name and everything.

[dan58]

Frankly I can't stand them (CB) and wish they stuck to the original rule of only using them if you had a valid excuse (disabled, etc).

I flat out just don't like them. If you want to hunt with a bow, you best be able to hold a compound back for a few minutes. CB takes all that away. Sure, allow the disable to use them, no issue there.

It's the same to me as allowing a percussion muzzle loader during flintlock season; thank God they can't do that.

[mangotango]

Heading to deer camp in the morning. I'd be there now but I'm at work. Hope it's better than last year when I saw only two doe (they both came home with me, though).

As for Bobo, that bear was a tragedy waiting to happen: a 900-pound bear that no longer fears human AND associates humans with food. They should give the guy who shot him an award and criminal citations to those who were feeding the damn thing.

Yes, in Pennsylvania it is illegal to feed bears, everywhere, all the time.

Before yinz start hollerin', last year I had two valid doe tags and I shot them on different days.

[JeepSteeler]

Nobody's gonna holler at ya for the does man. Around here they are yard rats. I usually take 2-3 a year from around here, all legally with tags. The Allegheny courthouse over the counter...they almost want to pay you to take a fist full of tags.

Tend not to take them up at camp since deer density is much lower. I'm heading up tomorrow, maybe take a doe but mostly just to see some old timer friends.

You are spot on about the bear. That bear was the property of the Commonwealth, not somebody's privately purchased animal, they should not have been feeding it.