Is it worth it to hunt bear?

[SleazyRider]

Please understand that my question is a sincere one. I'm not trying to make a statement or question the ethics of bear hunting. (I am a long-time whitetail hunter and connoisseur of tastefully prepared venison.) But more and more black bear are appearing in my neck of the woods (rural New York), and I'm not sure what I'd do if the opportunity presents itself to harvest one. I'd like to have a game plan in place in the event that I see one from my tree stand, rather than later. Simply put, I don't want to shoot a bear simply for bragging rights and then say, "Now what?". So here are my noobish questions:

1. I have neither the facility, the equipment, nor the knowledge to process bear meat---will your typical deer processing professional (butcher) perform this service?

2. I've heard that bear meat isn't as flavorful as venison; so do most of you hunt bear for the meat or for the skin? In the case of the latter, do you have a taxidermist prepare the skin?

3. Tell me why I should/shouldn't shoot a legally harvestable bear if the opportunity presents itself. Remember: No hidden agenda here, no troll, no statement; I'm simply trying to learn.

Thank you in advance for your patience and forbearance (and, yes, the later was a clever pun).

 

[Grumulkin]

What I know is that in Alaska, where it's illegal to kill a game animal and not salvage all edible meat, one has to salvage black bear meat in the spring but not in the fall when it apparently tastes bad. One doesn't have to salvage grizly bear meat at all. So, if you're not going to process the meat yourself, then ask a butcher or deer processer if they will. Alternatively, you could seek out those who might want the meat and tell them to come and get it.

As for what to do with the hide and skull goes, the hide makes a very nice rug and the skull makes a nice decor item (my wife might not agree). I've always used a taxidermist to process hides and skulls.

 

[3212]

The bear hunters I know do it for the trophy and dispose of the meat.I have seen recipes for preparing it.Probably flavored by whatever the bear is eating.I did assist once on a hunt for a bear that attacked a bow hunter and chased a dog into a cabin.Someone else shot it.

 

[Laphroaig]

OK, we hunt bear in the mountains of Pennsylvania where they feed naturally, no garbage.

My family has killed 2 bears in the last 8 years, have had the meat processed, and ate every ounce of it. To me, it is better tasting than venison. Its a different texture, very tender, and has more fat but I don't find it greasy. We do conventional roasts, cook some down in the crock pot with seasoning into "pulled bear", have grilled the backstraps, and make chili from the ground meat. The first one our butcher made Kolbassi, and the second some loose sausage.

I consider a bear taken in fair chase to be one of my best hunting accomplishments and consider myself blessed to have had the opportunity. We had both of our trophies made into full mounts as neither was exceptionally large. Everybody in our camp that has gotten a bear and had a rug made was sorry because they can't find a place to display them. And yes, our regular deer processor butchered both. I think the first one was the first that he ever did but has did several since then. The second was a nice sow, and he said he cut off about 80 pounds of fat! Our taxidermist skinned both bears and put the carcass into a game bag, which we promptly took to our butcher.

So yeah, if you didn't notice I highly recommend it! That's the only way to decide whether you like the meat. Trust me, if it isn't eating garbage, you will. And thanks for the post. It made me remember that we still have some tenderloins in the freezer. Sautéed with onions sounds like a good plan to me.

Laphroaig

 

[ScrapMetalSlug]

Black bear hunting is definitely worth it. Once you cape out the bear, I would take the hide to a reputable taxidermist like you would take a deer to be mounted. I would check with local butchers to see if they'd take a bear, but you may have to do it yourself. There are several youtube videos that show you step by step how to cape out and butcher a bear, I recommend watching a couple. I wouldn't try to drag it out of the woods like a deer, bears don't really drag as we'll and you may tear up the hide, they will sort of roll on you.

Bear meat flavor is influenced strongly by their diet. If you have one in Ny for example, primarily eating hard masts from oak, hickory, etc or apples from an orchard or other fruits it should be good tasting meat. In Alaska black bears in the fall eating rotted salmon does not make for good table fare, but I personally have not hunted Alaska so only know what I have read.

Remove as much excess fat as you can and cool the meat as quick as possible by removing the hide and placing in a game bag or on ice. Fat causes the meat to spoil so remove it as best you can. Proper meat care effects the way meat tastes as much as anything, and goes a long way to making it all worth it.

in NY, your best bet to see a bear will be in the early bear season. Depending on the weather, later in the deer season a lot of the bears will be hibernating already. In the early bear season, they are eating as much as they can to prepare for winter, so find their food sources for the best shot at a bear, kind of like hunting oak stands for deer.

good luck, hope this helps.

 

[SleazyRider]

These posts have been very helpful, and I appreciate each and every one. Thank you!

 

[witchhunter]

I used to smoke them like country ham. The are great this way. I had my butcher smoke it for me and it turns red like ham. Very flavorful. I got to where I would have them smoke almost all of it other than the breakfast sausage.

 

[1911 guy]

Some meat changes flavor radically depending on what the animal has been feeding on. Bear is one of them. Early in the year, black bears feed mostly on the new growth of berries and such, later in the year they are foraging on whatever will sustain them, both because they've picked the tasty stuff clean and because they're stuffing themselves in preparation for hibernation. I'd be far more interested in taking one in spring than i would in the fall. But there's no bear season at all in Ohio, as our bear population is rather small.

The flip side is that there are some spots (I have heard) where bears have decent forage all season long and the meat is always decent.

 

[RPRNY]

NY bear will be great. They've been shoveling berries down their necks for a month! Unless you come upon a freak, most upstate bear will be in the 180 - 250 lbs range, so think big deer. For eating, smaller rather than bigger is my view.

 

[SleazyRider]

A bear's diet may be somewhat of a gamble here in Orange County, which is about 60 miles NW of Manhattan. Though we are still more rural than not, it's very common to see trash cans lying on their sides in the morning with garbage strewn about the lawn. It wouldn't be the first time I've thrown an odiforous mix of lobster entrails, vegetable skins, and meat scraps into the trash only to find them gone in the morning. A fellow just a few miles from me shot a bear out of season as it was rooting through his trash. The judge apparently didn't buy his argument of defending his family, and he was heavily fined.

I'm going to have to weigh these factors before I climb into my hunting stand in a few months, but right now I'm leaning toward passing up a shot at a bear.

 

[Tactical Lever]

A bear's diet may be somewhat of a gamble here in Orange County, which is about 60 miles NW of Manhattan. Though we are still more rural than not, it's very common to see trash cans lying on their sides in the morning with garbage strewn about the lawn. It wouldn't be the first time I've thrown an odiforous mix of lobster entrails, vegetable skins, and meat scraps into the trash only to find them gone in the morning. A fellow just a few miles from me shot a bear out of season as it was rooting through his trash. The judge apparently didn't buy his argument of defending his family, and he was heavily fined.

I'm going to have to weigh these factors before I climb into my hunting stand in a few months, but right now I'm leaning toward passing up a shot at a bear.

Look at what chickens and pigs eat/will eat. And they are pretty good eating. Although they eat a wide variety of things, is it enough to turn the meat to unpalatable?

A little bit of a gamble, I guess. I've found bear to be good.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

I have friends that are Native American in ancestry, some are actually part of an Indian Nation, some are not, and additionally, I have friends that help to preserve the culture of the Woodland Nations. All of them preserve the culture of the Woodland Nations by learning, using, and teaching the skills left over from the Paleolithic tech found at first contact, and continued though cloth and steel became part of their culture.

What does that have to do with bear?

Bear Grease, from rendered bear fat from a harvested bear is very important as a skin protective and for use in body/face paint for these guys...and frankly there really is no substitute. So in addition to harvesting a bear for the meat, if you rendered the fat you could probably find a person who could use it, and they'd probably share some skills with you.

LD

 

[jmr40]

A bear skin rug or mount if you want is a very nice trophy. Here in GA bear and deer season run together most of the year. I don't go into the woods specifically planning on killing a bear, but they are in many of the areas where I hunt and would take a nice one if the opportunity comes along. I did that once several years ago, and would do so again.

Can't tell you about the meat. I kept some, gave some away and planned on giving a lot of it away. But just a few days after getting mine back from the processor my wife left the door to our upright freezer open when she went to work. By the time I got home everything in the freezer had to be thrown out.

The rug I had made and the bleached skull are my favorite hunting trophies though. I'd really like to take another so I can try the meat, even if it isn't great.

 

[Patocazador]

I wanted to kill a bear for a long time. I finally did and had it made into a rug by a taxidermist. The meat of this young bear was very tender but devoid of flavor. It was feeding on blueberries when I shot it.
After that I shot an old bear while elk hunting in a wilderness area. My brother and I thought we would use it for camp meat. It was so tough, we couldn't chew it.

After that I just didn't get much of a thrill out of the idea of a bear hunt. I guess I'm more of a deer man.

 

[buck460XVR]

Ain't many of us in the lower 48 nowadays that hunt because we need the meat. We shoot "meat" deer, because we like the flavor of venison, but for the most part, economically, we're better off to buy chicken. I never liked the flavor of bear and for the most part, the hunt involved did not intrigue me(baiting/treed by hounds). Only bear I've shot was an island drive hunt that was similar to hunting deer. Got a nice rug outta it and made the meat into sausage and jerky. Since then, I have little desire to hunt bear, but have no problem with others that do. Kinda the same for hunting geese. They are plentiful around here, and bag limits are generous. Just don't like to clean 'em or eat 'em. Federal law says I can not give them away to others. Altho I enjoyed laying in the corn field and watching them come in around me, hunting them just ain't worth it to me any more. Whether it is worth it to hunt any animal is up to the individual. Sometimes one needs to do it to find that out. Used to be, I'd shoot any legal deer, not just for the sport, but because I enjoyed the meat. Now, if the deer is small(body or rack), is back in more than a 1/4 mile and or I have meat in the freezer, I generally pass. What was once worth the effort, is not anymore. Part of being a hunter is knowing your priorities, expectations and desire. I know folks that enjoy hunting only because they are with friends having a good time. They don't care if they get anything and prefer to watch others take animals. Kinda how I am when I hunt with my sons. There is only one person who really knows if bear hunting is worth it to you.......

 

[T.R.]

SR:

Bear meat can be quite good if their diet is corn, other grains, fruits, and acorns. But a bear that eats mostly fish can be used mostly for dog food.

A bear carcass can be cut up the same as a deer or hog.

I quit bear hunting in Pennsylvania because of too many drivers from other groups crashing through my hunting spots. So it goes.

TR

 

[Glockula]

I have been debating taking my first bear this year. We'll see if I actually get the chance. I wouldn't mind trying bear meat. If it can be cured like ham it can't be all bad.

 

[Tactical Lever]

I have friends that are Native American in ancestry, some are actually part of an Indian Nation, some are not, and additionally, I have friends that help to preserve the culture of the Woodland Nations. All of them preserve the culture of the Woodland Nations by learning, using, and teaching the skills left over from the Paleolithic tech found at first contact, and continued though cloth and steel became part of their culture.

What does that have to do with bear?

Bear Grease, from rendered bear fat from a harvested bear is very important as a skin protective and for use in body/face paint for these guys...and frankly there really is no substitute. So in addition to harvesting a bear for the meat, if you rendered the fat you could probably find a person who could use it, and they'd probably share some skills with you.

LD

Not to mention that rendered bear fat is considered superior to all other shortenings for baking by some.

 

[Ed Ames]

A factor to consider is that trichinosis (the reason most of us were raised to not eat pork that hasn't been cooked to death) in the US is mostly associated with eating black bear meat. I think I read somewhere that there are more cases in the US from eating mountain lion than commercial pork, and a LOT more cases from eating black bear.

Considering the ratio of pork:black bear consumed in the US, well, if you eat it, overcook it.

 

[Ifishsum]

I'm not real partial to the taste myself, and I have actually passed up a number of opportunities to kill one during deer or elk seasons over the last 10 years - mainly because I did not want to sideline my deer or elk hunt to take the time to properly field dress a bear. My brother and his family absolutely love bear meat and he considers it a huge bonus when he gets a chance to shoot one. He has had some that tasted better than others, and like any game it's very important to dress and skin the carcass for cooling as quickly as possible. The last one he got, he pressure canned a fair amount of it and it was actually quite enjoyable. Fried up in elk camp as a hash with some cubed potatos, it made a delicious and substantial meal. Also very good pulled apart with some BBQ sauce on a bun.

I think you should take one for yourself if you get a chance, then decide if it's something you wish to do again.

 

[Alaskan]

I have eaten bear meat a lot. I prefer it ground up as breakfast sausage or in pepper sticks. I think it has better flavor than any pork I have ever eaten. As the poster above stated, make sure it it is thoroughly cooked.
I shot one two years ago that had been eating salmon. That had to be one of the most foul smelling animals that i have ever encountered. We tried to eat some of it but wound up donating it to a local dog musher for dog food. I will not harvest one in the fall again unless it has no access to a salmon stream.

 

[Liberty1776]

I have eaten meat from three black bears from three different states and all were good. I prefer venison, but the bear was very tasty. As far as having it done at your local processor, you'll have to call one that specializes in wild game and ask them...

 

[Patocazador]

Buck460XVR: " Kinda the same for hunting geese. They are plentiful around here, and bag limits are generous. Just don't like to clean 'em or eat 'em. Federal law says I can not give them away to others."

Unless you are a native American and killed the goose out of the normal season, it is perfectly legal to give any game animal or migratory bird away. With migratory birds you have to tag it with your name and hunting license number and write a statement that you are 'gifting' it to ----- (name of person).

Yeah, it's nit-picky but that's the USFWS for you.

 

[Sunray]

Bear meat is no different than venison or any other meat. It's only good if it's handled properly in the field. Mind you, garbage eating Yogi is going to taste like it. A Manhattan area garbage can could be dumped over by Rocky. He and Yogi eat the same stuff.
Anyway, I suspect not doing something with any game animal' meat is illegal in every jurisdiction. If you don't want it contact Hunters for the Hungry, Sportsmen Against Hunger or the Hunters and Farmers Feeding the Hungry.
"...not eat pork that..." Trichinosis was bred of Porky eons ago. Not so with Yogi, of course. Still killed by cooking.

 

[Sheepdog1968]

Deer and bear season run at the same time in the fall where I live and I get tags for both. If you don't want to eat the meat, there might be some shelters that will take the game meat. Your deer butcher may know of places. Also, I suppose you could feed it to your cats or dogs so that way it doesn't go to waste either.