I like archery, firearms too...that is another story.

Anyway, The temps are right for me to go archery for deer.
I've seen hormone running the bucks for a couple weeks.
Excellent acorn crop, they often feed there.

Season started on OCt 1st, but it was warm temps then.
Now is a good time to kill and butcher.

I'm in zone 9J



I'm legal to get that bear that raided my birdfeeder this summer too.
Venison tastes better.



I could have killed him that day or on a few days/weeks that followed when he showed up.
I drove him off with a 12ga shot near his feet the first time. He would not leave and was unafraid of me. Later all I had to do was yell at him.

If he crosses my path...I'm kindfa iffy on killing him.

Wish me luck on venison. Many choices..I know these animals well.

Good luck, man! I'm not too big on venison. My dad got a moose once, that was better, although nothing is that good after 400 pounds of it...

A good deer around here is 150lb of meat, which would be arould 220lb gutted and hung with hide still on.

Haven't seen "Yogi" in over a month, I kinda wonder if he got too bold on picnic basket raiding. He worked a decent size radius. You can't see it in the pic, but he has a white "V" on his chest.

If he is still alive, I'd like to know him more before I kill and eat him. If he could just leave my birdfeeder alone and co-exist with me...I'd let him live.

We have only brown bears here and they are not that bold. Most of the time they avoid humans, which is for the best for both parties. Most of the country is also very sparsely populated, especially in the North where I live, so there's plenty of room for such big animals to roam.

Hmmmm.....I have to ask MudWasp, where are you from exactly? I might know your area.

Hello fellow upstater.
Chautauqua county south... Panama

I haven't been there in years, will be heading your way in a week or two to do some hunting myself. Small world.

Shoot me a pm when the time comes.
I'll make food. I'm an excellent cook. Lunch between your hunts.

MudWasp:

Western PA guy here. If it were me, I hate to say, I'd shoot the bear. It seems like it's getting acclimated to people from what you say; though if you're a hunter, you know better than I do.

The one time recently that I've seen a black bear in the wild was while I was on a bicycle rail trail. It was uphill a good 50 yards working on a berry bush. As soon as my son made a noise, he was gone - quickly.

I've never hunted - I'd have to give it away, I don't think the family would eat Bambi - though I've told my wife, with all the deer and turkey around, we'd never have to buy meat! My son-in-law has a tree stand up on our hill and will try to take a deer with his bow shortly... anything to thin the herd. We're in an area where I can't use firearms, and so it's a natural refuge for them.

Good luck to you, I hope you and CaNy_Ace88 have some good times and good feasting!

Best,

Tom