Bear Trail

[splatek]

I've read and heard that bears will use almost the exact same trail year after year. And, that those trails can be worn to the dirt. I have only seen one in person, where the bear footsteps were 2 inches deep through the dead fall leaves.

I pulled a cam yesterday and after this fella decided to reposition my cam, as they so often do





I ended up catching a bunch of bears running the same trail on different days and times of days.







I know this is old news to most of y'all, but I thought it was neat that I caught it on cam. It could be the same bear, but I have other pictures that suggest they might be different bears using the same trail. Of course I have no way to provide support for either idea.

Also, this is my last cam in the wilderness (unless I forgot one or two, which is highly likely). Deciding to go "no cam" this year and just hunt the sign (at least on public land). I've found myself in the past feeling wedded to my cam locations - sign or no sign, and I think that's a bad strategy. I am going to miss seeing the pictures, but hopefully it will be replaced with seeing more game in the wild.

 

[ddd-shooter]

Sounds like a good strategy. You know there are bears in the area, find the food, hunt the terrain and stick a big one!

 

[antharper]

Cool pictures , them cameras will really mess you up when you aren’t getting the pictures of something you want to kill . Especially deer hunting . I’m sure a lot of people want hunt a area without pictures of a big one . And them big ones don’t get old by being seen

 

[chrislibby88]

You can still use them, just don’t put them under your stands. Stay flexible. They are more for surveying the game in an area than finding a hunting spot. Put once in on that bench you found, the one full of rubs, probably early October and leave it through December. That might be a spot you actually hang a cam and hunt. I think a buck funnel is a bit different than a bear trail, since the rut funnels are more tied to cruising behavior, and thermals vs bear trails being tied to food/water sources.

 

[Doug B.]

I have seen a lot of bear trails over the years. It's funny cause they step in the same place everytime. It's easy to tell what has been walking there.

 

[Sautee Ridgerunner]

Id bet there is something rut involved here.

Likely a marking tree. Night time bear pics outside of human areas are probably getting near zero now.

 

[twoheartedale]

cool pics. I'll be up in a few days to put cams out for the first time. Am i wasting my time?

 

[Tio Hey Seuss]

cool pics. I'll be up in a few days to put cams out for the first time. Am i wasting my time?

I wouldn't say you're wasting your time if you enjoy it but I quit running cameras for bear. It's a blast to look at pictures and nice knowing bears are in the general area but I don't find them that useful since bears just follow the food. Also, bears LOVE to chew on cameras haha.

 

[splatek]

I wouldn't say you're wasting your time if you enjoy it but I quit running cameras for bear. It's a blast to look at pictures and nice knowing bears are in the general area but I don't find them that useful since bears just follow the food. Also, bears LOVE to chew on cameras haha.

Yeah I loved getting pics of them. Let a lot to chewing. This particular set of pictures is helpful because I wasn’t sure if this tract held bears. Plus, I guess you never know if you’ll find a good deer spot. @chrislibby88 reminded me about the fact that if the does are there … the bucks will come. Do that Intel was useful

 

[chrislibby88]

Yeah I loved getting pics of them. Let a lot to chewing. This particular set of pictures is helpful because I wasn’t sure if this tract held bears. Plus, I guess you never know if you’ll find a good deer spot. @chrislibby88 reminded me about the fact that if the does are there … the bucks will come. Do that Intel was useful

And usually if I find does in a spot in Sept, they are still there in Dec. with bucks too. A lot of those high density rub areas area pinch point where a doe groups live, and all the bucks come through trying to mark the spot as “their” does.

 

[sportsman94]

Too cool that the bear repositioned the cam to snitch on his friends. Would be a really cool story if you managed to kill one in the vicinity. I, like you, am putting a lot less stock in cameras this year. I am focusing on just finding and hunting fresh sign on the tracts where I have room to roam and am somewhat familiar with. I love the wonder of hunting an area and not having any idea whats around. Will still run a few, but well see. Good luck this season!

 

[NCMTNHunter]

Even after living in bear country my whole life I still think those old bear trails are some of the coolest things in the woods. I know of a couple that I found as a teenager that are still used. Multiple generations of bears stepping in the same tracks. I showed one to my kids last fall and we followed it a ways. They said it looked like a dinosaur trail.

 

[chrislibby88]

Even after living in bear country my whole life I still think those old bear trails are some of the coolest things in the woods. I know of a couple that I found as a teenager that are still used. Multiple generations of bears stepping in the same tracks. I showed one to my kids last fall and we followed it a ways. They said it looked like a dinosaur trail.

I’ve actually never seen one of those bear trails. I’ve found bears, but not the trails. Hoping I can find one this season.

 

[jbogg]

I’ve actually never seen one of those bear trails. I’ve found bears, but not the trails. Hoping I can find one this season.

It’s been a few years since I have seen one of those bear trails that no kidding looks like something you could see in Alaska.

 

[splatek]

I’ve actually never seen one of those bear trails. I’ve found bears, but not the trails. Hoping I can find one this season.

Chris, I can't show you much when it comes to hunting, but if our schedules ever align and we end up in the hills at the same time, I could show you one that is amazing. You could literally see where each foot was placed. Really cool stuff. That is, if it's still around after storms, blow downs, etc.

 

[Doug B.]

I'm not trying to derail this thread, but if you look closely at an oak tree that they may be lapping this fall, you will most likely see that it has been climbed by bears in previous years. It is funny how certain oaks get used year after year while other ones never get touched with a bear claw.
Kinda goes hand in hand with the bear trails though. They are definitely creatures of habit.

 

[Tio Hey Seuss]

I'm not trying to derail this thread, but if you look closely at an oak tree that they may be lapping this fall, you will most likely see that it has been climbed by bears in previous years. It is funny how certain oaks get used year after year while other ones never get touched with a bear claw.
Kinda goes hand in hand with the bear trails though. They are definitely creatures of habit.

That's partly because only a few trees are genetically predisposed to produce lots of acorns. Can't remember where I read that now though. Might have been Clay Newcomb. Of course some are in secure locations and such which increases usage over time even more.

 

[Doug B.]

That's partly because only a few trees are genetically predisposed to produce lots of acorns. Can't remember where I read that now though. Might have been Clay Newcomb. Of course some are in secure locations and such which increases usage over time even more.

That may be true but in years of abundant acorns when almost all white oaks are loaded with acorns they still climb certain ones instead of just climbing the first one they come to.

 

[chrislibby88]

That may be true but in years of abundant acorns when almost all white oaks are loaded with acorns they still climb certain ones instead of just climbing the first one they come to.

I already planned on hitting some whites they climbed last season, I’ve got them marked. The ones last year seemed like they climbed them once, ripped a few limbs, didn’t find what they wanted and moved on, of course the white acorn crop was junk. Guessing the trees I found were habitual trees that they check every season.

 

[chrislibby88]

Chris, I can't show you much when it comes to hunting, but if our schedules ever align and we end up in the hills at the same time, I could show you one that is amazing. You could literally see where each foot was placed. Really cool stuff. That is, if it's still around after storms, blow downs, etc.

That would be sweet. I’m sure I will stumble into one eventually, so if it doesn’t line up it’s fine.