Very interesting happenings over the weekend........

[The Arrow Guru]

Sorry for the long post but this was kinda funny. 1st I didn’t see any bears and all the sign I saw wasn’t fresh. I’m hunting between Brass Town Bald and where the Appalachian Trail crosses 180. As I left Sat afternoon I realized just how many campers, hikers and people were using that area and I imagine it has the bears pushed back in there a bit. Anyway, I got there Friday night and set up camp at the very end of the 1st forest service road west of BTB. I had an area picked to get to in the morning and a route to hike for sign. I knew it was going to be a pretty difficult hike so wanted to get a good night sleep. Ate a bite and hit the sac. I woke up around 1AM to the sounds of hounds that sounded like they had bayed something down the Mountian from me. Then they stopped. Being quite sleepy I started to drift off again when I heard something running toward my camp. It was panting hard and was way bigger than a dog. Ran between my truck and my tent. It was a bear. It realizes it was around people and took off up the ridge. Then I heard the truck again. During the commotion I got up, put on a jacket and grabbed my pistol and went out side. Looked like the truck was heading up the road toward me but then turn around and left. What I think happened was the dogs chased a bear off the WMA onto the National Forest and bayed it down from my camp. The hunters got to them, pulled the dogs off and took them back to the truck. The bear cane down and was getting out of there and found himself in my camp. You know at first I’m thinking these guys are doing something they shouldn’t etc etc. but after crawling back in the sac and trying to settle back down I went over what I heard and in what sequence and I think it was all legit. But it was definitely a first for me! Lol. I will try and pick an area with less recreation next time.

 

[Thunder Head]

Activity pushed them out,

Maybe, maybe not.

When i came out of the woods a couple of Saturdays ago. There was a group of ladies walking down the road. They ask me if i saw anything. I said i had a bear huffing at me but never really saw it. She asked if it was close to the road. I said no, i was up on the ridge top. She said they see them quite a bit thru the summer, near too or crossing the road.

 

[jiminbogart]

Can you hunt bears at night? If not, what were the dogs doing running bears at night?

 

[strothershwacker]

Can you hunt bears at night? If not, what were the dogs doing running bears at night?

Probably got on em before dark. Dogs don't care if it's dark or not. Probably treed and pulled 'em. I seen em chase dogs from lunch till midnight up at Tellico one time. That's a ruff place too! Em dogs wont quit till ye make em!

 

[The Arrow Guru]

Can you hunt bears at night? If not, what were the dogs doing running bears at night?

Dogs will chase a bear until he trees. Sometimes that takes a while depending on the bears attitude. I imagine the way that bear was huffing when it came by me it had been on the run a while. It seemed to me they pulled the dogs as soon as they got to them.