Middle Georgia Bears

[Dutch]

Hey DNR guys...

When are we going to get a longer Bear season than ONE day (and only in parts of some counties)?

I hunt in Bleckley and we are covered up in bears, to the point I am seeing them regularly while in the stand.

 

[270 shooter]

Plan on attending one of these to voice your opinion:

2019–2020 Public Meeting Dates
January 7, 2019, 7 p.m.
Gainesville Civic Center, Chattahoochee Room
830 Green Street NE
Gainesville, GA 30501
Armuchee High School
4203 Martha Berry Highway NW
Rome, GA 30165
January 10, 2019 7 p.m.
Southern Regional Technical College, 253-B Auditorium
15689 US-19
Thomasville, GA 31792
Coffee County Courthouse
101 Peterson Avenue
Douglas, GA 31533
Sweetwater Creek State Park, Group Shelter
1750 Mount Vernon Road
Lithia Springs, GA 30122
January 14, 2019 7 p.m.
GA Tech Savannah
210 Technology Circle
Savannah, GA 31407
January 16, 2019 7 p.m.
Augusta Tech, Thomson Campus
388 Tech Drive
Thomson, GA 30824
F.D. Roosevelt State Park, Group Shelter
2970 GA Highway 190
Pine Mountain, GA 31822

 

[strothershwacker]

Thanks for posting that! I'll be the guy in the parkin lot holdin a sign that reads VOTE YES TO MORE BEAR!

 

[Killer Kyle]

I'll be the one in the parking lot sitting at a table with a sign that says

"Bear is the best eating game in the woods....change my mind".

 

[Killer Kyle]

Hey DNR guys...

When are we going to get a longer Bear season than ONE day (and only in parts of some counties)?

I hunt in Bleckley and we are covered up in bears, to the point I am seeing them regularly while in the stand.

Just a few things to remember here. Although you are seeing lots of bears, there could be the possibility that isn't the case for all the properties around you.

If you are baiting or have food plots or even just oak stands amidst natural or planted pines, it is likely that you are seeing repeat users. You might have observed two or three different bears, but you're likely seeing the same two or three over and over. Are y'all using corn or food plots or both?
As with all things regarding wildlife, the state DNR can't construct regulations and policies based on heresay. They can't be like "man, I've heard 7 different people from Bleckley say they are slap covered up in bears. We have to up the harvest rate STAT!"

Since baiting and food plots are very, very, VERY common in your area, we have to assume that you or your neighbors are concentrating bears via food plots or corn
That might not accurately reflect upon or indicate the real bear presence or population in your county.
Generally and usually, the regulations are the fruit of the research. Scientific research. DNR has a bear biologist and he and his staff are out there doing research and conducting various forms of surveys to better understand the bear population across the state. Through research, it can often take a half decade or a decade to see trends in population growth or decline.
The most likely situation is that you are seeing a lot of repeat bears. The same few over and over. If you feel like you have a uniquely high population density of bears where you hunt, you should contact DNR/WRD and let them conduct summertime population surveys on your property. I'm sure they'd be chomping at the bit. They'd probably love to work in cooperation with you. The bottom line is to remember that you are probably only seeing two or three bears repeatedly. Change in regs takes time and research. It might be several years before you see a change in the season, or the season could be closed altogether. Just be patient. I know it may be difficult to do, but please remain patient and understand that the state DNR is doing everything it can to better survey and understand bears across the state so that it can adjust regulations or maintain present ones accordingly.

 

[Dutch]

I have hunted this property for 10 years now, and while I am sure that some of the bears are repeats, I have been seeing bears (mainly on camera) every year. usually its once maybe twice a season I will see a live bear, but this year it has become a regular occurrence. The property is a mix of pines and hardwood bottoms on the east side of Hwy. 23 which with Ocmulgee WMA and the river not to far, so it may just be transit bears, as (at least) on the property I hunt acorns are spotty this year.

But I appreciate the advice and will contact the DNR and attend a meeting.

 

[Christian hughey]

I have hunted this property for 10 years now, and while I am sure that some of the bears are repeats, I have been seeing bears (mainly on camera) every year. usually its once maybe twice a season I will see a live bear, but this year it has become a regular occurrence. The property is a mix of pines and hardwood bottoms on the east side of Hwy. 23 which with Ocmulgee WMA and the river not to far, so it may just be transit bears, as (at least) on the property I hunt acorns are spotty this year.

But I appreciate the advice and will contact the DNR and attend a meeting.

Bears use the ocmulgee as a travel route. I have heard of bears being spotted and a cub was found far up as jasper co. last year. Bears are mobile critters and like Kyle said, you got the food you got the bears! A couple weeks ago dnr held a meeting on public opinion on bears in general and I was able to submitt my opinion online about going back to a quota style hunt in mid ga and issuing the amount of tags you want filled and give them to private land owners. Also threw it out there that a spring bear bow hunt with leftover tags would be a good way to combat growing bear numbers in north ga.

 

[GAbullHunter]

I sure wish we had a larger population, enough that the season could be open to every county in the middle for at least one day. Id be up for some of those bear that are nuisance to be relacated to middle GA counties.

 

[Buckman18]

It’d be interesting to hear how many middle GA hunters would like more bears once the fawn recruitment rate tanks like it has in the mountains!

You think coyotes get a bunch of fawns? You ain’t seen nothing yet!

 

[Dutch]

It’d be interesting to hear how many middle GA hunters would like more bears once the fawn recruitment rate tanks like it has in the mountains!

You think coyotes get a bunch of fawns? You ain’t seen nothing yet!

I don't want more bears. I just want to be able to cull a few, out of the ones that are running around.

 

[GRT24]

We have pics of bear at both our Baldwin county land and our Hancock county land this year. First year getting bear pics at either. They are on large size when it comes to middle ga black bear. Texted a pic of the one in Hancock to a DNR buddy that’s at the Social Cirlce office. Immediately wanted know exactly where that camera was due to the size of it.

 

[lampern]

The DNR wants more bears in central GA.

They recently moved the season to January to suppress the kill of female bears

 

[Dutch]

The DNR wants more bears in central GA.

What?
Why in the **** do they want more freaking bears for?
We can't shoot the **** things now.
Whats next, reintroducing the Eastern Grey wolf?

 

[Christian hughey]

They will offer a season after things get out of hand and they become a nuisance.

 

[Timberman]

They are a nuisance in Washington County. It won’t be long til one tears up our camp.

 

[lampern]

The proposed management plan said they want to transplant bears from somewhere else to central georgia.

 

[Christian hughey]

I'll keep huntin the hooch. Although twiggs, Houston, and bibb have reported good bear sightings and there deer heard does real well. Maybe they haven't coexisted long enough to have an impact or maybe deer just dont like the mountains.

 

[Cmcharles]

This ones been spotted on two of our farms in bleckley 3 miles apart

 

[Christian hughey]

This ones been spotted on two of our farms in bleckley 3 miles apartView attachment 950578

So you got a spot open for a buddy on that one day hunt BUDDY!

 

[Christian hughey]

Y'all aren't part of it yet that's right it's just twiggs, Houston, and bibb right?