Larry A. Smail's Blog

Bear damage

  Monday, November 20, I headed to the woods of Armstrong County to seek out a Black Bear. The first day, November 18th was a wash out. I  “schmartly” decided to not go out and be wet. The weather people were calling for windy conditions, also. This day would be different. Although dark I could see a “skiff” of snow as I approached my destination.

I pulled in only to see a younger fellow almost ready to head up the game land’s road to his hunting spot. We spoke briefly and off he went. I followed shortly afterwards. I had planned to still hunt and old clear cut, but after I searched out tracks at a Y in the trail I noticed  some footprints in the sandy area. Yes, he was going to the top where I had planned, so I altered my direction. As stated little snow was present. There was enough to help see, but not enough to effectively track and bear, if I would happen to see a track somewhere. In fact, much of the snow would be melted by 9:30 A.M. except deep hollows and northern exposed hills.

Rough terrain

I moved quickly along food plots trying to cut any tracks before the snow was melted. None were found. Two, separate, small game hunters were observed hunting. I actually saw one bag a pheasant. I decide to cross the main road and hunt the other side of the game lands.

I journeyed the game lands area moving through recent clear cuts. The brush and briars are unbelievable. I come here often knowing this is prime bear habitat, but finding one is almost nil and  getting a shot probably almost as impossible, yet I try to beat the odds. Many bear would hold tight in such habitat allowing the hunter to walk past.

My good friend, Carl Nulph. Always pleasant and always happy.

Eventually, I moved up and over a high wall only to see an old friend, Carl Nulph. He was checking trail cams for wildlife activity. We enjoyed our conversation for   about half an hour. Carl and I have been friends for many years and I always cherish the time we see each other to chat. In fact, we met last year on this very same hill top. I thought about putting him out of his misery, but elected to maintain a clean rifle. Hi Linda!                                                            

I circled around the game land’s edge only to be surprised to see many acres of standing corn. I said to myself, “Self, that is where the bear will be at.”  Unfortunately, I didn’t have permission to hunt the property. I began a circle around the back side of the hill. My decision was to move along slowly and whenever I reached the jeep I would call it a day. That time was 2:30.

The only signs of bear I had found in the area were utility pole damage and one pile of scat.  I saw two buck and one doe. I saw and heard several flocks of swans and a Red-tail Hawk and a Cooper’s hawk. I didn’t see any squirrels. I wondered how the recent weather may have affected the wildlife. The day became quite windy  later on. Enough wind was present to cause some chapping of my lips. Oh, the life of a hunter. Today, as I type, the weather is warming to close sixty degrees. I decided  to not hunt.  Since I am a lone hunter I am always concerned of getting a bear. The work of getting a bear out of the woods in warm weather is a task I don’t enjoy. Since, I would be eating  the bear I don’t want to have any spoiling of meat. It took much time to remove a bear I harvested in the past.