Surprised a bear

M

marn

Member
I have hunted pheasants for almost 40 years and have chased up many different animals other than the intended pheasants. Not a surprise to chase out deer, turkeys, coyotes, skunks, raccoons, jackrabbit, but today in central MN came across a black bear. My hunting buddy was within 15 feet of the bear before he took off. What are some of the critters you guys have encountered hunting pheasants?
 
Black bears seem to be getting much more common. I'm about 30 miles south of St. Cloud and saw bears a couple the last 2 summers. I did see an Elk out hunting near Albany, I'm guessing it was a game farm escapee. Still cool to see
 
Holy cow, that will get your heart pumping! I have ran into all the ones you mentioned but never a bear.
 
I've never ran into a bear while pheasant hunting. However, on opening day of deer firearms season, I saw 2 of them from my stand. Its the first time I've ever seen a bear in the wild. There is no mistaking a bear either.

Its been unseasonably warm over the past month so my guess is that some aren't hibernating yet. Supposed to stay warm all this week too.
 
Gatzby said:
Black bears seem to be getting much more common. I'm about 30 miles south of St. Cloud and saw bears a couple the last 2 summers. I did see an Elk out hunting near Albany, I'm guessing it was a game farm escapee. Still cool to see
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It was probably the same one that got hit by a car near Springfield.32D32347-05BC-403C-95D7-BC3837D5C3E6.jpeg
 
I had my closest deer encounter last Friday. My lab will "false point" for about 2-3 seconds before going in for the pouncing flush on birds. He was very birdy, locked up briefly, then went in for a pounce and ended up jumping on a bedded down deer.
 
I've encountered all of the above (minus elk or bear). My dog was trying to get at something a few years ago in some deep grass, I thought she was trying to find a Pheasant. Until I see a big ass badger trying to get away. I'm glad my dog walked away with her nose intact.
 
The same dog also found herself about 10 feet in front of a Rattlesnake when we were out in Wyoming chasing Blue Grouse a couple years ago. That'll get your heart pumping thinking your dog is about to get bit by a rattlesnake. My shock collar came in handy there. Hopefully she associates snakes with getting "bit" in the neck and doesn't want to get close to them again.
 
Munster927 said:
I've encountered all of the above (minus elk or bear). My dog was trying to get at something a few years ago in some deep grass, I thought she was trying to find a Pheasant. Until I see a big ass badger trying to get away. I'm glad my dog walked away with her nose intact.
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My dad's dog seems to like furry critters as much as feathered birds. If the dog is birdy for a few minutes and nothing flushes, it's best if we move on before we encounter a skunk or coon. I'm glad my lab seems to not care or have a nose for furry things, we've come across them but he shows no interest in them - which is good, because I've chased running pheasants with him for long periods of time before they flush, with my dad's lab we would have pulled him off the scent a long time prior.
 
Yeah my dogs a pointer and she rarely ever cares about furry creatures. She'd never seen a badger so I'm assuming she was wondering wtf is this thing.
 
Munster927 said:
The same dog also found herself about 10 feet in front of a Rattlesnake when we were out in Wyoming chasing Blue Grouse a couple years ago. That'll get your heart pumping thinking your dog is about to get bit by a rattlesnake. My shock collar came in handy there. Hopefully she associates snakes with getting "bit" in the neck and doesn't want to get close to them again.
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Forgot about badgers, encountered one in SD several years ago in a road ditch. Pushed a CRP field and got to the fence and my dog wanted through the fence. I assumed we had pushed a rooster and waited for a flush after the dog went through the fence. Dog started jumping around in the grass and my buddy got her away from the badger before anything could get ugly.
Thankfully have not been that close to a rattlesnake.
 
Yeah mine did the same thing. Jumping around in the grass. She first pointed then went nuts. So I knew it wasn't a bird. And yeah, I hope I don't have to encounter a rattlesnake ever again.
 
Boy this weather has them bears messed up. Should have been sleeping for about 35 days or more now.

Turkey hunting this spring along a ridge line. Working a gobbler out about 70 yards or so, but can't see him because it is too thick. Black object pops up on the ridge line about 30 yards away. Lift gun thinking it is the gobbler and waiting for that soft ball head to raise up. It was a black bear cub. He stood up on his hind legs and scratched a popple. I stood up and told him to stop and then quickly realized momma bear was probably just under the ridge line. Moved out of there pretty quickly, thankfully my trail was behind me. Got away about 100 yards and did a gear check ...

Wish I would have snapped a photo or two, but probably made the right decision just to leave.
 
BRITTMAN said:
Boy this weather has them bears messed up. Should have been sleeping for about 35 days or more now.

Turkey hunting this spring along a ridge line. Working a gobbler out about 70 yards or so, but can't see him because it is too thick. Black object pops up on the ridge line about 30 yards away. Lift gun thinking it is the gobbler and waiting for that soft ball head to raise up. It was a black bear cub. He stood up on his hind legs and scratched a popple. I stood up and told him to stop and then quickly realized momma bear was probably just under the ridge line. Moved out of there pretty quickly, thankfully my trail was behind me. Got away about 100 yards and did a gear check ...

Wish I would have snapped a photo or two, but probably made the right decision just to leave.
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Yeah I would say you made the right call. One time turkey hunting the black hills a few years ago I had a mountain lion come over a ridge and right into my decoy spread. That was crazy to see.
 
jackrabbit said:
My dad's dog seems to like furry critters as much as feathered birds
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Some dogs seem to actually seek out other critters more than birds too. I've seen more than one dog that was better at looking, finding, and killing them than he was at locating birds.
 
It was 40 years ago and I was turkey hunting early Spring in Northern Michigan. At daybreak I was walking east into the sunrise along a tote road through the aspens. I walked up to a small grassy open and wondered to myself how two oil barrels got out there in the middle of nowhere...until they raised their heads. Bear cubs...no mom insight. I still can remember the feel of the hair on the back of my neck standing up and looking down at my 12ga humpback thinking how small it looked!
 
I wish for more pheasants, but my dog is "down to frolic" with fur or feathers. I have pulled Obie off a raccoon (and then stood on top of the critter in the cattails until drowned/dead), shot a porcupine (to keep Obie off of him), screamed at a bobcat, pushed out coyotes, startled deer and owls, been harassed by a young bald eagle all while out in the field with my DTF springer... but a bear in place of that raccoon would have been a whole different play book. I've often thought it would be wise to place a can of bear spray into my hunting vest, however the use in mind was generally for 2 legged aggressors over the 4 legged bear.
 
marn said:
I have hunted pheasants for almost 40 years and have chased up many different animals other than the intended pheasants. Not a surprise to chase out deer, turkeys, coyotes, skunks, raccoons, jackrabbit, but today in central MN came across a black bear. My hunting buddy was within 15 feet of the bear before he took off. What are some of the critters you guys have encountered hunting pheasants?
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Raccoons, deer, fox, coyotes, lots of rabbits and unfortunately my dog has found porcupines and skunks
 
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