So I live in South Arkansas/North Louisiana area. We have a pretty good sized chunk of land called Casey Jones that's open for public hunts. My house actually backs up to Casey Jones so I'm planning on walking out in the woods with my .270 and killing a deer this year (lived here four years and haven't hunted since I left Texas).
Anyway, Black Bears were reintroduced to this area awhile ago. Normally this wouldn't give me pause, but the other day I was heading to a wedding and had to slam on my breaks because of this rather large (well large for most of the other critters in this area) black bear came running out across the road. My friends had shown me pictures of them getting into their deer feed but I always thought it they doctored the pictures because they (my friends) have been known to go out of the way to pull a decent prank (I wish I was kidding).
Every single person I've talked to about it since then says you can get in big trouble for shooting those guys because they are protected. I do not want to shoot a bear. The only sidearm I own in a Ruger .380 and I'm sure that'd just tick the bear off.
Next year I was planning on getting out there with a crossbow so I could get an early start, so then I'd be out there without the protection of a rifle.
If what I am saying sounds extremely ignorant, it's because I am extremely ignorant, that's why I'm reaching out to you guys. I'm not too proud to ask questions. I don't want to get in trouble and I also don't want to be bear food.
So, if there is a chance encounter with a black bear while I'm walking out to my spot, what the heck are you suppose to do? Are they skittish to a lot of noise? I don't want to scare the deer off too. Are black bears fairly non-confrontational? Do I just go all Davy Crockett and tackle him into a bush with a knife between my teeth?
What do I do if the worst actually happens?
Anyway, Black Bears were reintroduced to this area awhile ago. Normally this wouldn't give me pause, but the other day I was heading to a wedding and had to slam on my breaks because of this rather large (well large for most of the other critters in this area) black bear came running out across the road. My friends had shown me pictures of them getting into their deer feed but I always thought it they doctored the pictures because they (my friends) have been known to go out of the way to pull a decent prank (I wish I was kidding).
Every single person I've talked to about it since then says you can get in big trouble for shooting those guys because they are protected. I do not want to shoot a bear. The only sidearm I own in a Ruger .380 and I'm sure that'd just tick the bear off.
Next year I was planning on getting out there with a crossbow so I could get an early start, so then I'd be out there without the protection of a rifle.
If what I am saying sounds extremely ignorant, it's because I am extremely ignorant, that's why I'm reaching out to you guys. I'm not too proud to ask questions. I don't want to get in trouble and I also don't want to be bear food.
So, if there is a chance encounter with a black bear while I'm walking out to my spot, what the heck are you suppose to do? Are they skittish to a lot of noise? I don't want to scare the deer off too. Are black bears fairly non-confrontational? Do I just go all Davy Crockett and tackle him into a bush with a knife between my teeth?
What do I do if the worst actually happens?