In the spring of 2010, I walked up to sedate my first bear in a trap in Down East Maine. It was a 130-pound female that lunged toward me and woofed. It was intimidating, but thrilling.
Today, 15 years later, it’s still exciting to see a bear in the woods. I’ve forgotten who told me, “if it doesn’t get your blood pumping, you’re doing it wrong.” It wouldn’t matter if it was the first bear I saw or the thousandth, I love them all.
The difference is that now when I walk up to a bear in a trap, it’s with my Henry .44 Mag, which I use to harvest that bear for meat.
But does a hunter’s feeling about an animal change after handling it for research?
Well, it did for me. My respect for wildlife has only grown with time and exposure to their behaviors, habits and traits surrounding survival and reproduction.
Every trap set is unique, and every bear I capture is eventful. It’s rewarding to put in so much effort to select a site, and sometimes literal blood, sweat and tears to see it produce an intended target.
Knowing the effort required to do so, and my personal standards for harvesting — I want to get it right. For me, this means targeting mature, adult male bears.
There are many people that would love to trap any bear, big or small, male or female, and rightly so. But for me, I like to “leave seed” as some say, to make sure there are females producing quarry for the next year.
Larger adult bears have been educated about bait sites, and in some areas, traps. The bear I shot in 2021 was a 10-year old, 410-pound bruiser who only came into the bait site at night. Upon handling him, I saw a large scar across his hind quarter where a bullet from a previous hunter had grazed him.
Trapping with the intent to catch a male bear is in no way foolproof. A female never seen on camera can certainly make her way toward the bait and get caught. However, the regular placement of bait allows a bear to become familiar with the easy PopTart meal waiting for it in the woods. I watch this pattern on camera, and hope for the best.
I enjoy trapping bears with cable snares because I have to anticipate exactly where an animal will step, and what path they will take. I’m not banking on them reaching their paw into a tube set full of doughnuts, although this method is regularly successfully used. I like placing a trap far enough away from the bait that you can’t see it. Just a cable and a spring.
After trapping bears for research, I wanted the added challenge of a specific target for harvest. An adult bear also provides more game meat. Bear isn’t my favorite – elk is, but I do like knowing I can pick and choose from bear, venison, or something else in the freezer at any time and maintain a diverse palate.
I admit, it’s easy to get attached to a research animal. Knowing their movements and handling their cubs adds a fondness to this revered species. GPS-marked bears have also brought me to places I never would have traveled to otherwise, and I thank them for it.
Today, as a bear guide, an additional consideration for trapping now is that many sports who come to trap may only be able to do so once. A once-in-a-lifetime trophy for many is an added pressure I am happy to have.
Knowing the challenges wild animals endure, especially a bear, whose physical condition changes drastically throughout the year, lends itself to admiration.
However, despite the experiences I’ve had handling them for research, my desire to hunt and trap black bears hasn’t waned. My techniques have refined and I’ve become more selective.
Like any other true hunter who strives to continually learn about and observe their pursuit, it’s bittersweet to pull the trigger.
