bear season

[2busy]

I heard that 32 bear were shot on opening day. Will that bring next years count down since more than the 20 alloted were taken?

 

[Davs2601]

I thought it was 22 bears harvested?? 15 by crossbow

 

[dennishoddy]

I thought it was 22 bears harvested?? 15 by crossbow

Your correct.

 

[AU_K9s]

http://www.tulsaworld.com/sportsextra/article.aspx?subjectid=25&articleid=20101002_25_0_Oklaho452998

Oklahoma’s black bear season opened and closed in one day Friday with a total of 31 bears killed, two of which were big boars weighing 500 to 600 pounds.


Billed as a conservative season by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, the archery-only hunt opened Oct. 1 and ends the day the 20th bear is killed. It is open only in Le Flore, Latimer, McCurtain and Pushmataha counties. Last year, the season was open a full month, with a total of 19 bears killed.

“We knew it could happen,” said Joe Hemphill, southeast regional supervisor for the wildlife department. “We didn’t have as many acorns as last year. That could have something to do with it. The other thing is people using crossbows instead of compounds. Twenty-two of them were killed with crossbows.”

A crossbow can be an advantage because the hunter has to move less to pull off a shot, he said.

Nels Rodefeld, chief of information and education for the department, was one who downed a bear with a crossbow this season. He attributed his success to the change in natural food sources.

“Last year, a week, 10 days before season everyone was saying their bears were disappearing. This year, the muscadines (grapes) were gone by the time season got here and it was a spotty acorn crop and they just started falling.”

Hemphill said the 31-bear harvest was not surprising, although receiving the report of the 20th bear killed, which happened to be Rodefeld’s, at 7:30 p.m. made it a very busy
day for biologists. Within 15 minutes, he had 25 bear kills reported.

“They were all beautiful bears, very healthy, very few ticks,” he said. Of the 31 killed, 25 were males, at least seven bears weighed over 300 pounds, one 500 and one at least 600, Hemphill said.

Twelve were killed in Le Flore County, 12 in Pushmataha, four in Latimer and three in McCurtain.
By By KELLY BOSTIAN World Outdoors Writer

 

[2busy]

wonder if there were any shot but not recovered.

 

[RidgeHunter]

I wonder if the x-bow ratio of the bear kills is a precursor to the deer harvest? More bears killed in one day with x-bows than the entire season with vertical bows last year.

 

[r00s7a]

I hope they outlaw crossbows next year for bear unless you are handicapped. I've got no problem whatsoever with using crossbows for deer, they are plentiful and abundant. But when you only have a limit of 20 bears and all these jackwagons come out in the woods with their shiney new crossbows, well... just kinda ticks me off.

 

[RidgeHunter]

^^^ They just out-opportunitied you is all. It's all about the opportunity.

Some jackwagon on OSA said last summer you can't give Hunter B opportunity without taking it from Hunter A....

Hunter B got his bear.

 

[Buzzgun]

What difference does it make whether they used compounds or crossbows??

I wouldn't be so quick to blame the short season on crossbows!

Last year, only 19 bears were killed, the quota wasn't even filled even though the season ran through muzzleloader season!

 

[RidgeHunter]

Did you read the comments on that Tulsa World article? And you guys think I'm an idiot!