okie archer
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 3, 2015
- Messages
- 646
I have baited bears in Oklahoma starting in 2017. I hunt very close to the Arkansas state line. For last couple of years I have wanted to find some land to lease on the Arkansas side for two reasons.
1. Arkansas opens almost a week earlier (4th Saturday in September). Oklahoma opens Oct 1st.
2. I could have 2 bear tags in a close area.
I finally found a small 40 acre lease bordering large National Forest area. Baiting is illegal in both Arkansas and Oklahoma on Public land. I figured since Im already making a 2.5 hour drive to bait in Oklahoma why not drive a little bit further into Arkansas and run a bait since I am already that close. My goal this year is for my 8 year old son Drake to kill a year. He has practiced a lot with a crossbow and is very good. We started our baits early September. Bears found the baits quick. We went hunting one evening in Arkansas and sure enough a bear circled downwind of the bait and came in with just a few minutes of legal light left. I had my compound bow hanging up and had Drakes xbow on the rest ready. Unfortunately he was shaking so bad and breathing so hard he couldn't get settled. Plus light was fading and the bear was moving quite a bit. The bear was only 25 yards away. I could tell Drake just couldn't get comfortable so I asked if he wanted me to kill the bear. Yes he said so I grabbed his xbow and made the shot. The bear only went about 25 yards. I was disappointed for Drake but it was still an awesome experience for him.
Oklahoma is still going strong. We have been playing cat and mouse with the bears between our two baits. We have picked the wrong bait every hunt. We are on our way now to hunt. Hopefully tonight is the night. If so I will post up.
1. Arkansas opens almost a week earlier (4th Saturday in September). Oklahoma opens Oct 1st.
2. I could have 2 bear tags in a close area.
I finally found a small 40 acre lease bordering large National Forest area. Baiting is illegal in both Arkansas and Oklahoma on Public land. I figured since Im already making a 2.5 hour drive to bait in Oklahoma why not drive a little bit further into Arkansas and run a bait since I am already that close. My goal this year is for my 8 year old son Drake to kill a year. He has practiced a lot with a crossbow and is very good. We started our baits early September. Bears found the baits quick. We went hunting one evening in Arkansas and sure enough a bear circled downwind of the bait and came in with just a few minutes of legal light left. I had my compound bow hanging up and had Drakes xbow on the rest ready. Unfortunately he was shaking so bad and breathing so hard he couldn't get settled. Plus light was fading and the bear was moving quite a bit. The bear was only 25 yards away. I could tell Drake just couldn't get comfortable so I asked if he wanted me to kill the bear. Yes he said so I grabbed his xbow and made the shot. The bear only went about 25 yards. I was disappointed for Drake but it was still an awesome experience for him.
Oklahoma is still going strong. We have been playing cat and mouse with the bears between our two baits. We have picked the wrong bait every hunt. We are on our way now to hunt. Hopefully tonight is the night. If so I will post up.
