Caribou Gear

Town bear...talk me out of that guilty feeling

davinski

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 30, 2011
Messages
357
Location
Western Colorado
So my teenage son has a rifle bear tag for a unit that covers quite a bit of edge-of-town farmland. It's not city, but definitely not in the woods. We have limited time to get out so doing a full blown hunt camp setup in the USFS and BLM country where I've historically hunted is not in the cards. He's never shot a bear before. I have a few properties to hunt where the bears have been problematic with the crops and farming operations.

95% of me says to saddle up, go get the boy on a bear, and have fun. I grew up shooting deer out of hayfields all the time, it's no different. First world problems, as my kids say.

But I'll be honest, there is a whisper of guilt that floats through my mind as we're planning this. I know it's still hunting, it's not like a zoo or anything and you cannot bait them in CO. It's far from a sure thing. But it still feels a little weird.

Anyone else ever experience this? Anyone know how a corn-fed bear tastes? Thanks in advance.
 
Stuff is getting weird around here. First there was the guy that didn't want to hunt on the private ranch by Ennis for elk. Now this.

How about you ask your kid what HE wants? Instead of projecting your "private land guilt" on him.
 
Corn fed bears taste great!

What difference does it make whether it's in the mountains or ag fields? As long as it's a fair chase situation. Guys shoot them all the time eating donuts out of steel barrels chained to a tree. Your scenario seems more fun to me than that. You still have to find the bear, stalk him and put a clean shot on him.

If your son is excited about it, don't let your reluctance stand in the way of getting him a bear. It's his tag, it's legal and ethical. Go get some good bear meat and take care of a farmers problem at the same time. Good luck! :)
 
Get him on the bear! Just be sure to have a good attitude about it. Don't make your guilt, his, or it will taint the experience for him.
 
It appears that the state of Colorado(as the rest of the world) has far greater concerns at hand than protecting the rights and privileges of bears. Put one in the truck and take time to develop some great memories to fall back on in the coming years.

I can't say with 100% certainty; but he'll get the itch for the back country stuff if he has a good time with this one.
 
I would have zero reservations about taking any of my three sons on a ethical and legal wild and fair chase hunt. Take him have fun make memories hopefully be successful, then when time allows take him on the wilderness hunt. Just make sure he has fun, if you raise them up right when they get old enough they will make the right choices.
 
So, by that logic, is it unethical and not a fair hunt for those towns/cities that have a deer season within municipal boundries ? I doubt very much the landowners, who are burdened with the predation expenses, would have any 'weirdness' it.

Go hunting.
 
I stopped reading when I got to PROBLEMATIC, I hope its not going to be an EVENT or in TORNATIC conditions.
 
Thanks, all, that's what I needed. No farm bears tonight, hopefully the daytime temps quit hitting 90. I have to work more on my calling...it's a right challenge to sound like an ear of corn.
 
Thanks, all, that's what I needed. No farm bears tonight, hopefully the daytime temps quit hitting 90. I have to work more on my calling...it's a right challenge to sound like an ear of corn.

Depending on the bear's habits and the neighbors pet feeding habits, a second call to work on might be dog food hitting a doggie bowl.

I hope you gentlemen a grand adventure (in the 'burbs) and score a nice one.
 
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