Last spring, we highlighted the enthusiasm for hunting black bear during spring in Manitoba, and to celebrate a nice entry to spring, we’re highlighting interesting facts about black bear, and tips for hunting them!

 

Five Cool Facts about Black Bear

1. A Black Bear has a sense of smell that is over 100x that of a human’s

2. Black bears love the smell of mint

3. Black bears breed during the summer, meaning males will travel far in search of ready females.

4. Black bears are shy and usually afraid of humans, and rarely aggressive towards them.

5. Black bears do not technically hibernate, though they do use winter denning to overcoming deplorable weather.

 

Five Tips for Hunting Black Bear

1. Wash with unscented soaps, shampoos, and deodorants. Similarly, to the first cool fact above, bears can smell the slightest perfume, so avoid scents if you wish to go undetected.

2. As black bears love mint, many hunters brush their teeth during a hunt to attract bears.

3. Stealth is key, limit all movement to a minimum and sit perfectly still.

4. Research and explore your hunting terrain. Knowing the grounds makes stalking the bear easier.

5. Consider hunting again in spring, as the males will be out searching for females, making them easier to stalk and ambush.