The black bear is a fascinating and challenging big-game animal. Once pushed to the brink of extinction, this highly adaptable bear has now returned to much of its historic range across North America. Today, roughly a million black bears roam the United States and Canada, offering hunters an unprecedented opportunity at a trophy. But to pursue these animals successfully, hunters must know everything possible about a bruin's habits and habitat and the best methods for hunting it. And there is no one better to provide such information than expert bear hunter Al Raychard. Hunting America's Bear is loaded with useful tips on:
Scouting for prime habitat and food sources
Interpreting sign such as tracks and scat
Understanding bear behavior through the seasons
Setting up bait stations and hunting over bait
Hunting with dogs
Spot-and-stalk, still-hunting, and calling tactics
Hunting with rifles, bows, muzzleloaders, shotguns, and handguns
Planning trips with outfitters and guides or hunting on your own
Judging bears' size in the woods
Recognizing the differences between black and grizzly bears
And much more . . .
This book will not only make your black bear hunts more productive, it will help you develop a better understanding and appreciation for America's Bear.


The black bear, Ursus americanus, was a creature of legend and mystery among Native Americans. When the first European settlers arrived, it is estimated that two million black bears roamed across North America, but by the early 1900s the bruin had been hunted, trapped, poached, and killed almost to extinction. In many parts of its native range, the black bear had, indeed, disappeared. Today, the black bear has come full circle. It has now returned to much of its native habitats, and about one million are now found across the United States and Canada.
In HUNTING AMERICA'S BEAR, the author takes a look at the bruin's relationship with man, its natural history, and what makes it such a popular quarry. Specific chapters take a look at the bear's habitat; where to locate and how to recognize bear sign; baiting; hunting with hounds; the different ways to successfully hunt the bruin; how to select the best rifles and calibers, bows and arrows, handguns, muzzleloaders, and slug guns for hunting this animal; what to expect in bear camp; and many other helpful hints.
The black bear is a fascinating and challenging big-game animal, and this book will not only help make hunting them more interesting and productive, but will also help develop a better understanding and appreciation for America's bear.