I was wondering if there was any bear hunting guides in Virginia?? Hows bear hunting on public lands in Virginia is there any good places to go?? Also i heard a rumor that thompson center arms company sold out to smith an weston company will they still be making them??

No need for a guide . I can shoot several every year if I wanted to and I dont even hunt for them! Missed about a 350 lber last tuesday with a bow at 16 yards. Shooting down at a steep angle I thought my cam would clear the rail on my climber and was wrong! Shot right under neath him and he still never knew I was there. Honestly, the bear population has exploded in the southwestern part where Im at and its hard to go hunting without seeing one. Im pretty sure smith bought TC out about 5 years ago

Yes, Smith & Wesson bought Thompson Center about five or six years ago. I have bought an Encore frame and a Triumph since the buy out plus several Encore barrels.

With some leg work, homework and such you can kill a bear on public land if you put the time in.

My Brother in law, who lives in Big Island has killed 12 bears with his bow. All on National Forest.



GOBLN2

Western Augusta County has a decent population also. My brother in law killed a 250 lb. one a few weeks ago with his bow.

Had about a 250 lb bear come in about 1 oclock today. Seriously there everywhere here. I dont bear hunt but I believe Im going to go during the bear rifle season. We can bust them next week to with the muzzleloader. I bet theres going to be a lot die! A friend of mine is a taxidermist and has had more bears brought in so far than deer.

I would love to see one. We've had them hit the bee hives and fruit trees in the summer, but never seen one when hunting.

My wife wants me to get a bear rug sometime along the way. If anyone knows where in VA to go I would like to add it to the collection. In MD it is a lottery and I never seem to win.

Vic

Seen 2 more this evening. That makes a 11 for the year so far! If anyone wants directions to them PM me. Its near the grayson/smyth line. Its a long walk though! No acorns here but theres a bunch of beech nuts and thats what there keying on right now.

would a game warden help out dragging a bear out? haha

TS,

I would take you up on that, but work has me over a barrel right now. Might have to give you a PM for next year. Since I am from MD where is it you are talking about? Do they have any size to them? (Not that I am picky.) How long of a drag?

Vic

Vic im the south west part of the state. Not far from NC or TN. There are some really nice bears killed around here every year that go over 500 and every now and then a 600+. I would say a 250-325 is quite doable if your willing to let the small ones walk. Drag can be brutal, hence the reason I dont shoot hardly. Closest walk to the truck is about hour 45 with a few spots over 2.5 hours. Game warden did tell me he would help get them (bear or deer) with his four wheeler if he could get to it but Im positive he couldnt due to the steepness and thickness.

Do you have to get a special tag for a beer or is it part of the big game license? Do they have a spring hunt too or is it just the fall? Sorry to be a pain but I am unfamiliar.

Vic

Vic,

Bear tags come with the big game license. Fall hunting only. Pretty long season if you include the archery, muzzleloader and rifle.