Ohio Bears

[bowhunter1023]

Here's a fairly well documented bear from central Washington County. Not the Wayne, but in one of our more densely populated urban areas. This is the one animal I still don't have on my own cams, but I'm hoping it'll happen someday. This bear was seen within a 1/2 of my back door this summer and the daylight pic is about halfway between my house and our farm ( credit to one of my neighbors) and the nighttime pic was shared on our local "What's Happening" page on FB. Pics are in the same general vicinity.

Remember when the ODNR denied there were black bears in Ohio? Or was that even a real thing?

Whatever the case, Ohio certainly has a growing bear population in 2024 and I think it's cool.

 

[Sgt Fury]

Here's a fairly well documented bear from central Washington County. Not the Wayne, but in one of our more densely populated urban areas. This is the one animal I still don't have on my own cams, but I'm hoping it'll happen someday. This bear was seen within a 1/2 of my back door this summer and the daylight pic is about halfway between my house and our farm ( credit to one of my neighbors) and the nighttime pic was shared on our local "What's Happening" page on FB. Pics are in the same general vicinity.

Remember when the ODNR denied there were black bears in Ohio? Or was that even a real thing?

Whatever the case, Ohio certainly has a growing bear population in 2024 and I think it's cool.

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I remember a few years ago they had pics of a bear in the dumpster at a diner in McArthur…..I think it is called Mclures but not positive. I also had bear tracks in the mud on the dirt road in front of the gate to my property. Never got any pics on my trailcams though.

 

[giles]

Yeah, more predators is what you want around..

 

[switchhitter]

This one showed up on my nephew’s feeder a couple weeks ago
Hocking county
I have seen scat down there a few times
Me and my brother own the property

 

[Smawgunner2]

I spoke to my neighbor last week who said HIS neighbor just spotted one. I’m not an expert on bears but I always assumed their mating season was in the summer and they would come over from PA or WV.…and KY. But that bear..or any sightings tells me they’re resident bears living here full time.

https://dam.assets.ohio.gov/image/upload/ohiodnr.gov/documents/wildlife/wildlife-management/blackbearreport.pdf

 

[hickslawns]

Yes. I remember them. Late 80s/early 90s. Just north of Nelsonville we saw them while dirt biking and while sitting around the camp fire. Public riding area. Can't remember the name of the trailhead. It was in the Wayne off RT33 and it was still 2 lane.

 

[Fletch]

So the ODNR said at one time or another there are no bears in Ohio...Esp. Eastern Ohio with Pa. as a bordering state... Pa. kills close to 3000 bears every year ... The early season just ended and I believe there were over 900 bears killed... One was around 675 lbs. killed in Westmoreland County ( county I was born and raised in )... That county is not all that far from the Ohio border.... Bears can and do travel great distances. Bears do not stay together as a family, as the sow will chase her cubs off typically every two years when she is about to go into heat... Therefore expanding there range...So don't believe the ODNR...

Are they cool??? Most definitely... Are they destructive??? Most definitely... They will eat all your corn ( Walmart will love that )... They will destroy trail cameras... They will put a dent in fawn production... And the list will go on... But they are a majestic animal and are great to see...

 

[Dannmann801]

Wonder when we'll be able to shoot them....

 

[Clay Showalter]

Come on down to NC we killed almost 4,600 last year. Also we have some big ones.

 

[Mike]

Wonder when we'll be able to shoot them....

If it's not a native game animal to the area, can't you?

 

[bowhunter1023]

If it's not a native game animal to the area, can't you?

I think it's considered a "protected" species if there's not a law saying you can shoot them. It's similar to a bobcat. Both were native to Ohio before being extirpated and unless the DNR specifies a season, they're still protected. At least that's my current understanding.

 

[Outdoorsfellar]

Wonder when we'll be able to shoot them....

Probably the day after we all die .....so not in our lifetimes ....

 

[Dannmann801]

I think it's considered a "protected" species if there's not a law saying you can shoot them. It's similar to a bobcat. Both were native to Ohio before being extirpated and unless the DNR specifies a season, they're still protected. At least that's my current understanding.

@jbrown I'm thinking someone needs to help us get an official answer @Jbrown

Fuck is this @ thing working?

I'm thinking a bear in Ohio should be like a feral hog...boom - maybe I'm wrong. But my intuition says you'd get in a lot of trouble if you shoot a bear here

 

[Isaacorps]

@jbrown I'm thinking someone needs to help us get an official answer @Jbrown

Fuck is this @ thing working?

I'm thinking a bear in Ohio should be like a feral hog...boom - maybe I'm wrong. But my intuition says you'd get in a lot of trouble if you shoot a bear here

@jagermeister i think is who you want

 

[Dannmann801]

I think you're right
Old man memoryitis

 

[jagermeister]

@jbrown I'm thinking someone needs to help us get an official answer @Jbrown

Fuck is this @ thing working?

I'm thinking a bear in Ohio should be like a feral hog...boom - maybe I'm wrong. But my intuition says you'd get in a lot of trouble if you shoot a bear here

Nothing official from me, but I think you’re correct in being lawful to shoot a non-game species. It would, however, be a PR nightmare and a really bad look for hunters.

Bears are cool. But I’m glad we don’t have any in the great black swamp.