Piedmont Bear Season

Mack in N.C.

Old Mossy Horns
I think they update the map about every 10 years. To be considered as having a resident population there have to be confirmed reports of reproducing females. A stray male doesn't count. That said, every time the NCWRC has redone the map they've added range, and the next time they do it will likely be no exception.

The map is at least 20 years old if not more wrong on northern alamance person Caswell. Been cub reports since the 80,s . Plenty of cub sightings in northern alamance , Caswell in the last 10 years. Remember there was a female with 3 cubs near Hillsborough a few years back. Got several friends with em on trail cams in the last 10 years and 1 cub was seen on my mom's land which was south of I 85.

I don't think they want to recognize a reproducing population as then more people would want them protected. Remember they are wanderers . Also they always say they are either searching out new homes from either the East or West populations. Well sure some of the wanderers maybe but probably most are coming from the white mountain area above danville which is closer. I used to talk with one retired biologist about this and he could always tell me he had seen recent tracks in caswell.
 
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RJ1

Ten Pointer
Bottom line is there are rules you have to abide by when dealing with and hunting black bear most are common sense break those and someone or something is going to get hurt.The top on that list is feeding bear then trying to interact with them like they are pets kinda like playing Russian Roulette with only one empty chamber.Kid stand a better chance getting attacked by a yote than a bear if educate them about how to deal with encounters with bears they should have no problem.
 

Ldsoldier

Old Mossy Horns
The map is at least 20 years old if not more wrong on northern alamance person Caswell. Been cub reports since the 80,s . Plenty of cub sightings in northern alamance , Caswell in the last 10 years. Remember there was a female with 3 cubs near Hillsborough a few years back. Got several friends with em on trail cams in the last 10 years and 1 cub was seen on my mom's land which was south of I 85.

I don't think they want to recognize a reproducing population as then more people would want them protected. Remember they are wanderers . Also they always say they are either searching out new homes from either the East or West populations. Well sure some of the wanderers maybe but probably most are coming from the white mountain area above danville which is closer. I used to talk with one retired biologist about this and he could always tell me he had seen recent tracks in caswell.

It was last updated in 2010. That was 7 years ago. Like I said, verified reproducing females are required to meet the threshold. I don't remember what the official threshold is. If you're curious you could ask Ms. Olfenbuttel. Billy Bob's cousin's friend's uncle seeing one doesn't count. If nobody report's it to the NCWRC then they have no way of knowing. They also get reports of black panthers, bigfoot, and all sorts of other things. All I can tell you is to call your DB if/when you see one. They'll be happy to record it, and once the threshold is reached they'll put it on the map. Beyond that I'm not sure what to tell you. There is no political agenda when it comes to the map. I know the one who makes it personally. They have no agenda, one way or the other.
 

bowhuntingrook

Old Mossy Horns
It was about 4 years ago a buddy showed me TC pictures of a sow and 2 cubs in Oxford in the daytime. Not downtown Oxford but not far
 
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Mack in N.C.

Old Mossy Horns
It was last updated in 2010. That was 7 years ago. Like I said, verified reproducing females are required to meet the threshold. I don't remember what the official threshold is. If you're curious you could ask Ms. Olfenbuttel. Billy Bob's cousin's friend's uncle seeing one doesn't count. If nobody report's it to the NCWRC then they have no way of knowing. They also get reports of black panthers, bigfoot, and all sorts of other things. All I can tell you is to call your DB if/when you see one. They'll be happy to record it, and once the threshold is reached they'll put it on the map. Beyond that I'm not sure what to tell you. There is no political agenda when it comes to the map. I know the one who makes it personally. They have no agenda, one way or the other.

I know it was updated 7 years ago and I know they are "professionals" what I can tell you with 100 percent confidence is there are reproducing females in that area . I grew up there and know lots of folks there. Sometimes the pros are wrong and I am sure a bear map isn't a high priority.
 
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Ldsoldier

Old Mossy Horns
I know it was updated 7 years ago and I know they are "professionals" what I can tell you with 100 percent confidence is there are reproducing females in that area . I grew up there and know lots of folks there. Sometimes the pros are wrong and I am sure a bear map isn't a high priority.

Have you told them that? They don't read minds.
 

HorNhnTr

Twelve Pointer
I'll purchase my tag and put it towards what I hope is the only one in the area. I just wish I could shoot it during bow season.
 

Greg

Old Mossy Horns
^ This.

I don't buy bear tags. I know the seasons just opened up, but I don't think a bear has been killed by a hunter in Orange County since then. They're sure not where I hunt.
 

Mack in N.C.

Old Mossy Horns
^ This.

I don't buy bear tags. I know the seasons just opened up, but I don't think a bear has been killed by a hunter in Orange County since then. They're sure not where I hunt.

some in Northern orange mainly above Cedar Grove and actually a few down near Cane Creek lake and the Haw area down in that corner from the lake to the SW corner of orange Near Chatham and Alamance.
 

appmtnhntr

Twelve Pointer
Get ready for more. There's gonna be a LOT of young bears ranging out next Spring when they get kicked off by Momma...
Last fall was a good raising year with many females having multiple cubs surviving into the fall, along with TONS of mast feed.
This fall summer is shaping up to be the same with cub recruitment good again so far this summer.

Seeing more and more sign in Alleghany and Northern Surry/Yadkin of bears that aren't just "traveling through".

The Triad area (Dan and Yadkin River valleys) is gonna be having more and more. Heck we were over in Tanglewood park around the end of May and there was a little ~130# ball of fur getting into wine bottles and trash after the Wine festival.
 

bowhuntingrook

Old Mossy Horns
There are quite a few bears in Granville county and more in Northern Granville in the reports I've seen and heard. I have pics but I've seen others pics as well as I work EMS and hear of roadkill as well as sightings officers get called too. They've called EMS before to get us to help load a roadkill bear into the truck just north of Oxford within past year. I've heard more and more each year. I think it's a very wide gap in how many are killed/actually reported and how many we have.

https://nchuntandfish.com/forums/showthread.php?107065-Oxford-Bears
 

shadycove

Twelve Pointer
Back on the bear season.
If you ride up 158 from Roxboro to Oxford every day at dusk and dawn, you will see plenty of bear.
In the last few years, I have made that trip at dusk maybe 7 times and have seen at least 1 bear on 5 of those trips. A couple of trips I saw 2-3 and on 1 trip I saw 4.
They are there and moving south and west steadily.
 
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Mack in N.C.

Old Mossy Horns
Come on Guys, we all know there are no resident bears outside of the map range posted by the NCWRC. none of these bears are real.
 

jug

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I know someone that owns land where they can spit to to where she lived..word i got was she died and then was eaten. but you never know

The mother of the NC biologist told me this Spring. He investigated the incident and also told the old lady before she was eaten to stop feeding the bears.
Old school you and many others on here would be surprised at what the state hides...... I never thought I would hear so much working for the public like I do.
 

DADOGG14

Eight Pointer
The mother of the NC biologist told me this Spring. He investigated the incident and also told the old lady before she was eaten to stop feeding the bears.
Old school you and many others on here would be surprised at what the state hides...... I never thought I would hear so much working for the public like I do.

She had been told for years to stop feeding the bears, and she was no where near Murfreesboro, not even close. She had fed bears for years and knew the consequences and what could eventually happen. Unfortunately she found out, and only she and the bears know exactly what happened.
 

RJ1

Ten Pointer
I sure there were alot animals that slipped in for a free meal,but most of it was done by bears,its my understanding that the Sheriff had to run one off the site when they found her.
 
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