# Deso and Bear Hunt (Objective Harvest)



## restrac2000 (Mar 6, 2008)

Anybody done a float hunt on Deso for bear? They have two seasons this year and I am curious about experiences. I imagine most people use the "Nine Mile" zone by foot, horse or ATV but the idea of doing a river hunt has some appeal. 

I will undoubtedly get some flack from others but its a unique opportunity that meets many of my desires, values and falls in line with my education. Black Bear has historically been off my hunting radar but if I can harvest some meat and help prevent negative encounters it becomes more appealing. It would likely be a two person and two bear permit trip for safety. Would take the maximum time.

Successes or lessons learned from others, even if on other rivers? Preferred season (through June 5 or after Sept 28)? Etc

Phillip


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## elkhaven (Sep 11, 2013)

First off, I have no experience on Deso, so I can't help with that, but I have hunted, and harvested animals of the water. Now, not literally while floating, we've just used water for transportation. We have an antelope hunt we do off the Madison River, using the boat to access some BLM and state land. There is something exceedingly rewarding in dragging an animal to the boat and then loading it in the back and shoving off. 

Now, not related but something to work into your schedule some day; one season a few years ago I had a trophy mule deer tag in the Bridger Range. Long story short following several hundred miles of walking the Bridgers I finally found my deer following a large snow storm while skinning in to my hunt area on AT gear... Had to lay down and rest the gun on my propped up ski... Still one of my favorite hunts of all time. 

Don't be discouraged if you get lit up asking. It would make a really cool hunt I'm sure. I highly recommend the non-traditional access hunting it's extra rewarding!


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## tteton (May 16, 2014)

Ive thought about doing a bear hunt on deso. Just can't stand the taste of bear! Bring some vicks for your nose when you are quartering the bear!


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## sammyphsyco (Aug 15, 2012)

As long as the animal becomes food no complaints from me. Pure trophy hunt just for the mount seems just plain wasteful. 
I would love to do a float hunt maybe in Alaska.


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## zbaird (Oct 11, 2003)

Sounds like an awesome hunt, up until you have to eat it. Bear is terrible, bout as bad as it gets. Even worse than sand hill crane. Glad I found that out before I hunted one and felt compelled to eat it, which I would. Not sure if you could even mix it 80% pig 20% bear and make good sausage. If you are inclined to eat what you kill, and hopefully you are, I suggest you find some to taste first. If you guys have hunters for the homeless up there, ask them if they take bear. If so go for it. 100 pounds of bear meat would be a lot to gag down.


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## restrac2000 (Mar 6, 2008)

Definitely not a trophy hunter. I would love to use the fur, etc but some it will likely be donated to friends and family because my wife has no interest in those things being around the house. I was a biological technician before I started getting sick in 2009 and had a solid mentor as a boss who hunted but was also a trained wildlife biologist. 

Trying to approach all of my hunting and fishing from a utilitarian approach. The challenge and uncertainty is also appealing. 

Alaska is appealing but expensive. My friend just got back from hunting in New Zealand and the appeal is even stronger there: free or cheap, major adventure and meets ecological objectives as all of the targeted mammals are invasive. He managed to hunt and fish there for two weeks for cheaper than the cost of the permit and guide fee alone in Alaska, and his cost included airfare. Definitely has me contemplating a major adventure over there, though I haven't explored the river option.

Never tasted bear meat as its not readily available even within the expanded circle of hunters I know. But I am pretty positive I would find it plenty edible considering the other game meat I have tried and enjoyed.

Phillip


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## restrac2000 (Mar 6, 2008)

zbaird said:


> Sounds like an awesome hunt, up until you have to eat it. Bear is terrible, bout as bad as it gets. Even worse than sand hill crane. Glad I found that out before I hunted one and felt compelled to eat it, which I would. Not sure if you could even mix it 80% pig 20% bear and make good sausage. If you are inclined to eat what you kill, and hopefully you are, I suggest you find some to taste first. If you guys have hunters for the homeless up there, ask them if they take bear. If so go for it. 100 pounds of bear meat would be a lot to gag down.


Wish it was available. Might look around more as the timeframe is friendlier for the autumn hunt. Might be able to track down a sample before then. With the harvest objective I won't buy the permit until right before the trip as they are unlimited but are useless once the harvest number has been met. I doubt Nine Mile will meet that cap though.

Phillip


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## BrianP (Nov 13, 2011)

Sounds like a cool trip! I've been wanting to do a particular canoe access whitetail hunt but the National Park shut down any private boaters from portaging into the lake with their own boats...gotta rent one from them. I suppose it's to keep invasive species out but someone should tell the ducks and geese so they can stop swimming there.


Anyways, good luck and don't be too discouraged with the taste of bear meat. Venison tastes like shit when you cook it to well done too. As with any game, prompt and proper field dressing followed with good care and cooking yields great results. I'd love to bear hunt but around here it's just people bait hunting over a barrel of bacon grease..might as well go to the zoo and shoot one.


ps look into rendering your own fat from the bear!


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## codycleve (Mar 26, 2012)

The grande rhonde would be a great river to do this on.. Tons of bears in that area.. I'm not familiar with the deso but it seems like a spring hunt on the grande rhonde would be great when the bears are out feeding in the open on wild onions.. I am leaving work in an hour to go bear hunting. I will be looking straight down into the snake river. too bad it's above brownlee resivoir and not the lower stretch..


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## jamwin33 (May 20, 2008)

[Never tasted bear meat as its not readily available even within the expanded circle of hunters I know. But I am pretty positive I would find it plenty edible considering the other game meat I have tried and enjoyed.]

Not gonna happen. Sorry, but I have to agree with zbaird - I've harvested and eaten many different kinds of meat - there is nothing worse than bear.

However, if you do decide to try, we've had close encounters (one very close encounter last summer) with bears at wire fence. Good luck !


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## melted_ice (Feb 4, 2009)

Sounds like fun to me! Hunting and river trip combined can't be a bad thing. Doubt the Deso bears would be all that fatty??? If you did kill one keeping your hide cool until you got to a taxidermist (if doing so) might be a challenge. I wouldn't want to come off a long river trip and have to flesh a hide myself but perhaps you'd enjoy that?? I suggest smoking bear meat. It allows for slower cooking, less likely to over cook, and most importantly allows the fat to drip away.


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## zbaird (Oct 11, 2003)

I find myself a connoisseur of wild game. I balk at folks who think game is bad. I give them the, you just got a bad prep job speech, blah blah. But I shit you not, bear is terrible. Just as a gauge for you, i love elk, eat it many times a week, choose it over almost anything. Start to worry if I have less than 50lbs in the freezer. Deer is in the good category, the best cuts are great and the sausage is wonderful mixed with 25-35% pork shoulder. Rabbit is also in the good category. Goose is alright, if its cooked right it can be good but mostly alright. Sand hill crane was bad. I could get it down but no matter the prepwork it never really met the alright criteria. Real bad, not sure whats real bad but bear is worse, awful. There is probably a reason your hunter buddies dont have any around. 

Dont get me wrong, if I had someone who really wanted bear meat or could give it to the hunters for the homeless (they dont want it here) I'd shoot a management bear.


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## Whetstone (May 17, 2013)

Interesting to me that someone would take meat, that no one here can "bear" to gag down, and suggest that it be fed to the homeless. What a kind gesture. But hey, if it satifies the "if I kill it, it must get eaten" rule, WTF. If you wanna shoot bear for the pelt, the mount, the hell of it, the sport, what ever, than say so. Nothing the matter with that. Dont get all P.C.. Thats crap. And I concur, bear taste like shit. Probably worse than shit but I have no experience with that.

Crooked River Whiskey. Not for everyone.


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## sammyphsyco (Aug 15, 2012)

From time to time I get special permits from game and fish for nuisance animals. Last year I got a permit for a lion that was praying on new born calf's. Watching a herd out in western North Dakota near the badlandsi bagged a 90lbs cat thanks to my hounds. Any way I kept the hide and skull, marinated the meat and smoked it. Most of it went into sausage but we grilled a few streaks. Surprisingly it was quite tasty, I had always heard predators were no good to eat, it was a pleasant surprise. The sausage was a blend of elk, whitetail, pheasant,lion and some pork fat in natural casing that was smoked. Some of the best sausage and sticks ever.
I'll back off the you kill it you eat if it's for management purposes, but would still like to see it used in some fashion I guess even if it's just a tanned hide and wall mount. To be PC it's up to us to properly manage the game population.


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## duct tape (Aug 25, 2009)

Agree strongly with zbaird. We eat everything we shoot. I'm pretty much just a bird hunter now but have been after big game in the distant past and have enjoyed elk and tolerated mule deer. I remember whitetail from my much younger years fondly. I took my two oldest boys on a black bear bow hunt to Idaho where we got one, fortunately very small, bear. We choked down every ounce and could barely eat it as sausage, much less steaks or stew. I couldn't give it away. Even to the zoo. 

We each had two tags for that hunt. They told us the game sightings were way down that week due to non-stop daily rain. Apparently black bear don't like getting wet. To his day I'm thankful for that weather.


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## duct tape (Aug 25, 2009)

PS. I have eaten sand hill crane once too. Shot it down in Alamosa many years ago. I'll never do that again either, but crane is caviar compared to black bear.


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## grin1 (Feb 2, 2014)

Many folks have chimed in to tell you how bad bear actually tastes, so you don't need more of that. However, NOBODY has told you, if you don't already know, how much a bear looks like a human with the pelt off. It can be very unnerving (I was 14 when I saw my first and 30 plus years later it still sticks), especially in the firelight. Hope you have a safe and good hunt!


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## zbaird (Oct 11, 2003)

Thats the first time i've ever been called PC! I'm usually getting reamed by the PC crowd.

I dont really wanna shoot a bear. Otherwise I would. I don't really wanna shoot anything. (maybe except geese, the bastards.). Its actually the worst part of the hunt for me. I have no trophies, not a trophy guy. I said if someone really wanted it, if hunters for homeless wanted it, AND they needed management bears taken, I would do it. I will never put in for a bear tag or any predator for that matter. I get recruited for management coyote hunts all the time and I won't do it, though they probably taste better than bear.


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## Whetstone (May 17, 2013)

duct tape said:


> PS. I have eaten sand hill crane once too. Shot it down in Alamosa many years ago. I'll never do that again either.


Probably one of the ten best lines/quotes, I've have heard on the Buzz and thats sayin something. Hope you dont mind if I use this one in my next movie.

Crooked River Whiskey. Not for everyone.


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## restrac2000 (Mar 6, 2008)

zbaird said:


> Thats the first time i've ever been called PC! I'm usually getting reamed by the PC crowd.
> 
> I dont really wanna shoot a bear. Otherwise I would. I don't really wanna shoot anything. (maybe except geese, the bastards.). Its actually the worst part of the hunt for me. I have no trophies, not a trophy guy. I said if someone really wanted it, if hunters for homeless wanted it, AND they needed management bears taken, I would do it. I will never put in for a bear tag or any predator for that matter. I get recruited for management coyote hunts all the time and I won't do it, though they probably taste better than bear.


I was a little shocked by his barbed comment as well. If anything I have found you blunt and to the point. Heck, we disagreed about a poll but interact perfectly beyond that. 

Really not sure about the PC comment, if anything I would best fit his assumption there but I didn't advocate what he is complaining about. I have always been pleased to see the diversity of approaches and philosophies found in the hunting community as we are often written often in simple language.

Phillip


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## restrac2000 (Mar 6, 2008)

grin1 said:


> Many folks have chimed in to tell you how bad bear actually tastes, so you don't need more of that. However, NOBODY has told you, if you don't already know, how much a bear looks like a human with the pelt off. It can be very unnerving (I was 14 when I saw my first and 30 plus years later it still sticks), especially in the firelight. Hope you have a safe and good hunt!


Hmmm...that is the one to most likely make me reconsider. That would be disquieting. 

Phillip


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## Whetstone (May 17, 2013)

zbaird said:


> Thats the first time i've ever been called PC! I'm usually getting reamed by the PC crowd.
> 
> I dont really wanna shoot a bear. Otherwise I would. I don't really wanna shoot anything. (maybe except geese, the bastards.). Its actually the worst part of the hunt for me. I have no trophies, not a trophy guy. I said if someone really wanted it, if hunters for homeless wanted it, AND they needed management bears taken, I would do it. I will never put in for a bear tag or any predator for that matter. I get recruited for management coyote hunts all the time and I won't do it, though they probably taste better than bear.


Hell, theres only about two or three pc types on this forum and you aren't one im sure. I was just tickled by the "cant gag it down so feed it to the poor" line. In my sick lil non pc mind I found humor there. No ofense intended. 

Crooked River Whiskey. Not for everyone.


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## Whetstone (May 17, 2013)

As usual Restrac2000 misinterprets my post. Consistent if nothing else. I meant no barb and certainly opose no hunter. Just call it the way i see it. The I eat what I kill argument doesn't hold water on bear. No barb intended Sir. 

Crooked River Whiskey. Not for everyone.


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## elkhaven (Sep 11, 2013)

I've never shot a bear, but I've eaten bear a dozen times or so. Some is unpalatable and so was the Muley I shot from my skis... the worst tasting animal I've ever eaten; including all dozen or so bear experiences. Most of the bear was fair, I wasn't jumping for seconds but it was edible. It sucks when animals taste like crap. It happens, no matter how diligent you are about harvest, care, preparation, whatever. They're wild animals and they all taste differently depending on how they lived their lives. I've lived on game for the past 20 years, I've had my highs and lows. But I am getting burnt out on lean, gamey meat; I find creative ways to get others to eat it... like antelope chili, goose jerky, venison burgers, chicken fried elk rounds. 

As Restrac originally brought up, one major reason for him considering the hunt would be to assist management in an area of need. I'm certain I'll get flamed, but if folks don't hunt, the bears will eventually cause too much of a problem and will get trapped and moved or euthanized....or somebody will get hurt and the result will be the same. Management is necessary in our modern world, like it or not. Hunting can not only manage population numbers but moderate aggressive behavior. So IMHO it's better to control a population via hunting than trapping and euthanize.

Restrac, I hope you find a way to participate in this, hunt. Plan it well in order to care for your harvest and get it out safely. You'll likely not have an easy time emptying your freezer but that too will be a valuable lesson and help determine your future hunt choices. FWIW some people really love it, I think they're strange but too each their own...

Lastly, Montana has a trichinosis caveat that states you should get the meat tested and if it's positive you don't have to retain the meat as it could be dangerous. I haven't followed this recently so if it's been lifted is or has been found to no longer be an issue don't flame me folks. It's just something to look into in whatever area you hunt. Because you might want to know the ramifications, to you your family and other consumers if an animal does have tric.

With all that said, I've never had a desire to shoot a bear. Even the Grizzly that ate my elk! Good luck on what ever you decide.


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## restrac2000 (Mar 6, 2008)

Whetstone said:


> As usual Restrac2000 misinterprets my post. Consistent if nothing else. I meant no barb and certainly opose no hunter. Just call it the way i see it. The I eat what I kill argument doesn't hold water on bear. No barb intended Sir.
> 
> Crooked River Whiskey. Not for everyone.


Not sure how many posts I have misinterpreted as I have found most of your comments informative. I just find the term "PC" to be intentionally demeaning and have had enough experience with people who use it to justify that conclusion. Its not a term that has much meaning or compassion in my book, its just a way of writing off a different viewpoint.

The only post I can think of that may lead you to believe in my "consistency" is the one about Bruce Jenner. I didn't assume malice there but the affect is the same for the minorities (in this case gender) in our community. I don't assume malice most of the time, unless someone is intentionally trolling. I use the "ignore" function on such folks so you are not in that camp. Up until a few years ago I used similar language but having met such people and been educated (compassionately) about how we talk about them matters I changed my way. I assume you share similar interest as you admitted no poor intention in that post. I stand up to my liberal friends who lob insults at others as well, heck they insult hunters and write them off as I have mentioned. I hope that is my consistency.

I just don't find insulting names productive to conversations and PC has long been in that category. And to clarify, I try to make it about the idea not the person hence the statement "barbed comment". I try not to presume too much about anyone from the limited interactions of the internet.

Phillip


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## restrac2000 (Mar 6, 2008)

elkhaven said:


> As Restrac originally brought up, one major reason for him considering the hunt would be to assist management in an area of need. I'm certain I'll get flamed, but if folks don't hunt, the bears will eventually cause too much of a problem and will get trapped and moved or euthanized....or somebody will get hurt and the result will be the same. Management is necessary in our modern world, like it or not. Hunting can not only manage population numbers but moderate aggressive behavior. So IMHO it's better to control a population via hunting than trapping and euthanize.
> 
> Restrac, I hope you find a way to participate in this, hunt. Plan it well in order to care for your harvest and get it out safely. You'll likely not have an easy time emptying your freezer but that too will be a valuable lesson and help determine your future hunt choices. FWIW some people really love it, I think they're strange but too each their own...
> 
> ...


Thanks for the advice. I need to look into the regs more about nuisance bear. Mostly in the early stages and curious. I will be going with a buddy as everything I have read states a second, accurate rifle is better than a handgun. They aren't listed as a dangerous animal on the CXP (??) system but have enough potential in my mind to be considerate of that possibility. 

I am definitely torn by the idea. I necessarily like the "idea" of killing a wild bear in Deso but my wildlife training and research has shown its a valuable tool for preventing major injuries or death. And after the unfortunate lawsuit in Utah a few years ago it has become more of need if we want functional agencies (not much extra budget in them for lawsuits). 

We have had two encounters over the years in Deso. One was a wild bear that responded to defenses and then left us alone. One was a nuisance bear that chased a buddy out of camp in the middle of the night. Sadly its unlikely my rifle and the hunting experience will be able to differentiate between the two given the parameters of the hunt.

Already planning on focusing on Jack, Wire Fence or Range from initial investigations. That may change as I research more, especially the specifics of boundary maps. 

Thanks for all the advice so far.

Phillip


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## restrac2000 (Mar 6, 2008)

Might just take him along as backup










Placer County Man Punches Bear In Face To Save His Dog



> “And I raised both hands in the air and I cussed at him, ‘Rrraaaaaaa! Get out of here you bastard, and he looked at me like ‘Go eff yourself,” he said.





> Carl landed a whirling haymaker, punching the bear right in the face—bear-handed if you will.
> “He come up like this, and turned, boom, I hit him hard. Tyler said I damn corkscrewed his head,” he said.


Phillip


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## bucketboater (Jul 9, 2012)

The nuisance claim is pretty b.s. Quit being a cupcake and say you want a bear skin rug. You have more of a chance of being hit by lighting holding a winning lottery ticket then being attacked by a black bear. Every trip I've had on the rogue has had a bear in camp. Bears are so prevalent that half the camps have established bear fences.Never had a problem. I really don't care if you want to hunt predatory animals. Just man up and admit you're looking for trophy not a meal.


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## cdcfly (Jul 28, 2013)

My first hunt ever was in alaska. We lined a canoe up the Gulkana river (if my memory serves me). Central Alaskan range of the road that cuts the state in half. Anyway, we harvested caribou from an enormous migrating herd and floated out. It was awesome. Never had such an easy extraction. Nothing like hauling the elk out from the mtns in knee deep snow.

I remember asking how we were going to drag a canoe up a river. Funny thing is, a top on the front and back with two guys guiding it, and it went up easy as can be.

Good luck to ya.


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## spencerhenry (Jun 21, 2004)

i used to think bear meat was bad. so every bear i killed, i gave the meat away. until the last one. a yearling sow. put one hq in a stew, cut in chunks, you would have sworn it was beef brisket. then later i smoked the loins and a front shoulder, absolutely delicious. i had decided not to hunt bears anymore, but after eating this last one, i am going to try hard to get another one.


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## caverdan (Aug 27, 2004)

grin1 said:


> Many folks have chimed in to tell you how bad bear actually tastes, so you don't need more of that. However, NOBODY has told you, if you don't already know, how much a bear looks like a human with the pelt off. It can be very unnerving (I was 14 when I saw my first and 30 plus years later it still sticks), especially in the firelight. Hope you have a safe and good hunt!


BINGO.....What an eerie site, swinging from a tree in the dull moon light.


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## tteton (May 16, 2014)

agreed. creepy


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## bdf48 (Mar 4, 2010)

On a related note, is there any float hunt options for mule deer or elk anywhere in the west other than Alaska? I was wondering if there was anything along the Colorado river either in colorado or utah. I think think there is something in montana... the missouri breaks?


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## stinginrivers (Oct 18, 2003)

Sorry to hijack this but that is pretty funny Zbaird, I always knew you were a closet PC liberal hippy😃

We are heading to Browns next weekend, you should join us.


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## Osseous (Jan 13, 2012)

Wouldn't you have to win a permit to float deso first?

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## restrac2000 (Mar 6, 2008)

Osseous said:


> Wouldn't you have to win a permit to float deso first?
> 
> Sent from my SM-N900V using Mountain Buzz mobile app


yep


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## zboda (Oct 23, 2007)

zbaird said:


> I find myself a connoisseur of wild game. I balk at folks who think game is bad. I give them the, you just got a bad prep job speech, blah blah. But I shit you not, bear is terrible. Just as a gauge for you, i love elk, eat it many times a week, choose it over almost anything. Start to worry if I have less than 50lbs in the freezer. Deer is in the good category, the best cuts are great and the sausage is wonderful mixed with 25-35% pork shoulder. Rabbit is also in the good category. Goose is alright, if its cooked right it can be good but mostly alright. Sand hill crane was bad. I could get it down but no matter the prepwork it never really met the alright criteria. Real bad, not sure whats real bad but bear is worse, awful. There is probably a reason your hunter buddies dont have any around.
> 
> Dont get me wrong, if I had someone who really wanted bear meat or could give it to the hunters for the homeless (they dont want it here) I'd shoot a management bear.


What about llama?


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## Andy H. (Oct 13, 2003)

zboda said:


> What about llama?


Maybe that's what goes between bear and sand hill crane?

-AH


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## Paddle_like_Hell (Nov 2, 2010)

Can't speak to the taste of bear bur Crane is best jerked. Crane jerky is surprisingly good (like turkey jerky) but taste awful just about every other way.


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## elkhaven (Sep 11, 2013)

bdf48 said:


> On a related note, is there any float hunt options for mule deer or elk anywhere in the west other than Alaska? I was wondering if there was anything along the Colorado river either in colorado or utah. I think think there is something in montana... the missouri breaks?


There are a lot of options in Montana, the breaks probably being the largest single area. Elk, deer and pheasants on many of the islands. Lots of folks motor in camps on Ft Peck and up into the river. We use rivers for access to otherwise landlocked public lands all over the state. Just about every river that crosses public land has some sort of hunting opportunity.


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## Whetstone (May 17, 2013)

bdf48 said:


> On a related note, is there any float hunt options for mule deer or elk anywhere in the west other than Alaska? I was wondering if there was anything along the Colorado river either in colorado or utah. I think think there is something in montana... the missouri breaks?


Main Salmon River and Hells Canyon on the Snake offer excellent opportunities for elk, deer, sheep, bear, chukkar. South fork of the Snake has incredible moose hunting prospects but I dont know if there is a season in that canyon..


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## Jon Brower (May 18, 2011)

*Sighting*

We saw this guy and another smaller Bear two years ago, happy hunting


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## 2kanzam (Aug 1, 2012)

Bear is not bad tasting as everyone here is saying. First and foremost I always hear people say it's greasy....when they say that I know they are butchering it wrong.

In fact most OFF tastes from bear is from the fat and silver skin. You have to get every single tiny bit of fat off....even a tiny bit makes a single cut disgusting. There is something about bear fat that holds onto flavor really bad and makes it taste rancid. I've heard you can render the fat and it is edible after that. I have not tried it.

We butcher our own bear (we butcher everything we kill ourselves) and we often take bear to cook outs to share. People love it....especially before they know what it is. I do this with marinated ham (bear) steaks often. One of mine and my GF's favorite ways to cook it is what we call "bear bites". Cube the meat, pound it thin with a tenderizing hammer, dredge in heavily seasoned flour and fry in butter. F-in delicious!


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## BrianP (Nov 13, 2011)

Same with venison. Wasn't going to argue the point earlier but I have to agree with 2kanzam. Every animal has is own quirks.

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## Phil U. (Feb 7, 2009)

Yeah, I'm not that experienced but I have had delicious bear meat. And not seasoned or marinated or smoked etc. in any special way, just steak grilled. I wonder how much individual animals vary, certainly sex and age and season and diet all matter. And of course how they are butchered...


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## Codylee1985 (Apr 23, 2015)

The arizona bears I have been a part of harvesting have been pretty tasty! While the meat is a little grissly and I wouldn't necessarily harvest a bear for the sole purpose of eating, we did a good job cutting it up and one of my favorite ways to eat it is hot Italian spices and make spaghetti out of it! 
My neighbors used to have emus so one of the most interesting dishes I've ever had was emu eggs and bear chorizo! I've always wanted to do a float hunt so enjoy yourself if you do!!!


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## Randaddy (Jun 8, 2007)

zboda said:


> What about llama?


I had alpaca and guinea pig last week. Both were delightful.


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## sammyphsyco (Aug 15, 2012)

I've had mountain lion, no fat just the meat. Was tasty, cooked on a grill. Flavor was seriously on, texture was like a cheap steak. Probably would have been incredible as a sausage with pork and other game.


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## Roguelawyer (Apr 2, 2015)

bdf48 said:


> On a related note, is there any float hunt options for mule deer or elk anywhere in the west other than Alaska? I was wondering if there was anything along the Colorado river either in colorado or utah. I think think there is something in montana... the missouri breaks?


I have never floated the Owyhee but I would imagine that might be a possibility. I recall as a teenager I shot a mule deer that I had chased over the rim down into the Owyhee canyon in SE Oregon. I shot it through and it made it several hundred yards further into the canyon. As my father and I approached the deer, after one heck of a downhill hike, a boat drifted by. Don't remember what kind of craft it was all I remember is how much easier it would have been to dag that deer to the river.


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## Roguelawyer (Apr 2, 2015)

FWIW, bear can be good as spicy sausage and summer sausage. Not sure I would want a bear roast.


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## John_in_Loveland (Jun 9, 2011)

Just an FYI. Make sure you cook any bear meat to 165 degrees. It's one of the few sources of known trichinae infections as apposed to commercial pork which is trichinae free.

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## CB Rob (Feb 13, 2010)

*ewww*

Just got off of deso and did have one bear sighting. It was a pretty scrawny one.
I bet the deer in that canyon taste pretty bad from their sage diet, Imagine the bear must taste awful.

I'd hunt for some of that dumpster fed bear up in CO's high country and let those scrawny little desert bears go on with their meager existence.


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## restrac2000 (Mar 6, 2008)

CB Rob said:


> Just got off of deso and did have one bear sighting. It was a pretty scrawny one.
> I bet the deer in that canyon taste pretty bad from their sage diet, Imagine the bear must taste awful.
> 
> I'd hunt for some of that dumpster fed bear up in CO's high country and let those scrawny little desert bears go on with their meager existence.


Its unlikely I will be able to find a buddy who has the time this year. Its looking like one go my friends is tentatively shooting for next year; the Nine Mile unit is a reliable harvest objective hunt so it should have at least one season if not two.

Per taste....I am curious enough to try it. I will be talking to the Utah DWR about their regulations; if they are fine I would have no issue turning some of the worst cuts into dog food but I am uncertain of their policy. 

Oddly we see plenty of bear, desert big horn and even Elk but I have rarely seen mule deer in there. You would be shocked at some of the higher quality feed in the canyon during the summer, especially in the canyons. Not sure what this year will hold. I know there was some research being considered regarding a female bear's tendency to attack in late summer and the hormonal regulation associated with delayed implantation (fertilized but not implanted, i.e in a cellular stasis). The proposed hypothesis was that a bear closer to the threshold of not implanting at the end of the feeding season was more likely to attack and take greater risks. Generically that could mean less feed equals more attacks due to the rigors and hormones associated with "pregnancy", albight very much incomplete; its believed female bears can abort the fertilized egg if enough food was not harvest within an ideal time to implant. Not sure if that went anywhere (a quick search didn't provide anything helpful). 

Sorry to dork out, all very fascinating to me. Hunting is part of that fascination to me as well. Definitely not interested in hunting for trophy or just for the sport of killing. Its part of a complete process for me. Hard to describe. Its one of the same reasons I harvest most of the fish I catch, when legal and advisable. 

Thanks for all of the thoughts so far. Very early in the process for me.

Phillip


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## 39571 (May 27, 2012)

I was a little kid the first time I ate bear, I didn't think it was that bad. The sight of it swinging from our tree out back doesn't haunt me at night either.

The earliest use of a boat on a river was probably for hunting, and it still works great.

I think it sounds like a great hunt


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## Jon Brower (May 18, 2011)

*This Guy*

realized i didnt get the pic in here. there you go.


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