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ARTICLES - Product
Reviews
The
Black Bear Hunting Encyclopedia
©
By
Othmar Vohringer
Posted: May 2009
 I am a
whitetail deer and turkey hunter and since moving
here to British Columbia eight years ago I have been thinking of taking
up bear
hunting as well. British Columbia has a bear population of over 170,000
which
makes it the bear capitol of North America. In recent years it has come
to the
point that people can’t avoid running into bears sooner or
later in the big
cities and in rural communities.
Recently
I was given bear meat and surprisingly it tasted
very nice. I wanted more bear meat! But rather then having meat given
to me I
want to hunt it myself.
From a
conservationist point of view bear hunting aids in
keeping the exploding bear population in a healthy balance with
it’s natural
habitat.
One
way to be successful at bear hunting is to learn more
about bears and hunting tactics. I just happen to have read a good book
written
by someone who knows a thing or two about the subject. A fellow British
Columbian, Justin Ott, has just published a book called “The
Black Bear Hunting
Encyclopedia” and I was lucky to get a copy to review.
The
first unique impression about the book is that it
comes with a free complementary DVD that visualizes what’s
written in the book.
This is the first time I have seen a book/ DVD combination and I must
admit it
is a brilliant idea. Seeing is often very different from just reading
and gives
a greater understanding
The
DVD goes into great detail on how to field dress and
skin out a bear. Another segment that I liked very much is the
step-by-step
procedure of how to prepare and make your own European bear skull
mount. These
two aspects alone make the DVD well worth having and it will be a great
tool
for a hunter to refer back to time and again.
The
book covers everything a beginning bear hunter needs
to know and I am convinced that even advanced and veteran bear hunters
will be
able to pick a few things up they have never known or need to be
reminded of.
In 13 chapters the book covers information about the black bear and
conservation
and then moves on to important things like where and how to find bears.
In
other chapters different hunting tactics are knowledgeably explained.
There are
sections on hunting bears with rifles and archery equipment. Hunting
bears from
the ground, over bait, from treestands and stalking bears is all
covered in
subsequent chapters.
The
book provides unbiased information on different gear
and products essential for bear hunters. There are even complete
checklists for
equipment needed in a base camp, a bivouac camp or a day camp. There
are check
lists specific to bow hunters and rifle hunters.
The
book even contains a chapter on how to take a
“trophy”
picture and ensure a lasting pleasant memory of the event. Another
chapter
provides information about taking care of the meat and how to store it
properly. There are even a few bear meat recipes included.
The
only small complaint I have about the DVD is that I
would have liked to see more footage on bear behaviour, the various
food
sources and bear sign. These things are very well covered in the book
with
pictures, but still it would be good to see it on video too.
The
Black Bear Hunting Encyclopedia is just that; an
encyclopedia, covering everything worth knowing about black bears and
bear
hunting, richly illustrated with photos, lists and charts. Justin Ott
has left
nothing out and he tells it all in an easy to understand language using
professional or hunter jargon only where it is absolutely necessary.
Novice
bear hunters will appreciate that very much. I know I did.
What
makes Justin Ott an expert on bear hunting? How about
shooting a bear for himself and then helping three other hunters
finding and
shooting bears all in one single day for starters. Justin eats, sleeps
and I am
sure dreams bear hunting. He started hunting bears a few years ago and
according to his own admission has been addicted to it ever since.
Justin Ott
is a man that will go to extraordinary lengths- like renting an
airplane to fly
over a new hunting area to get a birds eye view of the land and
structure
before he heads into the area on foot to scout it for weeks. The author
hunts
bears on foot and from treestands with rifle and bow and is so
successful at it
that he has been featured in several hunting magazines.
If you
have been thinking of taking up black bear hunting
or have not quite had the success you wish then you need to read Justin
Otts’s
“The Black Bear Hunting Encyclopedia”. For more
information or to purchase the
book visit Black
Bear
Hunting.com
I am
going to apply some of the things I learned from the
book in this years spring bear hunting season and I am convinced it
will get me
a few giant steps closer to a black bear rug for our living room floor
and some
fresh organic bear meat in the freezer.
Images
©Copyright by Othmar Vohringer Product
Photography
-----------------------------------
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