Looking for East Texas Bears

[courtatlawjudge]

Since this got reactivated, does anybody have recent photos. Did TPWD actually re=-introduce in east Texas. I thought that I heard that they did.

[TildenHunter]

^ Hog

X2....Almost certain it is a hog.

[Gladesgator]

As, one who dealt with bears all the time in FL, I hope they do not return to East TX. They are a very destructive animal and do attack people and not just ones feeding them.

Your deer corn and protein feeders will be what is feeding them and once, you build your feeder so they can't destroy it, they can become very possessive of it. It is not fun to walk up to your bow stand and have one confront you in the dark, I know from experience.

See, several people that have not been around bears dismissing any danger from them. Have seen them try to climb up a ladder stand with a hunter in it, seen them learn that a gun shot means an easy meal and they beat you to your prize buck. The no hunting restrictions and their behaviors has turned many good hunters into illegal ones.

You will also not always see, smell or hear them first, as someone stated. There is a reason most deer hunters in other states that have lots of bears in their area, would gladly send them to East TX.

The deer in East TX aren't "native" deer, they were restocked from other areas, so don't understand all the concern to have bears back because they were once native to the area, much rather have the elk back.

If, they do come back, give me a shout and I will let you know how to bear proof your feeder. Those, wanting to see them can see them everyday at their feeder, oh there won't be any deer or hogs tho. Bring peanut M&Ms, you can throw them to the bears, they love them.

[rubydog]

my earliest memories of tpwd hunting regs was from about 1968 when my gf bought a 1/4 section in henderson county. i studied that document and was mesmerized that there was a season for javalinas, chachalacas, and most exciting, a bear season. not so much a season- if i was an archer, there was no closed season and no bag limit. my dad got a kick out of telling me i should get a bow and when i flushed up a covey i could kill them all. i have been searching ebay for years hoping to find one of these regs from that long lost time.

I grew up in Henderson county and I too remember reading about bear seasons and chachalacas. I also remember certain counties in the north west part of the state having an elk season also.

Truthfully though my real focus was on when and if they would ever open up a deer season in Henderson county in my lifetime. Just another one of those re-introduced species.

[Big Lee]

All the concerns mentioned, are already present. Hogs will attack if provoked, snakes etc. I've fixed more barb wire fence, feeders, stands, food plots etc. then I care to remember. So all who are worried, the problem is already here, the hogs, coyotes, PEOPLE. Lets help bring another meat source back to this great state. Quit whining.

[Etxbuckman]

Under no circumstances do I want bears back in east TX.

[AntlerCollector]

X2....Almost certain it is a hog.

I hope it's a hog and not a bear. Put me in the crowd that does not want them! I ain't skeered of a bear and I would love to hunt one. I don't want them tearing up my property killing my animals and going though my trash. There's a reason bears are no longer there. They didn't move they were killed out

[E.TEXAS4LIFE]

There are signs at the stores in Zavala showing the differance between a Hog and a Black Bear Cautioning Hunters to be careful of there Targets. From what I have read and heard they are releasing Females in the "Middle Neches Corridor" to possbly mate with the transient males from La. I have a Camp on the Neches in the Middle of the Upland Island Wilderness and hope to see the Bears make a strong comeback. I hope the Bears that are released are not shot by Hunters, if they can put a chip in a Quail they can probibly hide one in a Bear. If I hear of anyone killing one I will surely report it.

When you say you have a camp, you mean a private camp? I'm looking for the nearest campground to upland island

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[175gr7.62]

The way some people act about snakes I can only imagine how it’s gonna get when we have bears! [emoji12]


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[Chad C]

They're out there, simply low density. My wife saw one dead on the side of the road near White oak about a month ago. She had to turn around to be sure she wasn't seeing things, lol. I was fairly surprised to hear about it.

I know there have been multiple sightings in Bowie, Grayson and Titus counties as well.

[175gr7.62]

They're out there, simply low density. My wife saw one dead on the side of the road near White oak about a month ago. She had to turn around to be sure she wasn't seeing things, lol. I was fairly surprised to hear about it.

I know there have been multiple sightings in Bowie, Grayson and Titus counties as well.

Our neighbor in Red River county had pics 2 years ago……guess what he was doing…..

Effing up a feeder


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[Man]

I hope they do make a comeback to East Tx. I'm just not for wiping out a native animal of any sort because it has the potential to inconvenience some folks.

[GarGuy]

I had pics of one in houston co three years ago. A lady two miles from me had one ripping her trash can and noone believed her. Three days before my pics. Probably same bear passing thru. Sent pics to a tpwd biologist. He was totally unsurprised.

I had a feeder destroyed the week before. No camera and CV I I though neighbor kids did it.

[Pineywoods]

Yes they are native species and probably belong in Tx and La but from a deer hunting prospective they suck. You guys will see once they start to populate in east texas. They turn over feeders, rip off motors, tear up cameras, they puke all around your feeders after they gorge themselves, they have no fear of humans though I have never seen one threaten a person either, deer are terrified of them and once they move into a location you will not see a deer very often in that area until that bear moves along. THis may seem selfish but I could do without them where I hunt.

Yep. I had all I wanted of them on my property in Latimer County in OK. Suckers tore up everything. They destroyed my feeder worse than any hog and would rip cameras off the trees. They tore the lawnmower seat off of my neighbors mower. As cool as they are, I don't really want them on my place. I view them as a pest like a hog.

[Drycreek3189]

Where bears are much more plentiful they are the biggest predators of elk and deer fawns according to the folks who live in these places. I don’t know myself, that’s just what I’ve read. I do know that they will not impact the pig population any more than coyotes and bobcats do. And that ain’t much, pigs will out breed any predator, including man.