Are bear drives popular in NY

[Bucksnbows]

NJ resident as I think most know. I spent the last decade hunting Otsego County, where we never saw any bears, but I live here in NJ where we are overrun with them.  My state is more of a “bait and wait” when it comes to black bears (in years when the hunt is open). I know both PA and NY are no bait, and I know a lot who hunt bear in PA and they often rely on drives. We just don’t see much of that here in NJ. What’s NY like?  Stand hunting near thick swamps or bear drives or other?  
 

Our first bear hunt in the last two years was to begin yesterday after we missed our popular October archery and muzzleloader season only to be delayed by a court injunction. That injunction is lifted this afternoon and our bear hunt is back on at least through Saturday. But it got me to thinking about doing some drives on larger public tracks with dense tickets and swamps.  What say my new NY friends?  

[Bionic]

Guys I know here in Orange/Sullivan Counties either get bear by seeing them as they deer hunt, or still hunt in the dark pine areas.  I know one person who used Anise oil or extract as a scent attractant, and was successful, but that person knew the bear was often spotted in the vicinity.  I have seen many bear while just slow walking on state land, and behind my home, what I would personally do is go on a slow walk like a big woods tracker would do, so yes bear drives can definitely work.

Edited December 6, 2022 by Bionic

[G-man]

Pa is bear drives when bear season is open large drives on public land..not.sure how that would work in nj.

[Buckmaster7600]

The vast majority of Adirondack bears are killed during deer drives. There are a few killed on stand/still hunting and even fewer killed in the early bear season. 

 

[blackbeltbill]

1 hour ago, Bucksnbows said:

NJ resident as I think most know. I spent the last decade hunting Otsego County, where we never saw any bears, but I live here in NJ where we are overrun with them.  My state is more of a “bait and wait” when it comes to black bears (in years when the hunt is open). I know both PA and NY are no bait, and I know a lot who hunt bear in PA and they often rely on drives. We just don’t see much of that here in NJ. What’s NY like?  Stand hunting near thick swamps or bear drives or other?  
 

Our first bear hunt in the last two years was to begin yesterday after we missed our popular October archery and muzzleloader season only to be delayed by a court injunction. That injunction is lifted this afternoon and our bear hunt is back on at least through Saturday. But it got me to thinking about doing some drives on larger public tracks with dense tickets and swamps.  What say my new NY friends?  

Plenty  of Black Bears in Sterling Forest State Park.Just like North Jersey- they are all over the place. As a Year Round Hiker,I see them more then,I want.

[Bucksnbows]

34 minutes ago, blackbeltbill said:

Plenty  of Black Bears in Sterling Forest State Park.Just like North Jersey- they are all over the place. As a Year Round Hiker,I see them more then,I want.

Yeah, I grew up in West Milford which is a border town to NY. “Your” bears wandered into our area regularly when NJ’s bears were listed as extirpated. Those of us all along the northwest border with NY knew that was false. Now our small state has more than is reasonable and by far. 

[Robhuntandfish]

I've always wanted to get one NY bear. I've hunted a few times in the Dacks for them and have hoped to see one while deer hunting up there on one of my still hunts.  But no luck. Everyone I know that has ever gotten one has been deer hunting and it's been a target of opportunity.   I'm in Central NY which seems to have one of the lower bear populations in the state. Madison co just was reopened for bear a couple years ago and there have been like one or two tagged all season. 

[Upstate Nerdneck]

Where I hunt, I just don't see them during gun season very often.  This is actually the first year where I haven't seen one during bow season in about 4 years.  Probably because I didn't get out much in October!  But I would have to agree with @Buckmaster7600, most I see shot around here are killed during deer drives or still hunting during gun.  We have A LOT in my area.

[dbHunterNY]

opportunistic deer hunters not specifically hunting for bear.

[lucky118]

Come to my house in Broome County, you can shoot the bastids off my garbage cans. 

[dbHunterNY]

15 hours ago, lucky118 said:

Come to my house in Broome County, you can shoot the bastids off my garbage cans. 

funny story i had one get into my trash once while we weren't home. i had chicken straps in there but packed the trash in the can really tight to close the lid. you could see where it left giant paw print in the crushed shale pulling that heavy as hell trash can out into the backyard. i had 6 trail cams in on 7 acres behind the house and I didn't get a single picture. thing mosied over 150ft right on down our driveway to get to the house and trash cans. then i had to clean up after it.