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Dr. Ken Nordberg's do-it-yourself Black Bear Baiting & Hunting
Revised 2014 Edition
Information about the Third Edition
During several guided but mostly fruitless hunts using bait to attract black bears in Ontario, Canada back in the 1960s, I thought of many ways I would do things differently if I ever had the chance to hunt black bears on my own. My chance came in the 1970s when names of my sons and I were drawn in the first Minnesota lotteries to receive permits to hunt black bears. My ideas worked with extraordinary success. We attracted eleven bears to our stand/bait sites the very first day we hunted and from that time on we have never failed to have several opportunities to take black bears during every hunt. Initial success seemingly easy, we began increasing the challenge of hunting black bears using bows only, limiting our shots to opportunities for quick and humane kills at very short range.
The only trouble was, all but a few the black bears we tagged back then were not particularly large, most weighing 180 pounds or less. We knew we had much larger bears in our hunting area, having often discovered their much larger tracks and occasionally seeing them crossing logging trails considerable distances away, usually at sunset. Thus we began a quest to discover how to attract these larger bears to our bait/stand sites, beginning with learning more about their habits and behavior. One of our first and most important discoveries was, larger black bears were mostly nocturnal (preferring to move about during nighttime hours only), especially during our warm days of early September when we hunted them. We soon learned our odds of taking larger bears were considerably improved when our bait sites were located near signs recently made by larger bears (such as paw prints) in cover so dense that approaching bears were very difficult to see until they stepped into our small bait site openings. We also discovered twelve proven baits provided much greater hunting success than a single bait and it is unwise to hunt large bears in the morning. Today, we’re still learning more about black bears.
All of what we initially learned was described in several outdoor magazine articles during the 1980s and in my first bear book, Do-It-Yourself Black Bear Baiting and Hunting, a guide to hunting trophy-class black bears with gun or bow published in 1990. This book quickly changed the way black bears were hunted all across North America. Awarded a five-star rating by Amazon, it is used by state hunter education instructors, professional guides, experienced bear hunters and first-time bear hunters throughout North America. It has enabled countless hunters to take trophy-class black bears weighing 300–600 pounds or more.
Upon gaining the reputation of practically guaranteeing hunting success, it soon sold out and a somewhat revised edition published by Bear Hunting Magazine in 2001, also soon sold out. The demand for used copies of the first and aecond edtions has been so great that they have been selling on Amazon and eBay for $150–200. Because of this unending demand, plus the fact that trophy-class black bears and even smaller bears have continued to become more and more difficult to hunt (mostly because hunters have created increasing numbers of ways to goof up), I felt prompted to write a new, much-revised, 200-page-longer 3rd Edition of Do-It-Yourself Black Bear Hunting and Baiting in e-book form. This book is loaded with color photography and videos recently filmed in my Minnesota bear country near the Canadian Border. Like in my first bear book, I can truthfully state this book will enable beginners to successfully take trophy-class black bears (weighing 300 pounds or more) on first hunts, enable veteran bears hunters to at last experience the thrill of seeing truly impressive bears approaching their bait sites and enable guides to gain the reputation of providing hunters with the very best of black bear hunting. If black bear hunting is in your future, you will treasure this book like hunters treasured my first bear book back in the 1990s, the book that introduced the newly pioneered black bear hunting methods still used almost exclusively today.
This book will eventually be availabe in three distinct formats:
- Apple's ebook format with integrated color photos and HD videos — that can be watched on HD TVs. We believe this is the best format. Available Now
- Amazon's ebook format with color photos. This format does not support video, therefore we will offer a separate DVD that includes all of the HD videos. Coming Soon
- A traditional paperback with black and white photos. This version will include a separate DVD that will include all of the color photos and HD videos. Coming in 2015
The benefits of Apple's ebook format are many. The only drawback is, at this time, the format is limited to iPads and Macintosh computers. The first and second editions of Doc's bear books only had black and white photos. Publishing a book with a large number of color photos was just too costly.
- Color Photos: This ebook has roughly 200 color photos that show many important details that were hard to show in black and white — and most of the photos can be zoomed in so you can see the finer details.
You will love zooming in on the bear droppings and showing others the key details! While they say a photo is worth a thousand words, videos are even more valuable.
- Videos: This ebook has about 24 videos.
- Zoomable: Each video starts out in a smaller frame, but if you prefer, you can zoom it to full screen. All but a couple were filmed in HD.
- HD: You can even connect to a HD TV and read and/or watch the book that way.
The videos include details on scouting, and most importantly, step-by-step instructions from Doc on how to build the ideal black bear bait/stand site from scratch — including the extremely valuable details of using positioning bait. These videos show key details that every black bear hunter should see.
- Great Graphics: In addition there are a number of valuable maps and illustrations.
Expert knowledge from the man that invented this method of hunting black bears — hunting black bears from tree stands over bait cribs — great hunting stories, color photos, and HD videos. These are the main benefits. But there is more.
- Updatable: This format will allow readers to download updated versions.
- Electronic Glossary: It includes an extensive integrated glossary. When you see a glossary item in the text, you can click on it to read more details, then click a link to go back to where you were reading.
- Hyperlinks: It includes hyperlinks to key websites.
- Bookmarks: You can make electronic bookmarks.
- Notes: You can make electronic notes.
- Flash Cards: You can even make flash cards of things you want to memorize.
- Variable Text Size: If you don't like the size of the text, you can change the font size.
- Interactive Graphics: A number of the photos are interactive — clicking on a hotspot will zoom into that part of the photo and display an explanatory note.
This is not a little pdf that was repurposed as an ebook. It was designed from the ground up to be viewed in this format. It is not little book. There are over 360 pages and, because of the large color photos and HD video, the download size is over 1 gigabyte. Many bear hunters will purchase an iPad just to get this ebook. When you consider the work and expense involved in bear hunting, it makes sense. When you follow this link to Apple's store — — you will find 5 screen shots from the book. This will give you a good idea of the quality involved. Also there is a large free preview version that you can download.
Yes, we will make an ebook version for Amazon, and we will come out with a black and white paperback version in 2015. However, we feel that Apple's ebook format is far superior and that this book will set a new benchmark for other outdoor writers to follow. If you can get this version, we highly recommend it.
Title: Do-It-Yourself Black Bear Baiting & Hunting, Third Edition
Author: Dr. Ken Nordberg
Most Recent Price: $19.99
First Copyright Date & Printing: 2014
Number of Pages: 360
Table of Contents:
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Acknowledgements
Forward
eBook Tips
Author's Introduction
Chapter 1: What Hunters Should Know About Black Bears
Sizes and Weights
Sex Characteristics
Longevity
Coloration
Speed
Paws
Breeding
Gestation
Cubs, Yearlings and Subadults
Denning
Home Ranges
Feeding Hours
Other Factors That Influence the Timing of Feeding Hours
Winds
Precipitation
Air Temperature
Human Activities
Are Black Bears Dangerous?
The Bear on the Knoll
The Bear That Came to Breakfast
Incident on Four Bear Hill
A Chocolate Brown Bear and Others
Antidote for Bear Danger
Chapter 2: Locating Productive Bait/Stand Sites
The "Scattergun" Approach
The "Let the Bears Do the Walking" Approach
The "Go to the Bears" Approach
Bear Signs
Where Hounds Are Used to Hunt Black Bears
Recognizing and Interpreting Bear Signs
Bear Tracks
Bear Droppings
Signs of Feeding
Bear Scratch Trees
Dens
Mapping Signs of Adult Bears
Prerequisites of Productive Bait/Bear Sites
Is there enough cover?
Will I have adequate cover?
Can a bait/stand site be prepared at this site without making changes that will intimidate the most wary of black bears?
Can I get to this site without spooking my quarry?
Where will a baited bear be most likely to bed when not feeding?
How will wind direction affect my hunting?
Will I be able to move to my stand without being heard or seen?
Can I transport a harvested bear from this site before it begins to spoil?
Is the area I'm planning to hunt large enough?
Chapter 3: Bait/Stand Site Preparation
Black Bear Effective Stands
Dave's Trembling Balsam
Essential Bait/Stand Site Elements
When to Prepare a Bait/Stand Site
Stand Location
Stand Height
Stand Camouflage
Stand Comfort and Silence
Stand Safety
Bait Site Preparation
Shooting Windows
Create a Positioning Bait Site
Make a Bait Crib
Dave's First Bear
Stand Trail Preparation
Bait Storage
John's First Bear
Chapter 4: Baits and Baiting Tactics
Effectiveness of Baits
Effects of Wolves
Recommended Baits
Meats
Vegetables and Grain
Fruits
Sweets
Cooking Oils and Greases
Baiting Tactics
How to Provide Bait
When the Second Hunter Leaves, Waste No Time Getting Ready
The Best Time of the Day to Haul in Bait
The Rule of Six
Bait Amounts and Frequency of Baiting
Chapter 5: Preparing to a Hunt Trophy-Class Black Bear
Some Facts About Shooting Black Bears
Exit Wound Capability
Dave's Bears—Exit Wound Advantage
The Myth of Firepower
Head and Neck Shots
String Trackers
Recommended Weaponry
Accuracy Under Pressure
Developing a Shooting Groove
Required Marksmanship
Recognizing Ideal Shot Angles
Controlling Emotions While Preparing to Shoot
Bear Hunting Gear
Trail Cams
Personal Scent Management
Bear Camp
Hunting Hours
Meals
Hunting Season Baiting Hours
Preventing Bear Carcass Spoilage
Your Dragging Crew
Ice
Ready at Last
Chapter 6: Hunting Black Bears over Bait
Body and Clothing
Backpacked Gear
Camouflaging Exposed Skin
Cover Scent, Etc.
Preparing Your Weapon
A Bear at Your Bait Site as You Approach
The Direct Approach
The Two Hunter Approach
The Silent Approach
Beginning Approach Trail
Middle Approach Trail
Final Approach Trail
Sounds That Identify Humans
A Bear at the Bait Crib
Setting Up Positioning Bait
Honey Burn
Preparing a Weapon for Hauling Up to a Stand Platform
Climbing to a Stand Platform
Buckling Up
Hauling Up Your Weapon
Preparing for and Rehearsing the Shot
Preparing for a Long Vigil
Other Gear in Your Stand
Spotlighted by Sunlight
Biting Insects
Detecting Approaching Black Bears
How Black Bears Approach Bait Sites
Kevin's Lost Arrow
A Black Bear's Sixth Sense
Chapter 7: The Shot
Responses of Black Bears to Hits
Heart/Lung Hits
Other Hits
After the Shot
When to Begin Tracking
Recovering a Shot Black Bear
Trail Signs of Wounded Bears
200-Plus-Yard Trails
A Lost Trail
Lost Trail Tips
When All Fails
Night Tracking
Approaching a Downed Black Bear
Finishing Shots
The Almost Mythical Charge
Kill Site Photos
Chapter 8: Black Bear Harvest
Field Dressing
Ten Steps to Properly Field Dressing a Black Bear
Transporting Your Bear From the Woods
Field and Camp Care of a Bear Carcass
Emergency Measures for Preventing Spoilage
Transporting Your Bear in a Vehicle
How to Skin a Bear
Skinning for a Bearskin Rug
Skinning for a Shoulder Mount
Skinning for a Full Body Mount
Mounts with Snarling Lips
How to Butcher a Black Bear
Trophy Bear Measurements
How to Cook a Bear
Best Bear Steaks
No Finer Stew
Black Bear Roast
Ground Bear
Epilogue
It Doesn't Get Any Better
It Does Get Better
A Final Word
Bibliography
Information on Doc's website and products
Do-It-Yourself Black Bear Baiting & Hunting (Revised 2014 Edition)
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