Arkansas Black Bear Association

Black Bear Hunting 360 Seminar

The Arkansas Black Bear Association will host it’s ever-popular ‘Black Bear Hunting 360 Seminar’ at the 2013 Arkansas Outdoors Expo. The seminar is designed to inform, educate and entertain the novice bear hunter, and even give insight to the seasoned Arkansas bruin chaser. During the seminar all aspects of bear hunting will be discussed, including:

-Biology and history of Arkansas black bear
*Appreciating the Arkansas black bear – understanding context. Pre-settlement black bear to current populations.
*How do bear use terrain features, home ranges, and what are their natural foods at different times of the year?
*Bear senses – what is a hunter is up against?
-Bear Hunting
*Land issues – where to bait, how to pick a bait sight, treestand placement over bait, prevailing winds
*Baiting issues – What to bait with, baiting routine, how much to feed, baiting strategy, how to compete with fall
mast, feeders, how to reduce night-time feeding, using scents, bait timing
*Hunting Strategy Discussion – when season opens you’ll need to consider many variables to put the odds in your
favor. We will discuss the strategies.
*How do field judge black bear, trail camera photo analysis, trail camera tips for bait sights
*Shot Placement – Many hunter’s don’t know where to shoot a bear. We will discuss this topic in detail.
*Scent Control – yes, you’ll need it!
*One on One bear hunting in Arkansas – discussion about hunting bear NOT over bait.
-After the hunt
*Harvested black bear field care. How not to lose a good hide.
-Insight into the Arkansas Black Bear Association
*Why we exist? How you can become a member.
*And much more……

About Clay Newcomb

The director of the ABBA, Clay Newcomb, has been bear hunting in Arkansas for 10 years and been fascinated by them for many more years than that. Newcomb killed his first Arkansas bear with a bow in 2001 and since that time he has studied and hunted bear with a passion. Newcomb’s journey in the outdoor field led him to found the Arkansas Black Bear Association in 2010. Along with his passion for bear hunting, Newcomb is a serious whitetail bowhunter. His knowledge and appreciation of the outdoors combined with his love for communication has fueled his endeavors in outdoor writing and speaking. Newcomb’s articles have been published in several national magazines including North American Whitetail, Bowhunter Magazine, Bear Hunting Magazine, Arkansas Sportsman and the Arkansas Bear and Buck Journal, a magazine he edits and publishes.