It’s no secret to anyone reading this that the whitetail deer is the number one big game animal in North America, but it might come as a surprise to you that the second-place big game animal is the black bear. Particularly among archery enthusiasts, when a hunter looks around for a second big game animal to target, the black bear pulls them in more than any other species; more than elk, more than antelope, more than mule deer.

That’s good news for hunting retailers in the know, because bear hunters have specific needs. But there’s more good news: The black bear is expanding its numbers and range across the U.S.; bears are being seen in what were once marginal areas, and several states are increasing the numbers of tags in these areas. Take Minnesota, for example. The state’s traditional bear habitat areas are divided up into 15 bear management units where it can take from two to six years of accumulating preference points to draw a tag — but the area outside the primary bear’s range is “no quota,” which means tags are available over the counter. The number of bears harvested in the no-quota zone has been steadily growing.

Five states have added bear hunting seasons in the past 10 years. Baiting is the most common method state game departments use to reach harvest objectives, but there are four primary methods used, of which baiting is only one. Two others are spot-and-stalk hunting, which is prevalent in the open areas of the West, and hound hunting, which is popular in the states where it is legal. Finally, hunters in the eastern U.S. (where bears inhabit mixed farm country) use drives and hunting over natural food sources to collect their bears — endeavors which have very low success rates, which leads to abundant black bear tags.

There are 16 states in which baiting is legal, and contrary to the beliefs of people who don’t know much about it, bringing mature bears to a bait during legal shooting hours can be a difficult task. Success rates on baited bears runs around 30 percent in most states. Bear baiters are hungry for information, especially those who have waited multiple years for a license to kill one. They want to get their bear, and they’ll gobble up any information that can increase their odds, so if you are going to get serious about meeting their needs, you need someone on staff with experience.

I’ve encountered many people, even hunters, who scoff at baiting bears because they don’t know the intricacies and difficulties in harvesting bears in environments where no other method can create enough of the necessary opportunities hunters need to keep predator populations in check. Any shop owner who says a negative word about it will turn hunters against them in a hurry and stamp themselves with the label of ignorance.

Bear hunting over bait or natural food sources means long hours on stand. While most deer hunters might sit in a tree for a couple hours after work, normal sits for bear hunters can be six to eight hours. Most bear hunting takes place in May, June, August and September when the daylight hours are long. Comfortable treestands, such as those with mesh seats that allow a hunter to lounge comfortably without fidgeting, will attract the most buyers.

On both spring and fall hunts, thick green cover surrounds the hunters, so bear hunters tend to prefer camouflage with some green in it rather than the drab browns of fall deer hunters.

Lightweight camo clothing that can be layered meets this need. A lightweight, stuffable rain coat is another item the bruin enthusiast will be looking for.

Bear baiting is tailor-made for bowhunters. It features close shots at an apex predator, so it’s adrenaline-packed in addition to being labor intensive. Being a predator, black bears do not react the same way a deer does when shot. He won’t run full-out until he falls over — he’s much more likely to head for thick brush and lie down. Thick fur and a layer of fat can make blood trails difficult. A low exit wound is paramount in recovering an arrowed bear; deer hunters may rave about a big entrance wound, but savvy bear hunters know that two small holes is much preferred over one big hole. This is an important aspect of choosing arrows and broadheads.

Some hunters choose an attempt to drop the bear in its tracks. This can often be accomplished with a shotgun loaded with slugs or a rifle. A high-shoulder shot with a firearm that packs a heavy punch is preferred. Retailers should familiarize themselves with the ballistics bear hunters prefer. Many close shots at bears are taken by hunters firing a 12- or 20-gauge shotgun topped with a 2X or 4X scope. Whether the bear hunter is carrying a rifle or a shotgun, scopes that gather a lot of light are best for those big males that tend to materialize at a bait site during the last moments of legal shooting light.

I hunted with an outfitter in Manitoba who recommended that his hunters carry a .270 and shoot the bears in the head. This is not the norm, but he simply didn’t like to trail bears in the dark. A surprising number of his hunters did as he asked.

Spot-and-stalk hunters in the mountainous West and on the coastal plains of the Carolinas need a flat-shooting rifle that delivers knockdown power when it arrives at the bear. Shots averaged 300 yards, sometimes farther. Hunters tend to opt for the larger 7mm to .30 caliber cartridges, such as 7mm magnums, .30-06, or .300 magnums. Rifles should be topped with high-power variable scopes, like 3-18X, 4.5-14X, or 6.5-20X. Boattail bullets from 160 to 190 grains are perfect for this type of bear hunting.

This type of hunting is characterized by putting on the miles, so boots and clothing for long walks are an opportunity for sales, as are spotting scopes, binoculars and rangefinders.

Some archers love the challenge of spot-and-stalk hunting as well. This type of hunting is a low-percentage deal, but it’s so rewarding when a bowhunter can pull it off. I’ve killed a lot of bears over bait, a couple over hounds and one on a spot-and-stalk hunt in British Columbia in which I finally arrowed the 43rd bear I saw during the trip.

Hound hunters are their own breed; they are, first of all, dog lovers, and they tend to value the chase above the kill. Carrying the things they need takes a significant commitment and investment in addition to a detailed understanding of how they carry out their hunts. If you’re going to cater to hound hunters, you’d better go on some hound hunts to see how it’s done so you can speak the language and understand their specific needs. I’ve been on successful hound hunts in Idaho and Maine, and the two hunts could have hardly been more different. Footwear is a prime example: Climbing hills in Idaho is much different than chasing dogs through swampy lowlands in Maine.

Large numbers of hunters leave their home to travel to Canada to bear hunt each year. They’re paying from $2,500 to $5,000 for a bear hunt, which is a significant commitment for most for them, and the hunt is a significant event rather than an annual trek for most. When they walk in the store, they understand the need to have the right gear. Things like clothing and boots are important, but none of them should ever leave the store without a ThermaCELL and a can of bear spray (it’s illegal to carry a sidearm in Canada).

Bear populations are growing across the U.S., and the number of hunters is growing as well. Bear hunters in some units of Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota are applying for up to 10 years between tags. As popularity grows, state game departments will need to adjust. All three of these states have added hunting zones in the past few years, and they’re carefully watching the expansion of the black bear’s range. Hunting retailers who have their finger on the pulse of bear hunting will be in position to capitalize on this growth.

Things Every Hunter Should Leave Your Shop With

Spot-and-Stalk Hunters

Archery or firearm, every hunter needs a rangefinder. The often steep terrain calls for a unit with an angle compensator. The Vortex Ranger 1300 fits the need perfectly. Its reflective range is 1,300 yards, but on an animal the size of a bear, about 600 yards is realistic. It features 6X magnification and compensation of up to 60 degrees. Quality glass for about $400.

Bait Hunters

Northwoods Bear Products are proven attractors that make the bait site smell delicious. More than a dozen different choices in sprays and powders are available, from blueberry and cherry to beaver castor, bacon and anise. You get the idea. Their product Gold Rush is the top seller; it’s a highly concentrated scent that is added to used fryer oil. It makes the entire area smell like Werther’s candy. Not kidding. Just one ounce of this potent stuff spikes 5 gallons of fryer oil. It’s $26 for an 8-ounce bottle, which juices up to 40 gallons of oil.

Hound Hunters

Technology has come to bear hunting in a big way with the advent of GPS dog tracking. Garmin is the leader with the Alpha 100. Put a collar on your dog and watch him on the colored screen as he travels over hill and dale on the topography maps. It even shows when the dogs have treed. This unit is a significant investment at $800 for the handheld and one collar, but the unit can track up to 20 dogs/collars at once. It tracks them up to nine miles away and updates every 2.5 seconds. Every serious hound hunter knows the value of his dogs and the value in keeping them safe in addition to finding them when they have a bear bayed. 

Every Bear Hunter

All bear hunters need trail cameras. For baiters, the applications are obvious; they’ll know what bears are visiting the baits and at what time. Baiters know to strike when the opportunity to shoot a bear during daylight presents itself. Hunters can choose when to make their moves at the most opportune moments. Same goes for those hunting over natural food sources. Hound hunters often start their dogs on baits, or use cameras to locate bears and turn their dogs loose at the location. Spot-and-stalk hunters can use cameras on logging cuts and bear feeding areas such as crop fields or berry patches. Everyone needs scouting cameras. The Covert Black Maverick is a top value in a camera that takes quality 1080p video and up to 20 megapixel photos with invisible “black flash” for $160. Sell them a steel “bear safe” to protect the cameras from the teeth of curious bears for $49.