Educate me on bear hunting, just doesn't seem right to me

[Guest 270win]

Deer hunting with dogs is a lot of fun during the slow times of the day. Beagles are the best. I would imagine bear hunting with dogs is fun too.

[Guest pfries]

Can you use dogs on deer in Tennessee?

[10-Ring]

Though experience tells me to not engage, I always have enjoyed a good debate...

You are correct that we do not have a bear season in Clarksville. But, I have lived in 3 states with bear seasons.

In Clarksville we do have raccoon hunters that hunt at night with dogs. I have listened to dogs on tree for what seemed like a long time, but not all night. We also have irresponsible dog owners that allow their hounds to run about. Even when I see this, I don't think that raccoon hunting should be abolished. When I see hunting dogs lost and hungry I try my best effort to catch them and call the owner. I have owned hunting dogs and I have lost hunting dogs despite best efforts. I have always been happy to get one back. I have never called a hunter that didn't want his dog back after I caught it. Not every hunter that uses a dog is a worthless sack.

50 hunters per mile, standing in the road blocking traffic, drinking and beating land owners. Those bear hunters sound like a rough group. I can only imagine if I saw them I would call the police and the TWRA and let them know that armed hunters were blocking traffic, drinking and beating land owners. If they were on my land, I would call TWRA.

I reiterate that 300 to 500 bears are killed on average per year in the whole state of Tennessee. Either there is an extremely low success rate among bear hunters, or there aren't a lot of bear hunters, or there aren't many bears.

Believe it or not I think we have more or less reached agreement. You are right they do have a very low success rate. I really think that it is a social thing more than a "let's go get meat!" event. As I said before I'm not exaggerating the numbers of hunters standing around, I think I have seen 1 or 2 harvested bears this season. Here anymore I'm just going to try to stay put and not get out on the road during the day during bear season.

I do understand hunting with dogs, I can sympathize with the issues surrounding dogs crossing property lines, treeing where you don't want them too, and even loosing them. Years ago I hunted coons. Only time I would shoot one out was at the landowners request if they had been making a nuisance of themselves. Looking at it from a sporting perspective a coon can loose a dog a lot easier than a bear can.

[DaveS]

Can you use dogs on deer in Tennessee?

Not "no", but NO!!!!

[10-Ring]

Not "no", but NO!!!!

It is even illegal if you are sitting in your tree stand and a house dog runs a deer to you to shoot it. CYA if there is a dog around I wouldn't be shooting a deer.