Bear Biology with biologist Wade Nolan
Bear Hunting Magazine|January/February 2018

Hear you, smell you, see you.

Bear Biology with biologist Wade Nolan

It is bear season this week in Pennsylvania and bears are the talk of most hunters. The most amazing part of this “bear talk” is that much of it is hearsay, and wives’ tales. Black bears have been part of this landscape for as long as there has been wildlife biologists and researchers. Therefore, there are solid answers to many of the common topics bantered about a bear’s ability to hear, see and smell you. I’m about to bring you up to date. 0016- These are the tools that a bear uses to keep track of his surroundings. That gives him an advantage over us with his nose, eyes and ears.

Smell You

A black bears nose power is estimated to be as much as five times greater than the nose of a bloodhound. This is remarkable as we know that a bloodhound can detect a seven-day old fingerprint. Mammals have olfactory receptors in the nasal mucosa and few animals rival the density of receptors of a bear. Many biologists believe that a bear may have the keenest nose on the continent.

Most researchers believe that a bear can smell a food source when one to three miles away. I have some personal observation concerning a bear’s nose. I’ve run dozens of bait stations in Alaska which has a very stable and robust bear population. I’ve set up baits using a bucket of “bear call.” I make this smelly concoction out of salmon and halibut heads, plus some rotten red meat. After a couple of weeks in the sun the buckets look like a blown-up toad and they often burp. I’ve had bears show up at a new bait station within a day. One bait had 11 different bears working it within a week. That’s a food driven response but I think that their response to human scent may be even more advanced.

This story is from the January/February 2018 edition of Bear Hunting Magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the January/February 2018 edition of Bear Hunting Magazine.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM BEAR HUNTING MAGAZINEView All
THE END OF 2020, CHALLENGES COMING IN 2021
Bear Hunting Magazine

THE END OF 2020, CHALLENGES COMING IN 2021

SOMETHINGS EVERY SPORTSMAN OUGHT TO KNOW ABOUT. STAY ENGAGED!

time-read
7 mins  |
January - February 2021
SPRING HUNTING IN MAINE
Bear Hunting Magazine

SPRING HUNTING IN MAINE

In 1982 Maine closed its spring season, but you can still spring hunt with an outfitter on some tribal lands.

time-read
3 mins  |
January - February 2021
Bear Hunting Magazine

Bears & Gobblers

SPRING BEAR & TURKEY IN MONTANA

time-read
9 mins  |
January - February 2021
Western Bear Hunting
Bear Hunting Magazine

Western Bear Hunting

Picking the right outfitter - Picking the right outfitter can make or break your experience.

time-read
6 mins  |
January - February 2021
Three Phases of the Spring
Bear Hunting Magazine

Three Phases of the Spring

Understanding the Pros & Cons in the Timing of Spring Bear Hunting

time-read
8 mins  |
January - February 2021
Extreme Utility
Bear Hunting Magazine

Extreme Utility

Jeff Senger kills for a living.

time-read
7 mins  |
January - February 2021
Canning - Bear Meat
Bear Hunting Magazine

Canning - Bear Meat

The last six months my non-hunting friends asking increasingly specific questions about how to turn animals into meat.

time-read
6 mins  |
January - February 2021
Bear Dogs - East vs West
Bear Hunting Magazine

Bear Dogs - East vs West

The term “bear dog” means something different to every houndsman.

time-read
8 mins  |
January - February 2021
Alaska - One Last Grizzly (DIY)
Bear Hunting Magazine

Alaska - One Last Grizzly (DIY)

NOTHING LASTS FOREVER, BUT THE AUTHOR HAS HAD A HECK OF A RUN ON ARCTIC GRIZZLY

time-read
10+ mins  |
January - February 2021
Understanding Skull Size in Evaluating Trophy Black Bear
Bear Hunting Magazine

Understanding Skull Size in Evaluating Trophy Black Bear

Black bears can be one of the most difficult big game animals to judge before the shot.

time-read
7 mins  |
November - December 2020