The Smoky Mountains of eastern Tennessee have a rich hunting history.
Bear Hunting Magazine Editor Clay Newcomb was fortunate enough to accompany Roy Clark and his pack of Plott hounds on a bear hunt in Tennessee's Smoky Mountains. Clark's family has been hunting the area for years and is one of the most experienced houndsmen left in the country.
As you can see in the video, that is some rough country, and a bear hunt with hounds in those mountains is serious business. However, they had quite the hunt and Newcomb got an in-depth look at yet another way to hunt bears.
It pays to be prepared when hunting with hounds because you never know what that bear will do. Sometime it will tree, sometimes it will stay on the ground and try to fight, and sometimes the bear will pop out of the woods in the most unexpected place.
Since the hunters are on foot and often make contact with the animal at very close range, when things go wrong, they can really go wrong in a hurry. That's part of the reason hunters often use lightweight, quick-pointing, lever-action rifles when hunting with hounds.
Like what you see here? You can read more great articles by John McAdams on his hunting blog. Follow him on Twitter @TheBigGameHunt or check out one of his Alberta bear hunts.
NEXT: AMAZING FOOTAGE OF A CHARGING KODIAK BROWN BEAR
