I'm going bear hunting in Virginia this fall. it's for their early gun season. I will be using a 450 Bushmaster single shot. Question is I've never bear hunted before and the area we are going my understanding is that we will be hunting out of tree stands or blinds.  From what I've read Bear have a very good sense of smell so obviously covering scent just like deer hunting is important. Are there any other tips that anybody can give. The area we are hunting does not bait.

LOL neither deer nor bear are fooled by any attempt you make to mask your scent.

Bear don't care how you smell of don't smell. You don't have to wait to have a good source scent to draw them in.

I stopped using scent covering and scent adding products. Now just limit it to wearing clothes washed in no-scent detergent and wearing boots used for hunting only. Get to your spot early and quietly. Sit still, be quiet, be patient.  Saw 4 bears this past year, 1 of whom ended up at the taxidermist.

Thanks for all the advise guys

I shot one over bait in 2016, so your hunt is obviously going to be different and more challenging.

They are like ghosts, they are absolutely silent as they move through the woods. I was told that when one showed up at the bait, it would be a shock because it would just appear. Sure enough that was right.

I think more so then scent, hearing is their biggest asset. I hunted 2 days. The first night the bear showed up at 630pm. I went to raise my gun and a squirrel chirped. This alerted the bear and it took off.

If they have been actively hitting a bait they’re like clock work. So the next night, I got my gun up and ready at 6pm. At 630pm on the dot, bear came back in, and I made the kill.

Best of luck and let us know how you make out!

Wash your cloths in any scent elimination product, even buy the drier sheets or hang outside to dry. When I walk into my stand I spray fox urine on the bottomed of my boots, the less scent the better. The hardest thing about hunting out of a tree stand is not falling asleep lol. And yes bears are like ghosts, most of the time they will see you and all you will see is movement from the corner of your eye. If you get the shakes take a few breaths don’t rush your shot.
They sell food scented attractants and there legal where I’m from because there not actually food based.
I have gone to McDonald’s and gotten old fryer grease and spread it around