jamie eaton
Well-Known Member
Thanks for that !
Locating Mountain Black Bears
- Thread starter brant89
- Start date
Dean2
Well-Known Member
It has already been said. For all the months a Bear is not in Hibernation, their entire existence is ruled by food. Even during the rut, the sows seek food, the Boars go where the sows are.
Spring, when a bear comes out of hibernation, they need water and green grass to expel the butt plug. After that it is a constant search for high value food. Find the food you find the bear.
Lower greens sooner than higher, south always first, areas around beaver damns, lakes and streams green early. Outside of years with lots of winter kill, the first places that pops dandelions will be the prime spot for Bear.
Spring, when a bear comes out of hibernation, they need water and green grass to expel the butt plug. After that it is a constant search for high value food. Find the food you find the bear.
Lower greens sooner than higher, south always first, areas around beaver damns, lakes and streams green early. Outside of years with lots of winter kill, the first places that pops dandelions will be the prime spot for Bear.
Last edited:
deadeye.22rf
Well-Known Member
I was camped in an RV one year near Crested Butte, Co and was awakened in the early AM by someone trying to open my locked RV door. I went outside with my .45 and light and spotted a bear a ways away. The next morning I spotted him across the creek in some brush. I went to warn others camped in the same area and found out this bear had opened an RV door that wasn't locked and two truck doors that were not locked, his muddy footprints were in the trucks.
Bearman375
Well-Known Member
Spot on advice there!
Bearman375
Well-Known Member
When I first moved to Montana they had a place east of Columbia falls that raised bears. All blacks. I was told that bears learn to open doors very quickly. Also told they had very high intelligence too. There were a few monsters in that fenced area. We were in a car, just feet from them too
Bearman375
Well-Known Member
I didn't know that, was a super cool place. I worked there to eureka and back for years!
std7mag
Well-Known Member
Being a relatively new bear hunter in PA, I'll share what I have experienced so far.
PA is known for big drives.
I've seen 30 people or more on a drive.
But few of my friends hunt bear, so drives don't work as well when you only have 3 people.
If you see, or hear a drive going on, and if you can locate where the standers are, get down wind off to the side of the drive. Bear, deer, elk will come scooting off to the side, ideally with the wind in their face and try to do a flanking maneuver. Going back to where the drivers already went through.
I've actually had my best luck by myself. Using a fawn bleat, or elk cow call. Sounding like someone is committing bloody murder.
Be aware, if you sound like wounded prey, predators will come in.
Be it a bear, coyotes, or bobcat.
PA is known for big drives.
I've seen 30 people or more on a drive.
But few of my friends hunt bear, so drives don't work as well when you only have 3 people.
If you see, or hear a drive going on, and if you can locate where the standers are, get down wind off to the side of the drive. Bear, deer, elk will come scooting off to the side, ideally with the wind in their face and try to do a flanking maneuver. Going back to where the drivers already went through.
I've actually had my best luck by myself. Using a fawn bleat, or elk cow call. Sounding like someone is committing bloody murder.
Be aware, if you sound like wounded prey, predators will come in.
Be it a bear, coyotes, or bobcat.
Bearman375
Well-Known Member
Calling in bears can be super effective…I try to get a bit elevated for viewing purposes.
brant89
Well-Known Member
A lot of people drive deer around here and it's not my cup of tea. I feel like it encroaches on "fair chase" and the few drives I participated in long ago were not what I would consider safe.
I tried calling in a bear once in Northern Michigan, with no luck, but I'll definitely keep that in my back pocket for my next trip to Wyoming.
kujuak
Member
I have spoken to several fellow bear hunters who have had the experience of bears sneaking up on the caller (cougars also come to varmint calls).If I was keen to use varmint calls for bears I would have a buddy watching my 6. My spring bear routine is to cruise old logging roads paying attention to new green growth. A , not in gullys full of blow down.another tip,shoot bears that are uphill!
I would say to be wary with calls, called in a Grizzly in Alaska, when try to bring in a black bear. Griz was running twords us, luckily we were close to the truck. No one had a griz tag, I had filled mine a few days earlier. Where I hunt, their is Grizzly, cougar, wolves, lynx, wolverine, bobcat and of course black bear. I call in the winter, when most bears are not as active. If your going to call, just be mindful that you are ringing a loud dinner bell, to everyone. In Washington, I was attacked by a doe, probably either lost a fawn or had one close by.
Bearman375
Well-Known Member
I try to get to an open vantage point. Either up on a downed tree, a rock outcropping or hill. Plus I stay in a relatively open space. Been my experience bears have no issues coming through an open area. I've also called in lion, coyotes, antelope does, and muley does. The muleys come in very angry, almost frantic. I get about 40% reaction with bears with a distress call. The sows really come in hard. Just my experience…another reason I shoot big calibers too. I want to be able to stop a T Rex if I have too!
Yep, just need to pick your spot and stay vigilant. I shoot big ones also, 9.3x74R and 45-70 mostly, once in awhile it's 300win
