I was going to put some time in targeting black bears this week. What are your thoughts on bears still being out around the Thompson-Okanagan?
Filled the mule deer tag, but hunting this year haven't really seen an overwhelming amount of bear sign, well not really over the last three years. I hunt well away from the roads
a) too late in the season, rest up for the whitie rut
b) stop hiking, and drive the truck around a bit more, glassing cuts from the truck (but the cuts around here are not on steep hillsides that are really conductive to this)
c) bear population down and pushed away from the roads, stop being a pussy and put some time in on the boots?
Bear population is unreal around Kamloops..
I saw four out foraging in all the snow we had last weekend...some of witch was a sow and cub so, I’d say you still have a week or two at least ..
do the deer a favour and eat a bear !
find the forage find the bears.
It was 12 degrees down low today, no reason they wont still be oot and aboot. More time in the bush and you will find them, right now its all about the food.
I havent seen many bears over the years where i go around there.
Always scat sign, but rarely fresh tracks in the snow come mid november.
But, i did see one of the largest blackies right at the end of October, but up on the plateau near where it drops down.
So yes, i think they are there.
Just some areas hold better concentrations if you read the posts above.
Maybe the food source where i hunt MD isnt as plentiful for the bears as other spots. (maybe that has been the case for you when you have been out?)
Find a source they like right now, and in an area where it is plentiful and i suspect the odds of seeing them will go up.
Yesterday I braised a bone-in bear shank for 5 hours in stock, wine and herbs. It was unbelievably tender and succulent. Got that one end of October region 6 so south of here there must still be a few kicking around
I saw a nice black bear today, just not into hunting them personally. Enough sign out there as well that shows they are still out. Good luck and keep going