Sub-Alpine Black Bear

[Sylus]

So I have been poking around on this site looking for old threads about bear hunting and I have noticed that usually when someone brings up the idea of a backpack hunt for bear people usually point out that working that hard for a bear is completely unnecessary. They are usually easy to find on the roads, the best bear grass is usually adjacent to the fsr...

While all those points are 100% valid and in most cases came from hunters more experienced than me I still would like to try to backpack hunt a bear. As a hunter I would like to progress to the point that I could be a proficient alpine mule deer hunter, but as this past season has taught me, MD are a heck of a lot sneakier than me, and I still have a lot to learn. So, I figured if I spent time hunting bear in the alpine it would allow me to to learn a lot about the techniques used in that style of hunting on a (reportedly)less elusive species. Techniques that I could apply to MD hunting at some point.

With that spiel out of the way, I had a few question of you guys. I have a few spots picked out on google earth that look nice, good sub alpine with a few lakes, most of these being around 6000 ft in elevation, good south facing slopes... So when (or if) can expect to see bear up that high? and what types of forage should I be looking for? As for tactics, I figured glassing would be my best bet, but feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

Cheers, Sylus

[Pioneerman]

When the snow is gone helps,. they need fresh vegetation if in alpine. They are generally in alpine later in the year, early they would tend to be in slash areas because lower and food grows there quicker. Later in the season alpine and flowers would be good food for them. All depends on your area I suppose

[Sylus]

When the snow is gone helps,. they need fresh vegetation if in alpine. They are generally in alpine later in the year, early they would tend to be in slash areas because lower and food grows there quicker. Later in the season alpine and flowers would be good food for them. All depends on your area I suppose

Cool, thanks for the tips. Every bit helps haha

[ACE]

Are you thinking a spring BB hunt? By the time the spring season is over ...... the big 'sluggo' bears are still lower down where the better feed and females are.
If you want to backpack hunt alpine areas in the fall ..... hone your hunting skills on Mule deer. You won't be packing the hide out ...... just horns and meat.

Just something to think about ........... alpine areas are generally small, easy to 'stink-up' ....... and personally, I've not seen a whole lot of bear sign in them at any time of the year.

Others will chime in, and you'll get some good ideas ......
Good luck!

[monasheemountainman]

^ this, bchunter tv is a good guy to talk to about packin out big bears. But you probably will have way better luck in the fall, which is when you'll be deer hunting.

[BCHunterTV]

Fall is the best, lots a areas in Chilliwack.

[dustycool]

With that spiel out of the way, I had a few question of you guys. I have a few spots picked out on google earth that look nice, good sub alpine with a few lakes, most of these being around 6000 ft in elevation, good south facing slopes... So when (or if) can expect to see bear up that high? and what types of forage should I be looking for? As for tactics, I figured glassing would be my best bet, but feel free to correct me if I am wrong.

Cheers, Sylus
I've seen bears and lots of bear sign at the elevations you're talking here, but not until fall. Sept and Oct, if they're not fishing, they can be up there eating up the late season blueberries. Like some of the others of said, if your goal is really Mule Deer then you might just stick to MD at that time of year. In the spring those bears will be down wherever they can find the freshest greens, and most years the sub-alpine is still snow covered during spring season. We'll see about that this year in some areas I guess.

[Sylus]

I've seen bears and lots of bear sign at the elevations you're talking here, but not until fall. Sept and Oct, if they're not fishing, they can be up there eating up the late season blueberries. Like some of the others of said, if your goal is really Mule Deer then you might just stick to MD at that time of year. In the spring those bears will be down wherever they can find the freshest greens, and most years the sub-alpine is still snow covered during spring season. We'll see about that this year in some areas I guess.

Makes sense, thanks for the input everyone.

[Wild one]

Early fall high elevation berry patches you will find bears and if you want to do this hunt it this is what I would look towards. Personally I would just pack a bear tag well targeting mule deer.

The truth of the matter it will not make a big improvement in your ability to hunt mule deer. Targeting mule deer is what will improve your skills. Often the case what is needed is to slow down and drive your self nuts glassing the alpine waiting lol. You need to have faith in your location and ride it out waiting for the deer to appear. You could glass all day and see nothing then all of a sudden the deer appear.

If it is the stalk take your time and think it through and in the end getting out there stalking deer is what will improve this

If you want to hunt bear in the alpine to experience that style of bear hunting fill your boots and enjoy your time. If mule deer is the goal focus on mule deer is my opinion.

Either way good luck

[835]

I aggree with everyone else. If your goal is Alpine Bears you may as well go in Mulie season. It gives the bears time to "Get up there" as well you are hunting 2 species. Spring Bear is generally a lower elavation thing for a number of reasons. Firstly the food source is larger lower. So i f you are hell bent on a spring high country hunt go as late in spring as you can,,,, there is no such thing as a "Waste of time" when you are hunting in alpine!

[.264winmag]

Seen some good blackies in the slide paths when I had my spring grizz draw...

[walks with deer]

Head between lilo lilouette and Pemberton pick a drainage action is abundant..sorry bears.

[Dre]

I love hunting muleys in the 5000ft+ elevations and have seen many black bears at the same time, usually trying to avoid them. In the spring I find it hard to get up that high due to the snow. It can be rough as it is frozen and thawing, we had a hell of a time at only around 5500ft breaking through and getting stuck balls deep. All in good fun, you can see a bear up that high, but he's gotta be denning there and if you don't catch him right when he first comes out, he will head down. I know where one is bedded as I see it there every November on my Mule deer hunt, but have not attempted to route him out in the spring yet. Like everyone said already, the spring hunting tactics are centred around the lower elevations, south facing slopes with lots of grass, and cut blocks. Cheers.