Fall alpine bears near salmon rivers.

[DMD]

So last weekend I was in the mountains near the coast in region 6 hunting goats. Near and above treeline were quite a few blueberries and huckleberries. Bear scat was everywhere. Quite a ways above treeline we spotted a large healthy looking black bear feeding away. The location was directly above a river and several creeks that would have spawning salmon in them at the moment.

I have never shot a bear but have been a bit intrigued by the idea. Does anyone have any thoughts as to how such a bear would taste? Do you think he has been staying up high eating berries or do they go down the eat salmon and then return to the high country?

[Sharpish]

You would never know until you took the first bite! Your odds of a tasty bear are much better with no salmon streams within 50 clicks but then again that mountain berry bear might have been feeding for a week on a putrid rotten caribou carcass for a week

[Husky7mm]

I have shot a few bears in the early fall with salmon rivers near by and they have been good eating, one was near the fraser river up the canyon. i think they want the sweets over a spawned out salmon anyday.

[40incher]

Quite often when we have a good berry crop in R6 the bear don't bother with salmon. Even grizz prefer berries to salmon in my experience.

[ACE]

Is there fish in that stream ..... lots of heat this summer, low water ?

[Salty]

If you're actually up around the tree line or higher I highly doubt there will be any salmon in the river it would be too steep a run for them to get up that far. Other than that bears don't get stunk out at the beginning of the run they catch a fish strip out the roe or sperm sack and toss the rest on the beach. Its when the run slows down and there's lots of dead fish around and they get to feeding on rotten fish that they get rank.

[Looking_4_Jerky]

If you're actually up around the tree line or higher I highly doubt there will be any salmon in the river it would be too steep a run for them to get up that far. Other than that bears don't get stunk out at the beginning of the run they catch a fish strip out the roe or sperm sack and toss the rest on the beach. Its when the run slows down and there's lots of dead fish around and they get to feeding on rotten fish that they get rank.

Wouldn't have thought that one out, makes total sense!

[srupp]

Hmmm with access to spawning fish...no contest much higher caloric intake..much sought out..many times more than berries..salmon or carrion..then berries specially after first frost..concentrates the sugars.
Any bear eating fish..makes the bear stink and the meat highly questionable as for table fare..take a pass.imo
Srupp

[DMD]

Is there fish in that stream ..... lots of heat this summer, low water ?

No low water up here since late July. Weather has been wet and cold and all the rivers were up.

[DMD]

If you're actually up around the tree line or higher I highly doubt there will be any salmon in the river it would be too steep a run for them to get up that far. Other than that bears don't get stunk out at the beginning of the run they catch a fish strip out the roe or sperm sack and toss the rest on the beach. Its when the run slows down and there's lots of dead fish around and they get to feeding on rotten fish that they get rank.

The creek that flows in the hanging valley bellow were the bear was seen does not hold and anadromous fish due to impassable falls. I was wondering if the bear would migrate the 4000' or so down to the valley to feed on salmon and then return up high.

[DMD]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Sounds like it could be hit or miss.

[jaeger]

So last weekend I was in the mountains near the coast in region 6 hunting goats. Near and above treeline were quite a few blueberries and huckleberries. Bear scat was everywhere. Quite a ways above treeline we spotted a large healthy looking black bear feeding away. The location was directly above a river and several creeks that would have spawning salmon in them at the moment.

I have never shot a bear but have been a bit intrigued by the idea. Does anyone have any thoughts as to how such a bear would taste? Do you think he has been staying up high eating berries or do they go down the eat salmon and then return to the high country?

I smoked some bear Ham a couple of years ago for a buddy after it was all cooked i tried it and it tasted like smoked salmon! LOL I guess that was fish eating bear!LOL

[two-feet]

The creek that flows in the hanging valley bellow were the bear was seen does not hold and anadromous fish due to impassable falls. I was wondering if the bear would migrate the 4000' or so down to the valley to feed on salmon and then return up high.
No the bear would not be travelling up and down like that. It would be eating the highest quality food it could get 22 hours a day. Whatever is the best food source will be taken by the dominant bears and the smaller ones will get pushed to the more marginal feed areas.

[ducktoller]

I smoked some bear Ham a couple of years ago for a buddy after it was all cooked i tried it and it tasted like smoked salmon! LOL I guess that was fish eating bear!LOL

So some fish bears are good then lol. Would go great with eggs.

[srupp]

No the bear would not be travelling up and down like that. It would be eating the highest quality food it could get 22 hours a day. Whatever is the best food source will be taken by the dominant bears and the smaller ones will get pushed to the more marginal feed areas.

hmmm wrong..the bears will travel 20 kilometers to get to salmon...sheeesh..its life or death down a mountainside for salmon...ya like a mornings stroll..hmmm nice guess but wrong.

coastal and interior fall food of preference is salmon.period.carrion if available..then berries..

lots of bears on salmon streams in fall..non worth eating..
srupp

[two-feet]

I mean they wouldnt travel up and down daily. They usually stick with their food source if its good.