Spring Bear Question

[hunter11]

I was wanting to know weather the spring bears are at lower?higher? elevations or just everywhere? During mid Apr- mid May. Thanks.

[pupper]

well, as soon as the bears awake from their slumber they will be looking for grass and lots of it so they can flush their system. South facing slopes with lots of green will be the ticket. Wherever you can find green/grassy meadows you will find bears.

[todbartell]

usually lower earlier in the spring, below the snow line. River bottoms, south facing slopes, edges of logging roads which green up quick. as the spring progresses, the bears will move all over to different elevations

[Will]

Smaller less dominant bears (mostly boars) will often emerge first....bigger Males and sows tend to have the better (dryer) dens and as such wait abit longer before emerging....at least this is my experience;)

Some good advice already though...find the Greens, you'll find the Bears:smile:

[BearSniper]

Ditto to the above;-)

Green grassy areas.Look[glass] for the dark furry spots against and amongst the grass.

My 2 cents is they'll try to go lower away from the last remaining winter snow.

Most important, only 64 days untril spring Bear season

Yehaa !! :lol:

[Squirrelnuts]

I've heard that they head for skunk cabbage if it's available; I guess there's something in it that they need to get their stomachs working again.

Wet sites, along stream beds, etc... Or you could just drive around with the windows open and stop when you smell something like Whistler on a Saturday night.

[whiteraven]

look on the hills for lots of dandelions when there out bears love um any logging slash or road

[oldtimer]

Like Todd says, logging roads with wide aprons and not a lot of tall timber. Then after everything greens up look for the clover. Mike

[tomahawk]

I've heard that head for skunk cabbage if it's available; I guess there's something in it that they need to get their stomachs working again.


Also look for Fiddle heads, they love them like candy.

[srupp]

HMM some exellent advice..the two main ingredients for getting a bear ready to eat ..is fiddleheads..and/or skunk cabbage either or both will work as a "friendly "help to remove a bears "plug" after many months of non defecating..er liberal...sorry I meant POOP...

Then they are a chow machine heading to the fore mentioned areas..they usually go to the lowest elevation or areas that have greened up first slides..roads.. lower elevations to get that first greened grass..lighter green color..its higher nutrition is eagerly sought out...and then they just keep working higher in elevation following that green new growth.

If they can they will seek out secluded cuts..or amongst deciduous trees for some privacy ..or dead end roads etc..so feeding can be uninterrupted..

They also need copious amounts of water to start to regulate their system..also LOOK for POOP..these bears eat...PAUSE for the cause..literally making room for more food..and then continue eating..if you find an area with plenty of POOP use a stick and see what they are eating...then work that area...the bears wont be far away..

In spring bears are a bit more selective as to feeding hours..when they first awake they travel DOWN to green feeding areas and are still sleepy for up to several days ...then they get into a feeding rythym..and I find the BEST time to find Mr BIG is last hour of the day...thats been my favorite success..

As to which exits the den first small imature bears or the largest mature boars...small first time bears in the first spring after denning "sometimes " pick poor denning sites and have snow melt water seep in or??? and sometimes get a rude early wake up call ... I have found that the big boars den in a location and elevation and on a slope that when they wake up they are ASSURED there is grub on somewhere down below...they DO come out THE EARLIEST but may linger coming down..and usually are earlier than females with cubs..the big bears I see have been out for several weeks but take a bit to make it down to where its green everywhere..goes fo GRIZZLIES.and blacks..the biggest G bears I always find first...same for blacks...they just dont show in places we can find them immediatly or where we can get to easily..


Steven

[hunter11]

Thanks for all the great info. I can't wait for the spring. Good luck to all and see ya'll out there

[270 short mag.]

Hey hanter 11;when the black beests get up,they everywhere boy!!!!

[Blainer]

I always concentrate my efforts in the end of May or early June.This way I'm assured the bruins are out of the dens.The weather is pertinent as a large winter snowfall can keep them in the den till May,not to mention many roads are still impassible.
Good luck.

[hunter11]

True ,but how about pemberton area in the spring?

[kgriz]

I agree with SRUPP wholeheartedly, the biggest griz are always out first, usually up high on little green microsites amongst the snow on south slopes. Every year I'm drawn ( or a hunting buddy ), we fight our way through deep snow and crappy water crossings to get as high and remote as possible. One can rarely be too early in the year when looking for a big boar, they're be out even when you still need snowshoes.

[srupp]

After 30 years of hunting bears and guiding I suspect I have learned a few basics...the trick is not in knowing where they will be but why they are there..and then you will know where they will be next and why..

Steven

[hunter1947]

Bear are where you find them ,they can be anywhere at that time of the month ,hi low ,just pound the slashes you will spot them.

[springpin]

Great info. I have never hunted bear, but, this spring I am heading out for 1..

springpin

[hunter11]

Thanks for all the info. See all of you out in your camo come spring. Get er' Done for all them bruin fanatics. Cheers.

[Mr. Dean]

After 30 years of hunting bears and guiding I suspect I have learned a few basics...the trick is not in knowing where they will be but why they are there..and then you will know where they will be next and why..

Steven

Very well put. :smile:

[srupp]

I think its experience once you have seen the areas that hold bears and why..it makes it easier to look at new areas with a whole new perspective..MY opinion..I can find bears in most spots because I have concentrated on them for 3 decades both grizzlies and blacks..and have been very successful however stone sheep ..not so good and STILL unsuccessful...one day..lol

Steven

[mark4]

I agree with you srupp- Those bears alway's seem to be in places that are hard to get to. It definitely has something to do with human pressure. I am really hoping to get drawn for the grizz leh in two days. There is a mini-valley so to speak here in the east kootenay- It has five finger slides that run from the top of the mountain , all the way to the bottom that are lush green with vegetation. The place is a royal pain to get to but there are grizzlies there quite often-Many times you can see them out on the slides from far away- It is the best grizzly spot that I personally know of around here. There are big fresh diggings there all the time and tons of crap- I won't go in there with anything less than a 338 win mag or 450 marlin. To get there you have to go through alder city- not fun.

[Iron-Head]

Smaller less dominant bears (mostly boars) will often emerge first....bigger Males and sows tend to have the better (dryer) dens and as such wait abit longer before emerging....at least this is my experience;)

Some good advice already though...find the Greens, you'll find the Bears:smile:
Interesting, My experience has been the opposite. I find the larger more dominant boars to awaken earlier.
If you can find clover you will find bears to, On a few different occasions Elkhound (Dave) and I have watched bears sprawled out on their belly eating all the clover within reach, then inching forward and repeating the process. Great now im itchin for bear season:smile:

[hunter11]

CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!LESS THAN 6 WEEKS:biggrin::biggrin::biggrin:

[hunter1947]

Interesting, My experience has been the opposite. I find the larger more dominant boars to awaken earlier.
If you can find clover you will find bears to, On a few different occasions Elkhound (Dave) and I have watched bears sprawled out on their belly eating all the clover within reach, then inching forward and repeating the process. Great now im itchin for bear season:smile:
I myself also have found that the big old boars emerge first from there dens first.