First time out Black Bear Hunting>>>need some advise<<<<

[jamiedouglas]

First Time Bear Hunting.
This year for the first time, my buddies and I will Be Hunting Skwamish BC, for Black Bear. We have heard lots of stuff about how to hunt Black Bears, but I was wondering you anyone has any advise for new black bear hunters. (And we will be switching from compound bow hunting to Rifles this year, as last year we had a surprise wait for us back at the truck) LOL

How careful do you have to be when hunting black bears from tree stands?
I have heard stories that they can be dangerous. And when camping we have to stay on high alert at night. Or are these just stories to scare the crap out of us because we are new to Black Bear Hunting?

Thank you for time,
Jamie.

[butcher]

I don't think you need to be on high alert at night. Keep your camp clean and bears will usually stay away. If you haven't killed bears before do yourself a favor and start with a rifle. Tracking an arrow wounded bear through thick brush can be fairly intense. Get as close as you can and shoot them through the shoulders. Use rifles with reasonably heavy, well constructed bullets.

Don't shoot the first bear you see! Take some time and size them up. Bears are almost always smaller than they first appear. Look for bears with big bellies, shoulders and rumps. Their ears should appear to be far apart on the skull.

[BlacktailStalker]

Black bears are curious, until they I.D you properly, then they bolt. Usually. They will look up a tree at you in a tree stand and even climb up to investigate you but I think only when you are baiting or using an attractant scent, that they might follow right up the tree. Never been one to use bait for anything but you arent allowed to bait here last I heard.

[Elkhound]

I don't think you need to be on high alert at night. Keep your camp clean and bears will usually stay away. If you haven't killed bears before do yourself a favor and start with a rifle. Tracking an arrow wounded bear through thick brush can be fairly intense.

Don't shoot the first bear you see! Take some time and size them up. Bears are almost always smaller than they first appear.

Excellent advice, take the time as well to watch and see if there are any cubs around. I love to watch bears for a good 15-20minutes to watch behaviour. Not only are they fun to watch but I would hate to shoot a Sow and find out later they had a cub or two up a tree or in a dip or ditch. And remember, if it looks at you and it has ears like Mickey Mouse, it's a little one.

[abbyfireguy]

My son and I have had plenty of encounters with blackies while moose hunting in 5-13 and 6-1....Most are in no hurry to hang around,but,there have been a few who couldn't give a rip that you were in the same clearcut....I had to remind my 13 yr old son that he would make a nice snack for some of the really big blackies we have watched.That seemed to keep him on his toes a bit more....
Keep you camp clean,,,don't pack your food in your tent with you at night and you should be O.K...
I usually have my hunting partner along too, and he has his 12 ga in the wall tent at night just in case.....
Haven't needed it yet.....

[Onesock]

Draw straws. Short straw lathers up with honey and runs around naked in the slash. Be on the alert for sneaky bears though, you may have to shoot partner to save him some pain from the attack. Seriously though a bit of caution should be taken but 99.9% of bears are more scared of you than you are of of them. There is always that .1%. hahaha

[Gateholio]

I owuldn't bother with a tree stand around Squamish.

Instead, take a truck and drive alog some old logging road. When you ge tot some clear cuts, get out, and walk around.

Glass thorugh your binos.

Use your vehicle to transport you to differnet areas, scout them, and walk the roads.

Get as close as you can to the bear before you shoot.

[ryanb]

I don't think hunting from a treestand would be effective for bears. They have pretty big ranges and don't take regular routes. Most bear hunting done from a tree stand is over bait, which is illegal in BC.

[3kills]

gatehouse has some perfect advice....also when drivin watch for big green shoots of grass on the side of the road and dandilions as thats what they eat when they first get up....if ur seein lots of bear sign stick to that area....go there just before dark in the evening i bet u will see some....and like other have said dont shoot the first bear u see cuz u will alwasy see one bigger a lil later....

[Barracuda]

Get as close as you can to the bear before you shoot.

when you think you are close enough, get closer :biggrin: Better yet get under one :o

[Steeleco]

Read all the advice, it's all good, but to add try to find south facing slopes and hydro power line right of ways and such. They are more open and green up much faster. I you see bushes moving and there's no wind watch it for a while, there may be a bruin having a snack below it!! And don't forget if you don't score one in the spring you get another try in the fall. Good luck

[sealevel]

In recent years the forest service has planted clover along the logging roads bears love it.Another good way to hunt bears is to call with a predator call or a doe bleat. I have a movie about calling using a sow in heat call. going to give this a try.

[ryanb]

go there just before dark in the evening i bet u will see some....and like other have said dont shoot the first bear u see cuz u will alwasy see one bigger a lil later....

I find I see them at all times of the day in the spring, don't just hunt in the morning and evening or you're selling yourself short.

[Johnnybear]

All this advice is bang on. Like someone said most of the time the bears are more scared of you but remember that black bears are very unpredictable so be on toes for that .1 %. Most of all just get out there that's what it's all about. There are alot of bears around so you can be selective for sure.

[lapadat]

During the early season (April and May) I find that the bears are after anything green, and most of the green I find at that time of year is on the sides of roads. During the later part of the season, it seems that the bears I hunt are tired of grass and with the explosion of leaves/shoots in the trees they climb and eat.

Also, the early season bears that I have run across seem to be from Mission......very sluggish, relaxed and are inflicted with the munchies from hell.......while the bears during the last part of the season are from East Vancouver, addicted to crystal meth......very anxious, nervous, and flighty. SOooooo: Hit them hard during the first half of the season.


My 2 twisted cents.

Lapadat

PS: Spring 2005 Boar - 30-06, 180 gr SP


http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/Picture_340.jpg (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/showphoto.php?photo=2051&size=big&cat=500)

[Dragginbait]

We found that the island bears don't set there alarm clocks between 9:00 and 10:00 oclock, so if they get to sleep in, so should you.:lol:

[moose hunter]

if i had a bear tag this year i could have taken a nice boar with my bow i took it along just because and he stood right up at 30 yards a real nice boar the biggest ive seen in my life

[3kills]

Read all the advice, it's all good, but to add try to find south facing slopes and hydro power line right of ways and such. They are more open and green up much faster. I you see bushes moving and there's no wind watch it for a while, there may be a bruin having a snack below it!! And don't forget if you don't score one in the spring you get another try in the fall. Good luck

better yet david shoot one in the spring and go back and get one in the fall :biggrin:

[3kills]

I find I see them at all times of the day in the spring, don't just hunt in the morning and evening or you're selling yourself short.

oh i agree with u, u can see them all day long i just find that they are more active in the early day and later evening....

[steel_ram]

In the spring, we rarely see them at the break of day, seems bears like to sleep in. Usually an hour after sunrise to about 1100 and then the last hour before sunset. We have spotted bears in the mid day but they're usually dozing.

[BlacktailStalker]

I hunt a lot of alpine bowls for bears, way back from any main areas that get frequented by people often and find that a warm spring afternoon will have them slowly moving through the bowls feeding steadily and basking at the same time. Mid to late afternoon has always been most productive for me.

[todbartell]

keep shooting if they're still on their feet

[oldtimer]

Find the roads that have the most grass and clover that get the afternoon sun and you will be well rewarded.
My experience is that the bears that run are not the " King of the Hill " If you find one that won't leave it is because he is the boss bear and won't give up his food source or possibly a sow in the area. Then the fun begins with the stalk and a good broadhead. HAVE GOOOD BACKUP !!! if hunting with a bow. Mike

[bochunk2000]

I have also found that if a bear runs away up into a cut block, follow him with your sights you won't have to shoot him on the run. Just as its about to clear a ridge and go out of sight it will stop and look back at you to see if you are coming after them. Then they saunter away out of sight. This stop before diappearing will give you a better chance at a good shot then if its closer but on the run. Now don't get me wrong this won't always happen as nothing is fool proof, but it has become a pattern in my experience. It usually ends up with a nice 1/4ing away shot. Steve.:D

[PGKris]

Get a rangefinder. None of this guessing your yardage junk. Know that distance and know it good.

[jamiedouglas]

Thank you everyone,
Should I reconsider a squamish hunt? And try to find a logging road out in Mission for our first bear hunt then?

[ryanb]

Bears are everywhere. Either of the locations you mentioned will produce.