Boat hunt black bears?

[BiG Boar]

Hey guys,
I have noticed in a lot of Coastal black bear hunting films the hunt is done by boat, scanning the coast line and estuaries. Does anyone here do that? Are there any fisherman who know of a good huntable population that they dont hunt? Is it productive? How does a hunt go down from start to finish? I have access to a 30 ft grady white and have a 10 ft zodiak to beach with. Are bears bigger on the coast line on average? If anyone does this, or fishes the north island waters or mainland coast a lot and knows there patterns (feed and timing habits) let me know. Does this work well as a spring hunt? Please dont tell me about their taste, we are all aware it would be terrible, this would be a hunt targeting monster bears only. I have done quite a bit of mountain hunting for bears, but am wondering if it would be worth doing a hunt like this?

Getting the itch....Spring is around the corner!

[Sitkaspruce]

BigBore

I hunt bears quite a bit by boat, especially when the snow does not allow access to the westcoast.

The bears will be out on the low tides anywhere along the beach, but if you know where any estuaries are, these are the real hotspots. The estuaries green up very fast and have the usual seges and such to start the bear off. Some of the biggest bears I have seen have been in estuaries, the more remote the better. Along the beach, they feed on crabs and other seafood. Good glassing and patience is the key as the bears can be hard to find as they are really scattered.

I find early in the season, the better, as soon as it startes to green up and before the boars stat looking for love. Thats not to say they will be looking for love in the estuaries, but big bears will roam a long way looking for love.

The bonus to this type of hunting is the great prawning, crabbing, hali fishing and some early salmon that can be around.

Let me know if you decide to come up this way and I can point out a few areas to check.

Cheers

SS

[835]

i lived on the west coast van isle for a number of years. Me and a friend talked alot about doin it but never did. Your boat combo would be fine (we had a 24' searay). The bears seemed to be about the same size as ons seen on any logging road. We used to see them all the time guiding for salmon outa ucluelet. Pick tides that will work for you like a morning low at day break. estuaries and sandy beaches is where we saw most.
I always thought it would be a fun hunt, just never got around to it. But if your looking for a monster i would come to the island in september and cruze a river or 2 on the west. If you are into a cool hunt fire up the 250 jump in the grady toss in the crab trap and drop the hammer!

[Mr. Dean]

I, as you know, have the option of doing exactly what is described; yet haven't. IMO it's waaay easier to hunt them from land. But *your* hunt would be full of adventure... :razz: :wink:

Hitting the N. Island, in the spring, would/could offer up some challenges. Big tide swings and approaching fronts come 1st to mind. Not to mention that the GO's like to keep a keen eye on the more accessible estuaries.... Using the road system for access means it doesn't matter what the weather is. :smile:

[FLHTCUI]

I am sure you could sneak up on them from the water , just as easy as stalking by foot.
You could try some of the local inlets, such as Bute or Jervis or Toba , just to name a few close to the lower mainland.
You will be amazed at what you do not see on the coast traveling the way you are thinking about.
There is a Trophy Bear with your name on it, you just have to find him.
Rob

[Ozone]

Saw a bear flippin rocks 2 days ago on Gilford Island.

As for advise, go with what Sitkaspruce said,

[325 wsm]

In the spring concentrate on the south facing beaches as they green up earlier and the big bears dominate the best feeding areas.

[BlacktailStalker]

Its like anything, if you go based on whether you'll get what you're looking for or not, its not a sure thing.

Heck you could go scout right now if you wanted to :lol:
There are LOTS of bears out of their holes right now.

[IronNoggin]

West and south around the top of the Island from Hardy and down towards the Cape live some of the largest black bears on the continent. Very little in the way of pressure, as most of the area cannot be accessed except by water. Over many years of trolling (Area G) up that way, we saw a good number that were very impressive.

Methinks were I planning to hunt for a Book or Better, that would be where I'd be searching. As Sitka noted, they love the estuaries in the spring, as well as the adjacent avalanche chutes above when they start to green.

Not a lot of sheltered spots up there, so study the hell out of your charts, and watch the weather closely! Can sneak up on you in a HURRY up there! One thing to be running for cover in a bucking 42 footer, quite another to be doing so in a sport rig!

Cheers,
Nog

[Mr. Dean]

Not a lot of sheltered spots up there, so study the hell out of your charts, and watch the weather closely! Can sneak up on you in a HURRY up there! One thing to be running for cover in a bucking 42 footer, quite another to be doing so in a sport rig!



Well said.

[BiG Boar]

Its the danger of hunting them there that keeps them monsters maybe. It sure aint going to be no teddy bears picnic, but if it puts me in country that hasnt been hunted half as hard, then the bears should be twice as old. My first island bear missed the book by a smidge. Its time to find a monster.

[Hank Hunter]

Sounds like a great adventure, go for it :mrgreen:

[Mr. Dean]

Its the danger of hunting them there that keeps them monsters maybe.

I'll go with that (100%) as it does limit access.

If you do it, I'd suggest taking as much time possible in order to "pick your days" for when you're out on the water. The weather/sea conditions up there can be very unpredictable, especially early spring. And as already noted, not a heck of a lot in ways of safe anchorages.

Frankly, I'd like a buddy (or the $$$) w/ a helocopter :mrgreen:
If I did, I'd already have *The Book* closed on this chapter. :cool:

[115 or bust]

I see groups of guys loading up for bear hunting at the boat launches every spring on the West Coast. Kind of a lazy bones way to hunt kind of like quadding with a coffee machine and bacon and eggs while your riding. Seen some monster bears over the years from the beach. Lots of wolf sightings over the years too. In the spring the bears hang on the estuary's smaller creeks are better because on the north island at least Shockey's guys work the bigger estuaries pretty hard. The bears will feed on mussels, fish and barnacles year round so don't overlook beaches with cobble rocks around the size of footballs to basketballs. In the fall lots of the tiny creeks have runs of chum and coho and bears will stake out these creeks cause its easy to haul the fish out. I saw one creek last year where the bear was only eating female chums and had about a dozen males pulled up on the bank.

[KB90]

I saw one creek last year where the bear was only eating female chums and had about a dozen males pulled up on the bank.

Caviar :-D He has expensive taste :tongue: