Spring VS Fall Bear

[ROM]

Hi Folks:

Could I trouble you for your insight into the following. What makes for better table fair, Spring or Fall Bear?

Also, since I have never harvested a bear (but lots of deer and moose) what is the most important thing to remember for hunting bear.

Thanks!

R

[Caribou_lou]

If your looking for good meat, I'd take a fall bear that is either berry fed or in the grain fields.

[870]

dont shoot the first bear you see. even if you think it looks big.

[Steeleco]

I myself like the spring bears best! Get two tags shoot one in each season, then you'll have a better idea!!

[BromBones]

An old timer told me that early spring bears are the most tender 'cause they've been sleeping for 5-6 months and the meat is 'well rested'. Don't know if that makes a difference, but it sounds good;)

A young, berry fed late summer bear is pretty tasty though.

[ElkMasterC]

Just stay away from the fall bears if they've been gorging on salmon.
Man, the dog won't even eat it.

[gibblewabble]

Take one in the spring and one in the fall, stay well clear of dumps and rivers during any salmon run. Just wait till you skin it out its a bit creepy the first time you see a bear with no clothes on. They are a lot of fun to hunt especially with kids in the spring, usually lots of activity. I bring lots of rope and a chain comealong and if you are patient and know the area well you usually dont have to drag it far (make sure you dont have to drag it far).

[tomahawk]

I like the spring meat better, its not so fattie. Makes great hams from the rear legs and the best burger.

[Franko Manini]

Spring bears taste better, for sure. During torpor (not really hibernation) they burn lots of brown fat, which is rich in mitochondria. Mitochondria taste bitter and if you can eliminate that from the meat you're better off. If you're anywhere near the coast, in the fall, bears get on the salmon and get pretty gross. Of course, get one up high in the berries, EARLY in the fall when they haven't fattened up yet, and he'll be good too. Still not as good as a "just got up" spring bear though.

[Sitkaspruce]

Spring bears taste better, for sure. During torpor (not really hibernation) they burn lots of brown fat, which is rich in mitochondria. Mitochondria taste bitter and if you can eliminate that from the meat you're better off. If you're anywhere near the coast, in the fall, bears get on the salmon and get pretty gross. Of course, get one up high in the berries, EARLY in the fall when they haven't fattened up yet, and he'll be good too. Still not as good as a "just got up" spring bear though.

Sorry Frank, but have to disagree with you...:mrgreen::wink:

For me, a late fall berry bear is by far a better tasting bear than any spring bear. Have eaten lots of both and a spring bear tastes.....well bland and sometimes a little fishy. Kind of like Halibut:-D

A late fall berry bear will be infused with berry flavours and the meat will be better tasting.

On a spring bear, you have no idea if the bear you shoot has been eating rotten chums in late Nov or berries up high.

The fat does not bother me, as I believe the meat is more moist and it helps with the cooking. I remove most of it, but a little but here and there will not affect the taste.

I guess one other thing is that I look for big bears in the spring and med ones in the fall. Big bears will usually be on the salmon all fall, so the fishy taste will still be there in the spring. maybe I need to shoot a med one up high in the spring as see.

ROM
As others have said shoot one in each season and see for yourself.

Cheers

SS

[high and to the right]

Depends on so many factors.

The first fall bear I ever shot must have eaten a lot of berries because he tasted almost sickening sweet to me. The last spring bear I shot must have skipped his winter nap because he had almost as much fat on him as a healthy fall bear would have. Had both good and bad spring and fall bears.

[yzchamp]

Watch out for worms.... as you skinning look closely between skin and meat.. look for white hair like curly things... trully disgusting and enough for me to stop hunting for bears....:(

[Sitkaspruce]

Watch out for worms.... as you skinning look closely between skin and meat.. look for white hair like curly things... trully disgusting and enough for me to stop hunting for bears....:(

Then don't look for them:mrgreen::wink:

Most animals will have worms, if you know where to look.

Have you ever seen the worms in fish??? Halibut have tons of them, so do most cod, some salmon and trout.

Just ignor them, and freeze or cook them up.

Cheers

SS

[wolverine]

The last bear I took was a fall bear and I took him out of a fruit tree. He had been gorging on yellow plums and apples on a ranch and was really beoming a problem for the rancher. Fixed that one morning! It was excellent meat but it was also a young bear. No more than 2 or 3 years old. However, I have also taken old bear in the fall and they have been excellent eating too. As many others have stated, just stay clear of fish eating bears if you plan on having something decent on the table. No doubt the protien fed bears are larger and more visually attractive but they don't even make good sausage, unless you like the taste of cod liver pills.

[Evolution]

Spring mountain bear, that is far away from any fish-

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/beardown.jpg

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/meatpile.jpg

[gibblewabble]

Where are you going to be hunting them? It makes a big difference. In the interior you really dont have to worry that much about salmon bears.

[Sunny]

Spring bear no fat I like it fall bear a lot's of fat

[gibblewabble]

In the fall I always have a pot of boiling water and 2 knives to skin the bear, the fat really sticks to a blade. The fat makes the best lard for pie pastries though, the best by far. I am going to have to take a fall bear this year and do some rendering.:smile:

[shadow1982]

most important thing while bear hunting is i guess not get eaten.

[xtremearchery]

I like the spring meat better, its not so fattie. Makes great hams from the rear legs and the best burger.
agree 100% our families favorite burger, is spring bear. If I take a fall bear, it has to be a grain fed bear. If I want something that smells like tuna, i'll open a can.

[MOOSE MILK]

Shot lots of bear spring and fall, spring bear has my family's vote.

[gibblewabble]

If you are in the LM and want a fall bear I used to go on the old Hope highway around Kent and talk to the corn farmers up against the mountain. Bears are always rolling their corn and ruining it,mmmmmmmmmm corn fead bear. They were all happy to talk to me I never once ran into a farmer that wasn't happy to see me ask about hunting his back 40. FYI and happy hunting.

[ROM]

Thank you folks.

I'm going to try one in the spring!

I appreciate your help.

R