morn or night?

[buckmark306]

just want ppls input for bears i usually go in the morning is the evening hunt just as good? any info would be appreciated

[Gateholio]

Black bears seem most active in the evening. Stay out until dark....

[buckmark306]

Black bears seem most active in the evening. Stay out until dark....
thanks i was hopin they were most active then i was planning on goin out tonight

[oldtimer]

Black bears seem most active in the evening. Stay out until dark....

X2 Don't even get serious until after 6:00 PM Mike

[BromBones]

Evening hunt definitely gets you the most action, but I've had success hunting early mornings and mid-day as well.

If it's hot out and you're hunting during the middle of the day, look for shaded areas with some feed and a little water nearby and you'll most likely see some bears - that has been productive for me in the past.

[todbartell]

another vote for an evening hunt. Seen a decent boar the other day, he only came out of the timber with about 20 minutes of shooting light left, it was well after sundown

[srupp]

hmmm count me in on evening hunting for blacks morning for grizz..

I have always said I will give "you" the entire day from sun up untill 6 pm..and I get the rest and I can count on more bears during that evening than you did all day.... MR chocolate brown bear of a couple weeks ago was out mid day with two others being spotted also..but I didnt get to compare thsoe #'s with evening count..

And stay out till too dark to shoot..those last 15 minutes are golden literally..:mrgreen:

steven

[boothcreek]

hi, I am new to hunting, have been trying to get my license for yeards but never found time to do the test. Finally did it with 100% and am trying to get myself a spring blackie, i have been told by several hunters to go in the evening after the sun goes down. They also pointed out to me places to go where I am guaranteed to see several bears in the evening, ha, the past week I have been looking and got nothin!!!!! Haven't even seen the shadow of a bear.....
Anyone wanna share their secret? Am in the Cranbrook/Kimberley area where apparently the black bears are ubandant just not in the spots I look. :mrgreen:

Anna

[303Brit]

As others have already said evening- till DARK. I do however like to drive around to different locations during the mid-late afternoon. Helps my A.D.D, and lets me recce other locations.

303

[Gateholio]

hi, I am new to hunting, have been trying to get my license for yeards but never found time to do the test. Finally did it with 100% and am trying to get myself a spring blackie, i have been told by several hunters to go in the evening after the sun goes down. They also pointed out to me places to go where I am guaranteed to see several bears in the evening, ha, the past week I have been looking and got nothin!!!!! Haven't even seen the shadow of a bear.....
Anyone wanna share their secret? Am in the Cranbrook/Kimberley area where apparently the black bears are ubandant just not in the spots I look. :mrgreen:

Anna

Drive the back roads until you start seeing bear poo. Look around and try to figure out why they are in that area (probably food)

Pick out areas with high concentrations of poo and come back and target those during the evening.

[boxhitch]

Possibly something to do with the heat and the bright sunlight
Cloudy days get more action midday and I think early season even the mornings will find hungry bears.
Already there is lots of feed out, and rubbing has started here.

[Riverratz]

I agree with all the previous posts......evenings are better.

Bears, like most critters, are nocturnal by nature, therefore they are active at night and more inactive during the day. They tend to come out of the bush into open areas to feed. There is, in a general sense, more feed for them in the open areas but they instinctively know that they are more vulnerable in the open as well. Thus, they come out when it is nearing dark. In the mornings, they leave the open areas to head into the bush.
Early spring is an exception as they are hungry from their long winter sleep and they tend to spend more time in the open trying to fatten up.

Obviously the first step is to hunt areas that you know hold bears. No point wasting time and energy if they're not there. You have to look.
If you're not sure where the bears are and just looking for a general area to hunt, drive some back roads in the mid to late afternoon looking for sign, dumps on the road and along the edges. If you find a concentration of dumps, it's a good indicator they are hanging around there, usually because of feed. The odd dump along a stretch of road usually means a traveling bear. In the early evening set up near the more productive area (not right in it) quietly, get the wind right, and sit there 'til dark.
This can be tricky though as the wind shifts around and their senses are much more acute than yours.

A good tactic that works 9 times out of 10...... if you're driving a road or trail while looking and scouting for a productive area, and you happen to see one along the road or out in an open patch, usually if you stop they take 2-3 bounds and they're gone into the bush. They don't go far though, and wait inside the bush to see what you're going to do. If you try to stalk or go into the bush to find him, the bear will sense you before you see him. It's game over as he'll just bolt further into the bush. He knows exactly where you are and you don't know where he is !!!
Instead, ......if you see one he'll take off into the bush or cover. Don't panic, it's OK. Keep driving. Stop around the next curve or dip in the road where you and your vehicle can't be seen at least 400-500 m. or so. Shut off the truck and sit there for a few minutes. The idea is to make him believe you're gone. Get out quietly and sneak back on foot along the edge or in the ditch. Stop about a 100 m. or so short of where you saw the bear and wait. More often than not, if all is quiet, and the wind is right, the bear will come back out to where he was. Many times he'll already be back out to that spot before you even get close.

If you spot one out in an open block or area, do the same thing, whether you're driving or walking. Most times, when close, if you spot one, he'll already be looking at you unless the distance is great. No point stalking if he has you pegged, you have to make him believe the threat to him is gone. Freeze up and wait or slowly get into cover to make him lose interest. If the bear is pre-occupied with feeding or whatever it will usually go back to doing just that. Then with the wind in your favor, do the stalk when his head is down doing whatever it is he's doing. If he lifts his head and looks in your direction, freeze until he loses interest, then continue, etc.

Take your time.....it isn't a race. Their vision is not that great, but they DO pick up on motion and scent, so move slowly and quietly. When you close the distance to where you are confident of shooting at.....well, that's it.

Good luck, have fun.

[Everett]

hi, I am new to hunting, have been trying to get my license for yeards but never found time to do the test. Finally did it with 100% and am trying to get myself a spring blackie, i have been told by several hunters to go in the evening after the sun goes down. They also pointed out to me places to go where I am guaranteed to see several bears in the evening, ha, the past week I have been looking and got nothin!!!!! Haven't even seen the shadow of a bear.....
Anyone wanna share their secret? Am in the Cranbrook/Kimberley area where apparently the black bears are ubandant just not in the spots I look. :mrgreen:

Anna

I am in Kimberley and the bears are just starting to show up in the last couple days by next weekend they will thick as flies.
To easy places to Look are the St. Mary's valley or up Perry Creek. Mathews creek right outside of Kimberley has a suprising amount of bears for being right outside of town

[ThinAir]

Evenings are best in my experiance....although it's nice to shoot them in the morning.

9pm shots make for long nights.

[hunter1947]

I have found out over my years of hunting other game animals that I see more black bears two hours before I loose shooting light

[moose2]

I agree with all the previous posts......evenings are better.

Bears, like most critters, are nocturnal by nature, therefore they are active at night and more inactive during the day. They tend to come out of the bush into open areas to feed. There is, in a general sense, more feed for them in the open areas but they instinctively know that they are more vulnerable in the open as well. Thus, they come out when it is nearing dark. In the mornings, they leave the open areas to head into the bush.
Early spring is an exception as they are hungry from their long winter sleep and they tend to spend more time in the open trying to fatten up.

Obviously the first step is to hunt areas that you know hold bears. No point wasting time and energy if they're not there. You have to look.
If you're not sure where the bears are and just looking for a general area to hunt, drive some back roads in the mid to late afternoon looking for sign, dumps on the road and along the edges. If you find a concentration of dumps, it's a good indicator they are hanging around there, usually because of feed. The odd dump along a stretch of road usually means a traveling bear. In the early evening set up near the more productive area (not right in it) quietly, get the wind right, and sit there 'til dark.
This can be tricky though as the wind shifts around and their senses are much more acute than yours.

A good tactic that works 9 times out of 10...... if you're driving a road or trail while looking and scouting for a productive area, and you happen to see one along the road or out in an open patch, usually if you stop they take 2-3 bounds and they're gone into the bush. They don't go far though, and wait inside the bush to see what you're going to do. If you try to stalk or go into the bush to find him, the bear will sense you before you see him. It's game over as he'll just bolt further into the bush. He knows exactly where you are and you don't know where he is !!!
Instead, ......if you see one he'll take off into the bush or cover. Don't panic, it's OK. Keep driving. Stop around the next curve or dip in the road where you and your vehicle can't be seen at least 400-500 m. or so. Shut off the truck and sit there for a few minutes. The idea is to make him believe you're gone. Get out quietly and sneak back on foot along the edge or in the ditch. Stop about a 100 m. or so short of where you saw the bear and wait. More often than not, if all is quiet, and the wind is right, the bear will come back out to where he was. Many times he'll already be back out to that spot before you even get close.

If you spot one out in an open block or area, do the same thing, whether you're driving or walking. Most times, when close, if you spot one, he'll already be looking at you unless the distance is great. No point stalking if he has you pegged, you have to make him believe the threat to him is gone. Freeze up and wait or slowly get into cover to make him lose interest. If the bear is pre-occupied with feeding or whatever it will usually go back to doing just that. Then with the wind in your favor, do the stalk when his head is down doing whatever it is he's doing. If he lifts his head and looks in your direction, freeze until he loses interest, then continue, etc.

Take your time.....it isn't a race. Their vision is not that great, but they DO pick up on motion and scent, so move slowly and quietly. When you close the distance to where you are confident of shooting at.....well, that's it.

Good luck, have fun.
Some really good tips Riverratz I have drove by and walked back just as you explaned it has worked well. In my experience bears can be seen all day , but the big boys show in late evening

[threedhunter]

Good question, Fine replies, your #1 post and no joke????? Ladies also need to entertain us old members here.

[Popove]

Evening hunt is the best for Blackies. I agree with all! Good luck to all.

[darrin6109]

morn or night?
i perfer both, oh sh*t are talking about hunting?

[Jordo]

I usually see most bears in the evening, but I ended up shooting one last sunday at about 9:30 am. I was quite surprised, we had also seen another one wandering around the same day at about 8 am. I used to think they were just a late afternoon critter, but now its got me wondering.........

[BCBear]

I've seen them at all times of day. In the noon time sun on rocks sunbathing and in the cooler ditches too all during hot afternoons, it is puzzling sometimes, but I say hunt from dawn to dusk.

[srupp]

good point just because you probably will see more bears last hour of the day doesnt mean around the next hill @ 11:30 am you wont see one..it happens.. be prepared..

steven

[paulo]

All good points but when your in the right bear country it is possible to see one anywhere at anytime.
Last year at about this time, we spent a weekend just driving around during the day. In a day and a half we saw 22 bears. Unfortunately for the young fella who was trying for his first, he either past on a few or the other ones he tried for passed on him. Thats hunting.:-D