2021 California Bear

[David Gough]

Getting this thread started early in hoping to encourage others to pick up a bear tag this fall in California.

Just spent a day scouting and setting cameras on the east slope. All of the fresh sign was near water sources. With how dry it is I think water will be king this year.

Report how your efforts are going with scouting and hunting. I'll post pictures and video after I check cameras in a month.

 

[FishTacos]

I’m doing the same thing, different area. Hopefully have some good results to share soon

 

[David Gough]

I’m doing the same thing, different area. Hopefully have some good results to share soon

I'll probably wait to check the cams we just set until July. Will get out and set a few more soon. How dry is it where you are? If the summer stays as dry as it did last year our focus will be on water sources and learning their path's into them. The manzanita berries never came in where I hunt last year.

 

[Warmsy]

I'm so excited for bear hunting this year!

 

[Robinhood21]

I'd love to go out to Cali one of these days for a Black bear hunt

 

[StinkyPete]

First year hunting them with a bow this year. First scouting trip this weekend....fingers crossed. Can't wait.

 

[amassi]

Just returned from first trip up this year, mostly to retrieve trail cams I'm moving to a newer area( 1 of 4 cameras were stolen)
We saw 1 big black boar and 2 seperate sets of sows with triplets one of the cubs was so blonde it looked white.
On our little loop hike we picked up 27# of trash from last years corona outdoorsmen.

It seems like more bears are having triplet Cubs than Ive ever seen before? This is like the 10th set of triplets over the last 3 years

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

 

[Cahunter805]

Already have my bear tag purchased. Hoping to find a big ol boar this season.
Have cameras out and will be checking them this weekend.

 

[JohnnyB]

Looking forward to retrieving a few cameras I've had out since last year. Should be a good year for bear!

 

[David Gough]

Just returned from first trip up this year, mostly to retrieve trail cams I'm moving to a newer area( 1 of 4 cameras were stolen)
We saw 1 big black boar and 2 seperate sets of sows with triplets one of the cubs was so blonde it looked white.
On our little loop hike we picked up 27# of trash from last years corona outdoorsmen.

It seems like more bears are having triplet Cubs than Ive ever seen before? This is like the 10th set of triplets over the last 3 years

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

Not sure I've ever seen triplets before. A lot of singles. Have a picture of the blonde cub?

 

[FishTacos]

I'll probably wait to check the cams we just set until July. Will get out and set a few more soon. How dry is it where you are? If the summer stays as dry as it did last year our focus will be on water sources and learning their path's into them. The manzanita berries never came in where I hunt last year.

I'm focused on higher elevation and so it is not very dry up there right now. I don't think it will be dry at the start of the season either. I have some lower elevation spots I'm thinking about if these higher elevations are not productive. At the moment, they have not been too productive. I have more cams to set and will let those sit for a couple of weeks, so I'm on a similar schedule to you as for how much time to leave them out there to do their work.

It seemed to me manzanita had a weak crop last year as well.

 

[David Gough]

I'm focused on higher elevation and so it is not very dry up there right now. I don't think it will be dry at the start of the season either. I have some lower elevation spots I'm thinking about if these higher elevations are not productive. At the moment, they have not been too productive. I have more cams to set and will let those sit for a couple of weeks, so I'm on a similar schedule to you as for how much time to leave them out there to do their work.

It seemed to me manzanita had a weak crop last year as well.

The higher elevations areas where I'm at are dry (7,000-7,500') and the lower elevations hold the water (6,000-6,300') and closer to private. There was plenty of fresh sign two weeks ago. I'll also be setting a few more cameras in other areas. Will be interesting to see bear movements and what the density looks like through the summer.

 

[David Gough]

Already have my bear tag purchased. Hoping to find a big ol boar this season.
Have cameras out and will be checking them this weekend.

Just bought mine as well

 

[FishTacos]

The higher elevations areas where I'm at are dry (7,000-7,500') and the lower elevations hold the water (6,000-6,300') and closer to private. There was plenty of fresh sign two weeks ago. I'll also be setting a few more cameras in other areas. Will be interesting to see bear movements and what the density looks like through the summer.

I've been up a little higher than you which is why I think I haven't been seeing too many bears

At least where I have been looking, the streams are running and there are plenty of them. It seems like there is enough snow to keep them going, but I could be wrong.

I'm more excited about bear than anything else in California, so the scouting will continue

 

[David Gough]

I've been up a little higher than you which is why I think I haven't been seeing too many bears

At least where I have been looking, the streams are running and there are plenty of them. It seems like there is enough snow to keep them going, but I could be wrong.

I'm more excited about bear than anything else in California, so the scouting will continue

No snow left where we are at. All of the upper elevation streams are bone dry. Unless we get a ton of rain this summer the focus will be finding the water that's left and the food around water.

 

[amassi]

Not sure I've ever seen triplets before. A lot of singles. Have a picture of the blonde cub?

None I didnt have a spotter
He might be one one of the cams though will know tonight

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

 

[eLightfoot]

I was just wishing to myself that Ca would open bear season in May or june. I’d love to do deer scouting and kill a bear at the same time. When you pack in a long way for your deer hunts you pass a lot of bears. Once you kill one, your deer hunt is over.

 

[David Gough]

I was just wishing to myself that Ca would open bear season in May or june. I’d love to do deer scouting and kill a bear at the same time. When you pack in a long way for your deer hunts you pass a lot of bears. Once you kill one, your deer hunt is over.

I've thought the same thing for the last year or so. The Nevada Wildlife Commission didn't like it when I brought that up to them.

I'd shoot a mature boar any day of the week and probably wouldn't kill many deer if I was a California resident.

In all seriousness, if CDFW wanted to reduce the sow take they would introduce baiting and/or spring season. Then have a sow take quota much lower than what is annually harvested. Seems like a win-win to me, but I don't think the antis and Weiner would have the same sentiment.

 

[Cahunter805]

Black bears mate in June/July which is why many people see them frequently while summer scouting but not as often while hunting.
In my area the water seems pretty decent at the moment. Will be keeping an eye on what might dry up as July starts to heat up.

 

[eLightfoot]

Black bears mate in June/July which is why many people see them frequently while summer scouting but not as often while hunting.
In my area the water seems pretty decent at the moment. Will be keeping an eye on what might dry up as July starts to heat up.

I see them all the time, pre and during season. (Glassing first deer)I’ve seen two boars chasing a sow around while her cubs hid in a tree. They wanted to eat the cubs and just waited at the base of the tree. Chasing mama off every time she came back