2022 California Bear

[blackshuk]

Went out scouting in X12 this past weekend, didn't see any bears or fresh sign. We were glassing creek bottoms/meadows that were at around 8,800-9,000 feet.
Saw older sign and some tracks that looked semi recent, but that's about it.

Didn't see and berries around there, we're gonna head up higher into the basin next trip.
Anyone been in the area and have any juice for what the bears are keying on right now?

Shoot me a DM and maybe we can exchange some intel

 

[8404]

So it's my understanding that bears will typically key in on grasses during the springtime, if they can, they'll be trying to pick up deer fawns from late spring to mid summer, then move on to berries in the fall. My question is, with it being so dry out here in California, and having seen very few berries where I normally have in wetter years... what are these bears eating?

 

[JohnnyB]

Forbs, insects, pine nuts from squirrel stashes and any other food of opportunity. Listen for the sound of stumps being torn up or logs being smashed.

Look for fresh scat or tracks. If there is fresh sign, there is food nearby.

 

[Kal-Elk]

Where those general B-Zone bear success pics at?

 

[CanyonHunter]

Where those general B-Zone bear success pics at?

I’m down for pics from any zone, no dice for me yet. Didn’t hardly see any bear sign deer hunting this year in areas I normally do.

 

[NickStew]

Let’s get this post started! After the fires ruined my bear hunting plans last year, we retrieved what was left of our trail cameras. Two disintegrated, one melted, one had the card swiped, but one had a gold mine of bears, deer, and some surprises.

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Post your scouting efforts and don’t forget to pick up those bear tags!


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Thanks for starting this thread David. I lost two trail cameras in the fires last year too. Both were a complete loss. Put a new one out 4 weeks ago and excited to check it, especially with the rifle season open for me now.


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[Freezing Moon]

In search of some late season advice. I saw a nice big bear opening morning of rifle season in September but wasn’t able to get on him. Fast forward to now and in between various life commitments I haven’t been able to get back out. I want to go back to the same spot and fill my tag but I’m well aware that the game has changed this late in the year.

I’m going to be in NorCal, 6-7000 feet, thickish country with a mix of timbered slopes and meadows. Some questions :

Am I correct in assuming that at this point bears are focused on fattening up for the winter so pretty much everything is a food source?

Do rain/storms make bears more active like deer, or is the effect neutral or even negative?

How does bear behavior change this time of year relative to earlier in the season?

 

[Marble]

From my understanding they will forage nearly all day pending snow fall. There is some disagreement as to how many hibernate, but it seems the great majority of bears in CA do not. They still need extra pounds for the winter.

My best suggestion, and my plan, is to sit an area I know the bears go to water and there is feed there too. They travel off of the mountain through a small valley. I've seen 2-3 bears at a time in this area.

I would like to find this one again.

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[David Gough]

From my understanding they will forage nearly all day pending snow fall. There is some disagreement as to how many hibernate, but it seems the great majority of bears in CA do not. They still need extra pounds for the winter.

My best suggestion, and my plan, is to sit an area I know the bears go to water and there is feed there too. They travel off of the mountain through a small valley. I've seen 2-3 bears at a time in this area.

I would like to find this one again.

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Beautiful bear

 

[David Gough]

In search of some late season advice. I saw a nice big bear opening morning of rifle season in September but wasn’t able to get on him. Fast forward to now and in between various life commitments I haven’t been able to get back out. I want to go back to the same spot and fill my tag but I’m well aware that the game has changed this late in the year.

I’m going to be in NorCal, 6-7000 feet, thickish country with a mix of timbered slopes and meadows. Some questions :

Am I correct in assuming that at this point bears are focused on fattening up for the winter so pretty much everything is a food source?

Do rain/storms make bears more active like deer, or is the effect neutral or even negative?

How does bear behavior change this time of year relative to earlier in the season?

Yes, food is king. A fresh blanket of snow will help you cut tracks.

 

[gadwallop]

My season ended with tag soup (family has the rest of my days this year), but getting to spend some time in the San Gorgonio Wilderness made the whole thing worth it. I've seen/heard of just two bears being shot on public in D14, way down south, and only saw one cub (no mama) myself the weekend before the opener.
Best of luck to all of y'all, get em all. I left one extra for you on the mountain.

 

[Kevin0351]

Let’s get this post started! After the fires ruined my bear hunting plans last year, we retrieved what was left of our trail cameras. Two disintegrated, one melted, one had the card swiped, but one had a gold mine of bears, deer, and some surprises.

View attachment 406838
View attachment 406839
View attachment 406840

Post your scouting efforts and don’t forget to pick up those bear tags!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think we have cameras in close proximity given this damage haha

 

[type2bowhunter]

Harvested a CA booner with my bow in Decemeber 2022.

 

[David Gough]

Harvested a CA booner with my bow in Decemeber 2022.

View attachment 533413View attachment 533414View attachment 533415View attachment 533416

Great bear, great bloodtrail!

 

[Eastcoasthunter94]

Really nice bear! Nice color phase

 

[neilv]

My season ended with tag soup (family has the rest of my days this year), but getting to spend some time in the San Gorgonio Wilderness made the whole thing worth it. I've seen/heard of just two bears being shot on public in D14, way down south, and only saw one cub (no mama) myself the weekend before the opener.
Best of luck to all of y'all, get em all. I left one extra for you on the mountain.

where is the wilderness did you hunt? I know on the forest falls side of the mountain there is a decent poluation of bears.

 

[AM_Hunter]

where is the wilderness did you hunt? I know on the forest falls side of the mountain there is a decent poluation of bears.

I've heard that the residents of Forest Falls are particularly anti-hunter and have heard numerous stories of peoples vehicles being damaged, broken into, tires slashed, if their vehicle resembled someone that was a hunter. No idea how much of this is true but its kept me from hunting the forest falls side of the mountain. Maybe its a rumor spread by a fellow hunter to keep that area to himself

 

[neilv]

I've heard that the residents of Forest Falls are particularly anti-hunter and have heard numerous stories of peoples vehicles being damaged, broken into, tires slashed, if their vehicle resembled someone that was a hunter. No idea how much of this is true but its kept me from hunting the forest falls side of the mountain. Maybe its a rumor spread by a fellow hunter to keep that area to himself

You may be correct - i haven't heard this - i have gone hiking in the area a few times and never had issue. I usually park in the lot for Vivian creek. The only times ive gone up there have been week days in the spring and the camp site is mostly empty. Not sure what its like during hunting season. But i can imagine it smells like hippy.

 

[AM_Hunter]

You may be correct - i haven't heard this - i have gone hiking in the area a few times and never had issue. I usually park in the lot for Vivian creek. The only times ive gone up there have been week days in the spring and the camp site is mostly empty. Not sure what its like during hunting season. But i can imagine it smells like hippy.

Ill have to go there in a prius or something during hunting season and check it out, see how it is