CO Early Rifle Bear Hunt Timing

[Willie IV]

Heading out for a bear hunt this September in Colorado. With Labor Day being the 7th, would you go early knowing you'll probably get the long weekend hikers or would you maybe head towards CO on Labor Day and hunt after the hiking crowds have left? I'm coming from the Midwest so have at least a day and a half of travel time to the unit I'm hunting. I can hunt as many days as I need to so if there's other suggestions on timing I'm completely flexible.

 

[justinspicher]

I’d hunt every day that was available, bears are tricky. No baiting, no dogs. Just hours and days behind glass or wandering around the forest hoping one does something stupid enough to get a shot opportunity.

 

[LongWayAround]

Hikers are mostly interested in pretty views and destinations like lakes or peaks. They're not posted up in some oakbrush hellhole. I don't think you'll have any issues. Most of the hikers I run into also tell everyone if they have seen a bear.

 

[crazygrizz]

I'm headed out the Saturday before Labor Day, maybe Friday night depending on how work goes. Got an archery bear tag, still debating on an otc elk tag to go along with it. Just having the 3 day weekend + only needing to use up 4 vacation days makes it worth the extra people for a bit. I have a patch on my bino harness with my username on it, so maybe we'll cross paths.

 

[Hnthrdr]

I’d go as early as possible, it’s all about glassing here in Co. or just pure dumb luck bumping into one

 

[30338]

I've bumped into 2 over many hunts. It's mostly spending long hours glassing as mentioned. Seems like acorns in my area hold them later into Sept than berries do. But berries can be red hot in early Sept. Kill two while you're here please.

 

[WCT3]

I've hunted bears here a few times but never gotten one and run into quite a few while hunting without a bear tag. This year I'm pretty committed to getting out after bears as much as possible in September as it's the only tag I have for the month and it's local to me. My plan is to get out for the whole Labor Day weekend, some nights after work, and at least one other weekend (unfortunately no time off work for this hunt).

Generally, most of the bears I've found have been in mid-September, looking at On-X waypoints most are between 9/9-9/19. However, I'm guessing with our extremely mild winter and hot/dry summer they will be out earlier than normal.

I'm no expert on bears and the area I'm hunting has almost no oak so I'll be hunting primarily berries. I'm curious what other people are thinking with the weather we're having?

 

[Poser]

It is quite variable from year to year depending on the mast. I've killed a bear on opening day who had been eating on scrub oak within a 400 yard radius for 72 hours. I've also not seen bears touch scrub oak until Sept 11-12th. I've also hunted 12 days during September and not seen a bear besides the ones raiding the trashcans in town.

I wouldn't worry so much about Labor Day traffic. Yes, the roads, camping areas and trailheads will be packed, but nobody is out and about walking their dogs in 8 foot tall scrub oak slopes that are baking in the sun. Go during the timeframe that you have the most days to hunt. If you can delay scheduling your trip until you can get some kind of mast report, that may be helpful.

 

[Hnthrdr]

I've hunted bears here a few times but never gotten one and run into quite a few while hunting without a bear tag. This year I'm pretty committed to getting out after bears as much as possible in September as it's the only tag I have for the month and it's local to me. My plan is to get out for the whole Labor Day weekend, some nights after work, and at least one other weekend (unfortunately no time off work for this hunt).

Generally, most of the bears I've found have been in mid-September, looking at On-X waypoints most are between 9/9-9/19. However, I'm guessing with our extremely mild winter and hot/dry summer they will be out earlier than normal.

I'm no expert on bears and the area I'm hunting has almost no oak so I'll be hunting primarily berries. I'm curious what other people are thinking with the weather we're having?

You are correct, I also hunt a 0 mast area they hit berries and gut piles and grass and flowers, seems like they may be lower if the alpine browns out early… if we get some storms it might keep them higher, I have a ton of buds on my raspberry bushes at 9k (wild plants) we need some rain for them to take off I think. I have never focused on bears exclusively this might be the year for it. In lower density areas I would just glass drainages, they will be moving up and down creeks eating berries and whatnot.