Fall Black Bear Hunting. What do I look for?

[Rooggvc]

I am looking at trying a fall black bear hunt. I have never hunted bears. I have read during the spring that you follow the green, snow line, calving areas, etc.. I was wondering what type of things I should look for in the fall? What kind of food sources should I focus on. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Moose83]

If your up high I'd be looking for berries. Huckleberry, blueberries, Saskatoon, highbush cranberries, wild raspberry, salmonberry etc. If lower in a valley grain crops are also a good bet if you can get permission.

 

[2ski]

What type of things should you look for? Bears. Look for bears.

Man I like the easy questions.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

You have to find the local food sources and then find out which ones the bears happen to want to eat when you are out hunting them. Remember that what you "think" they should be eating does not necessarily mean that is what they bears want to be eating.

Here in AZ there are lots of food choices. Some fall options may include prickly pear fruit, wild grapes, wild raspberries, fresh grass (if heavy monsoon), manzanita beans, mesquite beans, acorns, juniper berries, carrion (unrecovered elk/deer from hunters), hackberries, etc. Note where everything is as it may be useful in future hunts. Just because it is not "ready to eat" this hunt, it doesn't mean they won't be "on" during future hunts.

I'll glass for the first couple of hours, pound the trails looking for fresh sign, and then glass the last couple of hours. When looking at the fresh sign, see what they are eating and then keep an eye out for it while glassing and pounding dirt. Rinse and repeat until you find a bear that you want to go after that is in an approachable and recoverable spot.

 

[TheGreek]

In CO, the main food source can be acorns in scrub oaks flats.

 

[spudists]

In areas with multiple food options that are spread out, make sure you see active bear sign (namely poop) in the food sources you are targeting. It is very easy to notice, and saves you from observing a food source that the bears aren't hitting

 

[Rooggvc]

I appreciate all your guys responses so far. It definitely gives a great place to start.

 

[Trapline]

The berries ripen up the mountain, kinda like a snow line. If you get into berries that are not ripe yet, drop down.

 

[dtrkyman]

Oak Brush with acorns.

 

[flytrue]

I like waterholes when it's hot. Then again, it doesn't have to be hot. They like water.

 

[Soj51hopeful]

What state are you looking at? That can help answer.

 

[Rooggvc]

What state are you looking at? That can help answer.

Utah. Harvest Objective Permit

 

[dboone3]

I bought The Ultimate Guide to Black Bear Hunting and it's been a really helpful resource. Maybe it can help you too.

 

[Rooggvc]

So I am headed out this weekend to hunt for black bears. I am going to be taking my 3 kiddo's along with me, so it's going to be a circus. I appreciate everyone's feedback. I will let you know how it goes.

 

[NateO 77]

If it’s been hot in your area hunt the timber edges near creeks that’s where I seem to find them in august and early September.

 

[dtrkyman]

Crazy dry here but am not finding sign on water, sign and trail cam pics nearby, starting to hit acorns but dang it is hot!

Gonna wait for coller weather, nice canyon with sign the winds are too swirly down in there.

 

[Rooggvc]

I ended up taking the kids out for two days. The first canyon I hunted, that I have historically seen a lot of bear sign in, was a bust the first two outings. I didn't see any bear sign. The last night I finally found some bear scat in a different canyon. However we never laid eyes on any bears.

It was funny to see my kids reactions. Up until we actually found bear sign it was like we were on a "goldy locks and the three bears outing." When I pointed out a pile of bear scat in a thickly wooded canyon we were walking things got very real for them.

It was really wet the past couple of days. Both canyons have creeks in the bottom with alot of berries. The area burned about 3-4 years ago. Now the new oak is about 5 feet tall and so thick it's hard to even see anything.