How do you hunt bears?

[Hudge]

I have glassed for them, hunted the POW area for them from glassing in a boat, to hunting them over bait. I mostly hunt over bait now in the spring, but in the fall, we watch berry patches for them. Since I won't be hunting this spring, I am just hoping no one takes my bait station from last spring.

 

[Saylean]

Predator call, spot and stalk. Calling being my favorite.

 

[Elkster12]

I love using hand predator calls. Nothing is a bigger rush for me!

 

[TheGrayRider]

Hunting black bears with hounds with the tag I drew in Utah after 8 years. Should be rugged and fun.

May 2019. Wasatch Mountains, Utah. First color-phase bear. Running hounds in the mountains. Winchester Model 94 .30-30 lever action. Super fun!

 

[Oregon]

That’s a fine bear! Congrats

 

[alaskabound]

i walk around hoping to see one and when i do, i give it a lung shot.

I do the same except I'm not sure about the "when I do" part yet.

 

[neverquit]

Is ineffectively an option ??

 

[NateO 77]

Find a good vantage point and Glass. I like 3-6 year old clear cuts.

 

[Jawsnclaws]

Hounds

 

[mooster]

I know a lot of people hunt them a lot of different ways. Do you cover ground? glass? Call them in? Sit down near a berry patch?

In N GA we hunt them by hunting their food source. They, black bear, are up in the white oaks in August and September. So you set up on them like a deer, finding where they are climbing and feeding. No real opp to spot and stalk as you can’t see very far in our hills. That said, most opp’s are within bow range and since it’s an early season hunt, normally it’s an archery only season except for a few early rifle hunts on the mountain WMA’s.

 

[Jwknutson17]

I've had good results with hunting over water holes or springs here in CO. Just a small little mud hole does well when the conditions are bone dry. For elk too!! Bow hunting last year I had 8 different bears from 7 to 40 yards being the furthest from me. Typical was 20 yards. Had one bear a day come into where I was. I had a big bruiser the evening before the season started that I never saw again. Settled on a decent one at 16 yards the 7th day. My trail cams showed 28 different bears in a 3 mile area over a few month period. Area is too thick to glass so finding a decent spring has lended me good results.

 

[Thejet]

I have found it changes depending on the country, some units i have found them to be very active in the mornings moving up ridge lines and others the evenings are where they so more activity. The common thing i have found is they are moving up in the mornings and down in the evenings. Stick to your glass and you will turn up bears.

 

[Peakhunter]

How much water do bears need? Is glassing over water an option or will they receive most the water they need in the spring from green grasses etc?

 

[Britt-dog]

I have killed ten bears, all archery, One called in while elk hunting and the rest over bait. Probably gonna go spot and stalk next year to change things up a bit, Would love to draw a spring tag here in WA but its probably gonna take a few more years.

 

[jackburcs]

Is there any effective way to spot and stalk black bear in the woods? Or is that mostly only effective in mountainous/hilly terrain?

 

[flytrue]

Mendocino county, CA. I do some spot and stalk, but mainly sit over a water hole in the Fall. Trail cam there always gets lots of pics.

 

[TauPhi111]

In PA, you can't bait or use hounds, and it is way too thick to glass. We do drives just as you would deer, but though country you'd never want to do a deer drive though. I've found it more productive than trying to ambush one and it is waaaaaay more exciting

 

[jmden]

Find the berries, find the bears...

 

[Sourdough]

I don't have to hunt them. I look out the cabin window and see how many are in the yard, based on that I decide which firearm to have in hand while walking to the outhouse.

 

[Drakester]

Does anyone use a fawn call to bring in bears?