Spring Bear Montana 2025

[Nicholas.ostas]

Hello, again all

My old forum just got deleted when I tried to edit my contact info out, oh well. Just time to start a new one.

First of all thank you to everyone who has reached out so far, you guys are all very helpful.

I am planning to go on my first-ever trip out west and I am going to try for spring black bear in MT. I am from Michigan, and I am a college football player so spring bear is really the only big game season I have time for. Therefore I am just trying to get any info I can before I head out to make this trip worth while. I already know the experience alone is going to be incredible, and getting a bear will just be the cherry on top!

So here are some questions I would like to ask to get this thread started.
1. which units do you guys recommend, if you have experience in any?
2. What do you look for in a good location, food sources (if so what kind), being able to glass a ton of country?
3. I am planning on going in the first week of June. What are your guys favorite times to go?
4. When looking at websites such as OnX, you can see when burn areas occurred, my thinking Is trying to find a good burn area so I can glass that area. How old of a burn area should I be looking for?
5. Any gear that you wish you had brought with you?

Any and all info is greatly appreciated, I plan on sharing everything I learn along the way to help future people with the same questions, so please feel free to share any success stories or skunks! It all helps!

Thanks, Nick

 

[Soj51hopeful]

I prefer mid to late may. Evenings right up to just before dark seems to be the best time.

 

[Nicholas.ostas]

I prefer mid to late may. Evenings right up to just before dark seems to be the best time.

thanks, man!

Ive heard of this a lot, why do you prefer mid-late May? is it due to the snowline that helps keep the bears under a certain elevation?

 

[Geewhiz]

being able to glass a ton of country?

Yes, and be patient.

 

[Soj51hopeful]

They start cruising a lot more in June. More predictable in may. Some guys prefer them moving more.

 

[Nicholas.ostas]

Yes, and be patient.

Do you focus on like transition areas from big timber to open grass, or can big open hillsides be effective as well.

 

[Geewhiz]

Do you focus on like transition areas from big timber to open grass, or can big open hillsides be effective as well.

Well if it's a big open hillside that you're glassing then they are either there or not, so no need to spend much time looking if you don't see one.

In my neck of the woods my strategy is as simple as this: find the best glassing point that you can that looks over as much country as possible and settle in and glass it all very thoroughly, and then glass it again, and again, and again. When you see a bear that you want then bail off and go kill him.

 

[Nicholas.ostas]

They start cruising a lot more in June. More predictable in may. Some guys prefer them moving more.

yes definitly, from the sounds of it if you are backpacking in june you better sprint to get a shot at one in the last minutes of shooting light or you wont see that bear again in the morning. whereas earlier In the season you could potentially camp that night and know exactly where that bear is when you wake up.