Spring black bear Montana 2025

[Nicholas.ostas]

Hello all, I am planning a hunt this year with my father. We are planning on the first week of June, but interested on what you guys say for time of year to go. I have a couple of areas in mind, but this will be my first time out west. I'm a college football player so I usually spend my falls playing football and chasing Michigan whitetails whenever I can sneak out. For me the size of the bear does not matter, rather than just the experience of the hunt, I love spending time in the woods. Hiking will not be an issue, I would love to spend time away from the general crowd. Grizzlys arent really a concern for me, I'll be prepared. Here are some of the areas I am looking into,

South of Bozeman- wondering if there is a certain area better than another

Unit 150- This unit really interests me, I know the harvest numbers are super low but is it just because of hard access, or is there just no bears in there

unit 200- Ive heard a lot of people go here but it all looks the same trying to escout

unit 240- also really interests me

crazy mountains- exactly as the name says, the public land looks like a nightmare, but people say there are a lot of sign.

I just want to know if I'm on the right track. Any tips are greatly appreciated, just trying to get on a bear and get my dad one as well. I will 100% share my story and any tips I learn along the way. my email is nicholas.ostas@gmail if you prefer email.

 

[stayzeroed]

Take what I tell you with a grain of salt, as I am a fellow Midwesterner. However, I have travelled to Montana numerous times to visit my friends and to hunt, and I consider it a second home.

Timeframe: hard to tell at this point, depends on how long winter decides to stay, or not, and what the snowpack is. One year I hunted, it was 70 degrees towards the end of May. Then, a week later it snowed a foot.

Areas: best advice I received, was the closer you are to Yellowstone, likely the worse off you are for black bear sightings. The grizzly have really gained a foothold in the SW portion of the state. However, grizzly are now all over, just depends on how dense they are.

Prepared for Grizzly: hopefully you mean in more ways than one. Having a smart camp site, self protection, etc. It all plays a part.

There are numerous areas you can go to get away from the crowd. If you hunt an area anywhere close to a densely populated city, you may have a lot of people vying for bear during the weekends and some weekdays.

I cannot speak for those units you mentioned, but the western units close to Idaho are on my list of Units I'd like to try. As far as the Crazy Mountains, I have been by them many times and watched them grow as I drove west on the interstate; they appear not for the faint of heart. Not only because of the ruggedness, but when other ranges did not have snow, they held their snow a bit longer. Weather seemed a bit challenging there.

Your adventuring into western hunting is starting at a great age. I only wish I had started sooner. It is a phenomenal time, even when you don't see much for wild life. Montana is a beautiful State and I hope that it stays that way for decades to come.

-JA

 

[Nicholas.ostas]

Take what I tell you with a grain of salt, as I am a fellow Midwesterner. However, I have travelled to Montana numerous times to visit my friends and to hunt, and I consider it a second home.

Timeframe: hard to tell at this point, depends on how long winter decides to stay, or not, and what the snowpack is. One year I hunted, it was 70 degrees towards the end of May. Then, a week later it snowed a foot.

Areas: best advice I received, was the closer you are to Yellowstone, likely the worse off you are for black bear sightings. The grizzly have really gained a foothold in the SW portion of the state. However, grizzly are now all over, just depends on how dense they are.

Prepared for Grizzly: hopefully you mean in more ways than one. Having a smart camp site, self protection, etc. It all plays a part.

There are numerous areas you can go to get away from the crowd. If you hunt an area anywhere close to a densely populated city, you may have a lot of people vying for bear during the weekends and some weekdays.

I cannot speak for those units you mentioned, but the western units close to Idaho are on my list of Units I'd like to try. As far as the Crazy Mountains, I have been by them many times and watched them grow as I drove west on the interstate; they appear not for the faint of heart. Not only because of the ruggedness, but when other ranges did not have snow, they held their snow a bit longer. Weather seemed a bit challenging there.

Your adventuring into western hunting is starting at a great age. I only wish I had started sooner. It is a phenomenal time, even when you don't see much for wild life. Montana is a beautiful State and I hope that it stays that way for decades to come.

-JA

Thank you so much for the info! that's some great intel. I definitely am going to prepare for anything with the weather, and grizz. Getting away from the crowd is definitely a big bonus, and its sounding like the NW area is the was to do it. Again much appreciated on the info! hoping to start a lifelong tradition of western trips

 

[Nicholas.ostas]

The next question I will ask is that late in the season is there a certain elevation I should be looking for or once the snowline is gone, does it really not matter.

Is it worth calling the DNR/ Biologist in the unit I decide on heading to for some info? Ive heard sometimes they give great info on harvest reports, but I've also heard MT can be a little behind on their info