Suggestions for CA bear hunt

[rpm4463]

I've lived in CA for almost 10 years and never hunted bear (hard to believe). I've been backpacking all over the Sierras and parts of socal and I'm pretty familiar with the areas. Unfortunatley most of the bears I've seen are digging through trashcans or in peoples backyard.

I'm looking for any suggestions on bear hunting locations or tactics in CA. I live in San Diego so the closest bear country would probably be mountains just north of the LA basin, but I've done lots of backpacking in the Sierras. Any specific hot spots?

 

[fire arrow]

Are you willing to drive up to the Trinities?

 

[Beastmode]

Are you willing to drive up to the Trinities?

What fire arrow says. You will get a bear in the trinitys

 

[rpm4463]

Unfortunatley this year I won't have enough time to travel that far. I can go north of LA or southern Sierras.

 

[BuckSnort]

How far north?

 

[rpm4463]

San Gabriel mts, Angeles and Los Padres NF. I'd love to go to the eastern Sierra near Bishop or Mammoth, or on the west side in the Sierra NF, but like I mentioned I don't think I have the time.

 

[ams]

There's bears up here in San Bernardino Mtns. and San Gorgonio. It is pretty dry up here but there are springs that flow all year behind Green Valley Lake.

 

[BuckSnort]

I don't know about that far south but if you can afford the time to come a bit farther north the Sierra's are full of bears and not that hard to locate if you know what to look for.. Upper elevations with older burns that produce berries (choke cherries,elder berries,etc...) usually have bear around... I even had one in the back of my truck (at a trail head) while backpacking this last weekend...lol

 

[tri2hunt]

I live in up in Big Bear. I had nine different bears on trail camera last year. You don't have to go to far to find them. You could come half way up the mountain to the area around Forest Falls, Angelus Oaks or near Seven Oaks campground.
Good luck.

 

[bowuntr]

You might look at a hound hunt.... it might be the last season for hounds in Ca. Ed F

 

[bowhunter]

I live in up in Big Bear. I had nine different bears on trail camera last year. You don't have to go to far to find them. You could come half way up the mountain to the area around Forest Falls, Angelus Oaks or near Seven Oaks campground.
Good luck.

Live in big bear myself also. Good to see another local on here.

Daniel

 

[shaun]

Mammoth mountain. There are tons of bears there.

 

[tri2hunt]

Live in big bear myself also. Good to see another local on here.

Daniel

Small world. PM sent.

 

[Wolverine19]

Anywhere between Bakersfield and Merced/Modesto on the West, up in the mountains. Listen to all the others from Central, CA. I live here also but usually work out of the country for long periods of time. Any of these areas will get you in bear country.

 

[badkneesbro]

+1 what wolverine19 said. I live in Bakersfield & I hunt the "Golden Trout Wilderness" & the "Domeland Wilderness" about 3 hours north of here. The south sierra is full of em high & low.

 

[rpm4463]

Thanks for all the information. I'll see if I have time for a bear hunt after my Colorado elk hunt in a couple weeks.

 

[Sawfish]

I was in Trinity County last week. The acorns are plentiful and falling by the bushel, and the manzanita bushes are loaded with berries. Should be a good bear year.

 

[cali_hornhunter]

Ya it should be a good year your going to find a lot of bears in lower elevations due to a great acorn year

 

[rpm4463]

I've done alot of hiking from the Forest Falls trailheads up San Gorgonio. Any specific spots off the trails, or maybe just hunt up the Mill Creek canyon?

 

[cali_hornhunter]

Mill creek canyon? Are u talking butte county by tehama county the border there's a mill creek canyon in that area it burned this past summer it could be really good