SW Colorado Forage

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

Be ready to shoot when you're glassing fellas. I feel like an idiot, I had a bear pop up at 290yd while I was glassing and my gun was still strapped to the pack, didn't have the bipod on it and decided I should put it on (vs just shooting off my pack prone, etc.) and overall acted like I had a few minutes to get ready vs executing rapidly on a completely doable shot. Basically I was mentally unprepared to act at that moment which was needed while the bear was in the scrub window.

Saw 2 bears while out for 3.5days, first bear was right before sunset on the first night but at a distance we weren't comfortable shooting and we couldn't relocate it when we closed the distance. That second bear was an executable opportunity that I flubbed.

 

[Bluumoon]

Be ready to shoot when you're glassing fellas. I feel like an idiot, I had a bear pop up at 290yd while I was glassing and my gun was still strapped to the pack, didn't have the bipod on it and decided I should put it on (vs just shooting off my pack prone, etc.) and overall acted like I had a few minutes to get ready vs executing rapidly on a completely doable shot. Basically I was mentally unprepared to act at that moment which was needed while the bear was in the scrub window.

Saw 2 bears while out for 3.5days, first bear was right before sunset on the first night but at a distance we weren't comfortable shooting and we couldn't relocate it when we closed the distance. That second bear was an executable opportunity that I flubbed.

Hopefully you have more time to chase them! Sounds like you found a honey hole.

I think this is where the Forms “hunting drill” has helped me tremendously, starting from carry each time. Not quite the scenario you described, but putting myself on a timer is eye opening.

To your point my opportunity this year wasn’t while I was “hunting”, was driving between spots, but proved out a little planning. Bear crossed the road running, I was able to check maps (already open to OnX), grab gun (w in reach), pull mag out of pocket (where it always was during driving), jump out and load, run up hill (legal distance from road), and fire on bear off hand.

Happened quick.

 

[pods8 (Rugged Stitching)]

Hopefully you have more time to chase them! Sounds like you found a honey hole.

I think this is where the Forms “hunting drill” has helped me tremendously, starting from carry each time. Not quite the scenario you described, but putting myself on a timer is eye opening.

To your point my opportunity this year wasn’t while I was “hunting”, was driving between spots, but proved out a little planning. Bear crossed the road running, I was able to check maps (already open to OnX), grab gun (w in reach), pull mag out of pocket (where it always was during driving), jump out and load, run up hill (legal distance from road), and fire on bear off hand.

Happened quick.

Dunno I'd call it a honey hole, lotta country glassed over multiple canyons and I just got "lucky" to catch a visible bear once (my buddy spotted the other one). Not sure I'll make it out again, long drive to the unit I was hunting and other hunts on the horizon with the kids tags.

Yes I think the shooting drill mindset is helpful. But frankly it was my headspace vs true ability, I've dropped and shot quickly as needed in the past, I just hand a mental fart of wanting to make things perfect since I was solo and it was down in the scrub. But yes more repetitions in recent time of quickly shooting would have likely had the muscle memory more primed.

 

[Bluumoon]

Dunno I'd call it a honey hole, lotta country glassed over multiple canyons and I just got "lucky" to catch a visible bear once (my buddy spotted the other one). Not sure I'll make it out again, long drive to the unit I was hunting and other hunts on the horizon with the kids tags.

Yes I think the shooting drill mindset is helpful. But frankly it was my headspace vs true ability, I've dropped and shot quickly as needed in the past, I just hand a mental fart of wanting to make things perfect since I was solo and it was down in the scrub. But yes more repetitions in recent time of quickly shooting would have likely had the muscle memory more primed.

Was a redemption bear for me this year, missed a big beautiful ginger bear this spring in MT to a mental mistake or four.

 

[Trogon]

Anyone in the southwest seeing bears on acorns yet? Or are they still going after berries?

 

[Poser]

Anyone in the southwest seeing bears on acorns yet? Or are they still going after berries?

I'd wager the acorns have all been eaten by this point and bears have moved on to other food sources.
If they are to be found on acorns, I'd imagine its at the lowest elevations.

 

[Trogon]

I'd wager the acorns have all been eaten by this point and bears have moved on to other food sources.
If they are to be found on acorns, I'd imagine its at the lowest elevations.

Good to know, thanks. I was out a few weeks ago and the acorns were still green and bears were on berries and rose hips. Fall happens fast!

 

[mt terry d]

Mink and Moyle is very affordable for tanning. Montana Rug company is reasonable on rugs, can’t personally speak to quality, but good reviews.

Just had an elk hide done by Montana Fur in Arlee.
Couldn't be happier with every aspect; quality of work, communication, cost, friendliness.
Absolutely recommend for tanning.
Cannot speak personally for bear rugs as I didn't look closely at some they had but they do a lot of them.

 

[Bluumoon]

Just had an elk hide done by Montana Fur in Arlee.
Couldn't be happier with every aspect; quality of work, communication, cost, friendliness.
Absolutely recommend for tanning.
Cannot speak personally for bear rugs as I didn't look closely at some they had but they do a lot of them.

Sent mine to them, sounds like it might be a year before I have it back and am able to comment further. Qouted $185 a ft to take from field skinned to finished, local guy was $250 ft (or more).

 

[Bluumoon]

Came up with a bear grease concoction that I have high hopes for. 1/3 bees wax to 2/3 bear grease/oil. Heated up the grease, poured over wax and stirred.

So far it is working well on my butcher block counter top. Have also treated a couple pairs of leather boots with it, no real testing on that, looks good though.

 

[Bluumoon]

Where should we look this week? Elevation/food sources?

 

[TreyJK]

I second this ^ I’m having a heck of a time finding any food sources. No luck the last two weekends!

 

[Poser]

I second this ^ I’m having a heck of a time finding any food sources. No luck the last two weekends!

Mid October and beyond is a mystery to me for bears. A month ago, there was bear poop all over the sidewalks and streets of. town. now there is none: zilch. Saw some reasonably fresh bear poop up at 11k during 1st rifle and looked like the bear was eating alpine fescue and a few leftover rose hips. I think that the later in the Fall, bear movement will become increasingly randomized with little rhyme or reasoning. Some bears return to the high country as that is where they will den, others will stick to lower elevation because they prefer to den there. Activity is greatly reduced, though some bears are still venturing out. Unless someone has a better answer, I think all you can do now is cover ground and hope to stumble across a bear.

 

[TreyJK]

That sounds about right. I’ve been going back and forth to a few spots as often as I can with work but I’m finding almost no signs. I thought it was still too early for them to den up but it seems like they’ve all disappeared already! Going to have to get in on the earlier seasons next year.

 

[Bluumoon]

State park manager said he'd been seeing lots of bears last week around 8k, suspected they were on juniper berries. Another hunter spotted a small bear around 9k, lots of elk taken in that area over the weekend so I suspect carcasses in that area are the draw.