WA Black Bear Strategy

[barrettm95]

Been scouring the forums for information ahead of my move to Tacoma, Washington here in May. I have a very favorable career that allows me to be out of work by noon every day. With that, I am planning on spending a considerable amount of time black bear (and black tail hunting).

From what I have ready there seems to be a split between whether people feel August or September is a better month to hunt bears. It seems that the main driver is the berries and depending on altitude when they come into ripeness. Is this solely driven by altitude and weather? Is there an altitude that I should be focusing on to look for berries?

Also, currently the sheer amount of vegetation and trees feels very daunting around the Olympic area. Does the majority of the bear hunting take place up in the cascades where visibility is far greater?

Would love some pointers or to connect with someone in Washington. Feel free to message me. Have a nice boat I will be salmon fishing the sound in, happy to exchange some fishing time to help shorten my learning curve.

Thanks!

 

[Dirtscoots]

I can’t speak for Washington specifically never hunted the area. Oregon is similar terrain however. Tacoma from what I have seen I would think you would have a couple hour drive to get into hunting maybe I’m wrong there. E scouting will be your friend. Research timber companies that allow access. Honestly some of the best advice is start looking at other states too.

 

[barrettm95]

I can’t speak for Washington specifically never hunted the area. Oregon is similar terrain however. Tacoma from what I have seen I would think you would have a couple hour drive to get into hunting maybe I’m wrong there. E scouting will be your friend. Research timber companies that allow access. Honestly some of the best advice is start looking at other states too.

Why do you say start looking at other states? Looks like Washington has very high populations of black bear.

 

[dirtytough]

Honestly some of the best advice is start looking at other states too.

Interesting advice. When I researched black bears in Washington they had the highest population per square mile in the lower 48 if I remember correctly.

As for hunting bears in Washington. Bears dislike people and like eating. So if you can find their food source for the time of year you are hunting, away from people, you will find bears. August vs September just depends on the areas you are hunting.

Early August I would plan on hunting timberland type of areas. Thick reprod. It's hard to glass but holds bears. Towards the end of August beginning of September I would be transitioning to the high country.

Every year could be different from the last because of the weather.

 

[Dirtscoots]

Washington and Oregon both are more concerned with conversation of predators more so then game. That was more a blanket statement for someone moving to become a Washington resident that I’m assuming is looking for more then just bear opportunity. Maybe I’m incorrect but I believe they got rid of spring bear season a year or two ago? That kind of legislation for a state with the highest bear population leads me to believe the will restrict more opportunities in the future.

 

[Badger 5]

I moved out to the Seattle area a few years ago and have dipped my toes into bear hunting. I’ve seen bears out hunting and killed 1, so so I am far from an expert.

Washington is an excellent state for bear hunting, the populations are doing very well and the pressure is not crazy high. There definitely will be other people bear hunting in easier to access spots.

Bears eat a LOT of food, you will find bears when you find high concentrations of ripe berries and low concentrations of people. Typically, the bears follow the berries from lower elevations in early season to the high alpine berry patches later in the season as they become ripe. Dont focus on hunting spots, focus on finding food sources away from people whether that be logging areas down low in early season or huckleberry patches in the alpine layer in August. Every year is different, so just because you found bears at X spot on Labor Day weekend doesn’t mean you will find them the next year in the same spot.

My first 26 hours of bear hunting in the alpine I spotted 5 bears. The following year I spent 4 days glassing in a similar location and covered 30 miles and didn’t turn up 1 in the alpine. I’ve seen them on logging roads at low elevations and up above tree-line in berry patches.

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

Yes, they killed spring bear and are currently trying to reduce from 2 tags to 1 in the fall. Bio's don't support either change.

August-September is when I see the majority of them, just depends on snow melt. They'll follow the berry wave. I believe it's 60 days after snow melt typically. So start scouting when you get there in glassable terrain and keep track of where the snow line is.

I have tons of trail cam pics of bears on the western slope of the Cascades, but only ever spotted a few. Timber company clear cuts are the ticket there. I just have never liked hunting western WA, so we hunt the east slope for them. I know of a guy that has killed them on timber company land before / after work, he lived in Tacoma. Easier to get into more of that type of land from down south vs in Seattle.

 

[barrettm95]

I moved out to the Seattle area a few years ago and have dipped my toes into bear hunting. I’ve seen bears out hunting and killed 1, so so I am far from an expert.

Washington is an excellent state for bear hunting, the populations are doing very well and the pressure is not crazy high. There definitely will be other people bear hunting in easier to access spots.

Bears eat a LOT of food, you will find bears when you find high concentrations of ripe berries and low concentrations of people. Typically, the bears follow the berries from lower elevations in early season to the high alpine berry patches later in the season as they become ripe. Dont focus on hunting spots, focus on finding food sources away from people whether that be logging areas down low in early season or huckleberry patches in the alpine layer in August. Every year is different, so just because you found bears at X spot on Labor Day weekend doesn’t mean you will find them the next year in the same spot.

My first 26 hours of bear hunting in the alpine I spotted 5 bears. The following year I spent 4 days glassing in a similar location and covered 30 miles and didn’t turn up 1 in the alpine. I’ve seen them on logging roads at low elevations and up above tree-line in berry patches.

Thanks this is some great advice!

 

[barrettm95]

Yes, they killed spring bear and are currently trying to reduce from 2 tags to 1 in the fall. Bio's don't support either change.

August-September is when I see the majority of them, just depends on snow melt. They'll follow the berry wave. I believe it's 60 days after snow melt typically. So start scouting when you get there in glassable terrain and keep track of where the snow line is.

I have tons of trail cam pics of bears on the western slope of the Cascades, but only ever spotted a few. Timber company clear cuts are the ticket there. I just have never liked hunting western WA, so we hunt the east slope for them. I know of a guy that has killed them on timber company land before / after work, he lived in Tacoma. Easier to get into more of that type of land from down south vs in Seattle.

Thanks! I was going to plan on finding some closer to home spots (seems like the timber company access is the way to go) and then venture further out into the east side or north cascades for that high alpine bear. Thanks!

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

Thanks! I was going to plan on finding some closer to home spots (seems like the timber company access is the way to go) and then venture further out into the east side or north cascades for that high alpine bear. Thanks!

Calling can also be useful, Doug Boze is a local guy from Stanwood that has killed a bunch of western slope fall bears calling. He has a book on it that's decent. Check out hunting-washington.com as well, lots of good, more localized info over there.

 

[Jason Snyder]

The high cascades are a fantastic place to fall bear hunt. Hit the berry fields.

 

[StuckoYota99]

Washington has great black bear hunting. Doug Boze is the man and is a wealth of knowledge on bear.
The Pnwild podcast goes over a lot of tips for bear hunting too.
In my experience black bears can be found at any elevation in the state if there is food present.
Early season you can find them in creek and river bottoms munching up salmon and huckleberry's
Later into the fall you will find them in high alpine blueberry fields.
Fresh clear cuts will hold bears as they tear up logs and stumps. So timber company access might be worth looking into. Some Timber company's will lease access to hunters for timber damage control some allow walk in only and some allow motorized access.

Find the food and you will find bear.

The snow melt is what determines the elevation and ripeness of berrys. Generally 60 days after the snow melt the berries will be ready.
So if you have a light winter and a hot spring you're snow melt will be higher and faster. For example if you have a south face that the snow melts on July 15 then by September 15th there should be Berrys there.
When e scouting look for "bear triangles" which are south facing slopes that have timber on either side and a water source down below.

The undergrowth is brutal to hunt and hike in so I try to stay in the timber or above the brush on ridges.

 

[khart_6882]

Get on hunt-washington and that’ll help you get more info as well. There’s more bears in washington than you can shake a stick at. Tough part on the coast tho is finding them in the open to get a shot.


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[hikenhunt]

WA has a great population of bears because the state seems to be managing for predators (can't hunt them with dogs or bait and closed the spring season). But the fall season is long. The advice to find a food source that doesn't get a lot of human traffic is spot on.

 

[Wrench]

I'll second hunting Washington website. There's a lot of access issues in western Wa. They have plenty of bears, but getting an access permit may be tricky.....and timber companies own nearly everything.

If it were me, I'd be in the cascades. I've seen some studs in there on the east slope....can't imagine the west is worse.