Where have you killed spring bears?

[Drenalin]

Not "where" as in an exact location, unit, or even state. What type of terrain - steep, rolling, flat bottoms? What direction did the slope face if you shot him off a mountain or hill side? Open area, timbered, rocky? How close was water? How close was he to vegetative edge? What was he doing, i.e. feeding or was he cruising like he had someplace to be? What were your tactics - spot and stalk, still hunting, baiting, hounds, calling? If you run bears with hounds, do you feel like bears prefer a certain type of terrain or cover when the pressure's on?

I'm starting from scratch on spring bear hunting (planning for 2022), and thought it would be interesting (and helpful) to hear about how some of you more seasoned bear hunters have gotten it done. I've done a pile of scouting on OnX and Google Earth, but hoping to learn from other people's experiences to up my odds of at least seeing a bear my first time out.

 

[P Carter]

For spot and stalk, our group has killed several -- maybe 3 or 4 -- bears on south or southeast facing slopes, at the end of May, mid-day or in the evening, when the bears were either feeding on green grass/wild onions or bedding under big ponderosas after we spotted them feeding. I think all were on slopes with water sources nearby--either a water hole or creek in the bottom. We've also killed a number over bait, end of May or early June, placing the bait on small ridges where the scent wafts into a number of deep, dark, cool hidey-holes.

 

[Wigeon kryptonite]

New vegetative growth.

We kill multiple bears every year in a dandelion patch in a hole in some thick timber. The bears are largely out of sight and hidden behind a wall of tall beach grass and dead trees. There’s an opening behind the trees that is loaded with dandelions that have the blackies in there grazing like cattle.

Not a slope or on a mountain, it’s about a 1 mile back from the beach.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Muledeerfanatic]

southwest facing with small clear streams in them
southeast works also
the water thing has seamed like the key

 

[Windigo]

Green seeps caused by springs bolstered by snowmelt. Pretty steep, openish country, with the occasional pocket of timber.