Im excited about getting into the open green hillsides and spot me some bears.To me it is a lot more fun to cruise the country glassing than sitting in a stand all day espeically after sittting on my butt all winter.
Thats about all we do here a few guys have them scouted and shoot them out of stands ... But mostly spot and stalk, Or glass then shoot depending on what you using
I definitely prefer spot and stalk. I think it is so much more exciting and personal, than sitting in a tree stand. But I have hunted bear out of a tree stand too, and it's still cool! Hunting bears is just plain fun!
I have never bear hunted via tree stand over bait, all my bear hunts have been spot and stalk. If grizzly bear hunting there is VERY limited places to do that over bait (I think F&G up here in AK opened a small area in the interior this year but don't quote me on the at), so its almost all spot/stalk, though you can hunt them by staking out on a salmon stream and what not. So to be honest I can't say I prefer to do spot and stalk as that is all I know, I sure wouldn't turn down a chance to hunt them out of a tree stand to verify that though.
I would much rather spot and stalk them, I'm too impatient to sit over a bait station. With the exception of 1 bear, all of the others have been found while glassing. I do wonder how hard it would be to stalk them.
Great photo Jason!!! I love spot and stalk - it's more fun than hunting over bait. In thick country though it's hard to beat the action you can have on a well set up bait. So many places here in Idaho are dang near impossible to spot/stalk them. Baits are also nice for creating a controlled situation for kids. We have had a lot of success with 12 year olds taking their first big game animal with a bow on bears over bait. We also have a spot and stalk bait that's a hoot. We watch it from 130 yards - when a bear comes in we put a move on them and stalk to about 18 yards for a shot! Great fun!!
I love to call bears. Nothing out here really gets the blood pumping and knees knocking like a bear charging into the call. I might be hesitant to do that in grizzly country though
Spot / Stalk has been the way I've done it last two years...now sidelined because every place I was planning to go is shutdown...Lots of walking from spot to spot to glass...but I treat it as spring conditioning before summer climbing season which is conditioning for fall hunting. Have not tried the calling bears yet...will see if I can get out in May and do some if restrictions get lifted..that's something I'd rather have a partner for...I've had a couple times where he's been calling and he did not realize he was about to have a feral hog run over and chew him up.
Spot and stalk/calling them in is where its at! I have nothing against baiting or using hounds. Just the only way I have been able to hunt them legally, so that's what I am used to.
I have only hunted bears for two years and it was all spot and stalk. I was surprised with the number of bears we were able to glass. I will avoid the work of hauling stinky meat and doughnuts as long as I am able to find them with my binoculars.
I enjoy spot and stalk much more than sitting over a pile of donuts! Depending upon where you are hunting it may be feast or famine spot and stalking. Here in Colo the only bear season is in the fall. Find the food in areas with lots of bears and you may or may not find them depending upon the year. There are areas in Colo you could hike for months without spotting a bear but where their densities are higher you have a better chance to find them.
Another option not likely considered very often is dogs (where legal).