For those in the know, what are the advantages/disadvantages of a spring versus fall baited black bear hunt.

It would seem to me the bears are easier to bait in spring but what about weather, bugs and hide quality.

BigB

You well most likely get a much better hide in the spring unless you go late fall. The bears hair grows all winter on. I would try and book a earler spring hunt. If you want a nice hide.

Its always a gamble,black bears are semi hibernant. If you don't have much of a winter and a warm early spring the bears are out early and rubbing. This year in wyoming should be pretty good this spring,the snow pack is up and should keep the bears in longer. It also depends on wether you'll use a firearm or bow. Many states have late spring firearms seasons and by that time most bears have some rubs.Chances are the quality will be better during archery.



Fall bears tend to have a little shorter hair,but its more uniform and won't be rubbed. The biggest problem with fall hunts,is in some states the quota is set for the year and the spring season may fill this quota and not allow a fall season. Female mortality is the key factor in most cases. I prefer spring.

Bear hunting in Wyoming sucks. Just ask RMK. G&F sold way too many tags back in the 70's, so I wouldn't waste your time here. Gophers make great bait.

Big B,
As has been said, the hide will be in much better shape in the spring. The hair will be thicker and longer. As to bugs, I can only relate to more northerly climates...the biting bugs are usually more fierce in the fall than in the spring. A late late fall hunt will show bears with a nice coat and a late spring hunt may show only bears that have been rubbed. Ask a lot of questions regarding same of your outfitter (if you will have one.)
best,
bhtr

Ya,those gophers did work as good bait. That is until those deviant buttfucks like 43deer started ramming them up his ass. Now the poor little guys are facing the endangered list. 43deer has went on the record several times stating that his idea of a great weekend,is a dozen gerbils or gophers and some dental floss attached to their back legs.

They can be very different hunts. In part it depends where you are hunting. Both geography and local hunting pressure can have an impact.

A spring hunt is almost always done from a tree stand over bait. The advantage is that the bears, in general, are hungry from hibernation. So baiting is easy. As the season wears on and natural feed becomes available, the bait is less attractive to the bears. Again, depending on location and local weather, the insects can be fierce. The biggest up side to a spring hunt is that you are more likely to see multiple bears on a given bait. They are near their lowest weight.

A fall hunt can be more difficult. Early in the season the bears are feeding on berries and nuts. If you have ever encounted a bear in a blueberry patch, it can be a very tense situation, if the bear figures you are an intruder. In the fall, the bears are generally near their maximum weight for the year. A sudden cold snap or even snow may drive many of them to their dens. In very general terms, a fall hunt will almost always involve some stalking.

Again this varies, a bear has a home range of about 20 square miles. Very often these ranges over lap with other bears. So whether in a stand or stalking you may only see the same bear 1 in a week. Most bears you will see, will be at most 250lbs, about 75% or 80%. Very few get larger, mainly because of hunting. So a bear over 400lbs is a real monster.

There are at least 2 other ways to hunt bear. One is with dogs. The other seems to be common to Alaskan coastal areas, where likely inlets and bays are glassed from a boat, if bear are seen, a stalk is begun.

Don't believe the tales about a bear's senses. They have 100x more cells dedicated to smell than a human. A dog has 40x. They can see in color. There is data that seems to suggest their eye sight is excellent out to about 200 yards, perhaps more. I have seen bear called using a predator call. Would not have believed that one had I not witnessed it.

Even if you live in bear country, you are unlikely to see many black bears. The best way to increase your odds, no matter what hunting method is to find a good guide with a proven track record. By the way. Just because some one dumps some donuts in the woods and calls themselves a bear guide don't make it so. Check out their references. Also, once you have decided on a guide, contact the state or province bear biologist. They are hard to find, but usually loaded with very detailed information.

Hope this helps,

Pete

I have only hunted in the spring (Sangre De Cristos in Colorado) and aside from the hunt, there is nothing better than spring in the mountains, fresh from winter, unspoiled.

steve

Thanks for the responses. We are looking at either Manitoba or Saskatchewan and most of the outfitters offer both spring and fall hunts. I think early spring may be the best. One fellow in our group was warned about rubbed bears in the spring so he was concerned.

Right now we are thinking of going with Wilderness Bear Guides out of Ponton, Manitoba. I talked to them at the Chicago show and it seems they offer a good package. Anyone heard of them or can make other recommendations.

Thanks

BigB

Big B,

I have hunted Manitoba twice in the spring. No bugs.

If you are shopping around for outfitters I have a couple of good ones, one in Manitoba and one in Alberta. The Alberta outfit allows two bears per hunter. The pricing is in the $2500 range for both.

BigB, I just asked the same question of an outfitter from Manitoba a few hours ago at the Harrisburg Show. I have never hunted bear in Canada, and this is direct from the outfitter (Tom Walunas of Duck Mountain Outfitters). They do 8 spring hunts, 6-days each starting April 26 and ending June 19th (2004). The 1st week they don't hunt much as it is hit or miss, and typically the guys he takes then he knows well. He said the earlier hunts there are more bears and all the coats are nice, whereas in the last 2-3 hunts they tend to be rubbed and that one needs to check out the coat before shooting. He felt the last hunts in June offer a better opportunity on bigger boars as they begin to roam more as the rut approaches, perhaps more of a trophy hunt where one should be (needs to be) more selective. He also said they lose/shed the inner thick fur towards the end and that its possible to see through to the skin as compared to the earlier hunts. As was pointed out, they are at their lightest in spring. On a rug a rub may be more of a problem then on a full mount if one can position the animal in such a manner where the rub is hidden.

During the fall they do 4 hunts, Aug 28 to Sept 25th. He said the coats are uniform and they make nice full mounts at this time. While they are heavier, the hair sits flatter than in the spring, so a 300lb bear in the early spring with the thicker coat of hair "looks" like a 350+ bear taken in the fall. Sounds like a toss up to me, with the nod to going what fits ones schedule better, noting the fall has other hunting opportunities where in Spring bear is about it. Good luck w/the hunt! Bill

If you ever get a close look at a good spring hide compared to a good fall hide, the answer would be obvious. Spring, Spring, Spring....

I too was concerned about rubbed hides in late spring but it really depends on the weather wherever you'll be hunting as spring does not come at the same time in all locations. In Northern Alberta in June of 2002 the bears were hitting the baits pretty hard and then dropped off the baits when the greenup came. After a couple days of vegetation they were back on the baits (rotting, skinless beavers) and everyone in camp tagged out. Only one bear had a hide problem but that bear was VERY skinny and sickly looking.



This brute squared 7'7"



This one squared 7'8"

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