Appalachian Bear Hibernation

[wannabemountainman]

Hello Roksliders! I am a long time lurker but a first time poster.
I’m planning on making a trip to WNC at the end of December to hunt bear and have a question for those with experience in the area regarding hibernation. Will all the bears be hibernating by then or will there still be some running around? I realize the odds are slim of running into a bear even if they are up on their feet but I have confidence in my abilities just so long as the bears are there to be found.
I have called the NCWRC bear biologist twice and even emailed but I’ve had no response, so I figured I would ask the here instead. Thanks in advance!


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[BAKPAKR]

Some should still be running around but I don’t think I would be hunting the top of Mt. Mitchell that late. I got my first West Virginia bear on a Christmas Eve. I have seen bear tracks in the snow in West Virginia in late December and early January. When I lived in Idaho, I seldom saw bear tracks after Thanksgiving.

 

[Poser]

I hunted bear in east Tennessee for several years in late Dec and early January. It’s hit or miss depending on the year. Big mast years will keep them Out later. Once the mast is gone, they will usually hibernate. If you have a mast failure year, I wouldn’t count on seeing much, though a handful of hungry bears may be out and about still.
Regardless of the conditions, it is a low odds prospect to hunt big woods Bear in that country without dogs. I was never successful, but I also retrospectively feel confident that it was just a matter of putting in enough time. I went for on 3-4 day hunts for 3 seasons.

 

[Jauwater]

I've hunted some of the Pisgah National Forest Game Land areas for bear a few times with no luck. I spoke with a few game wardens who suggested the Mt Mitchell Bear Sanctuary because it is a permit required sanctuary that you cannot run dogs on. I was told that the bears will tend to use this area as a safe haven from all the dogs running around on adjacent game lands. I was also told that even a hibernating bear will leave their den from time to time, but only travel very short distances to forage, so they recommend that I find a water source with sign, and sit on it in the late season. In my times in the sanctuary several times I've been sitting, and a few dogs will run on by so the pressure there is still high. Another problem with that area is that it is extremely steep, and towards the ridge it's cliffed off in many spots. The guys that I've spoke to who have been successful there say it's the high steep terrain your gonna find them in because the dogs have a harder time getting to these areas. But it makes for really hard travel. I would typically use the Colbert Ridge Trail off of Colbert Creek Rd, follow it up to the ridge where you'll intersect the Black Mountain Crest Trail. Then Id turn left (southeast I believe) and I'd camp in deep gap about half mile from that intersection, and at that point your basically just barely entered into the Sanctuary. From there I'd typically follow the trail into the sanctuary a bit, then turn towards the east, and start my way down the mountain into the steep terrain where I've been told they are. I've seen a lot of bear sign there, but never put my eyes on one during hunting season. After a few seasons I've basically given up on it. Best of luck!

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[wannabemountainman]

Some should still be running around but I don’t think I would be hunting the top of Mt. Mitchell that late. I got my first West Virginia bear on a Christmas Eve. I have seen bear tracks in the snow in West Virginia in late December and early January. When I lived in Idaho, I seldom saw bear tracks after Thanksgiving.

Thanks for the info! As beautiful as the country is around the Mt Mitchell area, I think I’ve decided on a few spots east of there at lower elevations (~3500ft max) where there appears to be good habitat on the satellite maps.


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[wannabemountainman]

I hunted bear in east Tennessee for several years in late Dec and early January. It’s hit or miss depending on the year. Big mast years will keep them Out later. Once the mast is gone, they will usually hibernate. If you have a mast failure year, I wouldn’t count on seeing much, though a handful of hungry bears may be out and about still.
Regardless of the conditions, it is a low odds prospect to hunt big woods Bear in that country without dogs. I was never successful, but I also retrospectively feel confident that it was just a matter of putting in enough time. I went for on 3-4 day hunts for 3 seasons.

From what I hear, the mast has been fairly heavy this year so I guess that’s a good thing for the bears. I’ll be out for probably a 4-5 day trip so hopefully I’ll be able to get on one. Thanks!


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[wannabemountainman]

I've hunted some of the Pisgah National Forest Game Land areas for bear a few times with no luck. I spoke with a few game wardens who suggested the Mt Mitchell Bear Sanctuary because it is a permit required sanctuary that you cannot run dogs on. I was told that the bears will tend to use this area as a safe haven from all the dogs running around on adjacent game lands. I was also told that even a hibernating bear will leave their den from time to time, but only travel very short distances to forage, so they recommend that I find a water source with sign, and sit on it in the late season. In my times in the sanctuary several times I've been sitting, and a few dogs will run on by so the pressure there is still high. Another problem with that area is that it is extremely steep, and towards the ridge it's cliffed off in many spots. The guys that I've spoke to who have been successful there say it's the high steep terrain your gonna find them in because the dogs have a harder time getting to these areas. But it makes for really hard travel. I would typically use the Colbert Ridge Trail off of Colbert Creek Rd, follow it up to the ridge where you'll intersect the Black Mountain Crest Trail. Then Id turn left (southeast I believe) and I'd camp in deep gap about half mile from that intersection, and at that point your basically just barely entered into the Sanctuary. From there I'd typically follow the trail into the sanctuary a bit, then turn towards the east, and start my way down the mountain into the steep terrain where I've been told they are. I've seen a lot of bear sign there, but never put my eyes on one during hunting season. After a few seasons I've basically given up on it. Best of luck!

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Thanks for the write up! I hadn’t really planned on hunting the Mt Mitchell Sanctuary, but if I run into a lot of dog pressure I might have to buy a permit and check it out.


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[Poser]

I never felt like dog pressure helped nor hurt my bear hunting. If there are dogs anywhere in the area, you will likely encounter them. They work huge areas and tend to cover ground very fast, but you can use them to your advantage, either by eliminating having to cover certain drainages or staying out in front of them. One year, we had dogs sleeping in our camp with us every night. Working a general area with dogs on 2 sides of us definitely felt like we had a higher likelihood of encountering a bear.

 

[Lowg08]

All I can tell you is I hunted where your going and I live here. The bears are already in hiding. The bear hunters with dogs are not finding any Seems they have all moved into the sanctuary for the year. Mt. Mitchell sanctuary is draw only your too late for that. I’ve covered 30+ miles in the last 4 weeks and only found 2 piles of poop and one cub under a rock. Good luck just don’t come in with high hopes. Maybe you should come for deer with a bow and have a tag for the bear just in case. That’s what I do and I live here.

 

[wannabemountainman]

All I can tell you is I hunted where your going and I live here. The bears are already in hiding. The bear hunters with dogs are not finding any Seems they have all moved into the sanctuary for the year. Mt. Mitchell sanctuary is draw only your too late for that. I’ve covered 30+ miles in the last 4 weeks and only found 2 piles of poop and one cub under a rock. Good luck just don’t come in with high hopes. Maybe you should come for deer with a bow and have a tag for the bear just in case. That’s what I do and I live here.

Unfortunately that’s more along the lines of what I was expecting to hear. I don’t want to name any specific places, but do you think even on the eastern edge of the Pisgah the bears will be all denned up?
I had thought about bringing my bow for deer as well, but what are the odds of that happening? Are any people actually getting it done with a bow in national forest during the WNC late bow season?
I realize that whatever I choose to pursue that it’ll most likely be an armed hiking trip and that’s fine by me, but I would still like to have the best odds whether it’s with a rifle for bear, or a bow for deer.


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[Lowg08]

I will tell you the December part of deer bow season will be during the rut. You will have little to no company. It’s my favorite part of deer season. It can be done and allot of ppl do get it done.
There will be a few ol boar bears roaming around but not enough that I would specifically go after bear.
I’ll tell you what I don’t mind to help you out if you come here depending on the dates and my work schedule. I can put you in higher odds places no matter which area you choose. I’ve hunted WNC from side to side and top to bottom. Just shoot me your number and we’ll get in touch

 

[wannabemountainman]

I will tell you the December part of deer bow season will be during the rut. You will have little to no company. It’s my favorite part of deer season. It can be done and allot of ppl do get it done.
There will be a few ol boar bears roaming around but not enough that I would specifically go after bear.
I’ll tell you what I don’t mind to help you out if you come here depending on the dates and my work schedule. I can put you in higher odds places no matter which area you choose. I’ve hunted WNC from side to side and top to bottom. Just shoot me your number and we’ll get in touch

Thanks for the offer, I’ll take you up on it! Once I get enough posts to PM, I’ll get up with you


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[Lowg08]

For sure. Yea just get up with me.