CO Black Bear knowledge guidance

[stx.dead.I]

First time hunting Black Bear and only third Western Hunt so far. I feel like I don't much about Black Bears. Will be a rifle tag for 75 77 78 751 771 Dates are 9/14-9/21

Looking at 78 and had a spot planned but it doesn't look like it will produce results...positive results anyways lol

Looking for tweaks or additional suggestions or good tip videos and podcasts.

Here's my plan

6000-9500 Elevation Range
Get to ridges overlooking creek bottoms riverbeds and watering holes and glass down into these areas. Try to find oak brush areas looking and glassing on them.

Also looking for more specific areas around the food or water with fresh sign.

Keeping it simple but what y'all think?

Also when I image oak brush all different kinds of stuff comes up. Anyone have any example pics of oak brush areas?


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[backcountryshaffer]

I have not paid attention to the acorn crop, but it seems to me that the berries are a little late this year. Just last week I found multiple berry crops that were just starting to come ripe at about the 10k ft line. It's been super green also so the bears might stay higher longer, they just follow food sources. Sorry that there are no leaves but this pic is scrub oak at the archery range. The bear target is only about 24" at the back.

 

[30338]

The oak brush I hunt varies from 10' to 20' tall. Incredibly thick and in some places almost impossible to pass through. Sounds like you are thinking along the right lines. Be prepared to sit for long hours glassing and when you see a bear, you may have 3-10 seconds to size it up, dial yardage and make the shot. Once they disappear back into the oaks, I rarely see them again. Reminds me of "Whack a Mole".

If you find acorns or berries, you should find concentrations of bear sign. They feed 20 hours a day. No such thing as taking a lunch break or going back to camp for a nap. Keep hunting all day.

 

[All American Boy]

Find food, then find fresh scat, and they will be around. They eat alot of gamble oak acorns. Get up high and glass these areas. Also, you gotta watch them for awhile to make sure there no cubs. It's illegal to shoot a sow with cubs, and they are not always right next to them. Enjoy your hunt.

 

[bat-cave]

I have a Bear tag in CO right now. To me it's an "opportunity tag" as I'm mostly focused on Elk, which are playing hard to get in my unit (GMU 55). I have run across two different bears already in the first 4 days of the Elk season. The first was on Saturday ... season opened on the following Monday, so I let him walk .. but it was an easy 20 yard shot. The next one was yesterday and he came in at a full run and belly flopped into the wallow I was sitting. He was so deep that I could only see bits of his ears and I came to full draw ay 16 yards. I was just holding as I figure he would step out to shake and I would let it go ... he ended up shooting out like his ass was on fire and then turned back at 65 yards to stare at me. The wind was good, but must have been swirling in the meadow.

At any rate, my question ... how habitual are bears? Is it worth working the same area, or do they tend to move (my guess). Thanks!

 

[30338]

If you are in bears, they'll be a quite a few around. It sounds like you are in them. They do float around but others will be there shortly.

 

[swampokie]

They r higher than normal in ur units. There are some bears that r low in the normal sept range but there are almost no acorns due to late freeze. There are few chokecherries also. I found a better number of bears up high in wilderness. Was lucky enuff to find one bear in 4 days of hunting. Just got back from co or would’ve chimed in earlier. Good luck.

 

[swampokie]

As u can see my bear wasn’t in the oak brush I posted pix of. As a die hard bear hunter it was kinda hard to listen to all the guys that I ran into say the same phrase. I’m not really after bears but the tag was only 100$ so I grabbed one. Over and over. If they ever drop elk tags to 100$ I mite buy one. 650$ too much for stinkin little raghorn! Lol

 

[Fitzwho]

I'm headed up this coming weekend to Unit 62 for my rifle bear tag. By the sounds of it I guess I'll be camping mid-elevation and hunting high and low until I find some sign and bears.

 

[sndmn11]

I haven't found any dropped acorns yet, and it looks like like they might be another couple weeks. I haven't seen any bear or sign, and was reluctant to get into where the elk hunters are this past weekend since i was the opener of muzzleloading too, so I spent the time looking for pronghorn in the same unit. Two more weekends to hunt that I can hopefully figure one out.

 

[swampokie]

I haven't found any dropped acorns yet, and it looks like like they might be another couple weeks. I haven't seen any bear or sign, and was reluctant to get into where the elk hunters are this past weekend since i was the opener of muzzleloading too, so I spent the time looking for pronghorn in the same unit. Two more weekends to hunt that I can hopefully figure one out.

I think u will find more this year in higher elk type terrain than in lower traditional bear habitat.

 

[sndmn11]

I think u will find more this year in higher elk type terrain than in lower traditional bear habitat.

I found some elk in the lower bear type terrain already. Maybe there is an identity crisis in this unit.