Colorado bear hunt

[Bluumoon]

Thanks, sounds like I need to start scouting some creek bottoms w oak that I can glass into, didn't find any I liked last year. Do you find berries in the 6-8k creek bottoms? I found them around 9-10k last year, but no bear sign. I'm at 7k at the house and don't have any berries in my canyon that I'm aware of yet. If the neighborhood bear doesn't wise up by fall and quit being a nuisance I may not have to venture far from home any way.

 

[Poser]

Thanks, sounds like I need to start scouting some creek bottoms w oak that I can glass into, didn't find any I liked last year. Do you find berries in the 6-8k creek bottoms? I found them around 9-10k last year, but no bear sign. I'm at 7k at the house and don't have any berries in my canyon that I'm aware of yet. If the neighborhood bear doesn't wise up by fall and quit being a nuisance I may not have to venture far from home any way.

I hunted a massive berry patch numerous times last year and never saw a bear or any fresh sign. That was at around 8,000 feet.

 

[doc holiday13]

Thanks, sounds like I need to start scouting some creek bottoms w oak that I can glass into, didn't find any I liked last year. Do you find berries in the 6-8k creek bottoms? I found them around 9-10k last year, but no bear sign. I'm at 7k at the house and don't have any berries in my canyon that I'm aware of yet. If the neighborhood bear doesn't wise up by fall and quit being a nuisance I may not have to venture far from home any way.

Backyard hunts are the best hunts

 

[CoMtnMike]

I will second that colorado fall bear is delicious (like concentrated beaf flavor with a pork fat cap) and the fat is awesome to cook with. I lucked into one eating the same berries as me while OTC archery elk hunting and then my second was a random talk with a guy running cattle when he said he had a cow 1/3 eaten up such and such creak during a first rifle season bull hunt. So many cattle around I couldnt find elk so I sat the cow carcass and got a bear (naturally placed so legal). The one time I pulled a september rifle bear tag and went further west the scrub oats frustrated me terribly. Damn thick to fight through, tall so hard to find a glassing spot and would be impossible to stalk quietly to close the distance if you do see one through the brush. I reverted back to more elk country and at least found fresh scat... and enjoyed the hiking around more, but no bear to show for it. Would love to learn to hunt them for real here, damn tasty, but will take being lucky once in a while. Always have a bear tag along for archery and first season...

 

[30338]

I found bears are either within 80 yards on a water hole or beyond 300 yards across a canyon. We now typically sit on canyon sides offering a good view into an opposing ravine full of oak brush or berries. Shots are fast and average 400 yards or so. If you can exercise some patience after finding a good spot, they'll typically wander by feeding.

Care must be taken to avoid sows with cubs. And you must very carefully mark the spot of the shot as the oak brush is thick and difficult to find the exact spot sometimes. We typically leave someone at the shot location and send someone to where the bear was. Hopefully folks can punch a lot of tags. The fawns and calves will thank you.

 

[CoMtnMike]

good point about watching long enough to be sure it isnt a sow with cubs! My archery bear in the raspberries it took almost 10 minutes inside 30 yards to line up the broadside shot, so was pretty sure it was alone (and had already told myself it was a cool experience even if it got away). And the one over a cow carcass I let him finish eating and start to leave before I shot. But still worry about the unseen cubs that might be some distance away - happy to see balls when I lift the leg..

That was another worry for me in the oaks - I am solo - so trying to find where it was when I shot and then tracking thru oaks if needed just seemed intimidating. Plus it is usually hot in the oaks in september...

Patience and confidence that I am in a good spot aren't my strong suits - for elk or bear. I probably move too much for elk as well.

 

[kyle_esquer]

Following. Very interesting comments!

 

[zalewitz]

I’ve shot bear by calling them in with a calf in distress call, sneaking up on them near a berry patch, sitting over a water hole, and sitting over an elk carcass. All worked well.

Interesting. I’ve always seen spot and stalk done, good to know they respond to calling.