School Me: Spot and Stalk Fall Bear in the West (2021 was a fail)

[NeverSummer]

I can confidently find, stalk and kill most things on the hoof and decided to take up bear hunting in 2021. A bear lard pastry crust filled with Palisade peaches sounds divine. I drew a very solid bear unit in south western CO. The environmental conditions were this: absolutely insane berry crop, some acorns, so the bears could have been anywhere due to wide availability of excellent feed. We scoured berry choked drainages, still hunting. We sat and glassed on water and in the few areas where we had enough visibility to see an open spot. We finally got into some excellent recent sign on our last two days, near water and on a berry and acorn choked slope. We did both still hunting and sit and wait/glass. Never saw a single bear (except 200 yards into the wrong unit haha). So here's my questions (note, in Colorado it's fall only season, no bait, spot and stalk only):

1. What are some things new western bear hunters do wrong?
2. Did we move around too much? How long do you typically sit and glass before moving? I'm wondering if for bears it could be an extremely long time in an area with good sign?
3. In a wet year with plentiful food, is sitting on water less productive?
4. Can predator calls like fawn bleats or cottontail distress get a bear that is nearby to show themselves?
5. Other tactics you employ?
6. How much do you use cameras to scout? I'm not a big trail cam person and have never needed them to be successful with mule deer or elk. But I'm wondering with a cryptic fairly solitary animal such as a bear if this is more important.

Thanks for any insights. I'll be back at it in 2022.

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Find fresh sign and see what they are actually eating. Then go find that food source(s).

Typically glass from true dawn till mid-morning and again late afternoon until dark. Bear can and do move during the day so be mindful about blowing them out. If you blow out the bear, don’t expect to see it for some time.

Predator calls can work. Do it for a long time. Don’t expect to hear them coming in. Unsure of CO’s laws regarding sows and cubs so be damn sure of the target before shooting. Can draw in lion, bobcat, coyote, hawks, mule deer, whitetail, etc. Verify the target before shooting.

Unless you have photos of a bear hitting a water source on a regular schedule, I’d avoid it. There are usually other water sources in the area. If it’s a wet year, I wouldn’t waste my time as water can be everywhere. If it’s brutally dry and you know water is limited it can work.

Cameras can be helpful to see what’s in the area and identify a pattern. But it can be for nothing as one spot can be loaded with bear one day and be barren the next (left for a new food source).

The more you move the greater the chance of spreading your scent and busting animals out. Most of us are not nearly as stealthy as we think. With that said sometimes you just have to hit the trails and look for fresh sign and available food sources. I’ll usually do this during the break when glassing. Also use your nose for anything smelling sweet as well as anything smelling like death.

Here is one last tidbit. Usually see bear going “down” in the afternoon and back “up” in the morning. Not 100% of the time but it happens the bulk of the time.

 

[NeverSummer]

Find fresh sign and see what they are actually eating. Then go find that food source(s).

Typically glass from true dawn till mid-morning and again late afternoon until dark. Bear can and do move during the day so be mindful about blowing them out. If you blow out the bear, don’t expect to see it for some time.

Predator calls can work. Do it for a long time. Don’t expect to hear them coming in. Unsure of CO’s laws regarding sows and cubs so be damn sure of the target before shooting. Can draw in lion, bobcat, coyote, hawks, mule deer, whitetail, etc. Verify the target before shooting.

Unless you have photos of a bear hitting a water source on a regular schedule, I’d avoid it. There are usually other water sources in the area. If it’s a wet year, I wouldn’t waste my time as water can be everywhere. If it’s brutally dry and you know water is limited it can work.

Cameras can be helpful to see what’s in the area and identify a pattern. But it can be for nothing as one spot can be loaded with bear one day and be barren the next (left for a new food source).

The more you move the greater the chance of spreading your scent and busting animals out. Most of us are not nearly as stealthy as we think. With that said sometimes you just have to hit the trails and look for fresh sign and available food sources. I’ll usually do this during the break when glassing. Also use your nose for anything smelling sweet as well as anything smelling like death.

Here is one last tidbit. Usually see bear going “down” in the afternoon and back “up” in the morning. Not 100% of the time but it happens the bulk of the time.

Thanks for the thorough reply. I ended up offline for a bit as we had a new forest fire crop up right next to the house. Seems fire season never ends these days.

I'm thinking that once we found great sign, we should have sat still more. It was difficult as there were no decent glassing locations and thick scrub oak with a berry understory. I'm guessing that the next best thing to finding a glassing point would be to try and nail down a travel corridor and sit on that, in a spot where the wind is favorable?

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

When you see tracks, look at them and then “erase” them with your boots. Makes it easier to tell if new tracks show up. Good habit for other target animals as well.

You can sit off the trail, mindful of the wind, if it’s a heavy traffic corridor. Try to find a spot that gives you the best view of what’s coming and going; easier said than done at times. Keep your head on a slow moving swivel.

 

[Rogue Bay]

When I was younger I struggled with fall bear hunting for years. I hunted areas I knew held a lot of bear, but could never seem to lay eyes on one.

After years of frustration I stopped to glass a large canyon that I had glasses a thousand times over the years. I would normally glass for a while, then move to the next spot. This time I was in a melancholy mood so I sat for several hours and let my mind wander. All of the sudden there was a bear, then another and another. Before long there were 4 different bears wandering around the choke cherry stand across the canyon. It was an Ah Ha! moment for me. I killed a large bear in that spot a few nights later. In the following years I shot a lot of bears in that area and others just by being patient and glassing for hours on end. It was a game changer for me!

If you find sign and know bears are using the area, spend as much time behind the glass as you physically can. It works!

Also, if there are several food sources available in an area, bears will usually use them in succession. For example, in my area the bears hit the blackcap raspberries first. Then they would hit the choke cherries. About mid-October they would shift to acorns. If you learn their preference throughout the season, you have it made!

I don’t know if my rambling helps at all, but there it is. Hang in there, you’ll get ‘em. Best of luck to you!

 

[NeverSummer]

When I was younger I struggled with fall bear hunting for years. I hunted areas I knew held a lot of bear, but could never seem to lay eyes on one.

After years of frustration I stopped to glass a large canyon that I had glasses a thousand times over the years. I would normally glass for a while, then move to the next spot. This time I was in a melancholy mood so I sat for several hours and let my mind wander. All of the sudden there was a bear, then another and another. Before long there were 4 different bears wandering around the choke cherry stand across the canyon. It was an Ah Ha! moment for me. I killed a large bear in that spot a few nights later. In the following years I shot a lot of bears in that area and others just by being patient and glassing for hours on end. It was a game changer for me!

If you find sign and know bears are using the area, spend as much time behind the glass as you physically can. It works!

Also, if there are several food sources available in an area, bears will usually use them in succession. For example, in my area the bears hit the blackcap raspberries first. Then they would hit the choke cherries. About mid-October they would shift to acorns. If you learn their preference throughout the season, you have it made!

I don’t know if my rambling helps at all, but there it is. Hang in there, you’ll get ‘em. Best of luck to you!

Thank you! I just knew we were moving too quickly or too much. I'll need to sedate myself next year. Very helpful, your rambling is much appreciated

 

[JeffRaines]

I will echo Rogues comments. That was my biggest mistake - wanting to move too much. I know guys kill them still hunting... but honestly I think that's a big luck game more than anything. Your best bet is to sit still and watch. Depending on timing I'm not an all day guy - I'll be at glassing spot before sunrise-10am or so, then 5pm-dusk. I have seen a much greater amount of bears in the evening.

Mid-September through ~mid October I would glass all day if you've found berries that aren't dried up... bears will eventually show up. At that time of year they're feeding 18-20 hours a day trying to fatten up for fall so its only a matter of time.

 

[jbranski]

Great info will definitely apply for first bear tag next season.


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[Rharfo]

Following

 

[TheGDog]

In hot months... If you come across nice looking places of pooling water that a bear would enjoy submerging/bathing himself in, especially if it still exists in summer? Post up TrailCams on such a spot! And look around the creek edges for tracks left in the mud!

Post yourself up some place higher up and out of its wind, that overlooks such a spot. Especially if it's the only sorta widened-out spot like that with a lil bit deeper water and slower moving. Nice comfortable looking bottom to it, not all rock covered.

But when they go to those kinda spots, in the hot summertime anyway, seems like it's early-ish in the morning. Not super-early, cause who wants to take a bath when it's still cold. And it's soo Hot they are probably feeling tired too, since they probably stayed up all night feeding so they wouldn't be dying from the heat of the day. So like 8a-8:30a. I'm sure the early-early morning is also a good time for them to try for that last bit of hunting as well. They'll also come back for a dip near last light as well if it's hot day. Take a nice cool dip before things cool down more and the evening breezes pick up.

The hard part... in my instance... is that the spot I have in mind which makes me think about all this... the darn place is 7mi in! So to get in their early enough so that you can arrive in that intended spot early enough.... before he gets there... in my case that requires like leaving the house at like 2-2:30am, to get there like 4-4:30am, then hauling butt on the hike-in to arrive down in there early enough to where you can be posted-up and the area settled-in and no longer on alert before this sleepy groggy bear comes sauntering on in to take his morning bath.

So... by the time last-light gets to coming back around... you've already been up a dang long time, when it's Summer going into Fall months Sunset doesn't happen til like 8pm-ish too around then. So you're pretty tired and it can be challenging to remain properly alert and observant as you were in the morning, since you've already been up for like 18hrs or so.

So it's almost like to properly hunt such a spot sorta requires committing to staying their on overnight outings. So that on the next day you can wake up camped already reasonably close to the area, so getting into position early enough that next day isn't all killing like it is when you're starting from 7mi away.

 

[StuckoYota99]

1. Always be ready. Bears like to move and they can move fast. Have your shooting lanes cut, rifle loaded. Ear pro ready etc.
2. Get a comfy seat and glass. Be patient. I've looked over the same bowl multiple times but all of a sudden that black stump moves.
3. Bears need to drink water and like to play in water. I have a bunch of videos of bears taking a dip in the evening.
4. Calling can be effective. But if there's abundant food the bear may not be interested. They may be curious though and come check out the racket.
5. Walking logging roads around fresh clear cuts.
6.Trail cams can be effective for monitoring activity and seeing if bears are nocturnal or not. Bears also love to eat trail cameras.

 

[TheGDog]

2. Get a comfy seat and glass. Be patient. I've looked over the same bowl multiple times but all of a sudden that black stump moves.

This is so true even with deer as well!

I've had deer pop up in an area where I've glassed over it multiple times all thru out the day. And then when they do show up... you're like WTF!? How..?? Where...? Where the heck could he/she have been at over there all this time!?!? What manner of sorcery is THIS??

 

[wildwilderness]

In Colorado you can sit a known gut pile/carcass. They go fast and usually at night but may be worth a shot is you have intel on a fresh one, especially an elk. I have seen multiple bears doing that, my friends have killed a couple nice bears that way.

 

[StuckoYota99]

This is so true even with deer as well!

I've had deer pop up in an area where I've glassed over it multiple times all thru out the day. And then when they do show up... you're like WTF!? How..?? Where...? Where the heck could he/she have been at over there all this time!?!? What manner of sorcery is THIS??

Hence point #1

 

[ledflight]

I can't say I have used it to success but it's a good read!

 

[roosiebull]

Find fresh sign and see what they are actually eating. Then go find that food source(s).

i think this is the single most important factor.... bear key into certain food sources every year, and of course that's also dynamic as the season changes. some years they key in on huckleberries, some years elderberries, some years blackberries, some years chittums, etc...

find sign, figure out what they are keyed in on, then find the spots where that's most plentiful. it's not uncommon to see food sources left alone, because they are keyed in on something different that year (or that current time of year) i have found bear that are hammering chittums and completely leaving tons of blackberries alone.

from there, you want to be away from human activity as much as possible, access to water, and good seclusion.

pick your glassing points wisely, if the wind is not good, you won't see bear, they will wind you from way, way farther than the rest of the critters we hunt, and they don't tolerate human scent.... you can not only not see the bear there, but they will just pack up and leave if you are in the area a couple times and they smell you... don't underestimate their sniffer, i have watched bear wind me from a LONG ways off.

bear are pretty mysterious animals, you have to be pretty deliberate to see them on a regular basis, and you need to know what you're looking for and have faith in your strategy. when there is a lot of food around, bear are pretty particular about what they eat, you wouldn't think so, you would think they would be mowing down everything, but they key in on certain things and hammer that, so it's important to identify the feed.

scat isn't the only way to find that out, a bear makes it pretty obvious where they are feeding, and what they are feeding on... blackberries will be all smashed down, huckleberries will also with lots of fresh snapped branches... chittum and elderberry they break the branches off, so that's another thing to pay attention too... the little clues add up......... try to avoid walking around too much where they are spending time, you will run them off, between your scent and ground scent left behind, they will just leave, i have seen it many times.... bear are easy to glass up, so good vantage points over the feed they are currently feeding on is key..... fall bear usually are a lot more stationary than spring bear... in the spring they never quit moving, in the fall they will stay in one area for a long time in good feed, so it's possible to glass one up a long ways off, and make a move.... in the spring, you see one a mile away, you take note, and go to a closer vantage, because it's likely gonna be gone when you get over there.... fall you can often get over there while the bear is still in the same area.

acorns are better late, after the berry crops are tapering off, and where acorns are, it's much more difficult hunting because you can't see as far in the trees.... a trail cam would be handy for acorn eaters, but when it comes to that, i'm pretty much done bear hunting.... i don't enjoy trying to wait a bear out in the trees where i can't glass, and hunting more close quarters, wind is even more of a problem, but maybe you find some concentrated sign in the acorns, and you can capitalize.... i generally see more scattered sign when they are eating acorns, if i was going to hunt bear then, i would likely be calling.

 

[bst1007]

i think this is the single most important factor.... bear key into certain food sources every year, and of course that's also dynamic as the season changes. some years they key in on huckleberries, some years elderberries, some years blackberries, some years chittums, etc...

find sign, figure out what they are keyed in on, then find the spots where that's most plentiful. it's not uncommon to see food sources left alone, because they are keyed in on something different that year (or that current time of year) i have found bear that are hammering chittums and completely leaving tons of blackberries alone.

from there, you want to be away from human activity as much as possible, access to water, and good seclusion.

pick your glassing points wisely, if the wind is not good, you won't see bear, they will wind you from way, way farther than the rest of the critters we hunt, and they don't tolerate human scent.... you can not only not see the bear there, but they will just pack up and leave if you are in the area a couple times and they smell you... don't underestimate their sniffer, i have watched bear wind me from a LONG ways off.

bear are pretty mysterious animals, you have to be pretty deliberate to see them on a regular basis, and you need to know what you're looking for and have faith in your strategy. when there is a lot of food around, bear are pretty particular about what they eat, you wouldn't think so, you would think they would be mowing down everything, but they key in on certain things and hammer that, so it's important to identify the feed.

scat isn't the only way to find that out, a bear makes it pretty obvious where they are feeding, and what they are feeding on... blackberries will be all smashed down, huckleberries will also with lots of fresh snapped branches... chittum and elderberry they break the branches off, so that's another thing to pay attention too... the little clues add up......... try to avoid walking around too much where they are spending time, you will run them off, between your scent and ground scent left behind, they will just leave, i have seen it many times.... bear are easy to glass up, so good vantage points over the feed they are currently feeding on is key..... fall bear usually are a lot more stationary than spring bear... in the spring they never quit moving, in the fall they will stay in one area for a long time in good feed, so it's possible to glass one up a long ways off, and make a move.... in the spring, you see one a mile away, you take note, and go to a closer vantage, because it's likely gonna be gone when you get over there.... fall you can often get over there while the bear is still in the same area.

acorns are better late, after the berry crops are tapering off, and where acorns are, it's much more difficult hunting because you can't see as far in the trees.... a trail cam would be handy for acorn eaters, but when it comes to that, i'm pretty much done bear hunting.... i don't enjoy trying to wait a bear out in the trees where i can't glass, and hunting more close quarters, wind is even more of a problem, but maybe you find some concentrated sign in the acorns, and you can capitalize.... i generally see more scattered sign when they are eating acorns, if i was going to hunt bear then, i would likely be I have found the same to be true. Just be ausr you find a good food source doesn't mean you will find bears. It's so odd

i think this is the single most important factor.... bear key into certain food sources every year, and of course that's also dynamic as the season changes. some years they key in on huckleberries, some years elderberries, some years blackberries, some years chittums, etc...

find sign, figure out what they are keyed in on, then find the spots where that's most plentiful. it's not uncommon to see food sources left alone, because they are keyed in on something different that year (or that current time of year) i have found bear that are hammering chittums and completely leaving tons of blackberries alone.

from there, you want to be away from human activity as much as possible, access to water, and good seclusion.

pick your glassing points wisely, if the wind is not good, you won't see bear, they will wind you from way, way farther than the rest of the critters we hunt, and they don't tolerate human scent.... you can not only not see the bear there, but they will just pack up and leave if you are in the area a couple times and they smell you... don't underestimate their sniffer, i have watched bear wind me from a LONG ways off.

bear are pretty mysterious animals, you have to be pretty deliberate to see them on a regular basis, and you need to know what you're looking for and have faith in your strategy. when there is a lot of food around, bear are pretty particular about what they eat, you wouldn't think so, you would think they would be mowing down everything, but they key in on certain things and hammer that, so it's important to identify the feed.

scat isn't the only way to find that out, a bear makes it pretty obvious where they are feeding, and what they are feeding on... blackberries will be all smashed down, huckleberries will also with lots of fresh snapped branches... chittum and elderberry they break the branches off, so that's another thing to pay attention too... the little clues add up......... try to avoid walking around too much where they are spending time, you will run them off, between your scent and ground scent left behind, they will just leave, i have seen it many times.... bear are easy to glass up, so good vantage points over the feed they are currently feeding on is key..... fall bear usually are a lot more stationary than spring bear... in the spring they never quit moving, in the fall they will stay in one area for a long time in good feed, so it's possible to glass one up a long ways off, and make a move.... in the spring, you see one a mile away, you take note, and go to a closer vantage, because it's likely gonna be gone when you get over there.... fall you can often get over there while the bear is still in the same area.

acorns are better late, after the berry crops are tapering off, and where acorns are, it's much more difficult hunting because you can't see as far in the trees.... a trail cam would be handy for acorn eaters, but when it comes to that, i'm pretty much done bear hunting.... i don't enjoy trying to wait a bear out in the trees where i can't glass, and hunting more close quarters, wind is even more of a problem, but maybe you find some concentrated sign in the acorns, and you can capitalize.... i generally see more scattered sign when they are eating acorns, if i was going to hunt bear then, i would likely be calling.

I have found the same to be true. Just be ausr you find a good food source doesn't mean you will find bears.

 

[tefird21]

Great info, thanks

 

[TheGDog]

i think this is the single most important factor.... bear key into certain food sources every year, and of course that's also dynamic as the season changes. some years they key in on huckleberries, some years elderberries, some years blackberries, some years chittums, etc...

find sign, figure out what they are keyed in on, then find the spots where that's most plentiful. it's not uncommon to see food sources left alone, because they are keyed in on something different that year (or that current time of year) i have found bear that are hammering chittums and completely leaving tons of blackberries alone.

from there, you want to be away from human activity as much as possible, access to water, and good seclusion.

pick your glassing points wisely, if the wind is not good, you won't see bear, they will wind you from way, way farther than the rest of the critters we hunt, and they don't tolerate human scent.... you can not only not see the bear there, but they will just pack up and leave if you are in the area a couple times and they smell you... don't underestimate their sniffer, i have watched bear wind me from a LONG ways off.

bear are pretty mysterious animals, you have to be pretty deliberate to see them on a regular basis, and you need to know what you're looking for and have faith in your strategy. when there is a lot of food around, bear are pretty particular about what they eat, you wouldn't think so, you would think they would be mowing down everything, but they key in on certain things and hammer that, so it's important to identify the feed.

scat isn't the only way to find that out, a bear makes it pretty obvious where they are feeding, and what they are feeding on... blackberries will be all smashed down, huckleberries will also with lots of fresh snapped branches... chittum and elderberry they break the branches off, so that's another thing to pay attention too... the little clues add up......... try to avoid walking around too much where they are spending time, you will run them off, between your scent and ground scent left behind, they will just leave, i have seen it many times.... bear are easy to glass up, so good vantage points over the feed they are currently feeding on is key..... fall bear usually are a lot more stationary than spring bear... in the spring they never quit moving, in the fall they will stay in one area for a long time in good feed, so it's possible to glass one up a long ways off, and make a move.... in the spring, you see one a mile away, you take note, and go to a closer vantage, because it's likely gonna be gone when you get over there.... fall you can often get over there while the bear is still in the same area.

acorns are better late, after the berry crops are tapering off, and where acorns are, it's much more difficult hunting because you can't see as far in the trees.... a trail cam would be handy for acorn eaters, but when it comes to that, i'm pretty much done bear hunting.... i don't enjoy trying to wait a bear out in the trees where i can't glass, and hunting more close quarters, wind is even more of a problem, but maybe you find some concentrated sign in the acorns, and you can capitalize.... i generally see more scattered sign when they are eating acorns, if i was going to hunt bear then, i would likely be calling.

Question... I seem to recall asking this of others and *I believe* they told me that the Bear and Deer prefer when the acorns are green and have that oozing dark brown sticky stuff emanating from their caps.

Have you noticed any preference by them as to Green vs more dried?

 

[roosiebull]

Question... I seem to recall asking this of others and *I believe* they told me that the Bear and Deer prefer when the acorns are green and have that oozing dark brown sticky stuff emanating from their caps.

Have you noticed any preference by them as to Green vs more dried?

I don’t have an answer for that, never really payed attention to that, I kind of avoid acorn eaters, tough to hunt… I’m curious now though