Setting My Sights on Fall Bear

[FairWeatherFisher]

Well, we’re half way through June, and August is fast approaching! It’s got me thinking about fall bear season.

What are your plans for this fall’s bear season?

For me, it’ll mostly be an excuse to get out in the woods and get in extra preseason scouting for deer. Still, hoping I’ll come across a bear while I’m at it. I come across their droppings often enough.

 

[Hippie Steve]

It depends on the berry crop this year, last year we didn't have a good one, in my area anyways.

 

[FairWeatherFisher]

It depends on the berry crop this year, last year we didn't have a good one, in my area anyways.

Which berries do you focus in on? I feel like there were a lot of blackberries last year, but it was also my first year bear hunting so I don’t have much for a reference.

 

[Rogue Bay]

I’ve never shot a bear out of the blackberries but have certainly seen where they’ve used them heavily.

In early August I really like hunting the black-capped raspberries. They don’t often last long where I’m at, but if you can find a good patch of them in a clear cut it’s solid gold. Huckleberries are always good but it can be difficult to find a good, productive patch because that concentrates bears.

From early September into early October I’ve done really well hunting chokecherries. I’ve seen a lot of sign of bears feeding on elderberries, but have never seen one do it.

I’ve definitely had my best success early in the fall season. August has been the most consistent for me in Oregon. I’ve never hunted up in your area but assume it should be similar to where I cut my teeth bear hunting a little further south. If you put in the time and effort you should do well. Best of luck!

 

[Nykki]

I take the jet boat up the Chulitna river to just out of the bottom of Denali park. Lots of Grizzly between the Tokasitna and Byers creek. Black Bear is an ATV hunt up the north fork of a the Kashwitna river, good berry country and lots of Black Bear.

 

[FairWeatherFisher]

I’ve never shot a bear out of the blackberries but have certainly seen where they’ve used them heavily.

In early August I really like hunting the black-capped raspberries. They don’t often last long where I’m at, but if you can find a good patch of them in a clear cut it’s solid gold. Huckleberries are always good but it can be difficult to find a good, productive patch because that concentrates bears.

From early September into early October I’ve done really well hunting chokecherries. I’ve seen a lot of sign of bears feeding on elderberries, but have never seen one do it.

I’ve definitely had my best success early in the fall season. August has been the most consistent for me in Oregon. I’ve never hunted up in your area but assume it should be similar to where I cut my teeth bear hunting a little further south. If you put in the time and effort you should do well. Best of luck!

Good advice, thank you! I need to get cracking on my berry ID. If it’s not blackberry or huckleberry, I have no idea what I’m looking at.

 

[Trapline]

Looks for stands of oak and acorns too, also if the berries are not rip yet drop in elevation till you find the ripe ones, works in my local mountains.

 

[DakotaBPNW]

I’ve got a few that I’ve had eyes on the last couple weeks up in the Cascades. Hoping they stick around until August!

 

[FairWeatherFisher]

I’ve got a few that I’ve had eyes on the last couple weeks up in the Cascades. Hoping they stick around until August!

Nice! Are in Oregon as well, then?

 

[DakotaBPNW]

Nice! Are in Oregon as well, then?

Yes sir, just North of Eugene

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

1-2 weekends before the opener I'll go scout an area.

For the first 1-2 hours of light I'll glass and I'll do the same for the last 1-2 hours. For those in between times I'm pounding the dirt looking for fresh sign, available food source(s), and potential food source(s) in that will be ready in the near future. If you focus too much on a single food source, you can be SOL as a bear's culinary desire can change overnight. Remember it is what they want and not what you think they want. Acorns can be booming but if the bears want wild grapes your acorn "gold mine" won't do you one bit of good.

If it is hunting season for another animal, look (or smell) for carrion as often you can find big bears on them. The best hunting often is during or right after archery elk as there tends to be a lot of unrecovered bulls laying around. But I've seen similar activity on mule deer and whitetail carcasses.