Colorado bear season is less than two months away. My 14-year old and I will be bear hunting for the first time. For those of you who have successfully hunted Fall Black Bear in the western states, without baiting since it is illegal here in Colorado, are there any tips you can share on what you’ve done that has led to success? We’ll start scouting for places to hunt next week as our tags include four or five units west and north of Fort Collins and the season runs the month of September. We’d also listen to any ideas/tips on what you did AFTER you had a bear down, you know, in case we stumble onto one that walks in front of our bullets.
Sounds like a fun hunt.
I’ve never hunted bear in the fall—only the spring. I’m told the fall techniques are totally different than spring so I may not be much help.
What cartridge are you picking?
Our gun room is about the size of a small port-a-potty and has two rifles both chambered in 7mm-08, so as late Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula said, “when you’ve got red paint, paint the barn red.”
My son said he wants to shoot Accubonds, and I’ll load up with TTSX…both 140 grain. The goal is to have one bear with two holes in it.
We’ve received a few tips from locals who know the area, and watching guys like Cliff Gray on YouTube. I just thought I’d reach out to the Backfire Plus community to see if anyone has any nuggets of information on what worked for them, or things they’d do differently next time….even how to convince the wife that having a bear head/rug on the living room wall is high-class decor.
We used dogs when we hunted last fall. We were in Arizona in a national forest so we were looking for tracks on the dirt roads that wind through the forest. There were lots of elk hunters, and we came across a gut pile that was left in the field. There were a lot of tracks coming to that. But, the dogs were what got it done for us. They were amazing to watch work.
Check with the local biologist on what they eat that time of the season. Locate a few options near water and thick shaded brush and glass the dickens out of it.
I started as a ‘Hunting Guide’ in Maine as a High School Student. I have a Boone & Crockett on my wall from Oregon. Strange since I know I got larger ones before but never thought about getting them measured. I have a long list of suggestions for bears.
Baiting them is illegal in many places. Easting what they like while on a hunt is not.
Losing your smell as much s possible is good too. if you are in the evergreens, smashing the needles on your clothing will help to over power your stink. Being clean in the woods is critical for all critters. Being clean DOES NOT MEAN washing with Irish spring and smelly soaps and stuff.
There are laundry detergents and soaps that help to negate your smells. The Mi’kmaq Tribe Elders who schooled me some taught me about changing my diet before a hunt. You sweat out what you eat. If there are berries and such IN SEASON where you are hunting, having them as a snack is very good. And dropping them along the way is just so they can feed the little squirrels and such. Hopefully you have RECON’s your area and found water and food sources all year long for a couple of seasons minimum. Critters love nature’s buffet. They travel the food and water buffet. Early and late fall bear movement is vastly different. Cold is sooner at altitudes. Bears will make their dens or sleep areas on the sun exposure sides more often than not. I have been surprised in locating the dens and finding that the sun comes up, and warms the den, those big fattys wake and get moving instead of going out when it is colder and dark. The list is longer and I got some work to do. Let me know if you want me to elaborate more.