Spring Bear 2018, April 18
 

hey everyone, has any one gone out for spring bear yet? seen any out or they still sleeping? looking for whitecourt area

I'm sure the odd guys driving around but they're still feet of snow in the bush I guess anytime in the bush is good but I wouldn't be going out yet.

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The young dumb bears are the only ones that wake up. The big old smart ones stay in much longer

If you have time off hunting bears in the snow is a blast. There are some out already moving around and they will be moving a lot looking for food. Any place with open ground or running water, like the south facing slope of rivers, beaver dams and the like, will be an attractant. You will see far more bears later but, no leaves makes it easier to see, black on white snow shows up good, and cooler weather means they will move all day. Looking for bears is still better than watching T.V. cause the ice is too punky for ice fishing most places.

spring bear
 

one out between Edson and Hinton Grizzly bear has been visiting two of my neighbours and walked past our house the last couple nights

My baits have been out for 10 days and nothing yet in the North. Still a good 2 feet of snow in the bush. Couple weeks yet I figure.

Saw 2 bears today in the peace. Was surprised to say the least. Still 2.5 ft of snow in the shade. Guess they’re hungry. South and west facing slopes are bare in some areas. Balls deep in the shade 10ft away. Hard winter. Should be easy bear hunting in the next few weeks. They will be concentrated on the few green areas.

haha got that right. I was just talking with my bear management specialist at work and we both get a kick out of people who start hunting right out the gate. Chances are the only thing you'll find is a griz or as you mentioned young black bear. Statistically things pick up mid May.

Grizzlies are out earlier than the blacks. And if you do see a black out early it doesn’t necessarily mean he’s going to stay out. A grizzly gets out of his bed early and feeds on carrion. A black has a more “greens” oriented diet. You’re not going to see significant black bear activity until there is something for them to eat. I don’t even bother looking until about the first of May, and have most of my luck about a week after that. Yes, there is the odd black out and about before that. But I really start seeing the sign when May rolls around. Just because someone sees a Grizz in March doesn’t mean “the bears” are out.