Early bear season?

[Brayden3131]

Wondering if anyone has any thoughts on bears coming out early with the great weather we've been having? Worth getting out around opener? Is anyone putting out bait earlier this year?

[X-Treme]

I saw that Boo, the grizzly from Golden is out already. He’ll be in and out over the next little while, but he’s awake.

[Aermotor]

I am going to put out a bait this week and get a camera on it. While me and my little guy were exploring a new 1/4 I just bought we found a bear in its den. It’s eyes were open and it was moving around inside and either snoring or growling. It did appear to be quite drowsy still and no footprints were in the snow outside of its hole. Today here it was +20, next week is a bit cooler but I don’t think it will be long before they start waking up looking for food.

[TrapperMike]

Have bear carcasses and bait pails for sale. Send me pm.

[TrapperMike]

Sorry should read beaver carcasses and bait pails.

[Grizzly Adams1]

I'm told both Black and Grizzlies have been spotted west of here, but till things green up they won't be moving much.

[Grizzly Adams1]

Originally Posted by Aermotor

I am going to put out a bait this week and get a camera on it. While me and my little guy were exploring a new 1/4 I just bought we found a bear in its den. It’s eyes were open and it was moving around inside and either snoring or growling. It did appear to be quite drowsy still and no footprints were in the snow outside of its hole. Today here it was +20, next week is a bit cooler but I don’t think it will be long before they start waking up looking for food.

There won't be any food for about a month at least, just like any other year. No need to hurry.

[Dean2]

Black bears are starting to come out already up north. They will stay near the den area IF they have water and feed. They need to get rid of the plug, so they will be looking for poplar buds, willow buds, green grass, dandelions etc. They will move to find food, too early for the rut. This time of year they will eat anything that provides bulk. Look on south facing slopes, near rivers or beaver dams. Watch for them to be up in poplar trees to get the new buds as well as willow stands.

There is running water in the Watino, Smokey River, Peace River area already. Temps last week were up in the +20 range. Even where there is no open water, there is a lot of water sitting on top of the ice or in small depressions catching the little snow melt there is.

[fishnguy]

Originally Posted by Brayden3131

Wondering if anyone has any thoughts on bears coming out early with the great weather we've been having?

In the dens, it is still as cold. It’s only warm on the “outside”. While we had close to 20 above zero once, nights below minus 10 are still the norm (was -8 today, -14 yesterday, for example). If you check any pile of leaves from the fall, it is still frozen an inch or two under. It’ll be a while yet. Still a while to the opener though.

[Pathfinder76]

It happens every year. People get their shirts in a knot over bear hunting “starting early this year”. The reality is, they need food. As of right now, there is no food.

[Smokinyotes]

Chuck you always have to be so logical.

[CBintheNorth]

+/- a week, things will get going the first week of May. Just like every year.

[Dean2]

I find it very interesting that guys are sounding off and implyying some of us don't know what we are talking about despite more than one of us reporting confirmed sightings of bears being out and around. It isn't optimal hunting conditions but if you are looking for an early Bear with no rubs they are around. Bears are VERY peedictable and easy to pattern. What drives them doesn't change. If you don't want to hunt under these conditions fine, but please don't tell me the Bears I have seen are hallucinations.