Early bear season?

[Ronji]

I have a picture taken of one out on January 31 near Breton.
If I could figure out how to post it off my phone I would. (Computer, not me..)

[Dean2]

Originally Posted by Supermag

Exactly! I also found that the cutlines don't green up until then too. I only do spot and stalk.

I hear you and in general I agree, but there are many areas that green up long before the cutlines. If you want to hunt bear early, baits help a lot. If you want to spot and stalk early, like I said, find creeks, rivers, beaver dams and south facing slopes or open areas with water. You won't see as many bears early but the hides are prime and it is fun hunting before the bugs come out in large numbers.

[MaxxiD]

Hi,

New-ish hunter here. Never shot a bear, bit this year is my year. I couldn't say whether they are up and about yet, but I am gonna try and go out every weekend starting this weekend (just scouting). Worst that can happen is your get some fresh air and exercise.

That's my theory anyway....

[CBintheNorth]

Originally Posted by MaxxiD

Hi,

New-ish hunter here. Never shot a bear, bit this year is my year. I couldn't say whether they are up and about yet, but I am gonna try and go out every weekend starting this weekend (just scouting). Worst that can happen is your get some fresh air and exercise.

That's my theory anyway....

Typically I would say start your search around beaver dams and such where they would be looking for beavers and frogs.
But being as there is no snow in the fields and most water is still frozen, you might have some luck looking along the edges of last year's oat fields

[Grizzly Adams1]

First Bear Smart report of the year, Grizzly tracks spotted in the snow near Winchell Lake, Tire Bob country.

[Accanadensis]

Boar grizzly in JNP near Disaster Point. Was moving pretty slowly… I think it had emerged from his den fairly recently. Digging in slopes for roots etc. took (poor) photos with phone camera. Will upload later when I can get that process figured out.

[TBark]

Early this morning on our land / crown land boundary cell cam.

This is the earliest we’ve got a bear pic, as specially a griz.

TBark

[X-Treme]

Originally Posted by TBark

Early this morning on our land / crown land boundary cell cam.

This is the earliest we’ve got a bear pic, as specially a griz.

TBark

Swan Hills area?

[TBark]

Snipe Lake / Sunset House area.

TBark

[Pathfinder76]

Grizzlies are an animal of a different colour altogether

[Accanadensis]

Originally Posted by Pathfinder76

Grizzlies are an animal of a different colour altogether

Very true.

[Smoky buck]

There is always a few early bear sightings regardless of weather and there is always going to be people getting excited. There was a time I was out bear hunting every spring early but in time I learned to wait. I have personally seen bears at every month of the year so not surprised by early sighting

I have only ran a bait once and it’s just not for me so can’t speak on that. I have taken a lot of bears and been in on a ton of bear kills all spot & stalk or calling. Probably had some of the best mentors for bear hunting a guy could ever have too. Not even going to throw out a number of bear kills I have been part of because I am not interested in the BS

Here is what I will say with 100% confidence early springs are the worst for spot & stalk. They don’t lead to much of an early season at all. Majority of bears start moving around the same time every year. The downside to an early spring is when things green up they do so fast over a larger area. This spreads bears out because they have more options. It also causes more vegetation inside the bush to green up offering feeding areas that are harder to glass

Early springs suck and will take a late green up that concentrates bears into limited feeding areas

Personally I would not even start looking till last week April and wouldn’t expect things to get decent till after the first week of May

But hey if a guy wants to burn fuel and hike around with a rifle starting opening day giver.

One thing I have learned as I got more experience hunting is timing is important

[elkhunter11]

When I ran baits, the first bears usually showed up around the third week of April, and by the start of May the hunting was getting good.

[wolf308]

Possibly looking for a bear hunting sidekick or I wanna tag along more likely hahaha , if y’all need a wingman please PM me. Thanks

I know of a good spot west of mayerthorpe , was there years and years ago. Passed on a black bear as I wanted bigger.

But yea ….. thanks

[Rvsask]

Have yet to bump into a bear. Have a bait out and moose head laying in the yard that I keep expecting to wake up and find gone but all is quiet so far here in SK.

[dunl]

I have a goat carcass for bait near Eckville, posted in the Hunting buy and sell if anyone is interested.

[creeky]

As pathfinder 76 mentioned "this is a big province" and everyones mileage can and will vary.

There’s currently (dated March 23rd) another “bear in area/winterkill” area closure on Vermillion Lakes BNP:

https://calgaryherald.com/news/local...-to-winterkill

Remarkable the microscopic food morsels (grain, sticklebacks, whitefish suckers et al) bears are able to kickstart their season and sustain their days on.


Banffs bear `122 confirmed sighting March 14 2022 -this year March 18th.

Downhill from Sunshine Meadows (possibly Vermillion Lakes) across Bow River north along tracks paralleling 1A highway. 50k +- thats not even close to 122s denning area (heck a guy can still ski at Sunshine).


Creeky....


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[300magman]

Saw my first one of the year South of Lac La Biche on the shoulder of Hwy 55 this last weekend. No surprise to see them anywhere, but will be a while before they do much.

[Supergrit]

Saw one last week when I was looking for sheds around whitecourt

[Brayden3131]

Anyone have any hitting their baits yet?? Just hung the stand and filled the barrel today

[Rvsask]

Will check Saturday, been baited since last Wednesday. I’m sure there will be bears on it, something drug a bull moose head aways in my yard and it wasn’t my old lab who spends most of her time inside now.

[X-Treme]

Originally Posted by Brayden3131

Anyone have any hitting their baits yet?? Just hung the stand and filled the barrel today

They’re definitely out and about.

[honda610]

I have 2 baits this year. I lost 2 to wildfire last year. Sucks as both had good bears on them. But all the trees are toast so moved one to my quarter and my other bait is well established.
My new bait has not been hit. But my old bait has had bears on it since April 10.
My buddy shot a nice 6ft last night with his muzzloader huge head probably go 19.5 or a tad more. His first sit of the year.

[birdseye]

Anyone have reasonible harvest success calling bears ? Kinda want to try it 🤷*♂️

[TBark]

Family time,
From this morning.

TBark