Coloured bears

[V45 sabre]

Interested on people's thoughts of what part of Alberta holds the highest concentration of bears that are a colour other than black.

[straight]

Kananaskis country

[top predator]

Where are good spots for spot and stalk these days?

[Hydro1]

55% or so of our black bear population is something other than straight black. ( read that last night)
If you put in enough hours you will find a cinnamon or blonde bear.
No area really comes to mind for atypical colors.
The areas that may hold more colored bears people keep quiet.

[lambski]

isnt it an age thing?

[Hydro1]

Originally Posted by lambski

isnt it an age thing?

Yes, a bear's coat can change color - from brown or cinnamon to black.* This generally happens in the juvenile or sub-adults years.* Changes seen in older bears are usually attributable to bleaching, where the tips of the hairs are lighter than the base.*
Most black bears are born black, some beileve the lighter colored bears are so because of their habitat.
Only albino bears are a mutation, all other color phases are habitat related(usually).

So lighter color phased bears tend to spend less time in thick forest that black color phased bears. According to the internet at least.
Personally i see no difference in color phases through different habitats. For instance there is a very blonde bear i have my eye on in some of the thickest country around.

The markings on the chest, commonly called a chest blaze, can be a variety of shapes and sizes and are white or light brown in color.* Not all bears have chest blazes.* They can consist of a small dash, a deep V, or a "patch".* While there is no way to be certain, the current theory is that these chest blazes are used for communication and identification among the bears themselves.* 80% of all cubs are born with chest blazes, but many lose them as they age.* If the mother has a blaze, the cub is more likely to retain theirs throughout its lifetime.**

[dshaw]

southwest alberta

[deadeye]

southwest alberta
x2

[Ranch11]

Smoky river valley

[albertadeer]

Saddle hills, and south of manning.

[chinchaga]

Pinehurst Lake Elinor Lake Iron River

[alacringa]

The ones I've seen in the province have all been in the SW (Kananaskis-Waterton); but that's where I spend most of my time. None of them have been so unusual as this one:

[bearclawman]

I have taken five colored bears over the years and same with hunting partner. We hunt north of Edmonton. I think you find them all over.

[Lefty]

Originally Posted by alacringa

The ones I've seen in the province have all been in the SW (Kananaskis-Waterton); but that's where I spend most of my time. None of them have been so unusual as this one:

I have pictures of a bear in Waterton park that is almost the same as this bear. Took it about 20 years ago. Percentage wise I think I have see the most colored bears in Waterton as anywhere else I have been in Alberta. Probably around 40%, but maybe some other areas might be the same%, but with hunters possibly shooting a colored bear of a size that if it was black would be passed on it is hard to say.

[alacringa]

Originally Posted by Lefty

I have pictures of a bear in Waterton park that is almost the same as this bear. Took it about 20 years ago. Percentage wise I think I have see the most colored bears in Waterton as anywhere else I have been in Alberta.

This was in Lougheed PP about 4 yrs ago, so not likely to be the same one, but I have seen some nice blondes and cins in Waterton.

[Stumpslayer]

Anchored this Brown last night. Have a decent blonde sow around as well.

[blgoodbrand1]

Originally Posted by Stumpslayer

Anchored this Brown last night. Have a decent blonde sow around as well.

Cool. Congrats!

[Torkdiesel]

Originally Posted by Hydro1

55% or so of our black bear population is something other than straight black. ( read that last night)
If you put in enough hours you will find a cinnamon or blonde bear.
No area really comes to mind for atypical colors.
The areas that may hold more colored bears people keep quiet.

This 55% thing certainly doesn't apply around Grande Prairie. South or North I see about the same number of colored bears. If I guide spot and stalk for 3 weeks I'll usually see an average of 25 bears per weak, sometimes a little more sometimes a little less. Out of those 25 bears I would say 1-2 are color phase, and I would say I prob only see a good color phase boar every second or third year, most are sows or very young bears.

I'm sure other areas in the province hold a lot higher percentage

[edmhunter]

Originally Posted by Stumpslayer

Anchored this Brown last night. Have a decent blonde sow around as well.

Congrats on that nice bear!

[Bigwoodsman]

Originally Posted by Stumpslayer

Anchored this Brown last night. Have a decent blonde sow around as well.

The BBB Beauty Brown-phase Bear! congratulations.

Back in the '80 I hunted exclusively north and east of Cold Lake, and some of the surrounding farm land. Saw lots of Brown, Reddish/Brown, Black and one very blonde almost a yellowish white Black Bear.

Come to think of this my last Moose hunt floating the Wabasca in 2004 we saw a few red and red brown bears. Had one real dark chocolate walk right by us on the rivers edge too.

BW

[edmhunter]

Originally Posted by Bigwoodsman

The BBB Beauty Brown-phase Bear! congratulations.

Back in the '80 I hunted exclusively north and east of Cold Lake, and some of the surrounding farm land. Saw lots of Brown, Reddish/Brown, Black and one very blonde almost a yellowish white Black Bear.

BW

I killed a blonde color phase bear in Manitoba, when it came into the bait I did a double take because I though it was a yellow Labrador Retriever.

Colour phases are everywhere and not specific to one location.

[husky7mm]

Originally Posted by edmhunter

I killed a blonde color phase bear in Manitoba, when it came into the bait I did a double take because I though it was a yellow Labrador Retriever.

Colour phases are everywhere and not specific to one location.

Many places in BC only have black phase, van island and the charlottes come to mind.

[husky7mm]

Originally Posted by alacringa

The ones I've seen in the province have all been in the SW (Kananaskis-Waterton); but that's where I spend most of my time. None of them have been so unusual as this one:

I think that is just a brown phase shedding, I could be wrong but i have seen a few like that.

[edmhunter]

Originally Posted by husky7mm

Many places in BC only have black phase, van island and the charlottes come to mind.

BC has a bear named a Kermode bear, also know as a Spirit Bear, which is near white and is a colour phase of the Black Bear. Which is just about the same coloured bear I killed in Manitoba, that I spoke of earlier.

[Stumpslayer]

Other than the brown I harvested last night, I have had these two on over the last couple years as well.

[husky7mm]

Originally Posted by edmhunter

BC has a bear named a Kermode bear, also know as a Spirit Bear, which is near white and is a colour phase of the Black Bear. Which is just about the same coloured bear I killed in Manitoba, that I spoke of earlier.

Yes also the "blue" phase also called the glacier bear iirc. Both are protected. A near white phase has popped up in the kootenays from time to time, pretty neat.

[SBE2]

Originally Posted by edmhunter

BC has a bear named a Kermode bear, also know as a Spirit Bear, which is near white and is a colour phase of the Black Bear. Which is just about the same coloured bear I killed in Manitoba, that I spoke of earlier.

Any pics of the Spirit Bear look alike you shot in Manitoba? Field photos would be cool to see.

[edmhunter]

Originally Posted by husky7mm

Yes also the "blue" phase also called the glacier bear iirc. Both are protected. A near white phase has popped up in the kootenays from time to time, pretty neat.

You are correct sir! They are extremely beautiful. What a great country we live in!

[Torkdiesel]

Originally Posted by SBE2

Any pics of the Spirit Bear look alike you shot in Manitoba? Field photos would be cool to see.

edmhunter doesn't post pictures anymore SBE2, he thought somebody called bullchit and he got quite upset with another member

[husky7mm]

Originally Posted by edmhunter

You are correct sir! They are extremely beautiful. What a great country we live in!

An old friend of mine shot an auburnish burgundy coloured black bear many years ago.
I made a play on a massive "black bear" once only to find out in the end it was a black grizzly! Its fur didnt have shine to it but when I got closer I could see his grizziled hairs. He was facing away from me and didnt see the hump.
A great country indeed!