Who emerges first: Boars...Sows...or yearlings, etc ?

[broadfieldpoint]

Expert biologists say that large boars are the first to come out of hibernation...Dr. Lynn Rogers, supposedly the worlds foremost expert on Black bear behavior says so...I thought sows were the first to come out...but, what do I know....

[300WSM]

Can only go off past experience.

For me Boars(especially large and old) were the last to come out.
Young bears(boars & sows) were first, followed by sows with cubs.

My info is only from my own experiences and what I've seen.

[broadfieldpoint]

According to Dr Lynn Rogers at North Americab black bear center....Boars are the first to emerge. he is headquartered in Minnesota...i am not sure if that counts for anything. Maybe its different the farther north you go...just wondering.

[Pioneer2]

Ever seen the fecial plug they lose after their plumbing gets working again..................Nasty.....................H arold

[packhuntr]

Thats a good question.... Ive heard all manner of of things, but dont have a clue. I ve seen all sizes of bear on my trips, but they are planned to see the most possible.

[nube]

usually the smaller ones are out first. They are usually hungrier do to less fat on their bodies. They also have a higher metabolizm as well I believe.

[geezer55]

All I've read and heard is that it is the boars who come out first, the sows are busy taking care of their cubs and come out later.

[buck]

if the sows or young come out first i'm wondering how come they don't hit [B]MY bait barrel right away it seems for me the first action i get at my barrel every year is in the first week of may and it's always a bigger boar and its the only tracks in the sand until around the end of the 2nd week starting the third week of may that i start seeing smaller bears and sows and thier tracks at my barrel ive been baiting in the same spot for 5 years now and this is the pattern i'm seeing maybe it's just the area i'm in the most activity at my site is in the last week of the season maybe people on here can say what they are seeing at thier bait sites first some have said they have seen smaller bears out already this year but havent heard much about any good sized one yet so maybe its true that smaller ones come out first
could it be that smaller ones don't choose as good of dens the first year on their own and end up getting woke up early compared to more experienced ones? or like was said not as much fat reserves left any one have some other ideas

[Rackmastr]

I have always found that smaller bears come out first and the big boars come out later generally....

Though I've seen some good sized boars early as well...but the majority later on...

[thumper]

The cameras in Banff park seem to catch grizzly boars first. First one photographed this year was March 16th (or close to that date).

[broadfieldpoint]

I still hold that the boars are out first. This has been scientifically proven..

[SakoAlberta]

Which go back to the den first in autumn?

[broadfieldpoint]

Interestingly...I have heard the that larger boars are the last ones to den up...why? I dont know...could be like us who work for a living...first ones up...last ones to hit the hay.

[BC7stw]

I haven't missed a season of spring bear hunting since 1992 when I took my first black bear. Between the fellow I hunt with and I we have taken over 20 black bears. The large boars we have taken have always been a bit later in the spring, the first week of May seems to be the best historically. We do see boars out first thing in the spring, but the larger ones seem to show up a bit latter. We can only do spot and stalk in B.C. so may have a different result than over bait.

Of all the people I know who hunt blacks in the spring, the really large bears are almost always taken at least a couple weeks if not more after the smaller bears show up. The boars may be first, but in my experience it is the smaller ones first.

[broadfieldpoint]

BC7stw...great post. Another thing that I have heard is that although the large Boars are 'out'...it doesn't mean they are moving. Evidently, it takes alittle to get them to wander around. Food and sex being the biggest motivators.

[aulrich]

When I use to bait (years ago in Manitoba) last week of April 1 week of May was prime time for big bear, but not for numbers. Best numbers and fur quality was around the May long, don't think I ever saw a sow and cubs on a bait till middle of May.

Most years we were all done by the May long.

[TheClash]

i am gonna say...the ones that are closest to the door come out first hahaha...

[nube]

In my guiding days I would figure I have been involved in over 100 bear kills if not a lot more. We always started May 1 and found it slow off the start and the best time was mid May. It seems like the smaller ones were more plentiful at the beggining and we killed more bigger ones later on in the month and into June when it was closer to breeding season. They are more sporatic that time of year becuause of more food around and breeding season. If I were hunting myself personally I wouldn't be putting my baits out for another week but that is me.

[gunslinger]

i have to agree the bigger bears come out first, not only do they dig bigger dens so the water is exposed to them sooner, but there senses are larger so they feel the tempeture faster,can smell the scents sooner and so forth, but thats just me.

[broadfieldpoint]

Gunslinger...is that you? Good to see you hangin around here...you gettin into your camp yet? I ve heard the snow is melting..........fast!
Good luck!

[Steven R Rupp]

HMMM FIRST out are the BIGGEST BOARS. After 30 plus years this is NOT conjecture...you may not see these bears first but the do emerge first..
last years NEW # 32 Boone and Crocket grizzly was prime example only bear out for miles..9 feet 4 inches...over 900 pounds..

Steven Rupp

BC

[nube]

We are not talking Griz bears here I don't think. Grizzlies are always out before blacks. I'm surprised in what Gunslinger has says because he is saying quite the oposite that I am and it was in the same part of the country. I still believe that you will have more actvity hunting bigger bears mid to late season.

[BUD]

Originally Posted by Pioneer2

Ever seen the fecial plug they lose after their plumbing gets working again..................Nasty.....................H arold

Yup , just like the next mornin after a night of pizza and beer.