How to Hunt Fall Black Bears
When outdoorsmen think about bear hunting, most think of it as a spring activity catching bears emerging from dens and big boars searching for sows. Rarely do I hear folks talk about chasing them in the fall as hunters are either switching gears to ungulates or they simply just are not sure where to begin.
Finding bears as they switch to their fall-time habits is a different game than hunting them in April and May. If you know what to look for when fall bear hunting, it can be a great hunt to knock the rust off and test new gear before the long hunting season begins. This is also a great time to do some predator management and secure some of the best-tasting game meat you will find.
What Do Bears Need?
Key in on huckleberries like this in the fall when looking for black bears.
For many, the thing holding them back is finding a spot that holds bears. A lot of people will spend time in areas they have seen bears earlier in the year. Understanding that bears have switched gears from mating and pushing that winter plug out, to focusing on building fat preserves and preparing for the next hibernation is going to help find them.
Locating good places to hunt fall bears is not as hard as it is made out to be. Finding a bear’s main food source in the fall will be key. Bears will switch from the fresh green grass and offspring of deer and elk in the spring, to searching for a nutritious berry to begin packing on the fat for winter. Many bears in the Pacific Northwest will focus on huckleberries, salmon berries, thimble berries, and blackberries. Finding out what food source the bears are targeting in your geographical location and where to find them, will be paramount in the success of finding bears.
Glass A Lot Of Country
“As a spot and stalk hunter, I prefer old burns and large clear cuts as it gives me plenty of terrain to look over as well as provides perfect habitat for the wild berries to flourish.”
The next step is finding a spot where you can glass a bunch of country from. As a spot and stalk hunter, I prefer old burns and large clear cuts as it gives me plenty of terrain to look over as well as provides perfect habitat for the wild berries to flourish.
Find a spot you can look over different elevations as bears will follow the ripest berries they can find. If you are not finding bears or fresh scat and your berries are shriveled up, then go higher in elevation. If the berries are still in that lime green stage, then go lower where the berries are ripe. If you can find a spot that you can glass a large change in elevation, it will give you the best chance as berries move through the growing and wilting stage.
Patience Is A Virtue
“Don’t get discouraged and wait for the moment you see bushes moving or can catch them moving through a gap.”
The last step when you find a good location is to be patient. I see many guys make the mistake of finding the perfect spot, glassing for an hour, and moving on because they didn’t see anything. Countless times I have been in a good spot and glass for a whole day without laying eyes on a bear. The next morning, I am still glassing the spot and begin to turn up multiple different bears. Patience is key with bears as they are generally lazy animals.
If they can get their fill of food in the last half hour of daylight, they will. Many of the places I choose to hunt have berry bushes that are twice as tall as a bear. This can make it hard to see them unless they stand on their hind legs in places. Don’t get discouraged and wait for the moment you see bushes moving or can catch them moving through a gap.
Fall bear hunting has become one of my favorite things to do yearly now. It allows you to take part in managing predators, as well as getting that delicate table fair that comes from a berry-filled bear. Understanding what to look for and getting a grasp on what the bears are trying to accomplish for that time of year, should have you skinning your bear rug in no time.
