Hunt Bears Like a Pro This Spring

It's February, which means it's cold and there isn't much hunting to be done. However, now is the time that I begin to dream of hunting bears out west. 

Spring is an amazing time to be in bear country. As temperatures start to rise around North America and snow melts, bears begin to emerge, looking for the greenest thing they can find to eat. It's a magical time to be in the mountains and it's one of my favorite hunts of the year. 

Bear hunting is hugely underrated. The landscape is beautiful and few people are in the mountains at this time. It's an underrated hunt and one that's incredibly important for maintaining a proper predator-prey balance in your hunting areas - bears wreak havoc on elk calves and deer fawns. 

If you're looking for serious adventure in the bear woods (and maybe a little spring bear meat) but don't know where to start, here are a few tips that might help you find success on this year's spring bear hunt.

Know Where Bears Hang Out

When hunting, it is important to pay close attention to the habitat where animals typically spend the majority of their time. Usually, once you figure this out, you'll start to see more and more game. For spring black bears living in the Western United States, it's simple.

Every spring, bears emerge from their quasi-hibernated state very hungry. During this time of year, their diet is made up of green grass and things like skunk cabbage. They'll usually hang out just under the snow melt, finding the greenest grass available. Bears eat a lot so if you spot one in a large area of green up, chances are it'll hang around there for a while. 

Aside from food, determining where water and cover are can also be critical. Bears will typically move during the morning/evening hours and will spend much of the rest of the day laying in heavier cover. They need a place to feel safe and to also give them a little shade from the hot sun. Finding avalanche chutes that are broken up by clusters of trees and vegetation can be a great place to spend a day looking for bears. If you find a spot that's a ways off from a road, has green grass and good cover, there is a good chance you'll find a bear in there.

Here's a good tip all bear hunters should know about the mountains: south slopes will usually have a food source, especially in early spring (south-facing slopes get the most sun). North slopes will usually provide bedding (north slopes generally get the most shade). Canyon bottoms are usually a great place to find the best water sources.

Have Patience... and a Good Pair of Glass

Bear hunting is often a game of waiting. Usually, we'll post up in the early morning hours and spend an entire day observing a hillside with binoculars and a spotting scope. Bears can, at times, be very easy to see but, for the most part, they're more difficult to spot than you'd think. 

We start by using OnX to locate the best places from which we can glass (Google Earth can work too but we've found OnX to be much better). Using both topo maps and satellite imagery, we'll start picking out places where there might be pockets of bears.

You'll want to find high vantage points that allow you to look into places where bears hang out (see above). Ideally, you situate yourself in a place where you can see a few areas where bears might be. We'll go into a hunt with a dozen or so potential spots that we'll slowly work through throughout the hunt. One mistake I've made in the past is finding vantage points that are too far from where a bear might be. These places can work but they present the additional challenge of getting to the bear you see. Sometimes they're just too far away and make getting within shooting range extremely difficult.

Once you've got your spots picked, grab your best pair of binoculars, spotting scope and a tripod. We love our Vortex Optics and we'll usually opt for a pair of 10x42s along with either a spotting scope or a higher-power set of binos (I'm a big fan of the Vortex 18x56s for this - they're higher powered and easier on the eyes than a spotter).

When you're glassing, start by focusing on areas where bears will be (again, see above). Then work the rest of the area in a grid-like manner, much like you'd mow your lawn. Remember, black bears can be really tough to pick out so go slow and be meticulous. 

Gear Keeps You Out Longer

Good hunting gear is critical when you're spending time in the spring mountains. It's similar to what you'd want with you during any fall hunt, but with a few nuances. 

First, expect rain and rapidly changing conditions. When we're out after bears, we've always got a set of rain gear and a cover for our packs. We'll also make sure to have boot gaiters, as we're often crossing streams or walking through wet grass (no one likes wet socks). Plus, they help keep ticks away... more on that in a minute. 

Like most hunts, layering is critical. Start with a solid base layer system (more info on that here). We'll then layer on something that cuts the wind and insulates. TUO makes a pretty incredible system that has worked really well for us in a ton of different conditions. 

A good pack is really important for bear hunting. We prefer something that's in the 4,000-5,000 cubic inches range, is lightweight and can handle moisture without being waterlogged. The newest pack from Kifaru seems to hit this nail on the head. Note: make sure you've got extra room in your pack for snacks. When you're glassing all day, snacks can really make things a lot more enjoyable. Maybe toss in a magazine or a book too.

Tick prevention is also extremely important on a spring season bear hunt. Two years ago, I set up to glass and noticed what I thought was an anthill full of ants at the base of my tripod. It was hundreds of ticks... These little buggers make it hard to focus or even sleep at night. Treating your stuff with permethrin before your hunt and bringing spray for the field is critical. That being said, make sure you're always checking for ticks - spray only does so much and they'll find the places you missed! Black bear hunting can be a game if dodging ticks sometimes. 

Don't Give Up

Spring bear hunting is a mix of long hours of waiting and a few short moments of intense action. You might go days without seeing anything! Don't let it get you down. Bear hunting is about persistence. The weather might not be enjoyable and the hours might be long but, when that big boar steps out, it'll all be worth it. 

Prime time for bears is just before dark. During this time, bears will wake up from their naps and go in search of food. But don't let that keep you in your tent in the morning. Bears will regularly be out feeding in the early morning hours. Plus, finding them early will help you get in position for a hunt later in the day. Often, bears won't be doing much during the middle of the day but not always. Sometimes bears will wake up from a nap and feed a bit before finding a new place to bed down. Keeping your eyes on the mountain all day will only increase your odds. Sometimes, when things are really slow during the mid-day, we'll go scouting for bear sign. We'll look for tracks, scat, or areas that might hold bears. Other times, we'll take time during the middle of the day to walk logging roads. Bears love the grass that grows along these paths and often offer an easy, close-range shot. 

Bottom line: you only get so much time to bear hunt every year. Make the most of it and do whatever you can to stack the odds in your favor. 

I can't wait for another spring of bear hunting. It's hard not to love the adventure, the bear fat, and the meat that hunting spring bears (hopefully) brings. Hopefully, this article helps you maximize your hunting time in some beautiful country this spring and for many spring bear seasons to come. Good luck this spring as you head out to hunt bears!