Spring bear hunt ... advice?

popcan

popcan

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Thinking of going for a bear .... partly for the meat (mmm, pepperoni!) but also the new Chateau Popcan will need a rug. :)


Any advice on getting the best fur etc? ie certain months or whatever? Are spring bears good for fur/meat?

I have seen bears locally from time to time (around the cabin) but maybe I'd be better off talking GH into guiding me in his area. I understand he has 3 or 4 following him around at any given moment.
 
From what I understand the best fur is got in fall/winter, as with most animals. Your odds are drastically improved when you shoot over bait. If you dont have a place of your own, I'm sure there are some outfitters who can help you out.
 
cdngunner said:
From what I understand the best fur is got in fall/winter, as with most animals. Your odds are drastically improved when you shoot over bait. If you dont have a place of your own, I'm sure there are some outfitters who can help you out.
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I think very early spring has excellent fur as well, not sure when they wake up in BC but in NB it is around mid april. I got my last bear on May 5th and the fur was pretty good but starting to thin.

Late fall will likely be the best fur but the worst meat.

What is considered baiting in BC, I know some use attractants when a bait pile is not convenient, such as Anise, honey burn, syrup burn etc. I am actually thinking of going out at the crack of dawn and cooking breakfast in the woods, bacon eggs etc... see if that brings em around!
You can also buy "bear sticks" (incense) I have a pck but have not yet tried them. You stick them in the ground, light them and then cover them with a bucket full of vent holes.
 
oops thought u was from ON

Good idea C68. Grab gate after a day in the kitchen and place him in the bush, that should bring them in.
 
For fur quality and meat palatability, as early in the spring as you can find one will be best. Unlike other fur bearers who are out running around all winter, bears keep their fur out of the damaging sun and extreme temperatures, producing the thickest and nicest fur when they emerge from hibernation. Also, the meat usually has the least amount of fat in it then, and the fat is a big part of why the meat can taste strong.

Get out there as eaarly as you can.

As for honey burns and incense sticks: anything that acts as an attractant is considered bait and is a big no no when it comes to bears. Heck, if Gatehouse smells that bad (or good?) then even he might be considered bait!
 
My experience has been that a bear's fur is best in the spring - as long as you take them before they start rubbing. I concur on the meat as well, very little fat.

Popcan, I don't know where you are in BC but go forth as soon as the snow allows on grassy slopes and kill.

Oh yeah, and you should use a 3006, the most wonderful and versatile cartridge ever created!

:evil:

:stirthepot2:

:popCorn:
 
srt4u2nv said:
I'm new to Bear hunting is there a spring hunt in Ontario I cant find any dates in the reg's only the normal season Sept 4th -> Nov 30 for my WMU.
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You must be just out of the embriotic sack:D

Spring bear hunt got cancelled years ago by the lieberals

Have you punched a Lieberal today??????????:slap:
 
cdngunner said:
You must be just out of the embriotic sack:D

Spring bear hunt got cancelled years ago by the lieberals

Have you punched a Lieberal today??????????:slap:
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lol ya I know it got cancelled in 1999 thats why I asked because there was talk of bringing it back so I just wondered if I missed something.
 
I find spring bears are better fur than fall. And the meat is the same.

And I have shot 44 of them so I have a bit of experience.

Hope this helps.

ps: before you shoot him, make sure there is a lot of space between the bear's ears. Try to get a 360 degree look at him too (for rubs etc)
 
Thanks Randy,

Are you sure 44 bears is enough of a sample?

(just kidding!)

Good advice on the 360. Our local bears are not usually real big like the coastal variety... so going with a .308, any particular bullet recommendation as to penetration, (don't want any exit wounds) etc?
I've got some factory 150gr noslers, and some 180gr as well kicking around here. Also some SMK's .
 
huntinstuff said:
I find spring bears are better fur than fall. And the meat is the same.

And I have shot 44 of them so I have a bit of experience.

Hope this helps.

ps: before you shoot him, make sure there is a lot of space between the bear's ears. Try to get a 360 degree look at him too (for rubs etc)
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I'll be looking for "Rooster Cockburn" bear recipes come this spring...:)
 
Warren

If you ever get the urge to stray a couple of hours North of the Chateau I would gladly take you out for a day or two chasing blackies.
 
Hey Everyone!
I had so many questions in preparation for my FIRST spring grizzly and black bear ever and I found this book on Amazon.com
http://www.amazon.com/Hunting-Bears...r_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1203046423&sr=8-11

its entitled
Hunting Bears: Black, Brown, Grizzly and Polar Bears (Outdoorsman's Edge)
Book Description
Hunting Bears covers all aspects of bear hunting for all species of bear - black, grizzly, brown, and polar - in North America. Includes information on baiting tactics, spot and stalk strategies, hunting with hounds, and bear behavior. Also covered are do-it-yourself hunts, fly-in hunts, and how to prepare your bear for the taxidermist. Includes over 90 black-and-white photographs.

I don't know, I ordered it and it shipped today. Sounded good! I can let you guys know how it turns out if any of you are interested! I'm so pumped, only
6 more days until the LEH draw!!!
 
popcan said:
Thinking of going for a bear .... partly for the meat (mmm, pepperoni!) but also the new Chateau Popcan will need a rug. :)


Any advice on getting the best fur etc? ie certain months or whatever? Are spring bears good for fur/meat?

I have seen bears locally from time to time (around the cabin) but maybe I'd be better off talking GH into guiding me in his area. I understand he has 3 or 4 following him around at any given moment.
Click to expand...


A fall bear would be better conditioned for sure just before they den up.Try to get one that hasn't been feasting on fish (yuk) and your pepperoni will be a lot tastier. The coat will be nice later on in the season too, especially if he has been eating blueberries,blackberries,raspberries etc.
 
Bears tend to be out on the roads and in clearings where it greens up first int he spring. Earlier the better for fur, but there are more bears to choose from as you get into mid May.

I could drive up for a weekend if you like. Maybe get Bartell to drive down. Have a good ol time!:)
 
The coat is better in the spring.....Fall is WAY TOO WARM for a nice coat...They don't den up until late November and I've seen them active as late as the first week of December.

The meat is better is the fall, as they have been eating berries all summer. Spring meat can be pretty skanky if gotten later in spring as they have been scavenging on winter kill......
 
popcan said:
but maybe I'd be better off talking GH into guiding me in his area. I understand he has 3 or 4 following him around at any given moment.
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I had a 3 day GH guide by his place and didn't get anything. :(

maybe we need a spring bearfest to replace the loss of last years haggis fest? just don't envite GH. I think he's bad luck :D
 
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