Bear Bed 2013

[billythekidrock]

Went out to check a cam this morning and boy was it wet, cold and slightly snowing at 800 feet. There was a couple of inches of snow at about 1500 feet.

This cam is over a small skunk cabbage patch that bears have used before. The only activity was 3 deer and a possum.

BT-Skunk Cabbage

But about 100 yards away I found a bear bed and a couple piles of scat.







This bed was not there two weeks ago, but all the sign is beat down from the rain so I don't know exactly how old it is. If I get some ambition, I may go back in the morning and put a cam on the bed in hopes of the bear returning.

[KFhunter]

They don't reuse the beds over and over

[Rufous]

I disagree. I have seen beds that have huge piles of bear poo next to them. It was quite obvious that the bed was used for an extended period of time.

[billythekidrock]

They don't reuse the beds over and over

Not sure where you got that information, but it is not entirely correct.

They may not use the same beds in the summer or fall, but I often find beds that are re-used in the spring. They are not very active at this time of year and won't move far from a food source. T

In my areas they will feed and rest in an area for a couple days, move on for a few days and then come back for a few days and use the same bed.
 
I have placed sticks or kicked up dirt in the beds and have come back to find them clean and smooth, with bear hair in the bed. I have also found that if I mess with a bed too much they will make a new one often only yards away.

[billythekidrock]

I disagree. I have seen beds that have huge piles of bear poo next to them. It was quite obvious that the bed was used for an extended period of time.

Ya beat me to it, so I won't post pics of major poo piles near a well used bed.

[Turner89]

I disagree. I have seen beds that have huge piles of bear poo next to them. It was quite obvious that the bed was used for an extended period of time.

  Yea, I found one that looked like my kids bedroom. Ferns tore up and piled up for his bed with crap all around area. The salmon berry brush was tore up also. He/she defiantly spent alot of time there.