Looking ahead to August...

[7mmfan]

My buddies and I have been doing a little bear hunting the last few years, and one in particular has shot a few bears now at this point, but I still feel like we are kind of just walking around in the woods and glassing clear cuts hoping a bear is there. I've never been the kind of guy that likes to leave anything to chance, I would much rather have a plan of attack and know why an animal is where it is. So here is my question...

The area that we hunt always seems to turn on around the last week of August when the berries start to ripen. Where are the bears before that, and more importantly, what are they eating? For those of you that have been doing this for a long time, do you see a change in a bears diet from mid July - September? Are they spending more time on stumps and grass earlier in the summer?

Any insight is appreciated. I'd really like to broaden my search area and know what I should be focusing on earlier in the season especially.

[D-Rock425]

Find the little wild black berries that grow in clear cuts normally ripe during the first few weeks in August. 

[7mmfan]

The ones that crawl across the ground instead of growing up like the other ones? Do you still feel like clear cuts are the best areas to focus on or is there opportunity in timber or other vegetation areas?

Another thought has been to head up real high and check some alpine areas, but those opportunities will be pretty limited based on schedules.

[saylean]

Huckleberries should be ripe by then, depending on your elevation....find the wild running vine black berries, as suggested....grubs should be getting hit on...salmonberries should be ripe....

Bears are where the food is....find these items/no people, find bears.

Think of cool creek draws, etc...you've probably drove or hiked right by many areas containing bears at this time of year, but dont think to look into it, as you dont see the food, or point, ...might be too thick to hunt, etc...

give predator calling a try too...you never know what will come out of that tall nasty brush....or cool shady draw. I have my best luck doing evening hunts.

[7mmfan]

Good stuff saylean thanks. The area we hunt we get lots of bears on camera throughout the summer and then they are just gone for about the first 2 1/2 weeks of August. Could be increased pressure keeping them in the thick. I will have to give calling more of a shot. One of the bears my buddy killed he called into about 30'! Pretty intense he said.

[h20hunter]

7mm....if you haven't done so check out the thead about bears up top in permanent theads. Some good info there and I like going back just to read it again.

[xXLojackXx]

I have noticed early on in spring it's all grasses they're feeding on. Late spring and early summer it's mostly stumps getting shredded looking for grubs. In that case look for overgrown clear cuts/reprod timber stands. It's harder to spot them in it, but I've heard bears ripping stumps and sneezing from 3-400 yards before without spotting them first. Then as the berries come up that's where I find bears in the late summer/fall.

That being said, I see a lot of different bears in the early seasons, roaming looking for food sources. Once the berries come in, it seems like they stay put much more as I see the same bears in the same areas instead of new bears moving through. They'll reach about 4500-5000' elevation in late June and early July where i hunt and I find WAY more bears near ridge tops than in the valley bottoms too.

As far as calling, once they're finding food that's easier than tracking and killing a deer, they usually won't even bother. I did this numerous times last year scouting when I'd spot a feeding bear. I'd pull out my foxpro and hit them with a sequence of predator calls and the bear wouldn't even lift and ear to me. They're pretty simple creatures. They go for the easiest food sources available. Don't waste your time predator calling bears in a berry patch haha. It could work in areas of more timber and less berries though.

[7mmfan]

sounds like a lot of what I've thought is being confirmed. Just have to gain some confidence in knowing they are there and keep on them I suppose. Thanks for the advice gentlemen I appreciate it!

[h20hunter]

Carefull 7mm.....bears are very addicting. Long season, generous bag limit...cool critters....good luck out there.

[bknilvr00]

Carefull 7mm.....bears are very addicting. Long season, generous bag limit...cool critters....good luck out there.

Man, I'm itchin to get a bear and I blame the forum.... Everybody posting up their spring bears, talking about how awesome it is, combined with aforementioned season length and bag limit. This is rivaling my waterfowl obsession. And that's just not healthy. 

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[xXLojackXx]

That's exactly it. Hunting sucks when you aren't confident in the areas you are hunting. I know for certain my favorite spots hold bears, but I'll go 4-8 hours without seeing anything. Then I'll look back to a spot that I just glassed 5 mins earlier and there'll be a bear standing there. I swear they appear and disappear just as quick.

[h20hunter]

Agree Lojack.....they are like ninjas!

[D-Rock425]

I want to be a ninja

[h20hunter]

You can borrow my sons costume from last year. It will just need to be hemmed.

[D-Rock425]

Awesome.