Color Phase of WA Bears?

[Pete112288]

Dug through the old posts expecting to find a similar one but didnt so I thought I'd ask. What does everyone notice about the average color of bears in different areas of WA? I heard that the westside averages 99% black 1% other and its like 70% color and 30% black on the east side. How about with the white crest? Heard that the coastal bears have a higher average of the white crest. Many people see different color phases on the west side? Do ya notice any difference north to south instead of east to west?

[Kola16]

I heard that the westside averages 99% black 1% other and its like 70% color and 30% black on the east side.

No way. I think that is way off

[boneaddict]

I would say more color phase on the east side than the west.   Lots have a white crest.   

[WA hunter14]

ive only seen 5 or 6 bears but only one of them was not black so id say that 70%color is not right

[BOWHUNTER45]

Nah ...that's not right unless they are all hanging out in the area I live in ...I see a lot of colored phase bears on the wetside ... mostly chocolate colored ...

[3nails]

 Just in one county here on the west side I can hunt a ridge with predominantly cinnamon, move across the drainage and hunt a ridge predominantly black. Move another ridge over that carries a large percentage with crests. Genetically very localized. No info on the east side from me.

[boneaddict]

Yeah, that's way off.   Probably less than 10, and closer to 5% color. 

[boneaddict]

See, that's the problem.  I can see a buttload of blonde in one region, cinnamon in another, brown in one and black elsewhere.  Its very region specific.

[boneaddict]

I saw 30 bear this year, and only three were colorphase that I can remember.

[Boss .300 winmag]

Funny animals they are, one spot I hunt I see all color phases.

[Pete112288]

Yea I guess I never really thought about it in smaller regions being one way and the next area being another, makes sense though. One guy I had talked to was from farther east in the country. Grew up I think near the great lakes but I cant remember. He always talked like a white crest was a trophy no matter on the size of the bear because it is so rare. The only bear I have seen the chest of in the wild was the one I killed and it had a white crest.

[boneaddict]

Two years ago I saw a sow with a blonde, red and a black cub.   It was cool.

[Boss .300 winmag]

What color was she? I've seen chocolate sow with black and chocolate cubs.

[boneaddict]

She was black.

[boneaddict]

Heres a nice crest for ya