Berry timing

[7mmfan]

I'm planning a trip up into the alpine where we hunted with great success last year in September. The berries were in full force, even on the downslide at 5400' where we were in mid/late September. My only weekend in August to get out is the weekend of 8/9 so I wanted to head up that way but I'm pretty sure that berries will either just be starting, or maybe not even in yet at that point. There are some places in the area that we could see berries down to about 4500', but they're fairly difficult to access.

So I guess the question is, is it worth heading to my high spot that early, or will it just be a vacant lot at that point? Side note, I did see bears at this elevation 2 weeks ago, but they were clearly eating something other than berries. Do they migrate downslope as berries start to ripen?

[bearmanric]

Huckleberrys is red on the Coast. Lots of cascara Berry’s this year should be great in august.

[7mmfan]

But those are significantly lower elevation correct? I'm thinking blueberries above 4500' elevation. Exposed south/east faces. Am I realistically looking at Sept 1 as the real kick off date for berries at that elevation?

[Jonathan_S]

I wouldn't say kickoff, probably decent berries still particularly with this being a later year. Depends on where though. Some years "my" berries at 6500+ are all dried up by Sept 1

[mountainman]

Huckleberries should be prime. Blueberries more into September. Down lower the chokecherries late August and elderberries early September. But sure hitting stumps now! Saw 3 sunday

[jstone]

What side of the mountains do the berries grow better?

[Moe the Sleaze]

8/9 is one week too early, IMO. They'll JUST be getting started. 4,200'

[7mmfan]

I wouldn't say kickoff, probably decent berries still particularly with this being a later year. Depends on where though. Some years "my" berries at 6500+ are all dried up by Sept 1

I think you're berries go a little earlier than Cascade berries. I was up in this area 2 weeks ago and there was still several feet of snow in a lot of places.

[jstone]

North South Slopes?

[7mmfan]

In general south slopes. North slopes I would expect to come on a little later by the nature of their aspect. I read some good trail reports from the area I'm hunting where people began finding berries about that time, August 8/9/10, but people that got there more around August 20-25 found ample berries. Guess the 8/9 trip will be a good scouting trip and maybe we'll get lucky and see a bear.

Next question, what are those bears eating at high elevation before the berries come in? I saw them up there a couple weeks back at nearly 5000'. 5 bears all on one hillside chowing down. They just eating grass or is there something else they focus on? The underlying part of that question is, for meat quality, would it be wise to just wait until closer to September when I'm confident they've been eating berries for a couple weeks?

[Jonathan_S]

Stumps (bugs), digging mice and marmot dens or whatever rodents are around, grass, sometimes roots etc. It's funny to watch bears go from terrorizing every mouse den they find to becoming docile berry pickers in about a week's time.

[7mmfan]

Those of you that have killed a lot of bears, is there a noticeable difference in meat quality between a stump/grass bear in early August and a berry bear in September?

[Ghost Hunter]

Big year for service berries in NE.  Not sure if bears like them?

[jrebel]

There is a number  bumper crop of service berries this year. They are ripe now and will be a great early august food source.   Only bad thing is they are everywhere so bears don’t have to congregate in any specific area. 

[HoopsNHorns]

There is a number crop of service berries this year. They are ripe now and will be a great early august food source.   Only bad thing is they are everywhere so bears don’t have to congregate in any specific area.

Yep.  Huge crop of service berries in the NE this year.  They are ripe and in the lower elevations (~2000 ft), bears have started to hit them.