November: Right time or wrong time?

[HUNTNUT!!!]

Hey everyone, I'm new to the sight but I have been reading through the forums for a quite a few days. You guys are full of knowledge and I have learned alot. I am active duty Army and stationed on Ft. Lewis. I am trying to soak up as much as possible about bear hunting. I grew up bow hunting blacktail deer in Oregon and this is my first year going after bears with real serious effort. I have been hunting them since opening day in August and have seen 12 now but they have been either sows with cubs or too far away to hit with a bow. I figured I would switch over to rifle and hunt in November but I am curious if it is worth hunting them right now or if they are already dug in for the winter. Any info would help and be much appreciated. Thanks guys

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I dont think our bears "dig in" for the winter, it is too mild on the wet-side, but season closes on the 15th of Nov. anyway.....

[X-Force]

pm sent

[Galpster]

I also would love to fill my bear tag but have seen naughta! I see lots of sign but no bear. I have tried the cass creek predator call with no luck. Anyone have any ideas being this late in the season and no berries left?

Thanks for any suggestions. I have been hunting wet side only and have limited knowledge of hunting areas but where I have been going lots of sign like I said just nothing moving when I am there.

[bighorns2bushytails]

ive been out several times and i also have seen nothing.  not sure were the bears are at or what they are doing.  dont think they are wintered up yet as i am still seeing some sign however not as much as i was seeing before bear season.  when you find them let me know so i can go get mine

anyways good luck to ya i dont think they call them the black ghost for no reason....  i swear i only see these guys when its not bear season LOL  oh well guess it makes it worth while to keep putting in for that spring bear hunt.

--bh2bt

[Michelle_Nelson]

Now is a great time to get out and kill a Bear.  Especially if you are looking to have a mount done.  November and Spring hunts are the best for hides.  I have been having some great looking hides coming in the past couple weeks.  Also the higher the elevation the better the hides.

  Easiest time of year to tag a bear probably not.  Berries are mostly gone so the bears are roaming everywhere trying to fill their face and pack on the pounds.  On the West side Bears don't tend to hibernate.  The winters are just not cold or hard enough.  They may sleep for a week or 2 at a time and than move on for a while and than den up for a few more weeks when it starts getting cold again. 

This is just my Opinion but we had quite a bit of snow in the CF this year which isn't normal.  I had 18" - 2' at times.  I think the bears may have slept a little more.

[carpsniperg2]

right now is a great time to get one they are winter haired up and very pretty we call alot and shoot 90% of the bears this way very few we have ever just stumbled onto get out there and hunt you still got a chance tell the 15 of nov

[Galpster]

Anyone want to go on a bear hunt? I will pay for gas and dinner!! I would love to kill a bear and would even go to your spot blind folded!!!!

HELP ME GET A BEAR, I WILL EVEN GIVE YOU SOME MEAT!!!!!

[beaslayer6]

we got a bear last week. u need to find high source of food. fish, berrys, rock piles etc. The bear we got was shoot at 6500' and had no fat on it. so theres stilll a few walking around.The more time u spend in the woods the better chances u have.

[saylean]

Pretty chest on that bear.

Like everyone else said, they are tough to find, but are out there still. I plan on going out this weekend and hopefully next, for the final ditch effort.