when do bears start denning for the winter

[Jim at NineTrees]

Soooo .... went out about 3 times now.  Seen black bear sign just not the bear.  I have been up in the OP and Kitsap most sign has been up high 2200-2600 feet.  Tried predator calling for hours .... still nothin.  I wash all my clothes in scent free detergent, mask with sprays, etc. so what am I doing wrong.  Are these bears denned up for the winter.  I have read that they do around the beginning of Nov.  I am no quitter and will go at it again.  Any suggestions?

Jim

[billythekidrock]

I just got some tcam video of a sow and cub at about 1000 feet the other day. With the mild weather we have been having they may stay out for a bit longer this year.

[Hangfire]

I have seen fresh bear tracks, in the snow, in mid November, in NE part of the state and the Yakima region, in the late muzzle loader elk season. I don't know if there is a precise time, but suspect most are Denned up by December.

[fishwhackin]

I have seen the bears in Kitsap quite regularly into December.  Daily on trail cams when I had them through the month of November.  Just remember.....there aren't that many bear out there.  Not like deer anyhow so you aren't going to see them just because you see some sign.  Might take quite a few trips and a lot of patience.  Good Luck!

[Michelle_Nelson]

Bears do not "Den Up" in Washington like they do farther north into Canada and Alaska.

[billythekidrock]

Bears do not "Den Up" in Washington like they do farther north into Canada and Alaska.

That would be true on the coast and in the lowlands, but in the high country they will. Especially sows. Just not for the lenght of time that they do farther north.

[runamuk]

Soooo .... went out about 3 times now.  Seen black bear sign just not the bear.  I have been up in the OP and Kitsap most sign has been up high 2200-2600 feet.  Tried predator calling for hours .... still nothin.  I wash all my clothes in scent free detergent, mask with sprays, etc. so what am I doing wrong.  Are these bears denned up for the winter.  I have read that they do around the beginning of Nov.  I am no quitter and will go at it again.  Any suggestions?

Jim

Listen to BTKR and also have patience...not all people see bears...3 trips is nothing.....even though I see bears I still haven't seen one at the right time in the right place and I am a bear magnet of some sort.  I haven't had near the time I put in last year but still have managed to get out there a little....and I will keep going until the season ends at which point I shoot my tag full of holes if I haven't been successful 

[DOUBLELUNG]

Healthy bears den when they stop gaining weight, or start losing weight.  If they can maintain weight, they will remain active.  The exceptions are starved bears, due to age, injury or other infirmity; if they don't have the fat reserves, they will continue to try and find food.  When denning begins depends on food resources, and how much energy it takes to remain active.  Once they go into a negative energy balance, they den.

[saylean]

My bro saw a bear this last weekend up at the north cascades...in a rock slide...they're still out.

[shanevg]

Hopefully they haven't denned up yet, I need to fill my second tag still.  I'm heading up high this weekend and then I have a backup bear that my father-in-law saw around 3200 feet elevation last week that I'm going to try to get next weekend if I don't have luck on Saturday. 

[Gutpile]

Bears do not "Den Up" in Washington like they do farther north into Canada and Alaska.

That would be true on the coast and in the lowlands, but in the high country they will. Especially sows. Just not for the lenght of time that they do farther north.

They do over here unless the weather is very very warm and snow free.

[JackOfAllTrades]

What Doublelung said! What BillTheKidRock said! I'm surprised not to read the word 'Hibernation' in this thread. Blackbears will take extended sleeps, and come out occasionally. Not necessarily to feed but they may. You'll see this most often with lowland bears, where-as the bears at higher elevations or at least colder climates will sleep for longer periods. (Gutpile's environment or above the no-snow line) I've seen bear tracks in fresh snow in late December and as early as late January. I know that Strutnrut1984 was huffed at by bears in the brush at low elevations this year in mid February.

Jim at Ninetrees, this is prime bear time. I doubt that many are denning just yet. -Except maybe the younger ones or some sows. Some lowland bears don't 'den' at all. Big boars will still be out until we have some significant weather or 'like Doublelung said', they need to use more energy than its worth to find food. We haven't had any significant weather to eliminate food sources yet. Bears out right now are on the move. They're looking for food, just as they've been out trying to fatten up for the last month. Find their scat. Look at what they're still eating. Grubs, grasses, roots, bee larva/honey, grouse, coyotes, pika and other rodents. Locate transition areas between food sources.

-Steve

[grundy53]

When they get really really sleepy.....

[d-rock]

Bear tags taste best with some A-1..... but not quite as good as deer or elk tags......They don't need sauce if BBQ'd properly.

[Balladeer]

When they get really really sleepy.....

HA!