Wheres the Bears?

[7.62Warbird]

Been hunting for two weeks straight all hours of the day. Been hunting up high 5-6k and still to much snow no berries. When cloudy have been hunting 2-3k. Haven't seen hardly any scat or other sign. Hunted clearings with berries, roads, nice dark mossy areas, tried calling for what seems like hours. So far in 2 1/2 weeks of hunting i have managed to see one cinnamon running off through a clearing as I rounded a curve on the log road. Man its getting spendy! 100 plus miles a day on my truck plus food and beer.
  How long would you sit on a clearing for?
  What should I be looking for in a good hunting area?
  Best time of day for meadows? Tree'd area?
  Do bears hang around watering holes?
  So any Ideas on time of day and location for this warm weather hunting would be great.
  Hunting NW Whatcom County area.
  Thanks, Warbird

[johnnyaustin44]

We usually just try and find an at least three year old clear cut to sit on. Bears like the cuts with some thick cover because the feel safe inside them.  I've found that the bears can hang out in these cuts all day as well, they eat and then will just lay down and take a nap. So sitting on the units i try and be above them to look down and have a good view and hopefully see one stick his head above the brush and take a looksy. Hope this will help and good luck to ya

[rasbo]

no berries ready yet in my area,so dark timber,ants are on the menu and whatever else they can scrounge for now..wild berries are ripe but few and far between

[Kola16]

From this article it sounds like you have been hunting from your truck. I have found out that I see a lot more animals from either walking or riding my bike. When an animal hears a truck they scat. I don't know what to tell you about calling though. I am just getting into that myself. Also on the water thing, I know bears like to stick around water when it is hot. A good hunting area will have lots of food, and not a lot of human activity. I personally have only found 1 bear in the open on my own and it was coming down to get a drink (definitaly not saying that bears don't hang out in the open).

[sled]

  Haha.  Good question.  Trying to figure that one out myself. 
  I have been out atleast four times a week since opener, and have been close 3 times.  First time was in a cut about 12 years old, second time was in last years cut, and the third was in a cut about five years old. 
  I have been hiking in about 6 miles, and have not found much poo on the roads except where I have seen bears.  Makes me think if there is poo there are bears.
  There are several small streams near, and all types of cover. 
  There was lots of salmon berries, but gone now.  There are hucks, and bottle caps out now, and looks like the blackberries arnt far away.
  I am hunting about 1500 feet.
  This is the hardest I have bear hunted yet, and have been close but I am still waiting to get lucky!
  Hope that helps you out.

[Kola16]

    There are hucks, and bottle caps out now, and looks like the blackberries arnt far away.
 

What are bottlecaps

[Elk whack master]

wonka candies! or those things that are on top of glass bottles! jk they look like salmon berries but they are drier and fuzzy looking.

[hoytem]

    There are hucks, and bottle caps out now, and looks like the blackberries arnt far away.
 

What are bottlecaps

I think he is referring to what I would call "black caps." Very small black berries. Or very similar

[Kola16]

Got it.

[fish vacuum]

wonka candies! or those things that are on top of glass bottles! jk they look like salmon berries but they are drier and fuzzy looking.

Sounds like thimble berries. I keep hearing that bears like them, but I see a lot of them untouched where bears have obviously been into the salmon berries only a few feet away.

[MDGrand]

I have been hunting the forest company land around where I live.. its a great bear population and at times, I swear I can hear them walking through the forest and making noise.. BUT.. since these seasons have been sooooo late.. They do not seem to be out much. I have only seen 1 myself.

Looks like the berry crop, which REALLY drives them out and close to a lot of roads, are just BARELY starting to come out.. I would say end of August and Sept it will get REAL interesting.

BIO told me that in my area the bears pop is HUGE and if the berries dont come out in force, we will see a lot more in people's neighborhoods.

I expect to see a lot of dead bear on this board 2 weeks from now.

Keep at it! That is my goal... to REALLY learn the area so when they do come out, it will be easy.

BEST OF LUCK and keep at it! I am