Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Bear Hunting => Topic started by: Bullets_n_Octane on October 17, 2012, 07:59:42 AM

Title: How high, How low?
Post by: Bullets_n_Octane on October 17, 2012, 07:59:42 AM: High or Low? Super High, as in alpine-summit high, or foothils clearcut high?
Super low as in Creek beds at DNR road entry level, eatin salmon carcasses ( :puke: ) or what?

In the summer (closer to opening), it seems I see Scat everywhere. However, since my last Honeyhole became distgustingly swallowed by undergrowth at a phenominal rate of speed, I am just hnow, a few years later, looking around at new places. I've been told by family they've seen some huge sacat piles and some very large bears WAY up, as in, 5-6000 feet up. I've also been told that they are wandering river beds looking for salmon...Thats two huge differences in locales. I also know Salmon eating blacks are not as tasty... any input?
Title: Re: How high, How low?
Post by: D-Rock425 on October 17, 2012, 08:39:02 AM: They are everywhere in between.
Title: Re: How high, How low?
Post by: Fl0und3rz on October 17, 2012, 08:44:41 AM: Saw a couple of piles at around 4,200-4,400 this weekend in the GPNF. Lots of berries in the scat. I think snow level was around 10K at the time.
Title: Re: How high, How low?
Post by: arees on October 17, 2012, 08:55:10 AM: I've got one showing up in my apple trees at 300ft and breaking the branches...but only in the middle of the night. :bash:
Title: Re: How high, How low?
Post by: Bullets_n_Octane on October 17, 2012, 09:53:49 AM: Always seems like low ones are very wary and nocturnal... High ones just do whatever...
Title: Re: How high, How low?
Post by: JimmyHoffa on October 17, 2012, 10:39:38 AM: A lot of the sign I've seen recently has been low, near clearcut areas and looks to contain lots of salal berry in the scat.
Title: Re: How high, How low?
Post by: skagitsteel on October 17, 2012, 12:02:38 PM: In the last week have hunted high low and in between .At this point probably wherever you can find a food source. It already snowed a little up high and will continue to do so quickly covering any remaining blue berries. Noticed some blackberries still hanging on at one of my deer spots down low last night and a fresh set of tracks. Mid range (3000ft) didn't really see much for food sources or sign, not to say they aren't there. last time out up high (last fri), spotted one still working the berries around 4300 ft....
Title: Re: How high, How low?
Post by: Bullets_n_Octane on October 17, 2012, 12:56:45 PM: Yeah, makes sense, I've seen Blueberry and Salal as well in the last couple weeks. My usual judge of how high is, I have two Blueberry bushes in my front yard

Blueberries ARE Black Bears favorite food source on the west side just my :twocents:

If there is still berries on the bushes, then the bears are still eating them, which typically means 2500-4500 feet, since Blueberries grow best here. I guess I was just wondering because of the unusually dry summer we had (Meaning the berryies/fruits, cling onto the plant longer) if they were still up, or making it donw lower. Sounds like the usual, they're just eating whatever they find....anywhere!
Title: Re: How high, How low?
Post by: skagitsteel on October 17, 2012, 03:43:04 PM: Blueberries usually 4000 and up, there were some 2 weeks ago at 5500. depends where you are, but a lot of blueberries never happened this year due to big snowpack. snow level down to 2000 this weekend
Title: Re: How high, How low?
Post by: elkslayer4x5 on October 20, 2012, 07:23:25 PM: Still got berries ripening here in Oregon, and bears in the berries. I'm less than 50 miles from the Pacific, and have yet to see salmon, but then it has fianlly started to rain, last week. Saw fresh scat today, full of berries.
Title: Re: How high, How low?
Post by: Bullets_n_Octane on October 21, 2012, 10:57:57 AM: Quote from: elkslayer4x5 on October 20, 2012, 07:23:25 PM
Still got berries ripening here in Oregon, and bears in the berries. I'm less than 50 miles from the Pacific, and have yet to see salmon, but then it has fianlly started to rain, last week. Saw fresh scat today, full of berries.

That's crazy you havent seen any fish, I was in Central Wa last week for the deer opener, and the Cle Elum river was STACKED with fish!
Title: Re: How high, How low?
Post by: NWBREW on October 21, 2012, 11:05:24 AM: This one was at 1,850'.
Title: Re: How high, How low?
Post by: 762Armo on October 23, 2012, 11:51:48 AM: Quote from: NWBREW on October 21, 2012, 11:05:24 AM
This one was at 1,850'.

Did you get him? 8)
Title: Re: How high, How low?
Post by: JackOfAllTrades on October 23, 2012, 11:55:41 AM: Quote from: 762Armo on October 23, 2012, 11:51:48 AM
Quote from: NWBREW on October 21, 2012, 11:05:24 AM
This one was at 1,850'.

Did you get him? 8)

Too young/small. :chuckle:

-Steve
Title: Re: How high, How low?
Post by: WSU on October 23, 2012, 11:57:58 AM: Depends on where you are and mainly on food sources. Find where the food is and you will find the bears. In the fall, berries are often the key.
Title: Re: How high, How low?
Post by: Bullets_n_Octane on October 23, 2012, 12:43:54 PM: I'm gonna try the rivers edge and what berries I can find, should be a lil more tricky now that the snow is falling...
Title: Re: How high, How low?
Post by: JackOfAllTrades on October 23, 2012, 02:54:47 PM: Not tricky at all... Late October and November are the best bear months in my book. The hides are the best and the meat is sweet with all those blueberries consumed. I prefer the high country right around/just below the snow line to find bears. Right now they'll eat just about anything. If you see scat, disect it to see what they've been eating. Grouse feathers don't digest very well. Grasses, seeds from berries. Know what seeds are from what berries. Fur.... The color and length of fur in a stool will tell you whether he's been eating Pika, Marmot, Deer or Coyote. With that information you can tell the range of that particular bear depending on where you find the scat. Find the food. You'll run in to bears.

-Steve
Title: Re: How high, How low?
Post by: Bullets_n_Octane on October 24, 2012, 10:11:54 AM: Quote from: JackOfAllTrades on October 23, 2012, 02:54:47 PM
Not tricky at all... Late October and November are the best bear months in my book. The hides are the best and the meat is sweet with all those blueberries consumed. I prefer the high country right around/just below the snow line to find bears. Right now they'll eat just about anything. If you see scat, disect it to see what they've been eating. Grouse feathers don't digest very well. Grasses, seeds from berries. Know what seeds are from what berries. Fur.... The color and length of fur in a stool will tell you whether he's been eating Pika, Marmot, Deer or Coyote. With that information you can tell the range of that particular bear depending on where you find the scat. Find the food. You'll run in to bears.

Sound advice, thank you sir! This weekend can't come soon enough!