Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Bear Hunting => Topic started by: Pete112288 on January 25, 2014, 03:43:50 PM

Title: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: Pete112288 on January 25, 2014, 03:43:50 PM: Dug through the old posts expecting to find a similar one but didnt so I thought I'd ask. What does everyone notice about the average color of bears in different areas of WA? I heard that the westside averages 99% black 1% other and its like 70% color and 30% black on the east side. How about with the white crest? Heard that the coastal bears have a higher average of the white crest. Many people see different color phases on the west side? Do ya notice any difference north to south instead of east to west?
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: Kola16 on January 25, 2014, 03:47:21 PM: Quote from: Pete112288 on January 25, 2014, 03:43:50 PM
I heard that the westside averages 99% black 1% other and its like 70% color and 30% black on the east side.
??? No way. I think that is way off :twocents:
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: boneaddict on January 25, 2014, 04:10:16 PM: I would say more color phase on the east side than the west. Lots have a white crest. :dunno:
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: WA hunter14 on January 25, 2014, 04:16:16 PM: ive only seen 5 or 6 bears but only one of them was not black so id say that 70%color is not right
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: BOWHUNTER45 on January 25, 2014, 04:19:27 PM: Nah ...that's not right unless they are all hanging out in the area I live in ...I see a lot of colored phase bears on the wetside ... mostly chocolate colored ...
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: 3nails on January 25, 2014, 04:20:04 PM: Just in one county here on the west side I can hunt a ridge with predominantly cinnamon, move across the drainage and hunt a ridge predominantly black. Move another ridge over that carries a large percentage with crests. Genetically very localized. No info on the east side from me.
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: boneaddict on January 25, 2014, 04:20:32 PM: Yeah, that's way off. Probably less than 10, and closer to 5% color.
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: boneaddict on January 25, 2014, 04:22:20 PM: See, that's the problem. I can see a buttload of blonde in one region, cinnamon in another, brown in one and black elsewhere. Its very region specific.
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: boneaddict on January 25, 2014, 04:24:39 PM: I saw 30 bear this year, and only three were colorphase that I can remember.
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on January 25, 2014, 04:25:21 PM: Funny animals they are, one spot I hunt I see all color phases.
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: Pete112288 on January 25, 2014, 04:27:04 PM: Yea I guess I never really thought about it in smaller regions being one way and the next area being another, makes sense though. One guy I had talked to was from farther east in the country. Grew up I think near the great lakes but I cant remember. He always talked like a white crest was a trophy no matter on the size of the bear because it is so rare. The only bear I have seen the chest of in the wild was the one I killed and it had a white crest.
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: boneaddict on January 25, 2014, 04:28:00 PM: Two years ago I saw a sow with a blonde, red and a black cub. It was cool.
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on January 25, 2014, 04:33:26 PM: What color was she? I've seen chocolate sow with black and chocolate cubs.
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: boneaddict on January 25, 2014, 04:36:42 PM: She was black.
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: boneaddict on January 25, 2014, 04:37:28 PM: Heres a nice crest for ya

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv47%2Fboneaddict%2FAntler%2520Images%2Fbw.jpg&hash=668cd8f72e183dc71d0877f17d347d8098febe07)
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: buckfvr on January 25, 2014, 04:40:29 PM: Ive seen perfect superman blaze, the letter Y, and ones that look like an apron....love'em.
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: Expedition Scout on January 25, 2014, 04:47:45 PM: I work in a vast area of the Northeast equaling about 500,000 acres. Even in different drainage's you will see one color more than another. Some area's all I see are Black, others only color phase, then others I see both. I think most people hunting in the same area all the time begin to make generalizations about the entire area.
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: boneaddict on January 25, 2014, 04:49:48 PM: Exactly
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: Houndhunter on January 25, 2014, 05:48:13 PM: I think lowland bears tend to be more "black" in color, but the higher up you go in elevation the color phase becomes more prevalent. Atleast from what i've seen hunting WA, thats been my conclusion :twocents:
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: boneaddict on January 25, 2014, 07:46:16 PM: Probably because the higher you got, the closer to the east side of the mountains you got. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: Smossy on January 25, 2014, 07:48:13 PM: I cant find any bears lol Someone point a brotha in the right direction for next year :tup:
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: boneaddict on January 25, 2014, 07:50:22 PM: Have SMG walk in front of you about 100 yards with a pound of bacon hanging from her belt. Its a little grey whether that's considered baiting or not.
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: Smossy on January 25, 2014, 07:55:49 PM: Quote from: boneaddict on January 25, 2014, 07:50:22 PM
Have SMG walk in front of you about 100 yards with a pound of bacon hanging from her belt. Its a little grey whether that's considered baiting or not.
Sounds like were just hiking with a high protein snack to me.
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: xXLojackXx on January 25, 2014, 08:10:55 PM: I hunt the westside and all the bears i saw last year were cinnamon bears. But my buddy who hunts about a mile away from me saw nothing but black bears. Go figure.
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: 180-GRAIN on January 25, 2014, 10:13:05 PM: Shot a blackie with a white crest 2 years ago in the Henry M Jackson. I have seen probably 300 bear in the last 8 years on the west side, only about 20 of them were color phased. I would go with about a 10 percent color phased to black on the west side. The closer to the crest trail the more color phased I have seen.
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: boneaddict on January 26, 2014, 07:53:12 AM: Has anyone on here seen a blue one? Glacier bear?
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: troyspinetar on January 26, 2014, 08:32:33 AM: Ive seen one Black on the East side, Ive seen one Black on the West side, and Ive killed one Black and one Cinnamon with blonde stripe down its back on the West side.
Not a very good sample size. Hope to increase that this year :chuckle:
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: deaner on January 26, 2014, 08:38:49 AM: never heard of a glacier bear, ill have to look that up. anyway in this area id say that the 70% color phase thing is pretty accurate, maybe even a little conservative. got myself a young cinnamon phase this year. and heres an album of some of the bears i got on cam this summer. pretty decent representation of the color frequencies id say. https://imgur.com/a/XCVOV
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: RadSav on January 26, 2014, 08:54:49 AM: In our favorite area close to the PCT, but on west side, 9 out of 10 under 250 are color phase from blonde to chocolate. Better than 9 out of 10 over 250# are solid black. In more than 20 years we've only seen one single sow in this spot. She was about 100#, black as coal with a white patch and only one ear. Maybe we've seen two others with a white patch. 1980-90's we'd see over 40 bear each year. Since about '95 the numbers have rapidly decreased.

Closest thing to a blue bear I've seen was a near complete bald sow last year in Aladdin. Red mop top and almost blue/bald everywhere else. A 400+ grey bear on the Oregon Coast back in '85 was dang close to looking blue as well.
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: Machias on January 26, 2014, 01:09:25 PM: I never considered a black bear with white on it's chest a color phase bear...am I under the wrong impression?
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: steen on January 26, 2014, 02:06:15 PM: My husband shot dark chocolate bear with a white V on it's chest 13 years ago. I shot a blonde bear a year ago, both from the east side. I've seen mostly black bears other than that, some chocolates. I don't think the white on the chest is considered color phase.
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: boneaddict on January 26, 2014, 06:35:13 PM: Quote from: Machias on January 26, 2014, 01:09:25 PM
I never considered a black bear with white on it's chest a color phase bear...am I under the wrong impression?
Two different characteristics, you are on the same page
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: huntnnw on January 27, 2014, 04:12:25 AM: Reason for color phase on the eastside is the dry and usually more open terrain is why they are shades of brown to blend in better and blacks for the westside due to the dark and wet timber and to hide in the shadows better.
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: Skyvalhunter on January 27, 2014, 05:52:12 AM: Quote from: boneaddict on January 26, 2014, 07:53:12 AM
Has anyone on here seen a blue one? Glacier bear?
Only pics from a guide I had in Ak that used to guide for them out of Yakutat Ak
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: Watimberghost on January 27, 2014, 06:16:49 AM: I agree with a lot of you guys on here. From what I've seen the color can be very region specific. There are a few spots that we hunt on the eastside where 70+% color phase is the norm. And 3 "big" drainages away we see 70+% black bears. :dunno:

Not including the high country west of the pct, but from the foothills of the cascades west to the coast, I have never seen anything besides a black bear.
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: Woodchuck on January 27, 2014, 06:47:01 AM: Different bears, Approx 40 miles apart as the crow flies :dunno:
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: casey58 on January 27, 2014, 10:34:41 AM: We spotted 17 two seasons ago, on the east side 10 out of 13 were color fazed from cinnamon to blond, the west side 3 were black and one blond cub. This last year we only spotted 2, the 1 on the east side was blond and the one on the west was was black.
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: MtnMuley on January 27, 2014, 01:17:31 PM: Over the last ten years, the color phased bears in my neck of the woods have equaled the blacks. Some years you'll see more colors and other years you'll see more blacks. About 50/50 these days I'd say. :twocents:
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: snowpack on January 27, 2014, 01:21:38 PM: For the wetside I've never seen a bear in any other color than dark black. Not even a white chest mark. The only variation has been some have a little brown on the muzzle. (this is for coastal units)
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: RadSav on January 27, 2014, 04:07:55 PM: Quote from: huntnnw on January 27, 2014, 04:12:25 AM
Reason for color phase on the eastside is the dry and usually more open terrain is why they are shades of brown to blend in better and blacks for the westside due to the dark and wet timber and to hide in the shadows better.

Why is it every bear I've ever seen in both AZ (about 30) and CA (maybe 18) have been black while better than 50% in Alberta have been cinnamon? Maybe I'm just lucky and hunt where the freaks live :chuckle:
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: Jonathan_S on January 27, 2014, 04:33:06 PM: Out of the 30-40 bears I had on camera this past fall, I doubt more than 12-15 were black.

NE bears

Three blonde/red phases and most were chocolate brown.
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: mountainman on January 27, 2014, 08:01:13 PM: 95 % colr phase in Arizona, 100 % black in Alaska. Generally, color phase spend more time on south slopes, black on northern slopes. Not always, but generally. Personal sightings "bear" this out
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: RadSav on January 27, 2014, 08:10:44 PM: Quote from: mountainman on January 27, 2014, 08:01:13 PM
95 % color phase in Arizona, 100 % black in Alaska. Generally, color phase spend more time on south slopes, black on northern slopes. Not always, but generally. Personal sightings "bear" this out

Hmmm. That's interesting!

Brings a question to mind. Now if a sow has one blonde and one black cub did she give birth to each on different sides of the mountain :dunno:

Guess I had a "Hot" spot in AZ :chuckle:
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: REHJWA on January 28, 2014, 11:29:10 AM: I think it's more like Labs. It's all genetics. :twocents:
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: 6.8mmARHunter on January 28, 2014, 05:43:21 PM: Quote from: boneaddict on January 26, 2014, 07:53:12 AM
Has anyone on here seen a blue one? Glacier bear?

I've never seen one, but they apparently do exist:

http://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Glacier_Bear (http://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Glacier_Bear)
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: snowpack on January 28, 2014, 05:52:22 PM: Quote from: 6.8mmARHunter on January 28, 2014, 05:43:21 PM
Quote from: boneaddict on January 26, 2014, 07:53:12 AM
Has anyone on here seen a blue one? Glacier bear?

I've never seen one, but they apparently do exist:

http://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Glacier_Bear (http://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/Glacier_Bear)
part of the coast of BC, many of the black bears are white in color.
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: Maverick on January 28, 2014, 07:52:35 PM: from what ive seen and heard there are mostly colored bears in the blues. which is just my luck because id really love to get a black one... actually seeing how i havnt had any luck even seeing one during hunting season id be thrilled to fill a tag on any colored or black bear.....
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: boneaddict on January 29, 2014, 07:24:49 AM: Three of my most favorite bear hunts, where I was after a particular bear, involved color phased bears. Two of them became fairly famous bears that were never harvested to my knowledge, even in the age of hounds and baiting. One of them killed dozens of hounds. Hes probably the progenitor to a whole pile of colorphase bears in that area. Smart bear.
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: mountainman on February 09, 2014, 07:24:18 PM: Heres just a sample of Wa. Color phase blackies from years past!
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: _TONY_ on February 09, 2014, 07:29:44 PM: Dang, that last one looks like a really nice bear... :tup:
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: mountainman on February 10, 2014, 01:48:35 PM: Yes he was. 7 1/2', 500#'s +
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: Ripper on February 11, 2014, 08:40:59 AM: I've seen 2 chocolate colored bears on the West side side, all of the others were black. Both of the bears I have shot were black without a white patch. I'd really like one with a white crest and a cinnamon.
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: Salmo on February 11, 2014, 09:52:33 AM: Quote from: boneaddict on January 26, 2014, 07:53:12 AM
Has anyone on here seen a blue one? Glacier bear?

Bone, Is this a serious question?

I have saw a bear two years ago that was silver.. Blue? Maybe a touch of blue as it was a dark silver almost grey, In all honesty I'm not so sure it wasn't an inland grizz. And no I'm not any crazier than the guy that was with me and we just about shhittt our pants watching said bear.

If your serious please elaborate..... :)
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: mountainman on February 11, 2014, 10:37:00 AM: The Glacier bear in coastal Alaska is black with silver guard hair making it appear blue. The white "Kermode" bear is found on the Island that bears the same name. I hunted a white sow up the Icicle for several years. Each time I saw her, she was accompanied with cubs, who were either black or chocolate. That was about 15 years ago..keep looking for another from her gene pool!
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: Biggerhammer on February 11, 2014, 12:24:11 PM: I've shot 6 bears out of the Mission Unit on the East Side near Wenatchee and not one of them has been black. I have passed on small black in color bears but I see many more cinnamon and chocolate colored bears.
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: mountainman on February 18, 2014, 08:13:00 PM: Quote from: Biggerhammer on February 11, 2014, 12:24:11 PM
I've shot 6 bears out of the Mission Unit on the East Side near Wenatchee and not one of them has been black. I have passed on small black in color bears but I see many more cinnamon and chocolate colored bears.
would love to see some pics of those bears! Enjoy pictures of local critters, and you always take some nice photos! ;)
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: Houndhunter on February 18, 2014, 08:24:27 PM: Quote from: mountainman on February 10, 2014, 01:48:35 PM
Yes he was. 7 1/2', 500#'s +

Any of them bears taken with hounds? Looks like the good old days
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: mountainman on February 18, 2014, 08:45:13 PM: Never shot one in front of hounds, but chased upwards of a hundred in the good old days!! All my bears were off bait or spot and stalk. Black and tans for strike dogs and mostly Walkers and blueticks and plotts for runners.
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: Houndhunter on February 18, 2014, 08:49:42 PM: Quote from: mountainman on February 18, 2014, 08:45:13 PM
Never shot one in front of hounds, but chased upwards of a hundred in the good old days!! All my bears were off bait or spot and stalk. Black and tans for strike dogs and mostly Walkers and blueticks for runners.

Your photos remind me of the albums my family has that I've spent hours looking at, can make a guy in this age dream for days....
Title: Re: Color Phase of WA Bears?
Post by: mountainman on February 19, 2014, 09:20:11 PM: Dreamin of the good old days!