Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Bear Hunting => Topic started by: Ridgerunner on January 20, 2021, 10:29:30 AM

Title: Spring bear and color phase bears
Post by: Ridgerunner on January 20, 2021, 10:29:30 AM: I've spent a little bit of time in various NE and SE units but never focused on bear, mainly deer. I'd love to shoot a nice color phase bear, ideally a chocolate, but a cinnamon phase would be cool too. Are there certain units that seem to have higher numbers of color phase bears based on what you guys have seen while deer hunting or spring bear hunting in the past? I'd appreciate any insight you guys have to offer.
Title: Re: Spring bear and color phase bears
Post by: trophyhunt on January 20, 2021, 10:32:57 AM: Seen more colored bears than black phase bears in the blues. Imagine it’s the same in the north east corner, and I’m sure the population is much better too in the NE!!!!
Title: Re: Spring bear and color phase bears
Post by: lightning9191 on January 20, 2021, 10:35:41 AM: I hunted the NE corner last year and saw 2 blacks, one blonde, and shot a cinnamon.

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Title: Re: Spring bear and color phase bears
Post by: jrebel on January 20, 2021, 10:37:33 AM: My experience actively hunting bears and running trail cameras year round, is that color phase appears to be about 50% in eastern Washington regions. Central, NE, SE, South Central, etc......50% color. From the pics I see, it appears that the SE has consistently bigger bears. The NE appears to have average sized bears with the occasional big...or monster bear.

These are just my observations based on trail camera pics and hunting them pretty hard for the last 10 years.
Title: Re: Spring bear and color phase bears
Post by: cougforester on January 20, 2021, 10:38:01 AM: There a shocking number of colored phase bears just in Central WA for fall bear. I've yet to shoot a black one, all have been various stages of chocolates and blondes. Seen a few but mostly it's color phase there.
Title: Re: Spring bear and color phase bears
Post by: HillHound on January 20, 2021, 10:48:42 AM: I agree based of sightings, pics and personal harvest that probably 50% of eastern wa bears are color phase. Saw a black sow on the east side last year with three Cubs, one black, one blond, and one cinnamon. Not sure if she picked up an orphan or two but cows have different colored calves so I suppose bears could too. I have shot one bear on the west side and it was black. Shot 6 bears on the east side with 4 being black and two cinnamon. I would say any east side unit ups your odds over finding a color phase on the west side
Title: Re: Spring bear and color phase bears
Post by: jrebel on January 20, 2021, 10:56:16 AM: Couple pics to liven up the thread. Lots of color phase in this state.
Title: Re: Spring bear and color phase bears
Post by: jrebel on January 20, 2021, 11:00:49 AM: A few more
Title: Re: Spring bear and color phase bears
Post by: bigbds61 on January 20, 2021, 11:02:39 AM: My color phase sow from last August. Tastes like huckleberries. LOL(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210120/0c87690706a8cf4c571d15f896e27f68.jpg)

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Title: Re: Spring bear and color phase bears
Post by: trophyhunt on January 20, 2021, 11:21:35 AM: Spring 2020 and spring 2017
Title: Re: Spring bear and color phase bears
Post by: High Climber on January 20, 2021, 11:27:08 AM: Quote from: jrebel on January 20, 2021, 10:56:16 AM
Couple pics to liven up the thread. Lots of color phase in this state.

That brown and white bear rugged out is a unique one. Very nice 👍
Title: Re: Spring bear and color phase bears
Post by: jrebel on January 20, 2021, 11:34:00 AM: Quote from: High Climber on January 20, 2021, 11:27:08 AM
Quote from: jrebel on January 20, 2021, 10:56:16 AM
Couple pics to liven up the thread. Lots of color phase in this state.

That brown and white bear rugged out is a unique one. Very nice 👍

My taxidermist called it a Champagne color and said is the only one he has seen and is very unique and rare. It was my son's first bear shot in Central Washington. He shot it at 9 years old.
Title: Re: Spring bear and color phase bears
Post by: Woodchuck on January 20, 2021, 11:44:32 AM: Fall Blues bear
Title: Re: Spring bear and color phase bears
Post by: Karl Blanchard on January 20, 2021, 11:59:53 AM: Most of my bear time has been in the blues and I'd say probably closer to 75%/25% color phase to black is what I see. NE corner seems to have a lot more black in the spot ive hunted. Hopefully get my big jet black boar with brown muzzle one of these days.
Title: Re: Spring bear and color phase bears
Post by: Ironhead on January 20, 2021, 12:37:47 PM: From my observations in Wa state, it seems like the areas with thick dense timber have darker Bears. As the canopy opens up the coats lighten up.
Title: Re: Spring bear and color phase bears
Post by: cougforester on January 20, 2021, 12:48:20 PM: Quote from: Ironhead on January 20, 2021, 12:37:47 PM
From my observations in Wa state, it seems like the areas with thick dense timber have darker Bears. As the canopy opens up the coats lighten up.

I agree completely on this. I hunt within a couple GMUs of where you are and our hypothesis has been color phase bears blend into more exposed soils better and also wouldn't get as hot as a black coat would.

However the areas I hunt were burned 20-30 years ago and still have some stumps and logs left, and the few black bears that are out there sure are hard to find amongst those. I get fooled by ole stump bears quite often!
Title: Re: Spring bear and color phase bears
Post by: Weatherby92 on January 20, 2021, 01:21:23 PM: Quote from: cougforester on January 20, 2021, 12:48:20 PM
Quote from: Ironhead on January 20, 2021, 12:37:47 PM
From my observations in Wa state, it seems like the areas with thick dense timber have darker Bears. As the canopy opens up the coats lighten up.

I agree completely on this. I hunt within a couple GMUs of where you are and our hypothesis has been color phase bears blend into more exposed soils better and also wouldn't get as hot as a black coat would.

However the areas I hunt were burned 20-30 years ago and still have some stumps and logs left, and the few black bears that are out there sure are hard to find amongst those. I get fooled by ole stump bears quite often!

I agree with the above statements. In the NE corner i have observed about 50/50 color phase bears. The drier environments provide more opportunity for color phase.
Title: Re: Spring bear and color phase bears
Post by: dilleytech on January 20, 2021, 01:43:51 PM: In south central wa it seems about 40% black, 40% brown and 20% cinnamon. For some reason and maybe it’s just my experience but all the black bears I have killed have nice thick coats. And the brown bears are thinner and less attractive for mounts. But man I have some beautiful thick coated cinnamon pics. Still haven’t lucked into one yet. Besides this mixed sow.
Title: Re: Spring bear and color phase bears
Post by: Timberstalker on January 20, 2021, 01:49:52 PM: I've yet to kill a black, all have been color phase, Chocolates, a jet blond, cinnamons.

I'm with Karl; give me giant black, before this ride is over.