Early bear season?
 

Wondering if anyone has any thoughts on bears coming out early with the great weather we've been having? Worth getting out around opener? Is anyone putting out bait earlier this year?

I saw that Boo, the grizzly from Golden is out already. He’ll be in and out over the next little while, but he’s awake.

I am going to put out a bait this week and get a camera on it. While me and my little guy were exploring a new 1/4 I just bought we found a bear in its den. It’s eyes were open and it was moving around inside and either snoring or growling. It did appear to be quite drowsy still and no footprints were in the snow outside of its hole. Today here it was +20, next week is a bit cooler but I don’t think it will be long before they start waking up looking for food.

Have bear carcasses and bait pails for sale. Send me pm.

Sorry should read beaver carcasses and bait pails.

I'm told both Black and Grizzlies have been spotted west of here, but till things green up they won't be moving much.

Big bears are up already, saw a black off the highway going to Red Deer from Calgary yesterday

Did you see a Black Bear along HW2? Or were you on some back roads?

Sorry, back roads. I avoid the 2 like the plague

Bears are out. Seen one on the hwy between waterhen and canoe lake before the last cold snap.
When we stopped at the waterhen store, the lady behind the till said they’ve seen a few roaming around.

Thats very interesting! I dislike #2 as well.

any pics ?
I would be surprised

No, with the snow storm going on it seemed prudent to keep both hands on the wheel lol

Same here, though my wife once had a confirmed sighting of a Black crossing the highway near Stavely, but that was mid summer.

There won't be any food for about a month at least, just like any other year. No need to hurry. :lol:

Black bears are starting to come out already up north. They will stay near the den area IF they have water and feed. They need to get rid of the plug, so they will be looking for poplar buds, willow buds, green grass, dandelions etc. They will move to find food, too early for the rut. This time of year they will eat anything that provides bulk. Look on south facing slopes, near rivers or beaver dams. Watch for them to be up in poplar trees to get the new buds as well as willow stands.

There is running water in the Watino, Smokey River, Peace River area already. Temps last week were up in the +20 range. Even where there is no open water, there is a lot of water sitting on top of the ice or in small depressions catching the little snow melt there is.

In the dens, it is still as cold. It’s only warm on the “outside”. While we had close to 20 above zero once, nights below minus 10 are still the norm (was -8 today, -14 yesterday, for example). If you check any pile of leaves from the fall, it is still frozen an inch or two under. It’ll be a while yet. Still a while to the opener though.

It happens every year. People get their shirts in a knot over bear hunting “starting early this year”. The reality is, they need food. As of right now, there is no food.

Chuck you always have to be so logical. :)

+/- a week, things will get going the first week of May. Just like every year.

I find it very interesting that guys are sounding off and implyying some of us don't know what we are talking about despite more than one of us reporting confirmed sightings of bears being out and around. It isn't optimal hunting conditions but if you are looking for an early Bear with no rubs they are around. Bears are VERY peedictable and easy to pattern. What drives them doesn't change. If you don't want to hunt under these conditions fine, but please don't tell me the Bears I have seen are hallucinations.

I’ve been in on close to 50 spot and stalk bear kills. No guides. I stand by what I’ve said.

They can be out. But now is a tough slog to hunt one.

There's always a few out in April. I used to think it was always younger ones that made poor dens. Then one year we had a 7 footer show up April 23rd.

If I was itching to get out in a week I would definitely be going, but I would also know that my chances of seeing a monster aren't very good.
We won't be setting baits until middle to late April.
Unless of course, the weather is beautiful and I'm bored.

Would this be a good time to try calling

Can you sound like a dandy lion?? :sHa_sarcasticlol:

I dont think taking down game is on their mind too much right now. Will be feeding on the grass vegetation once its up. More likely a wolf/mountain lion will be more active to a call so be ready for that.

Out and around is one thing, but given the lack of food they have to conserve energy. If you know of a den, the odds might favor you, they won't be far from there.

If you have baits, it might be worthwhile to start early. I have found that it's better to wait until around May long.

There is no doubt you will see far more bears moving around mid May on as that is the rut. (Runs from mid May, through June amd July. For spot and stalk that surely is the best time if you are limited in the days you can be out. The boars are looking for females 24/7. The boars will feed at baits prior to the rut but during the rut they are predominantely following the females that are in heat.

Exactly! I also found that the cutlines don't green up until then too. I only do spot and stalk.

This province is a big place. Lots of different times in the spring are preferable depending on where you are I would imagine.