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09-10-2011, 07:46 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Lacombe, AB
Posts: 1,404
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Fall spot and stalk bears
Any tips for spoting and stalking bears in the Fall? What times of the day are they the most active and where do they like to hang out? The deer hunter in me says to be out there at first light, but I've heard bears bed down in the morning and don't come out till late afternoon/evening.
I've also heard they like to hang out on green south facing slopes early in the spring, but I've never heard any tips for in the fall. Any ideas?
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09-10-2011, 07:58 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Rycroft
Posts: 21,548
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sillyak
any tips for spoting and stalking bears in the fall? What times of the day are they the most active and where do they like to hang out? The deer hunter in me says to be out there at first light, but i've heard bears bed down in the morning and don't come out till late afternoon/evening.
I've also heard they like to hang out on green south facing slopes early in the spring, but i've never heard any tips for in the fall. Any ideas?
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oats !!! 
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09-10-2011, 08:02 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,573
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if you find the berries, you'll find the bears
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09-10-2011, 08:05 PM
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Lacombe, AB
Posts: 1,404
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Quote:
Originally Posted by st99
if you find the berries, you'll find the bears
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I found more wild raseberries today than any other day I've spent in the outdoors. No bears! lol
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09-10-2011, 08:11 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 123
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I am by no way an expert but based on my experience evening is when I saw the most. Like maybe 1-3 before 10am. 7-12 in the evening.
That magic hour just before dark is amazing.
But like you feel, I hunt sun up to sun down.
Falll spot and stalk info is light. Water, and berries if it is still warm out, read hot, cool areas near water.
I'm not too keen on fall hunts, prefer spring.
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09-10-2011, 09:49 PM
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Join Date: May 2011
Location: Peace Country
Posts: 528
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Oats, non-bearded wheat, barley in that order
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09-10-2011, 11:46 PM
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Gone Hunting
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: North of Peace River
Posts: 11,346
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Don't know what they are doing where you hunt, but up here you'll find them in the Oats in the fall. The berries are done for the year by the time hunting season gets going. Right now, here is where I'd look.
Right now they go for whatever they can get, and Oats is near the top of their list right now. However they do go for other things, for instance, I saw four bears on my way to my brothers farm this evening.
All of them were feeding on clover in the ditch along a gravel road we were travelling.
There was a vehicle ahead of us so there may have been other bears that we didn't see because the lead vehicle scared them off before we got there.
We came home after dark so we didn't see any coming back.
Every Oat field I have checked out this week has had extensive bear damage along the edges. That's where you'll find the bears, along the edge closest to forest cover. And the closer to a stream or river the more likely there will be bears in the field.
Late afternoon seems to be the best time to see one. In all my years of farming and driving early in the morning, I've seen far more bears in the evening then in the morning.
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09-11-2011, 10:20 AM
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Banned
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Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 619
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X3 on the Oats. Last year we took 9 fall bears off the Oat fields. And its fun hunting too. Evening is your friend.
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09-14-2011, 10:12 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 123
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After seeing the x2, and x3 on the oats I pulled my google maps up and looked for Crop fields. LoL.
Thanks guys for the tip.
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09-15-2011, 11:29 AM
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: Calgary
Posts: 785
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Just curious what does everyone do with the hides? I so want to try some steaks of a fall bear that has been eatting the oats, but I do not want the hide...
Any advise? Do you need written permission from the farmer to harvest bears from livestock protection? Then the hide doesnt have to be salvaged, and the farmer is happy, and I am happy to enjoy some backstraps...
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09-15-2011, 05:20 PM
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Join Date: Aug 2011
Location: Fort McMurray
Posts: 348
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Warrior
Just curious what does everyone do with the hides? I so want to try some steaks of a fall bear that has been eatting the oats, but I do not want the hide...
Any advise? Do you need written permission from the farmer to harvest bears from livestock protection? Then the hide doesnt have to be salvaged, and the farmer is happy, and I am happy to enjoy some backstraps...
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From your livestock protection comment I am sure you are aware of this quote from the regs: "It is unlawful to allow the skin of any bear to be wasted, destroyed, spoiled, or abandoned. See exception for salvaging skin on page 32 - Access for Control of Livestock Predation."
If I were you though I would try to keep the hide of any bear. Once you pet it you will understand 
My buddy is making his into a rug for $300 (quoted). I am sure you could just get it tanned for less than that from a tannery.
__________________
Nothing gets my heart pumping like: "There's a deer!"
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09-15-2011, 05:36 PM
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Gone Hunting
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Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: North of Peace River
Posts: 11,346
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You could sell the hide. Bears are classed as game animals not fur bearing animals. It is legal to sell the hide of any bear you took legally.
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09-15-2011, 06:07 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 123
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Bear Hides
There is a Taxidermist in southern AB that will give you XX$ credit if you bring hides in. I think he is looking for just Deer and antelope, but could try with your Bear Hide.
Could also give it away. skin it right, then see if your neighbor or someone on here wants it.
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09-15-2011, 08:05 PM
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: Edm.
Posts: 4,924
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I have shot at least 8 of my bears at noon in spring time .
and at fall most of my bears have been taken around 3- 4:00 pm.
Any later you will be skinning in the dark. thats a no no !
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09-15-2011, 09:09 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 123
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It's pretty neat how each of us have different experiences.
Thanks for the posting JR.
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09-15-2011, 09:13 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 123
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Awesome!!!
"Once you pet it you will understand" - jimmyjjj
That's too funny, way too true, I keep running my hands over the pelt of mine. Really looking forward to it coming back from the taxidermist.
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09-16-2011, 08:04 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 123
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09-16-2011, 11:06 PM
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Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Peace Country (again)
Posts: 3,495
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Well here ya go...
I don't bait hunt,or treestand hunt...I honestly do Spot and Atalk..
I have taken quite a few bears.
Out o all the bears I have taken,...I belive only two were taken in the Morning.
evening is best, but anytime of day can be lucky ( I have taken bears at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. but the majority have v]been between 6 and 8 p.m.
my rule of thumb is that I won't see bears nless there is warm sun shining...
if that is on a trail at 1 pm or at 8 pm, so be it...
early mornings are in my poppinion the worst time.
I picture black bears as the lazy teenager who lives at home....
Out late at night,...gets up mid morning or later for something to eat and then has a nap and heads out again in the evening for the party...
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09-17-2011, 01:24 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2008
Posts: 123
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Arn?Narn.
I picture black bears as the lazy teenager who lives at home.....
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LoL. I like that!!
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