Bears in Colorado

[lpshunter29]

I've seen it mentioned a couple times how many bears are in Colorado and how easy theyare to find. I've seen one. My buddy sees one every other year near his cabin. My cousins see one a year on the ranch they work on near yampa. What gives? Is it just an East slope thing?

 

[denverteacher]

I’ve seen one whole turkey hunting around the grand Mesa this year. I know more are around my family’s place in Granby due to seeing sign etc. I can’t say I go out looking though. Usually see them while riding 4wheelers around

 

[Oak]

I see lots of bears every year, but don't recall the last time I saw one during hunting season. I'm usually hunting too late for them, though.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

I've seen it mentioned a couple times how many bears are in Colorado and how easy theyare to find. I've seen one. My buddy sees one every other year near his cabin. My cousins see one a year on the ranch they work on near yampa. What gives? Is it just an East slope thing?

Yep NEslope, though I’ve seen them in conifer, outside of Sedalia, and about 1/2 mile from the tunnel on the east side.

My cousin asked me this a couple years ago, he spends most of his time hiking in RMNP and the Indian peaks, which have the lowest bear density in the state west of I25.

 

[lpshunter29]

Yep NEslope, though I’ve seen them in conifer, outside of Sedalia, and about 1/2 mile from the tunnel on the east side.

My cousin asked me this a couple years ago, he spends most of his time hiking in RMNP and the Indian peaks, which have the lowest bear density in the state west of I25.

Good to know. Thanks!

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

Good to know. Thanks!

I feel like the best hunter in CO is the person who can consistently kill bears in Oct- Nov.

 

[lpshunter29]

I feel like the best hunter in CO is the person who can consistently kill bears in Oct- Nov.

Seems a lot like a post rut hunt sans quantity.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

Seems a lot like a post rut hunt sans quantity.

+ some portion of them are already hibernating.

 

[Dunning Kruger]

I feel like the best hunter in CO is the person who can consistently kill bears in Oct- Nov.

In washington i very very rarely see bears in october, and have never seen one in november. September is okay, but not great. May through august im tripping over bears everywhere i go. I think, barring a few alpine areas in the cascades where there are still berries in october, most bears killed here in october and november are incidental take from deer and elk hunters. Most intentional bear kills during the otc fall season happen in august and september. I wouldnt even know how to begin hunting bears in november.

Edit: i forgot i did see a bear in november once, in 2017. 7 days after bear season ended, so nov 22nd. I was sneaking through the woods on a foggy day trying to rattle up a big buck and came upon a couple coyotes acting real weird and agitated. A few loud shots later one was dead and the other was a couple counties away. Kept walking, looking for another place to rattle, planning on picking up the yote on my way out. About a hundred yards past the coyote i killed i caught something out of the corner of my eye and there in spitting distance was a big black boar eating a deer. I bout crapped myself. Bit of a standoff, he wasnt impressed, and i backed out with my sidearm pointing at his head. Pretty sure the yotes killed that deer and the sluggish sleepy boar decided to steal it from them for one last good meal before going to sleep for the winter

 

[LuketheDog]

Bears in CO are an enigma to me, I've never seen one while hunting for them...

 

[Dsnow9]

I shot one a stones throw away from I-25 in larkspur and we had another 4 or 5 showing up on cameras. I have seen them occasionally during the first rifle elk season but normally on opening day and don’t want to take time out of hunting elk. That is usually the anomaly though during rifle seasons.

 

[Slm864]

I’ve seen 5 total during my archery elk hunts out there. All were under 20 yards. Last thing I want to do is pack one of those out of a hell hole and miss time hunting elk.

 

[Sasquatchewan]

Last thing I want to do is pack one of those out of a hell hole and miss time hunting elk.

I passed on a very nice bruin last fall for this exact reason during archery elk. Doesn't help that my crack was chaffing like a fat kid at the water park.

 

[Coveyleader]

If I killed every bear I’ve seen in archery season over the past 20 years I’ve had sub 30 yds, it would be over a dozen bears. I love bear hunting, just not in the fall. I just don’t want to deal with them while I’m elk hunting.


it’s absurd you have to pack a the hide out. For what?

 

[jdf]

See bears every year in September in Colorado

 

[PAGOAT]

I'm switching gears this year and going to unit 4 in Colorado first rifle season. Looking at the harvest reports it looks bad for bear. Should I get a bear tag though? I am just as happy with a black bear as I would be with an elk. I'm thinking the low harvest is with people who do not really want to deal with one in elk season.

 

[Bluffgruff]

Lots of bears in the bears ears

 

[Yooper906]

Saw 4 bears in one night last September near Pagosa Springs. All within 25 yds, of course no tag.... Here is a decent size one with good color.

 

[D-Mac]

I'm switching gears this year and going to unit 4 in Colorado first rifle season. Looking at the harvest reports it looks bad for bear. Should I get a bear tag though? I am just as happy with a black bear as I would be with an elk. I'm thinking the low harvest is with people who do not really want to deal with one in elk season.

That’s exactly why I haven’t killed one there. They are in there though.

 

[lbarkurn]

Looking at going OTC here for 3rd Rifle. It appears that there is alot of BLM land that is landlocked around private. Does anybody have any intel on if it is legal to gate a USFS Road to block out public land hunters?

Also do you have to draw a bear tag for 3rd season?