Folks, despite my username representing the motherland, I have once again relocated to a different state. As a new resident of Montana, I will not be afforded the rights and privileges that a resident hunter has until I have been here for 6 months. This limits the tags that I can buy OTC to a select few species. Luckily though, after 2024's Colorado trip, I have the bear bug.
Since early August, I have been scouting a specific area in the (redacted) mountains. It had everything one can need for finding bears. Lots of berries, a flowing creek, steep terrain with lots of thick forest cover, and not many hunters. I even found a fresh pile of bear scat on one of the scouting trips, along with some not-so-fresh piles during a few outings during September.
Now that we are to October, and I have yet to lay eyes on a bear during rifle season, I'm starting to wonder if I need to change up my technique. It appears that most of the berries are gone by this point, and being able to glass this country is quite difficult considering how thick the forest canopy is. At this point in the game, I am thinking about changing the technique to strictly still hunting creek bottoms, where there might be mushrooms and other forage, but also, there's a handful of areas with deadfall, burns and timber cuts that might be worth looking over in the case that has rotten stumps that the bears might dig.
Anyone with more experience than me, I would like to hear y'all's opinion on what you would do. Start still hunting until I come across sign or a bear in the flesh? get as high as I can and glass the limited open spots that I can see into? Target certain food sources? Eat my tag and go bird hunting?
Since early August, I have been scouting a specific area in the (redacted) mountains. It had everything one can need for finding bears. Lots of berries, a flowing creek, steep terrain with lots of thick forest cover, and not many hunters. I even found a fresh pile of bear scat on one of the scouting trips, along with some not-so-fresh piles during a few outings during September.
Now that we are to October, and I have yet to lay eyes on a bear during rifle season, I'm starting to wonder if I need to change up my technique. It appears that most of the berries are gone by this point, and being able to glass this country is quite difficult considering how thick the forest canopy is. At this point in the game, I am thinking about changing the technique to strictly still hunting creek bottoms, where there might be mushrooms and other forage, but also, there's a handful of areas with deadfall, burns and timber cuts that might be worth looking over in the case that has rotten stumps that the bears might dig.
Anyone with more experience than me, I would like to hear y'all's opinion on what you would do. Start still hunting until I come across sign or a bear in the flesh? get as high as I can and glass the limited open spots that I can see into? Target certain food sources? Eat my tag and go bird hunting?
