Time of day to hunt spring black bear?

[millerpaul17]

I have done a little bit of black bear hunting so I don't really know but I've heard guys say to fish in the morning and hunt bears in the evening. Is this true? I myself have only found bears in the evenings but do you guys think sitting from first light to dark like you would hunting most anything else be beneficial? Or are you just wasting your time and should wait for the afternoon to go out? Thanks in advance!!

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

I have done a little bit of black bear hunting so I don't really know but I've heard guys say to fish in the morning and hunt bears in the evening. Is this true? I myself have only found bears in the evenings but do you guys think sitting from first light to dark like you would hunting most anything else be beneficial? Or are you just wasting your time and should wait for the afternoon to go out? Thanks in advance!!

8:06pm-AK


4:47pm-AK


5:26pm-AK


10:17 am -AK


10:50 am -MT


7:33pm -MT


4:00pm- AK


8:36am -CO

 

[millerpaul17]

@wllm1313 Well thanks! Looks like you're hunting Alaska or Canada maybe? Im more thinking western states Montana/Wyoming. but I suppose they're active down here like they are there thanks!

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

@wllm1313 Well thanks! Looks like you're hunting Alaska or Canada maybe? Im more thinking western states Montana/Wyoming. but I suppose they're active down here like they are there thanks!

Updated

I've hunted spring bear in AK, MT, and ID then fall in CO.

Hopefully will do WY this spring. UMMV, but I hunt 30 min before to 30min after.

 

[Brian in Montana]

Bears have ADD. I've seen them moving around pretty much all times of the day. Probably most in mid to late afternoon; that's when I've seen them moving out into grassy feeding areas where they'd be most vulnerable to a spot and stalk predator. I guess id have to say the only time of day I have not seen one is right at the butt crack of dawn.

 

[AvidIndoorsman]

Bears have ADD. I've seen them moving around pretty much all times of the day. Probably most in mid to late afternoon; that's when I've seen them moving out into grassy feeding areas where they'd be most vulnerable to a spot and stalk predator. I guess id have to say the only time of day I have not seen one is right at the butt crack of dawn.

I agree... although I almost smoked one on my bike at riding up the bangtail in the grey light so

 

[millerpaul17]

Bears have ADD. I've seen them moving around pretty much all times of the day. Probably most in mid to late afternoon; that's when I've seen them moving out into grassy feeding areas where they'd be most vulnerable to a spot and stalk predator. I guess id have to say the only time of day I have not seen one is right at the butt crack of dawn.

Thanks just curious I usually stay out all day but the earliest ive seen one is at like 3 in the afternoon but then again I haven't hunted bears much. I have kind of started getting into the passed couples years. Got one the first year I went but its nothing special except its really blonde. Really want a jet black one! Seems like the area that I have gone too I have only seen one black. Usually color phase bears. Thanks for the help

 

[millerpaul17]

Updated

I've hunted spring bear in AK, MT, and ID then fall in CO.

Hopefully will do WY this spring. UMMV, but I hunt 30 min before to 30min after.

I Just noticed you put the state and time haha thanks!!

 

[fulldraw]

I hunted spring bear in Canada a couple years ago and our schedule was fish in morning and hunt the middle afternoon until dark. It worked well for us.

 

[WyoDoug]

I hunt in the morning and in the late afternoon and evening for bear if I am doing just that and nap in between or just set up in a shady spot and glass. I also do some fishing in between glassing sessions if I get bored. Remember bears have horrible eye sight but their smell is very good so I set up slope and downwind during the day and watch a slope across or something or a meadow where I think they are feeding at.

 

[The Hedgehog]

Any time can be good, but I think the last 2 hours of daylight is prime time, almost always.

 

[kansasdad]

The Alberta bear outfitter said the early spring bears are doing the vegetarian work from mid morning until later afternoon. Then their thoughts turned to finding a hot sow and the best place to do that was at the bait sites. He didn't have us head to the stands until 4 ish (sunset was 11 pm) and bears seemed to get bigger as the afternoon turned into dusk.

 

[millerpaul17]

Thanks for the help. Sounds like ill continue to sit all day! Thanks Gentlemen

 

[EYJONAS!]

Anytime is good especially as the spring gets later as long as it's not too warm. There's a reason they have the term power hour though. Good luck.

 

[Brian in Montana]

I haven't seriously hunted spring bear for more than a couple years, but a few years ago when I got interested in it, I did an informal survey of hunters I knew who'd shot a few. I literally got every conceivable answer - from 9:00 AM to the last hour of evening. A couple of guys actually said straight up noon near water. And actually, I've seen a few bears at straight up noon near water. I've do e a lot of reading on this matter and most articles I found seemed to emphasize mid to late afternoon. After spending two springs sitting on a rock watching SE facing parks the more that seemed the bear out.

A couple of the spots I hunt do have a little seep or two and the bears do seem drawn to that dense, semi-aquatic (I guess it could be called that) vegitation growing where the ground is saturated.