[montanaMarlin336]

I was out this morning, and noticed that I enjoy the outdoors more while hunting. I go more slowly, look and notice a lot more, I pay acute attention to the sounds, walk into and around different areas, and spend far more time in the wilderness. Maybe someday I'll actually see a bear, during hunting season, when I have a rifle with me. Wishful thinking? :flute:

 

[M700]

Not wishful thinking at all!

Hunt in an area frequented by bears. Often they're grazing on fresh, spring-green grass after they come out of their dens. Look for food sources, look for sunny open areas where they sometimes sit and soak up the sun, even napping, just enjoying the sunshine. Old clear cuts offer food, and shot opportunities. So do rocky slide areas. Glass, glass, glass.... Use your binos & spotting scope to save you some walking. You can cover a lot more bear habitat with optics than with your feet. Spot & Stalk. You'll find brother bear, if not this spring, then this fall or next year. Keep at it! The bears are out, feeding, and moving right now. Keep at it! Best of luck.

Guy

 

[Texas Shooter]

Given this screwball weather, are they out of their dens?

 

[miket156]

The question I have is how many bears are there in Montana?

I know that the State Game Commission says were have well over 18,000 Black Bears in my home state of PA. That is only a guestimate. There may be more. All I know is there are more bears than ever.

Happy Hunting!


Mike T.

 

[Leverforever]

Montana has the largest grizzly bear population in the lower 48 states.
In Montana the elk, deer and antelope populations outnumber the humans.
The density of the state is six people per square mile.

 

[M700]

I think Washington's last black bear estimate was at about 30,000 or so... Could be wrong though. There's a bunch.

My son and I try to help out with bear population control when we can... :biggrin:

 

[miket156]

Bears, Bears, everywhere.......

Wow, both Montana and Washington State have a good sized bear population. I would think that the OP would be coming across bears sooner rather than later.

Even with the 18,000 plus estimate that the PA Game Commission has estimated in our state, conflicts between bears and people are bound to occur as our fury friends forage for food. Yesterday I was talking to a guy that is a member of a different American Legion Post than the one I belong too. He lives in a more rural area than I do (and where I live is surrounded by either farms or wooded private land) and he told me that he had heard "something" on his back porch and, equipped with a shot gun in hand, he opened the back door of his house to find two small bear cubs climbing up to get at a bird feeder right beyond his back porch. He was concerned that the cubs would tear it down in their quest for FOOD and yelled at them. Then a sow "came out of nowhere" and was looking up at him from the bottom of the steps to his porch. The bear started "woaffin", then charged up the steps right at my friend Dean. He turned and blasted the bear with buck-shot and the sow did an about face and was outta there. The cubs climbed down pronto and were last seen chasing after mom.

The trouble with bears are they appear when you might least expect them. In Dean's case, he was thinking it might be a prowler, but instead had a close encounter with bears. He told me if not for his shot gun, he would have never turned that bear around fast enough to close his back door. Bears can move fast when they want too.

Be careful out there! Keep your eyes peeled and your powder dry!!


Cheers!



Mike T.

 

[montanaMarlin336]

Given this screwball weather, are they out of their dens?

I haven't personally seen any yet, but some were first seen about a month ago. This is at about 2700 feel elevation. Probably out and about sooner in the low valleys areas of Missoula, etc.

Spring Bear season has been extended to 2 months this year, vs 1 month last year. I saw a lot of bears last year, all in between spring and fall hunting season. :shot: