Black Bear Hunting

Russ Meyer, co owner of Outdoors International, and UFC fighter, Travis Browne on a recent black bear hunt in British Columbia.

Twenty-eight states and all Canadian provinces have hunting seasons for black bears, and they are an often overlooked bargain in the hunting world. Especially considering all that is involved…preparing bait sites, training hounds, etc. is expensive, it’s actually surprising that a guided hunt isn’t more. They start at about $1,500 and sometimes over $5,000 for the more expensive options. Next to whitetails, black bear may be the most actively pursued big game in North America.

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Trophy Expectations

There are different factors to look at when you’re sizing up a black bear. What do you want?…a bear that squares over six feet? One that has a huge pumpkin head and makes Boone and Crockett? A color-phase bear maybe?

Field Judging Bears

Bears are notoriously difficult to judge, so before you go on your hunt, be sure to learn how to field judge black bears. There is nearly no mistaking a big boar, how they move and how they conduct themselves, especially when around other bears. They will without fail rule every roost they roll into. Other bears will openly display caution and fear when they make an appearance at the party. Big is big, and nearly anyone can identify one…. however that is not the case with a borderline shooter. Know how to tell.

Things you need to look at to judge a bear in the field:

1. Confirm the sex, and ensure that there are no cubs.
2. A big bear will walk with ‘swagger’ and seem to have an arrogant attitude, making other, smaller bears nervous.
3. If you’re hunting over bait, you can compare the size of the bear to the bait barrel.
4. A big bear will have ears that look small, and jut out from the sides of the head, while younger bears will have pointed ears that are close together.
5. An old boar will look to have short, squatty legs, and a saggy belly.

Learn more about how to field judge a black bear
Download the Score Sheets from Boone and Crockett

How do you want to hunt?

Spot-and-stalk, over bait, behind hounds…there are lots of ways to hunt.

In some states and provinces, bears are hunted over bait with the hunter in a tree stand or blind. Some states allow bear hunting with dogs, and in other regions, drives are a traditional and successful method. In western regions, hunts are typically spot-and-stalk, and calling can also be effective.

Baiting

A typical view from your bear stand overlooking the bait. Check out our bear hunts over bait.

By far, the most common way to hunt black bears is over bait. Hunting for bears over bait can be a lot of fun because of the amount of activity you will have if you are with the right outfitter in the right area but there are several key things to consider about bear hunting, before you choose who you will be hunting with.

*While baits are mostly a black bear affair, we do offer a great baited brown bear hunt in Alaska as well.

Bear Hunting with Hounds

Hound hunting can be a thrilling way to hunt bears. There’s nothing quite like the sound of dogs baying to fire up your hunting instincts. Once you “strike” a bear, the chase is on and it’s usually non-stop action from there.  The hounds, alongside a truly skilled houndsman, will make for an experience you will never forget. If you are an adrenalin loving hunter, this is the hunt for you!

We have hound hunts for black bears in Idaho, Arizona, and British Columbia.

Spot-and-Stalk Hunting

To stalk a bear takes time, patience and skill. You must play the wind, as black bears have a notoriously keen sense of smell, and they hear well as well. You may fool their sight, but it’s tough to get close, especially if you’re hunting with a bow. Start by getting up high but below the snow line and looking for the greenest areas you can find. Bears will seek out the greenest tallest grasses to fill their bellies. They seek out areas such as creek bottoms and south facing slopes to find new growth. They also love to feed on wild flowers, plant roots, clovers and wild onions. 75% of their diet is vegetation. They get the rest of their nutrition needs met feeding on insects, small mammals and carcasses. Learn more about spot-and-stalk bear hunting tactics.

Vessel-Based Hunts

A very cool way to hunt bears is from a vessel in British Columbia or Alaska, cruising the coastal shorelines and glassing the tidal flats produce plenty of stalking opportunities. You’ll usually be hunting big salmon-fed bears just coming out of hibernation in areas with high bear populations. Large boars with perfect hides are the norm.

A bonus on these trips is that they can often be a combo for waterfowl, blacktail deer, and fishing.

Calling Black Bears

When you’re calling black bears, use a jackrabbit/bear cub distress sound…being as “sorrowful” as possible. Call loudly and don’t let up for 20 up to 40 minutes. Seeing bears before you begin to call always ups your odds of success. Listen to a podcast about calling in black bears.

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The Best Places to Hunt Black Bear

Choosing where to hunt can be daunting, but here are the best places to hunt black bears in our opinion.

How Bears Arrived in North America

The American black bear evolved from bears that traveled from Asia to North America on the Bering Land Bridge about 8 million years ago. Like their Asian ancestors, the black bear is omnivorous. Because it is able to thrive in a variety of different environmental conditions and is incredibly resourceful, it was able to survive the last ice age, while other, less adaptable predators became extinct. About 10,000 years ago, it is widely believed, that the black bear was the only bear living in North America before brown bears migrated south from what is now known as Alaska and the Yukon territories.

If you want a color phase bear, you need to book in specific areas. Let us know if a colored bear is on your list.

Twenty-eight states in the US, and all Canadian provinces have hunting seasons for black bears. Which area you choose to hunt, depends on whether your preferred hunting method (baiting, over hounds, etc.) is legal, and whether you want a classic black coloration, or a “color phase” bear (brown, chocolate, cinnamon, red, or blonde), which are more common in the western US. The rare bluish-gray color phase, “Glacier bear” is found in Alaska, and the all-white “Kermode bear” occurs on several islands in coastal British Columbia.

Alberta

Since Alberta has a two-bear limit, it’s a great destination for your hunt. Another great thing about Alberta that’s great, is that there are a good number of color-phase bears. In fact, our hunters average 25% on colored bears ranging from blonde to cinnamon or chocolate.

British Columbia

Coastal British Columbia arguably has the largest population of black bears per square mile in North America. The mild climate provides the bears with a very long feeding season starting early in the spring and ending late in the fall on the salmon spawning rivers. With abundant food and low hunting pressure, it’s easy to see why coastal bears grow to such a large size.

The American Black Bear

Ursus Americanus, native to North America, is the most common and widely distributed bear species in the World.

Black Bear

Found in at least 40 of our 50 states, Canada, and Mexico, they are able to adapt to their environment as well as any species on the planet. They are estimated to number over 600,000 in North America, making them the most common bear of all species, twice that of all others combined in the World.

Diet and Temperament

Notorious for loving berries, black bears feed primarily on vegetation, but round out their diet with  insects, fish, small mammals and carcasses of dead animals. They are also fond of preying on moose and elk calves. Black bears tend to be loners, and are timid and withdrawn, avoiding confrontations. Preferring a solitary lifestyle, black bears tend to mark trees with their teeth and claws in order to warn other bears not to enter their territory. In order to warn other predators and intruders that do enter their territory they make  curious snorting, jaw popping, and huffing sounds.

 The smallest of North America’s three bear species, black bears are typically about 4-7 feet long and weigh anywhere from 150-600 pounds. The only predators that black bears have to worry about are humans, other bears, and wolves, the latter two most likely to attack them while hibernating.

Black bears aren’t always black but vary in color from black to chocolate, blonde and even cinnamon or grey color phases. The defining identification is their flat shoulders and straight profiled face. Because they can climb better than almost any other bear species and can run at speeds of up to 30 miles per hour, uphill or downhill for short distances, these bears can still be dangerous and deserve our respect. Black bears are also excellent swimmers and enjoy a good swim. This is partially due to the fact that where there’s water there’s green grass to graze, and there’s usually fish in water, so black bears spend a decent amount of the time around rivers, lakes and streams.

The Black Bear Rut

Black bears breed from late spring into July and cubs are usually born in January during hibernation. The cubs don’t hibernate and spend the last few months of winter receiving all of their nourishment from their mother. The cubs then spend until eighteen months of age following their mother around.