Bear Hunting Tips Needed
 

Hello All,
I'll be hunting bear in the second Colorado rifle season in an area I have seen bears, fresh and old tracks in the same area in April while turkey hunting.
Maps show this area to be bear habitat all year with water, lots of scrub oak in an open area, big game trails with pine stands on both sides a hidden road with lots of sign and a S. facing slope with lots of scrub oak with one big game trail. This area has lots of Elk that I will also be hunting and some dear.
I plan to set up my tree stand in the scrub oak area with pine stands on both sides ( this area may have a hidden creek just in the pines) or the hidden road where I saw a bear heading to and saw all the tracks.
My question is where would you set up? and What bear scents would you use ? Any tips would be very much appreciated !!
:fighting0007:

Uness you are going to hunt a baited stand I would hunt on the ground and still hunt through the thickest stuff that is there. If you are going to hunt a baited stand, it must be baited for a while before you hunt in order to get the bear used to coming to the bait. I don't know if baiting bear is legal in Colorado.

Thanks Oldtimr, I may have to spot and stalk but I will try the tree stand first, Baiting bears or any other wild life is Illegal in Colorado.

It is illegal to bait in PA as well, most folks here either put on drives for ear of still hunt the thick stuff and swamps.

What Oldtimr said. If you are just hoping to see a bear while hunting then taking a stand may not be very productive. Exceptions might be a mast crop or berries. But then you have to hope the bear wanders in range. Most stand hunters use bait stations to increase the odds of seeing bears. (the area as you describe it would be a good place for a bait.)

It might be more effective to keep your eyes open while you hunt for Elk etc. You might get lucky and see one you like.

Good luck this season.

Try calling them in.

I wouldn't mind trying my hand at this.

I know some guys who were not calling bears but coyotes with a fawn bleat call in in came Mr Bruin. I have also heard of bears coming in to turkey calling in the spring season.

Younger bears as well as hungry bears will come in to most any predator calls. Older bears will if they are really close by. Fawn bleats and distressed rabbit has called in a few for me years ago when I hunted bear. Called a few in with doe bleats as well. Never had one come in to a turkey call though. New one on me. Glad none have. A turkey load could kill one if you hit it JUST RIGHT but more than likely you will just pee it off!

Had one come into a turkey call in the spring acouple of years ago. Got to about 40yards and smelled us and took off the way he came.

Its hard to tell you how to hunt without actually being in the area and seeing what it looks like. If you have a lot of open area you can try glassing from a good vantage point then attempt a stalk. If that is not an option then still hunting is your best bet. Or calling as Oldtimer and another suggested. Go with a distress call of an animal in your area (fawn bleat, jack rabbit, coyote pup, etc.). As for scents, if baiting is illegal you might as well forget them. About the only scent you could possibly use would be a sow in estrus scent. But in the fall that wouldn't be an option.
I've taken 3 bear here in PA by stand hunting. And the 3 of them were all shot in the same location. But the reason is that this particular area is a bench/shelf near the top of the mountain and is an escape route for both deer and bear when pushed as it is the easiest route from one mountain to another without going all the way to the bottom of the hollow and back up the other side.
If you did your scouting, bears do regularly follow certain trails and you just may be able to intercept on on his way from point A to point B.

I would not say all scents do not work.. In fact far from it.. Bears are territorial and will fight off rivals.. With the right scents you can get a bear to wander into you and a tree stand would be best suited for a situation like that.. Getting you and your scent off the ground will help plus it would allow you to see better down threw the thick growth bears like to travel threw.. So if there is bears in the area you are hunting you may want to try setting in a tree stand and scenting for them. Make sure your scent is covered up though as bears can smell real well.. One of the scent used up here is this one.. But, you can shop around the net and find which one you would rather get..

http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/memb...bear-scent.jpg


I hope it helps you and good luck..

Phil - That scent simulates a food source and may be construed as baiting which is illegal where he is hunting. I've thought about using it here in PA where baiting is also illegal but decided I better not. I know in ME you can bait as I've hunted there a couple times but never got a crack at a big boy. Passed several smaller ones but....

bronko, yes we can bait here and had fought back HSUS once again.. I know he would have to check the laws in his state to see if that is considered baiting or not.. He may also find bear scent that is of a boar at a trapping supply store that may not be considered baiting.. But, yes well know bear trails around food sources and a tree stand to get you above them can have good results..

Bronko, using a scent or lure of any kind, food smells or any other smell is illegal to use for bear in PA, The scents that smell like food rule applies to deer, bear is more restrictive.

Hmmm, I wonder if my hunting jacket that I hung over the camp stove in the morning while I was frying bacon would be considered illegal?? LOL

You will have to hope the CO has a head cold.:D

I agree with not getting in a tree stand, at least not on the first day.

I would also recommend to still hunt your way up high to a good vantage point where you can glass the area.

Who knows you may just get lucky while you still hunt you way up the mountain..........

By glassing the area hopefully you will get a few sighting; which will allow you to put together a good plan for the rest of your hunt.

Enjoy your time in the mountains and good luck !!!

Fall in CO can be dry. Bears need a lot of water. Stake out waterholes or the trails leading from thick brush to waterholes.

The hidden road (only used by wild life) leads right to a shallow pond right off a creek this road always has bear sign in the spring. If it still has good sign before the hunt you think this would be a better set up point than above the road? I saw a nice cinnamon cross the huge open field and head to the middle of this road 40 min. before dark not near the pond. You have creek, pond, mountain, then a few house's and another creek.

I called our Parks and Wild Life Division here about using scents for bear and we can NOT use scents that smell like foods so that sucks. I will be using a predator call though and I'm looking forward to that !

My plan is to sit silently in the tree stand for the first day or two hoping to get lucky with an Elk after that I'll be using a predator call Wayne Carlton's Call'n Bears, it sounds really good.

Any one ever tried it ?

I would make sure your back was up against a big rocky ledge (not just a tree) when you turn that caller on.

They/he will come into your calling from down wind - you can count on that !!!

Try to find a opening or at least low brush on that down wind side.....................

Good luck Rocky !!!

That's so important to know, thanks for the great tip !

I tend to forget sometimes that the woods out there is not nearly as thick as they are here.. With that being said perhaps you do not need a trees stand for your bear hunt.. Here it is highly recommended as you will be better capable to see a bear coming in from above rather than at ground level where you would be very lucky to see 15 feet in front of you.. Good Luck on your hunt..

Her s a tip about what bait to use mate. Black bears eat just about anything, but favourite foods include pastries, popcorn, bread, oats, meat scraps, candy and beavers. You also need a strong odour—the more horrific, the better. Gillet pours buckets of decomposed fish guts around the site to get it “heated up.”

Luke, you must have missed the post that said it is not legal to bait bear in Colorado.

In 2010 I had 4 game bags hung up high on a porch in south central Colorado. Had a bear climb up the picnic table and got one bag when we were gone. We moved them to the top porch with access only through the cabin. 2 in the morning he came back and climbed one of the porch pillars and was just coming over the railing when I ran out and scared him away. The meat was then put inside in a cooler and I butchered it the next day. After I was done and cleaned up I grabbed a beer and was sitting on the couch and saw that bear come back, climbed onto the lower porch and got up on the picnic table where I had just butchered the deer. I took a picture of it next to a 48 qt cooler. The picture is on an old thread post #14/

http://www.huntingnet.com/forum/big-...ear-pic-2.html

Thanks and so true, in 1985 or so I bear hunted with dogs and horses, we used dead cows, calves, rabbits, and fish, we poured molasses over the bait, some of the cows where Oh so ripe :s201: worked great but baiting was stopped I think in the early 90's.

I would back track on the road and find where the bear are leaving the brush and coming onto the road. Then I'd follow that route into the brush about 200 yards and set up overlooking the route they use. I don't know that I'd set up right on the road because they may not be using it until after dark. But bear will head down to water at dusk and being set up on the approach route could buy you some extra shooting light.

That sounds like a good idea, I will definitely see if I can back track them.

I FORGOT TO MENTION I FOUND A POSSIBLE DEN

A few years ago scouting for turk in a narrow cut in a mountain in the same area I found a bull elk skellaton fresh bear scat and a cave up the trail a bit. no fresh tracks of any kind but entrance was low and went back at least 20 ft. A bear could easily get in, I'm going to try and find it again next month. Do you all think this would be a good option ? :cool2:

Setting up near the den, not going in ha ha. Colorado had to pass a law making shooting a bear in a den Illegal because a hunter actually did it. (THAT AINT HUNTING )

I don't think I'd waste much time on a "den" site. During the season bear are looking for food and water and aren't looking for dens yet. As such they travel quite a bit. If I didn't have a place I could sit and glass over a large area, I'd do what I said before about back tracking the road. The only way I'd stake out a possible den site is if the weather took a really bad turn. But you're walking a fine line in regards to legality then since the law about hunting "denned" bear is kind of vague. If I was going to do that I'd want to be at least 1/4 mile from the "den" just to be safe.

I've taken 2 bear in CO and they were both taken by glassing and stalking. So that would be my preferred method if I wanted another bear skin, which I don't because my wife would kill me if I brought another one home! LOL.

Flags your right on the denned bear law, although I was thinking if he's out it's legal but the reality is that may not be legal if he's using it , I'll call dow but I will still play it safe and not hunt it. I may just put a trail cam at the den area in the spring and get some good images. Thanks Good Call !!! :patriot:

I would be very careful with this advise while a bear can not see very good but can hear and smell a very long ways.. If he smells you the hunt would be over as he would find a different route rather quickly..

I think so to so I'll only back track or even be in the area about a month before season then make a beeline for my hunting spot so as not to spread my scent all over the woods. Thanks !

You can't pattern bears like that in the fall. They're spending 20 hours a day looking for food to fatten up for winter.

They might work a 30 mile area. You're best bet is to find their natural food, and stake it out. (not for the whole hunt) You can also sit on a gut pile. Colorado doesn't consider that baiting as long as you don't move it from the kill site.

Lastly, as I recommended. You can call them. Be careful doing this alone. It usually attracts the big boars, and they can come charging in pretty fast. They can also sneak in your blind side. You'll be surprised how quiet a bear can be when it wants to.

Thanks for all the great advise guys ! I really appreciate it !!!
Hear is an image of the area Ill be hunting I was going to hunt Elk and bear from a tree stand in the semi open area on High trail But now am poss. planning sitting just below High trail on the right as the wind will come over the top of the mountain and around it on the far right not shown. The right side of High trail is the high side, I'll hunt bear in a tree stand against the wall to hide my scent from the wind blowing it down hill. I will scout out the area in a few weeks and back track elk and bear tracks to find their travel routs and bedding areas etc. I know bears have a large home range and absolutely if I get an Elk Ill hunt the gut pile, I will be calling them.

How busy is that road during your season?

The road dead ends at both ends, can only be seen by satalight images, and I've only seen wild life tracks deer, elk, and bear, no other humans. :cool2: The semi open area has lots of scrub oak and a whole south facing slope of it not shown plus more after the clearing to the right on the other side of the creek.

Your second photo looks like it shows a cut to the right of that water hole. I'd look really hard at that cut and see if the bear are using it to get to water and to see if there are pockets of wild rose, raspberries or currants along it, all of which bear will feed heavily on. If the fall is really dry, water would be a better thing to set up over for both elk and bear than a food source unless the food source is geographically limited or restricted like a good heavy berry thicket.

One other thing to look at is if there are any big anthills in the more open areas. A lot of people don't know it but bear will hit anthills pretty hard to get to the larvae and eggs. If there are a lot of hills that is worth keeping an eye on. I had an old game warden tell me that trick.