Leupold BX-4 Rangefinding Binoculars

Montana Spot and Stalk Spring Bear

Brian in Montana

Brian in Montana

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Joined
Jan 20, 2017
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Location
Ramsay, MT
I've talked to a lot of experienced bear hunters about what time of day seems to be the most productive in terms of sightings. I've been told all manner of things. What's the consensus of the hunttalk folks? What do you guys say?
 
Brian, I've hunted spring bears in Canada, Alaska, Washington and Idaho but never Montana. Idaho was within a few miles of Montana so I guess that's close enough to throw my experience in. The majority, I'm guessing 95%, of my encounters have been in the evenings. I have other friends that also hunt and they have most of their encounters also in the evenings.

That being said, it's been several years since I've actually gone out and hunted in the mornings so obviously my encounters now are happening in the evenings. But there was a time I'd get out at the crack of dawn and hunt the entire day and on those occasions the evenings were more productive for me and my friends.
 
Evenings have been most productive for me. But, like Lefty I rarely am out early in the morning for spring bears.
 
Thinking about giving it a go this spring. I have some vacation in early May. Never spring bear hunted anywhere. Have a buddy up west of Augusta w a cabin rt on the Front me n my wife will be staying in. Planning on doing things w her mornings n early afternoons then going out n glassing. Been reading up on habits. Any advice would be appreciated. He will be deployed during that time so it will be solo.
 
I hunt bears when I have the time, in other words throughout the day. I've certainly seen more bears in the afternoon & evening. However, I've seen enough in the mornings to warrant being out if my days hunting are fairly limited. I live close enough to where I hunt if I'll be able to get out multiple days I won't go out until noon. If I'll only get out a couple days I go out all day.
 
I would say of the bears I have seen most have been afternoon. But, I've seen bears in the morning as well, enough that I'll go out in the morning, not 3 hours before sunrise, but early enough.
 
I just listened to the Rich Outdoors podcast with Brian Barney and it had some pretty good tips for spring bear in Montana. Worth a listen.
 
Will be in the Swan Valley end of May myself. Liking this thread already. Last time it was a pm thing but didn't hunt many mornings or mid days. This go round it'll be walking gated roads right at sunrise till about 9am, then hit it again about 4pm till dark.
 
I was having a conversation last week with a guy that hunts mostly up in the Libby area. I asked him about what time of day he finds most productive; his response was a very definitive 9:30 in the morning. He hunts mostly clear cuts and old burns, but I was a little surprised, as most will say late afternoon toward evening. Last year I had an avid bear hunter tall me "mid-morning to noon". Pretty much across the board people say there is no need to get up at buttcrack of dawn, but that's about the only real consistency I'm coming up with in my informal interviews and research.
 
Time of year, human activity and other factors can affect bear activity. You could, in theory, view black bears at any hour of the day or night. It can be pretty frustrating and discouraging searching for bears from sunrise to sunset with prolonged periods of inactivity and few if any sightings. Less productive periods of the day can be used more productively for scouting. You learn through experience, yours or that of others.
 
I've seen many bears in the afternoon and evening. I've only harvested one bear and I took him at about 3pm.
 
I have only hunted spring bear in Montana and for me it's always been a late afternoon to evening seems like the $$$ time. Best of luck to you. Hoping to harvest my first bear this Spring!
 
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