Montana fall bear questions

O

Oakley388

Member
Joined
Oct 4, 2018
Messages
38
Location
Missoula, MT
Hey everyone. I am completely new to hunting out here but after hours of searching what feels like the whole web, I'm starting to realize most fall bears are shot while people are actually hunting deer and elk. I have found tons of info on searching for bears in the spring here in Montana but close to nothing about the fall season. I'm really just wondering what I should be looking for this late in the season? I would imagine most berries are gone so what food source would be best to focus on looking for? Just guessing, early morning and evening would be best with these warm temps as well?

Really any pointers would be great. I'm not looking for any specific spots, just some general tips would be greatly appreciated. I have a few spots here in region 2 I think could be productive but l am a Floridian with much to learn.

Thanks everyone and happy hunting.
 
You nailed it on the head with the incidental take, in the fall bears have a lot of different food sources and are covering ground all day trying to fatten up so it's a lot harder to find them consistently. In the fall they are mostly eating nuts, berries, some vegetation, insects and whatever small mammals/ carrion they can get their paws on.

Call your local biologist, just google (Montana Region 2 Biologist) and ask them what mast crops are dropping and what food sources you might focus on.

Lots of people kill bears incidentially, but killing bears year after year takes a lot more time then deer and elk. My average days hunting for my 3 bears was ~12 while my average days hunting for 4 elk ~2... this doesn't include time spent scouting.
 
Jamie Jonkel is your man: 542-5508

Fall bears are incidental take and they tend to den up as the rifle season comes in.

If you want to target bears, spring is definitely your season.
 
Awesome thanks guys! I have tags for deer and elk too so I am out looking for everything. Deer and elk info is easy to come by though compared to the fall bears for sure. Thanks again for the tips and the phone number!
 
If you draw about a straight line north from Missoula to the Canadian border and straight west to the Idaho border, and hunt in that rectangle (off the rez of course) you’ll find no shortage of bears.
 
I hunt them in ak but im interested in learning more on calling in addition to spot and stalk. Perhaps they are in thicker cover vs spring when they are sort of forced into openings to take advantage of the greenup.

Douglas Boze has some good books I've read his main one. He hunts in Washington mostly in the fall. He writes about calling and spot and stalk. He gives info on finding habitat and sign.

I just got my first issue of bear hunting magazine and was pretty impressed. A lot of outdoor magazines anymore you can read cover to cover without learning a thing. They had an article about calling. The western bear article was about baiting though.

Hey, if fall bear hunting in Montana is apparently so 'incidental' then maybe try Alaska next year!
 
shaffe48 said:
Hey, if fall bear hunting in Montana is apparently so 'incidental' then maybe try Alaska next year!
Click to expand...

Tried that this year... seems to be about the same as hunting them in the fall in MT, although maybe I was a tad early in the season. Headed back up for POW in May hoping for better results.
 
wllm1313 said:
Tried that this year... seems to be about the same as hunting them in the fall in MT, although maybe I was a tad early in the season. Headed back up for POW in May hoping for better results.
Click to expand...

Well my trip ended with one sighting but being my first trip most our time was spent falling over ourselves.

People definitely do it. Salmon and berries depending on where you are. 'Fall' comes early.
 
shaffe48 said:
I hunt them in ak but im interested in learning more on calling in addition to spot and stalk. Perhaps they are in thicker cover vs spring when they are sort of forced into openings to take advantage of the greenup.

Douglas Boze has some good books I've read his main one. He hunts in Washington mostly in the fall. He writes about calling and spot and stalk. He gives info on finding habitat and sign.

I just got my first issue of bear hunting magazine and was pretty impressed. A lot of outdoor magazines anymore you can read cover to cover without learning a thing. They had an article about calling. The western bear article was about baiting though.

Hey, if fall bear hunting in Montana is apparently so 'incidental' then maybe try Alaska next year!
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. I don't think there is such a thing as too many resources.
 
Hey Man,

Late season I always like to predator call them in. You don't need to sound perfect, just enough to get the bear curious and get a shot. Watch your downwind, as they will circle you. I talk about this on the Rich Outdoors, Bear Hunting Podcast, EXO Hunting Backcountry and Living Country in the City Podcasts. Good luck and welcome to the addiction! Thanks for any support.
Douglas~
 
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