How to Become A BEAR HUNTER

Beginners guide to becoming a woodsman, renaissance man & bear hunter

- Clay Newcomb

Anybody wanting to hunt a certain species has to become familiar with the evidence that the animal leaves in the woods. This column is for new bear hunters, and we’ll be breaking down the types of “sign” bears leave. All sign indicates valuable information; where the animal walked, what it is eating, how long it ago it was here, how many animals were here, and the animal’s size. Sign can be broken down into three different categories: scat, tracks and stuff animals do that leaves a mark. It’s really that simple. In this article we’re going to focus on bear scat, which I believe is some of the most important bear sign in the woods. Bear scat is MVP of bear sign.

Scat

The terminology used to describe the fecal matter of a bear is an exhaustive list: droppings, scat, stool, poop, bear crap and even more crass words. I’ve settled on using the word scat. It sounds more intelligent than its synonyms, and I can say it to my mom without feeling dirty. I believe scat is the most important type of bear sign, second only to actually seeing a bear. Why? Scat gives two very important clues – what the bear is eating and how recently he stood right there. Unlike ungulates that completely digest their food leaving consistent pellets, bears often have tangible evidence of their food in their scat.