As a Southern outdoorsman, hunting big game in the spring was a novel, but foreign idea. We chased big gobbling birds and caught crappie – both noble endeavors. In the spring of 2014, I went on my first spring bear hunt and I was hooked like a flathead on a trotline. What another big game animal can you hunt in April, May and June? What other beast inhabits such incredible wild places and have population numbers and meat like the black bear? Spring hunting opportunity abounds for both the do-it-yourselfer and folks looking for a guided hunt. Here are some answers about spring bear hunting that will get you headed toward success, adventure, and backstraps.
When to Hunt
May and June are the primary months for hunting spring bears. However, some Western states like Montana and Idaho open their seasons in April. In the Northern latitudes, where most spring hunting takes place, bears are hardly out of their dens by April, so May and June may be a better option for a traveling hunt. Weather patterns year to year dictate temperature, snowfall and vegetative growth, all of which have effect on when bears emerge from their dens. An early spring will mean bears are out and huntable by April 15th, but some years you may not get much snowmelt until the first week of May. For this reason, most Canadian outfitters don’t start hunting until the first or second week of May.
Denne historien er fra March - April 2020-utgaven av Bear Hunting Magazine.
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Denne historien er fra March - April 2020-utgaven av Bear Hunting Magazine.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
THE END OF 2020, CHALLENGES COMING IN 2021
SOMETHINGS EVERY SPORTSMAN OUGHT TO KNOW ABOUT. STAY ENGAGED!
SPRING HUNTING IN MAINE
In 1982 Maine closed its spring season, but you can still spring hunt with an outfitter on some tribal lands.
Bears & Gobblers
SPRING BEAR & TURKEY IN MONTANA
Western Bear Hunting
Picking the right outfitter - Picking the right outfitter can make or break your experience.
Three Phases of the Spring
Understanding the Pros & Cons in the Timing of Spring Bear Hunting
Extreme Utility
Jeff Senger kills for a living.
Canning - Bear Meat
The last six months my non-hunting friends asking increasingly specific questions about how to turn animals into meat.
Bear Dogs - East vs West
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Alaska - One Last Grizzly (DIY)
NOTHING LASTS FOREVER, BUT THE AUTHOR HAS HAD A HECK OF A RUN ON ARCTIC GRIZZLY
Understanding Skull Size in Evaluating Trophy Black Bear
Black bears can be one of the most difficult big game animals to judge before the shot.