Where did the Bears go?!

[Mopad]

So this weekend is the last weekend of the bear season. The season started out great for my cousin and I (our first time hunting bear). We have only been baiting on the weekends and the first couple weekends we would hunt, we would see bear. I have seen 3 bears and my cousin has seen 4. The season started off great, and we were cocky!

The last 3 weeks it has totally changed! I'm now kicking myself for not taking the first bear that walked in on the bait. We haven't seen anything! The cameras are showing the same (a bear here and a bear there) nothing consistent. We have been hunting the last couples weekends Fri thru Sun night and not seeing a thing!?

I'm curious, what are the bears behavior right now? Where the heck did they go? We do have one bait that does have a big boy coming in a couple times during the week. What can we do to get them to come back? We have been spraying trees with molasses and throwing fryer grease everywhere. How do you do these burns? Do you light one up and go up in the stand and hunt? Or do you burn one when baiting and then put it out and then go up in the stand?

[Neiko]

Same thing happened to me. I had them coming in like clock work and then after Fri nothing. I am thinking it is the warm weather and they are not eating until it gets cold again. I will be trying a honey burn Sat and Sun.

[bogwalker]

"Hibernation". Not many bears out moving around anymore. You will have to wait until next year to see the bear activity you saw earlier this season. They have taken in as many calories as they could and are bedded down for a good long nap. There are a few wandering around but very few.

[Mopad]

Thats hard to believe that they are hibernating already, especially with the warm weather we have been having. The coons and skunks haven't hit they hay yet, we have been seeing plenty of them!

[bogwalker]

Thats hard to believe that they are hibernating already, especially with the warm weather we have been having. The coons and skunks haven't hit they hay yet, we have been seeing plenty of them!

Warm weather does not matter. "Hibernation" is signaled by shorter days and depletion of natural food sources. Mature males stay out longer but they are a small minority of the bear population. If you don't believe me look at what activity you have at your bait sites. When did you think "hibernation" began ?

[Mopad]

I guess I have no clue when these guys go into hibernation. I just thought with it being so warm, they would stay up a little longer and look for more food. But the daylight does make sense. I guess I would think they would go into hibernation more at the end of October or beginning of November. But what do I know, its my first year!

[CANOPY SAM]

I think BogWalker is right. It's pretty interesting how quickly the berries, acorns and other wild food sources disappear at this time of year. Everything is gobbled up before winter.

I think too, that most of the young, inexperienced bear have probably been harvested by now. Just like most critters we chase, they get pretty smart in a hurry. The dumb, or careless ones get popped, and the rest make themselves pretty scarce.

[Neiko]

Too early for Hibernation. I see many tracks during deer hunting. They have been filling their bellies the last few weeks and now that it is warm they are not moving to save the energy they have stored. Get ready by Friday sites will be getting hit again.

[Boar]

No food, shorter days triggers hinbernation, thats wgy having the doughnut shop open is the only way to go. Dosent mean you get a bear in but JB has a line backer coming in an he'd be on his merry way if he wasnt working his site. Boar

[jerkbait]

Righty right Boar. With the warm weather and food the bears should keep eating. That is why I didn't cut him back much on food. He is getting 1/2 a 5 gal pail. Today I have actually started to wonder if I should be giving him more. He is only at the site for about 1-1/2 to 2 hrs and it is cleaned up.

[Nightcrawler]

in my freezer

[bogwalker]

Most people are surprised at how early bears "hibernate". They think we need snow on the ground and freezing temperatures.

[jerkbait]

I wonder how many bears are taking on the last weekend? I have heard of people seeing them during gun deer season up here.

[Boar]

Ya know JB, doing a little thinking hear again, just crossed my mind that just maybe, if you really stocked up on the food, like two five gal. buckets, no doubt he's the dominat boar, plus the lesser bear are dened or thinking of it, so no worry of another cleaning out the site but that would be agood thing anyway too, so he'd come in earlier to get the goodies, thats why some people pull the bait when their done hunting, but I think you have to do that for consecutive times to train him to come in early for the goods. Anyway, where was I....oh yea about piling up the goodies, maybe if he knows theres a bunch on the shelf he might feel he can come back later to finish feeding an might show during daylight. But... always a but, but he might not come back for a few day after stuffing himself also. Just thinking is all. Boar

[bogwalker]

It happens that bear are seen that late but it is rare enough that people tell their buddies "Hey I saw a bear!". When I started deer hunting your license was good for one deer or one bear. I only heard of one guy who shot a bear while deer hunting rifle season. His boar went over 500 pounds.

[Boar]

Now that would be cool, to go deer hunting an tag a trophy bear instead.

[Boar]

almost got the avitar figured. almost

[Boar]

Cr ap!

[Boar]

Cr ap again!! I'm going to bed. Later big dopey guy.

[mabr]

Guys, a little FYI to see what the bears are doing right now check out the LILY the Bear deal on Facebook. He gives a daily detail on what his collared bears are doing. Looks like they still havent denned up yet from his blogs.

Not saying it is the same for all areas but with all the hooplay about there research and everything its a great way to track the progress of their hibernation.

Im sure once they read this they'll stop blogging about it.

[bogwalker]

Guys, a little FYI to see what the bears are doing right now check out the LILY the Bear deal on Facebook. He gives a daily detail on what his collared bears are doing. Looks like they still havent denned up yet from his blogs.

Not saying it is the same for all areas but with all the hooplay about there research and everything its a great way to track the progress of their hibernation.

Im sure once they read this they'll stop blogging about it.

These are not wild bears. Their wild instincts are gone.