# Looking for Bear Hunting Advice



## slap a quack (Jan 9, 2012)

Hello all! I was lucky enough to draw the La Sal spot and stalk bear tag for this fall, SWEET!!!! Up front I'm pretty sure I know where I want to hunt already, so I'm not asking were to go, but I do have some questions I'm hoping the experienced bear hunters on here might be able to help with. 

1. Has anyone ever tried to call bears (with a rabbit or fawn in distress call) in this regions? I have looked it up and it seems a lot of calling is involved (maybe challenging), but I wonder if it would be effective. 

2. I know I should plan my hunt around the food sources of the area, so does anyone have experience on what the bears in that area prefer to eat in the fall? I'm leaning towards acorns and pine nuts.

3. Who or what agency would be a good resource to call to find out if the pinyon pine nut cycle is at it's peak or low, as bears tend to hit them up hard during the peaks (according to what I have read is a 7 year cycle)? 

4. How are the roads when the become wet down there? 

5. How effective do you think still hunting the thick pines/aspens would be during the afternoons, as I like to stay out all day when I hunt?

6. Is there good fishing done there, I do plan on being close to some lakes?

Also, my wife says I'm not allowed to hunt bear by myself, and it seems most my friends and family aren't going to be able to come. So, sometime in the future I may be asking around if anyone wants to gang up who might also have this tag! I mean what could be dangerous about hunting bear by yourself right? Thanks for any help one this awesome tag!


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Others that have hunted the LaSal's for bear will chime in for sure but in my opinion the fall hunt is a chancy hunt. 

Food sources will be decided in the fall. Acorns and pine nut might and might not be out where the bears will be feeding on them. I personally would see if I could find a gut pile to sit on. The more that they stink the better. 

I shot a elk in Colorado in unit 61 that quite possibly has more bear in it than just about any other unit in Colorado and a hunter sat on my elks gut pile for 4 days and didn't see a thing other than magpies on it. 

To see about the crop of pine nuts call the regional BLM office and see if they can tell you anything. 

Fishing all depends on just where you are at. If there is a pond of water odds are that there will be fish in it.


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## Swampy_Dog (Oct 4, 2015)

I hunted the San Juan unit a couple years back and I tried both calling and sitting over a gut pile neither one worked I had to beat the bush and seen more bears that way then just sitting, on my hunt the acorns were all but gone in some areas I just had to hit some steep stuff to find a decent amount of them and once I did that it seemed like the bears just started to appear, I have never hunted the la sal but with my spot and stalk experience I seem more bears just by walking around


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## slap a quack (Jan 9, 2012)

Thanks for the input. My spot does have some steep canyons nearby. I hope what you found holds true at my spot! I've heard from several elk hunters of the area that they see several bears a year just wondering around the alpine areas. So if nothing else I can wander around and just see what happens; however, I hope my future scouting will prove useful.


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## Swampy_Dog (Oct 4, 2015)

Good luck on your hunt, hope to hear a success story come the end of your hunt


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## BigT (Mar 11, 2011)

First, this is a difficult hunt. There's a reason they let out 50 tags for the spot and stalk. The average success rate down there since they started this hunt has been hovering around 15% + or - a couple percentage points any given year. I would venture to say that it was lower that 15% last year. I don't say this to discourage anyone, but to give you an expectation. I purchased a "spike" elk tag and hunted for elk while I was bear hunting. This was a lot of fun. Bear first, spike if the opportunity presented itself. Saw a ton of elk. I would suggest buying a spike permit and do the same thing. 

My experience last year was the bears were pretty nocturnal come late fall. But I think it really depends on a few things. When I was there last year, it was still pretty warm in October. I think if it's colder, you may see them move a little more. I've always seen the majority of bear there in the early hours or day, and just before dusk. Not really giving you a big window to hunt. 

Roads are ok when they're wet down there, just depends on how wet. If it starts raining down there in October, it'll turn to snow real quick at the elevations you'll be hunting. 

Another challenge is the number of live stock all over the place. Plenty of good fishing ponds / lakes. Get yourself some "Pistol Pete" lures / flies. They love em on those lakes. Nothing too big, but they taste great over the fire. 

As for hunting the thick pines, it's probably worth a shot, but keep in mind, that in October, the bears are pretty fat. The cape alone can weigh quite a lot and can be difficult to get out by yourself. Then if you decide to keep the carcass as I did last year (Made awesome Italian Sausage)! That's another challenge in and of itself. VERY greasy!


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## slap a quack (Jan 9, 2012)

Thanks BigT, for the advice and everyone else. I also found it encouraging that you were able to fill your tag! I've got some pretty good intell with my spot and am very excited to get scouting come august/september! I will definitely be elk hunting as well (spike or antlerless if I draw). Do yo think the fish up there would go for caddis fly and other similiar flys? I might try calling when I go scouting and see how effective that might be!


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