Spring Black Bear Hunting - Montana

What to expect on your Montana spring Black Bear hunt.

Black Bear hunting means something a little different to everyone. For some, it’s a bucket list hunt that they may only do once in their lifetime. For others it’s a great way get out and experience the mountains at their greenest time of the year and maybe even pick up a fresh brown Elk shed along the way. For us it is a passion that consumes us each spring as we spend hours behind the glass in search of an old boar.

No matter where you fall on the spectrum it’s undeniable that you’ll be hard pressed to find a better way to pass the time in May/June then soaking up the sun on a green hillside somewhere in the mountains glassing for bear.

We often find that most of our hunters don’t come into the hunt knowing exactly what to expect. So we decided to make a post that might give you some perspective on just what your hunt could look like.

Let the glass do the walking.

The biggest mistake that inexperienced bear hunters make is not spending enough time in one place. Without fail we will drive or hike to a master vantage point, spend 15-20 minutes glassing and our hunters will ask us the million dollar question, so where are we headed next? The short answer is almost always nowhere.

The reason for that is when bears first come out of hibernation they do everything in short bursts. They will feed for fifteen minutes, then slip back into cover to take a nap, rarely are they moving very far in any direction. For that reason you have to be patient and wait for them to make a move out into the open to feed or to soak up the sun on a cold day. On any given day I may only move between one to three vantage points that I know have the ability to produce a bear sighting.

It’s my personal opinion that you have to give any one location 2-3 full days of glassing without seeing a bear to be able to write that spot off. Even then I wouldn’t bet the farm that there isn’t a big bruin in that drainage.

Be prepared when the time comes.

Bear hunting involves a lot of sitting in one place followed by bursts of activity. If you get lucky the bear will step out within range but typically they are spotted at further distances that require covering ground quickly before the bear moves back out of sight. Having your gear squared away will help you be ready to move when the time comes. If possible try to put in some pre-season cardio to help open up those lungs. Being in good shape will not only help you cover ground more quickly but it will help you get back down to a resting heart rate much faster.

Shooting in the mountains can be challenging. One of the biggest things you can do to make sure you have a successful hunt is practice shooting prone at various angles and distances. Rarely will you find yourself shooting from a flat surface. We recommend a good bipod but shooting off a pack is sometimes needed. The more you practice in uncomfortable situations the more comfortable you will be when the time comes.

Dress for the weather. In Montana we have a saying “If you don’t like the weather just wait 15 minutes, it will change.” Spring in Montana is unpredictable and it’s not impossible to get a sunburn and hypothermia in the same afternoon. We recommend packing layers. I never leave the truck without my standard base layers, a puffy jacket, and a full set of rain gear. Zip off long johns and insulated gloves are nice things to throw in if the weather looks suspect.

Meat and trophy care.

You have just harvested the bear of your dreams, now what? Our guides will take care of getting the hide and meat safely back to camp and set up a time to check the animal in with FWP. We will have the facilities to freeze the meat, skull and hide. From on then it is the hunters responsibility to make sure the hide, skull and meat are taken care of.

Taxidermy - We recommend Shawn Andres of Alpine Artistry http://www.alpineartistry.com

Meat Processing - Donating your bear meat is not an option so you must have it processed locally and shipped back or debone it and take it with you in a cooler.

There are lots of options but the key is to have an idea on how you would like to handle things prior to getting an animal on the ground. If you elect to go the shipping route plan for some sticker shock when it comes time to ship the hides, meat, etc.

Focus on the journey, not the destination.

You can’t control the weather and unfortunately that plays a large part in bear hunting. Black Bear are a lot like us, if the wind is blowing and the air has a bite to it they are more apt to lay up for the day and wait for the sun to warm them up again. You have to be patient because when the weather finally does break the bears tend to come out of the woodwork.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the moment and spend your whole hunt stressing about whether or not you will go home with a bear. I constantly tell our guests that the hunts are six days long for a reason, if you expect to show up and kill a bear on the first or second day you are most likely going to end up disappointed and will then spend the rest of your hunt worrying about whether or not you will be successful. The best advice I can give is to just sit back and take it all in. From watching deer and elk feed on an open hillside, to the wildflowers, to a spring storm rolling in over the mountains. It’s all incredible, and just when you are lost in a Montana sunset your guide will whisper, “I think I’ve got a good one!”