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Hunt Alberta BearIn the Bush...The bear moved along the open slope its blonde coat shining in the spring sun. It fed quickly along the slope, finding some green dandelion in one spot and some clover in another. It would disappear into aspen choked draws for minutes at a time, however it always reappeared along the slope. From a mile away, the hunter and guide studied the hide, the size and the setting sun. A fast walk, a little luck, and the long Alberta days should allow them to intercept it. With high hopes they struck off. Twenty minutes later they hand and kneed over the top of the slope, hoping to see the bear. Nothing. Too late? They settled down to glass and watch and wait, a few early mosquitoes found a feeding station on their ears and neck. Overhead the calls of sandhill cranes announced spring was really here. Across the valley a cow moose, fed in a patch of Saskatoon berries. A shed whitetail antler, whitening in the sun gave them pause, it was huge. This was real game country. It’s always the same, one instant the slope is empty and the next it has a bear. They just seem to sprout out from the ground. This was blondie a short 200 yards away picking the fresh greens of spring. With a flat shooting rifle and a solid prone rest the outcome was never in doubt. Alberta's ReputationAlberta has justifiably gained a reputation for bear hunting. European sportsman discovered it years ago, largely because of a number of first generation outfitters. The northern half and western edge of the province has an excellent population of bears. From the farm fringes (where bears and people often collide) out into the forests, bears are plentiful, making a bear hunt a high percentage event. Bear HuntsBears are hunted both spring and fall. The spring hunt allows the sportsman to get outside and enjoy an Alberta spring adventure. Long northern days, coupled with abundant wildlife, make an Alberta spring hunt something special. In addition bears often feed all day long which adds to the excitement and success. Fall bear hunts are every bit as much fun. Now the berry-fattened bears can supply meat as well as a trophy hide and skull. And in Alberta the fall bear hunt can usually be combined with other hunting from upland birds and waterfowl to moose, elk and deer. Regardless the hunting tactics remain the same; find a food source and you’ll find bears. The difference between spring and fall is the food source. In spring its new green and in fall its berries, greenery and often farmer’s grain fields. Hunting methods depend on the hunter and the area being hunted. Across most of the province black bears can be baited. Baiting puts the hunter up close and personal and it allows him to carefully judge the quality of the trophy and the condition of the hide. Bow hunters have excellent success (and big adrenalin rushes) hunting over bait. In spring the south facing slopes, usually of major river valleys, green up ahead of the rest of the area and their new green attracts bears like a magnet. Spot and stalk hunting these valleys will closely resemble high country elk or deer hunting. In addition the warming slopes attract all the other local wildlife, which really adds to the enjoyment of the trip. There are a few early rising bears, however the peak of bear emergence occurs in the early part of May. The newly green river valleys make for excellent float trips. Spring weather is usually pleasant, however like hunting everywhere a sportsman must dress for the toughest conditions. On the larger rivers jet boats or power boats can be used, however on the smaller rivers canoes or rafts are used. Those trips are one-way affairs lasting from a few hours to several days. The larger (power) boats can return upstream if required. Many outfitters have excellent luck hunting disturbed areas; especially Alberta’s ever present cutlines. Like the open slopes of river valleys, these cutlines green up first creating miles of supper table thru prime bear habitat. These areas are usually hunted on foot after getting there on ATV’s. Don’t turn down the opportunity to hunt the farm fringe. Some of the finest bear hunting is experienced while hunting wheat and oat fields. The number and quality of bears seen in an evening of farm fringe hunting can be really surprising. Trophy BearThere are a good number of Alberta bears in both the Boone and Crockett and Pope and Young books. On top of this, fully 45% of the bears are some color other than black with fully 5% of them being blondes. There have been instances of bears that were nearly pure white, however this doesn’t happen often. It’s not uncommon, especially in the more open habitats, to see a family unit of bears each a different color. The bear hunter should come armed with a rifle that he shoots well Sand has confidence in. Anyone shooting the smaller calibers will do fine providing they are using well-constructed bullets. Black bears are solid animals and it takes a good bullet to punch into the vitals. Anyone looking for a bear hunt should look at Alberta. On top of the high percentage of colored bears, the shear number of trophy bears, Alberta also offers a 2 bear limit. These factors, coupled with low license fees and a wide range of outfitters and there is an Opportunity for everyone. Regardless of when you come to Alberta there should be a bear waiting for you. You may even be able to pick your color. Home Elk Moose Mule Deer Whitetail Bear Wolf Coyote Buffalo Geography |
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