CO bear advice

[Sagebrush1]

Hello,
I posted this in “Other Big Game” but didn’t get any traction.

I drew a bear tag for units that cover quite a bit of varying terrain and elevation. I hunted bears a couple times in SoCal, which centered around water and food sites, but it didn’t have the added variability of huge changes in elevation, and vastly different terrain types. They were kind of concentrated into certain areas.

So my questions are:
-what elevation is most typical to find a bear in September? I assume they will be lower than summer?
-is oak brush valuable? It seems like there is just so much of it that it would be impossible to focus on any one area.
-what other vegetation types are preferred?

my tag is for 12, 13, 23, 24, 25, 26, 33, 131, 231. If that helps.
Thanks,
Jim

 

[Bluffgruff]

Berries. Oak brush. Sometimes higher up in the greenest grass stuff.
The "brown" areas are fall concentrations. Pink hashes are summer concentrations.

http://ndismaps.nrel.colostate.edu/huntingatlas/

 

[Jason73]

Big one trying to get in my trash this morning. Wonder if that's considered baiting, lol! Good luck!

 

[jdf]

Find fresh elk carcass. Find bear then

 

[FLS]

I saw bears every day during my elk hunt in CO last year in. They were in the oak brush and getting water the same place I was.

 

[Sagebrush1]

Thanks everyone

 

[one ate E grain]

Old home site or foundation with apple trees still existing.

 

[Phaseolus]

In Oakbrush, chokecherry, and serviceberry territory is where you will find them in September.

 

[cedahm]

Hello,
I posted this in “Other Big Game” but didn’t get any traction.

I drew a bear tag for units that cover quite a bit of varying terrain and elevation. I hunted bears a couple times in SoCal, which centered around water and food sites, but it didn’t have the added variability of huge changes in elevation, and vastly different terrain types. They were kind of concentrated into certain areas.

So my questions are:
-what elevation is most typical to find a bear in September? I assume they will be lower than summer?
-is oak brush valuable? It seems like there is just so much of it that it would be impossible to focus on any one area.
-what other vegetation types are preferred?

my tag is for 12, 13, 23, 24, 25, 26, 33, 131, 231. If that helps.
Thanks,
Jim

I just spent a number days up your way (23) the last month turkey hunting and found/followed the biggest black bear track I've seen in CO (will PM you the general area).

Given the breadth of your units - I'd pick a couple of spots and focus on those. I haven't spent much time looking for them, but concur with others that Oakbrush is a magnet - but edges (e.g. Oak shading into Aspens) will be really important. To your point, a massive portion of a few of those units is Oakbrush country, so it's a wide net.

 

[huntwild26]

I just spent a number days up your way (23) the last month turkey hunting and found/followed the biggest black bear track I've seen in CO (will PM you the general area).

Given the breadth of your units - I'd pick a couple of spots and focus on those. I haven't spent much time looking for them, but concur with others that Oakbrush is a magnet - but edges (e.g. Oak shading into Aspens) will be really important. To your point, a massive portion of a few of those units is Oakbrush country, so it's a wide net.

Going this year, first time last year, struck put

 

[huntwild26]

Hello,
I posted this in “Other Big Game” but didn’t get any traction.

I drew a bear tag for units that cover quite a bit of varying terrain and elevation. I hunted bears a couple times in SoCal, which centered around water and food sites, but it didn’t have the added variability of huge changes in elevation, and vastly different terrain types. They were kind of concentrated into certain areas.

So my questions are:
-what elevation is most typical to find a bear in September? I assume they will be lower than summer?
-is oak brush valuable? It seems like there is just so much of it that it would be impossible to focus on any one area.
-what other vegetation types are preferred?

my tag is for 12, 13, 23, 24, 25, 26, 33, 131, 231. If that helps.
Thanks,
Jim

Oakbrush

 

[Elknr]

IMO they can be on top to bottom. I hunt bordering Colorado. Oakbrush to pines

 

[S-3 Ranch]

I hunted unit 851 we saw 105 bears in 5 days in September and all but 3 where in scrub oaks , take that for whatever it’s worth.
same for mule deer the alpine had average deer and the oak hills had some real good trophies