Holding out for a blonde

[Nambaster]

Has anyone ever held out for a blonde bear? Seems kinda ridiculous right? When I watched guys talking about the color phase Grand Slam I kinda start to feel a little petty. I do have a cinnamon, chocolate,black w/black face, and black w/brown face. I have to be realistic and admit that Glacier blue just isn’t realistic. So my question is. Has anyone actually specifically only pursued blondes?

just to add fuel to the fire can I see some pics?

 

[dgc1963]

I can understand it if someone has lots of bears under their belt

 

[D4570]

We found a YELLOW bear a lot of years ago.
It was YELLOW with tan-colored legs from the knees down.
I hunted it for 3 years every time I went out I would see glimpses of it or see it after shooting times.
Never got a shot then just stopped seeing it.
Now we see a few sightings of a bear/bears that have yellow markings on it but no all yellow bear, I'm guessing offspring.
Now I'm back to hunting other spots and other bears.
I would love to trip across a Red bear...

 

[Sask hunter]

I’ll post some blonde pictures this spring I usually always have one in bait. This area is black or blonde doenst seem to get many cinnamons or chocolates

 

[Panda Bear]

Has anyone ever held out for a blonde bear? Seems kinda ridiculous right? When I watched guys talking about the color phase Grand Slam I kinda start to feel a little petty. I do have a cinnamon, chocolate,black w/black face, and black w/brown face. I have to be realistic and admit that Glacier blue just isn’t realistic. So my question is. Has anyone actually specifically only pursued blondes?

just to add fuel to the fire can I see some pics?

We do get those type of requests. When asked about the Glacier, we explain to them that they need to call someone in SE Alaska. When ask about the Kermode, we explain that they can not be hunted but you can view them in the Great Bear Rainforest and going there is an experience in of itself. When asked abut the Grolar/Prizzly we explain that they are rare and the chances are seeing one in the wild is almost zero but yes they do exist, but are not blond in color.

Some want to have all breeds and colors of bears, just like some want all the sheep breeds. From a personal point of view, we have held out for a specific color if someone has a desire for a specific color for apparel, but this would be only an opportunity type harvest, not a specific hunt for a bear/color.

 

[teamhoyt]

I have one of each color now, it was easier for me to be picky and wait for a blonde as I was taking my girls hunting instead. I have always told them if/when I see a blonde then I will be going for that. Last year I finally found one.
Spring bear is my favorite hunt of the year and I really could care less about shooting them, I love watching them and taking others hunting for them. If you want a blonde take someone else hunting and when you see the one your after take your turn.

 

[elkantlers]

We found a YELLOW bear a lot of years ago.
It was YELLOW with tan-colored legs from the knees down.
I hunted it for 3 years every time I went out I would see glimpses of it or see it after shooting times.
Never got a shot then just stopped seeing it.
Now we see a few sightings of a bear/bears that have yellow markings on it but no all yellow bear, I'm guessing offspring.
Now I'm back to hunting other spots and other bears.
I would love to trip across a Red bear...

Kind of like this one on the right.

I think these bears are young and as they age they lose the yellow-blond hair and turn into just regular colored bears.

 

[thusby]

I can't say I would hold out for one, unless I had it hitting the bait in daylight. I wouldn't shoot a 100 pound bear, just because it was blonde either.
There are usually a few on camera where I hunt in norther MB but none of them has been big enough to spend any time on.

 

[gouch]

I've only seen one completely blond bear. It was a small sow. Then five hours later and less than a quarter mile away I saw a bear that was the exact same size and build but was blond with chocolate legs, head and neck. I figured they were probably sisters. Then two years later I saw another one with the same blond / chocolate color. I thought it was an elk at first glance. Shortly after that I decided I really didn't want to hunt bear anymore but I kept on buying tags just in case I had a chance at a decent bear in either one of those color phases. I have seen a couple of other really unique color phases. One was chestnut colored with a black head and neck. I never saw his legs. The other was the same color as the hair on the kid we called Carrot Top back in grade school.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

I see them now and then. I killed a fairly small blond boar a few years back. Color is not as high on my list of interests as it used to be but whatever floats your boat is cool. This is one got a pass on account of size.

 

[ashersdad]

I don't think I've ever seen a truly blonde colored bear in all my years of bear hunting (mostly Idaho and Oregon). I think some areas have them and others don't. I've hunted the same areas pretty much since the late 80's and never seen one.

I've seen pictures of light colored cinnamon colored bears that guys call blonde. So for me, I wouldn't hold out just because I don't think they are all that common in the areas I hunt. Some of the pictures on this thread are what I would call blonde and if I saw something like those where I was hunting then I probably would hold out.

 

[EYJONAS!]

I've seen 3 or 4 and taken 1, they're certainly a very pretty bear. They've all been smaller bears with the one I took being the biggest. I would like to take a big red/cinnamon myself someday.

Bears are badass

 

[Nambaster]

I see them now and then. I killed a fairly small blond boar a few years back. Color is not as high on my list of interests as it used to be but whatever floats your boat is cool. This is one got a pass on account of size.

View attachment 180349

That one looks pretty plump to me!!!!

 

[EYJONAS!]

 

[geetar]

I've seen 3 or 4 and taken 1, they're certainly a very pretty bear. They've all been smaller bears with the one I took being the biggest. I would like to take a big red/cinnamon myself someday.

Bears are badass

We only get truly black bears here in NC. I’ll be happy if I get a color phase in the west someday though.

 

[Bambistew]

I've heard that most "blond" bears tend to be sows. I've seen a few of them and all where sows, including the first bear I shot when I was 15. She was aged at 14 years old and weighed about 130-40lbs If I had to guess.

The pic above with the "yellow" bear is likely a lighter colored brown phase bear that's all rubbed out, the guard hairs are all that are left making it seem lighter. The legs and face are closer to his normal color or a little darker. Griz can be really light colored, more common in the central Alaska Range than other places. I've seen some extremely light colored grizzlies in the fall, but all where sows or young 1-2yo cubs. One I've seen in the same spot 4 years in a row and probably a 6-6.5ft sow. Just can't talk myself into shooting her or the 2 mile swamp crossing.

 

[SaskHunter]

Tons of blondes and cinamon around here. I had three different blond bears last year at the bait.

 

[SaskHunter]

We only get truly black bears here in NC. I’ll be happy if I get a color phase in the west someday though.

Come spend your hard earned cash with one of our Sask outfitters next spring! We got tons of colour phase bears!

 

[brokehunter]

blonds are beautiful !!!!

 

[geetar]

Come spend your hard earned cash with one of our Sask outfitters next spring! We got tons of colour phase bears!

Thanks for the idea. I really hadn’t thought of that. Are borders open or will they be by then? I’ve lost track of what’s going on travel wise.