Late Spring Bear Advice

[CannonBallZ]

I noticed that there haven't been many posts in here so I signed up for an account to ask some questions and maybe liven up this place. I just started hunting this year when I inherited a savage lever action .308 and I decided that for the cost, black bear made the most sense for me to attempt(despite the obvious difference in challenge it creates versus mulies or other deer). So I started scouting around Unit 22 before the season started and have been on hunts every weekend since the season open, usually 1-2 days long. I bought a primo fawn bleat and ball call to see if I could call one out of the brush and haven't had luck with it. For some context, Ive been in a few parts of the mazatzals(both the high elevation and foothills) and some of the land east of payson and west of the 260. In unit 22(N and S) and 23(only N this season apparently), I know there are a TON more spots available. I done lots of searching via google earth for nice spots and many seem GOLDEN but are a 10+ mile hike(good on one hand but bad for the hike out). In my research I have found mainly anecdotal reports of bear hunts for AZ but the overall amount of "experts" reporting on their bear hunts are people who hunt in the other western states which can be quite different from AZ. I guess after this long ramble what I'm asking is, does anyone have advice for determining bear locations in AZ? How does AZ vary from other locations in terms of how bears operate? The elevations may be similar in certain areas but the overall climate varies, from what I can tell. I'm aware that scrub oak, manzanita berries, and other scrubby vegetation produce food in the fall along with prickly pear, but what about the spring? Is it really just green ups of flowers and grasses? 

Little long winded...TL:DR:
Any advice for a new bear hunter and general hunter at that? How to scout places via google earth/onx and in person? How do bears vary here from other states? What are the absolute MUST-KNOWS before getting out there and possibly "wasting"(not really wasting) your time?

I sincerely appreciate any responses, I'm really just looking for some input from anyone with more experience than me. I typically tend to overanalyze things, so when presented with bear hunting info from alaska, montana, and the east coast, I'm not sure what to think.

[Eli]

Ive seen most of my bears glassing for something else. On one november whitetail hunt we glassed up 6 different bears. In general, rocky and remote has been better. Food sources are important obviously. Prickly pear hills, grasses, acorns. My advice is glass, then glass some more. We watched this sow and cub for a while in a side drainage. 
 

Are you finding tracks or scat?

[CannonBallZ]

11 minutes ago, Eli said:

Ive seen most of my bears glassing for something else. On one november whitetail hunt we glassed up 6 different bears. In general, rocky and remote has been better. Food sources are important obviously. Prickly pear hills, grasses, acorns. My advice is glass, then glass some more. We watched this sow and cub for a while in a side drainage. 
 

Are you finding tracks or scat?

Hey Eli, thanks for your response. I totally get the rocky + remote guidline. I guess one of my problems has been what to prioritize when choosing a spot. Do I watch drainages mid day when the bears are still and wanna be near water? Then switch to patches of open land when there are green ups during the morning and afternoon cooler hours? How does spring food vary from fall food because theres not nearly as many fruiting plants? How far away from dirt roads should I go in? Do campers attract or scare bears? Cars seem to scare em but food might attract em. When should I be calling? All the time to see if I can stir something up? Also, regarding whether I've seen sign or not, I think I have. I've seen some tubular fibrous scat that looks too big/frequent(in a pile) to be coyote and I've seen some small manzanita berry scat that seem to small and frequent to be bear(thinking javelina) but that otherwise look just like general bear pies with berries. I'd say my biggest weakness is patience(a big one haha) and I just need to position myself somewhere nice and high so I can glass into valleys as well as onto the sides of valleys. 

[Eli]

Pm sent