jonscaife Report post Posted September 23, 2015 So let me lay this out here, I asking for help. Basically just for some advice on what I already plan on doing. On opening morning, my plan is to glass a canyon that opens up to a hill side that is chock full of prickly pear. The unit I'm hunting is up north and all the cactus fruit is just now getting ripe. My question is, how much time should I dedicate to this one canyon/hillside? Should I glass pretty thoroughly then move on to another area or plan on glassing that same hillside all day in hopes that a bear moves in? As the afternoon turns to evening, my plan is to start calling towards the start of the canyon in hopes that the sound travels through it and brings in anything in there. Good idea? Or should I call from further down the canyon where it widens up? Any advice, criticism, or other banter is more than welcome! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
capoeirajosh Report post Posted September 25, 2015 How much country are we talking? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
capoeirajosh Report post Posted September 25, 2015 Also, have you seen bears in the area or seen evidence of them? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jonscaife Report post Posted September 25, 2015 The canyons are about 3/4 mile long before they open up with the hillside being a couple acres or so. And tons of sign in the area but I haven't actually seen a bear. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kidso Report post Posted September 26, 2015 Glassers will glass and callers will call. As a caller, I would walk the entire canyon calling every quarter mile into every side ravine with food and cover...but that is me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
capoeirajosh Report post Posted September 26, 2015 If you know there are bears in the area, then I would glass the area incessantly. How far away are you from the hillside? Shooting distance? Kidso is absolutely right, if you want to call. For glassing though, if you can see the whole area from one spot, then there is no reason to move, but I might say that is highly unlikely though. If you can't, then I would move down the canyon from vantage point to vantage point. If there is sign there, like you say there is, concentrate on that area. Hunt all day as well. You never know when a bear might get up from a bed to grab a bite to eat. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kidso Report post Posted September 26, 2015 ...and if you need to lose a few pounds, hiking the canyon bottom will help. In addition, as a bonus from covering all that ground, you might locate scat, bedding areas, game trails, or scratching trees used by bears. It will also keep you from spending two grand on a pair of Swaros!! Whatever you do, dedicate yourself to it and be patient. Calling critters in is not an easy thing, but neither is good dedicated glassing! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
.270 Report post Posted September 26, 2015 at times bears move miles and miles per day. this ain't that time. they are either looking for, or have found some good grazin' to top off for the winter. something really fattening and lots of it. like pears, acorns or juniper berries. if you have a place that looks good and feels good i'd suggest staying there. maybe for several days. bears get in good feed and act like they are at an all you can eat buffet. they don't have purse to sneak it out in, so they stay there. we've had bears live in our yard, literally, for days on end when the acorns are thick. can't run em off. i'd find a place i could see the pears well from and park it right there. glass awhile, take a nap, repeat. when you spy one you wanna shoot, if you want some real excitement, get downwind, sneak to where you think you're within a couple hunnerd yards and squawk on a jackrabbit call. have fun and don't shoot the little ones or them bottlenosed sows. Lark. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Presmyk Report post Posted September 26, 2015 The acorns are full size but green is it normal for them to still be eating them ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
.270 Report post Posted September 26, 2015 bears will eat about anything that don't bite back. i don't know how they can eat acorns. you ever eat one? like a mouth full o' dirt. and they eat em shells and all. gotta be a rough turd comin' out. but they are high in fat and that's what they're after. as soon as they start falling, they eat them. they'll climb the trees and shake em out. when they are still real green they'll even tear the limbs out and go to the ground and eat em. Lark Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jonscaife Report post Posted September 26, 2015 Thnx for all the advice guys! I'm definitely a newbie when it comes to bear but it's probably the one animal I want most in this state Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Camofreak Report post Posted September 26, 2015 So I found a big ole bear in an area I've never seen them while elk hunting, glassed him up, and watched him move for quite awhile, then bed up and later get up and keep moving. Is there any chance I might find this bear in the same area come next week? Or is he long gone? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
AZLance Report post Posted September 27, 2015 I would just sit on Larks porch! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
.270 Report post Posted September 27, 2015 No shootin' from the porch! Lark. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Presmyk Report post Posted September 28, 2015 Can any one answer camofreak question I'm also curious on that one 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
