Look for Bear Foods for Good Bear Hunting Opportunities

Black bear seasons open throughout most of Washington in August and September. Be sure to look over page 22 in this year’s Big Game Hunting Seasons and Rules pamphlet for the specifics. Most of the state should offer fair to good hunting opportunities for black bears. Regardless of the area you plan to hunt, concentrate your time around bear food sources, such as huckleberries, blue berries, blackberries, and other berry patches, old orchards, and hawthorn and plum thickets. Also, don’t overlook predator calling. Predator calling can be an effective way to hunt bears and is becoming more and more common. Finally, keep a sharp eye out for bear sign. First and for most look for bear scat (feces). During the early portion of the season, scats should be almost entirely composed of berry residues. Also, look for turned over rocks, fresh bite marks on trees about head high (mark trees), and distinct trails where bears place their paws in the same spots time after time. These indicators will help confirm if bears are using the immediate area.