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Washington Bear Guides
Washington State Black Bear Tips
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- First rule! Know what you are shooting at !!! There is no excuse for accidentally shooting something you did not intend to. HWS staff
- "Black bear are where you find them" is the rule for hunting Washington State bears. HWS staff
- Glassing and Stalking are a common way to hunt bears in Washington. Look for bears feeding in the open or rooting around rotting trees. HWS staff
- There is little way to determine the sex of a bear. However, if the bear has cubs with it, you can put a safe bet that it is a female.
- It is illegal to bait bears in Washington State. HWS staff
- Look for Bear scat to determine where bears are. Bear scat will usually be substantial in volume and will contain a variety of seeds, hair, and just about anything else. HWS staff
- Bear have an excellent sense of smell. Be especially aware of your smell when in bear country. Scent tips HWS staff
- Look for Bear sign. It is very easy to tell when a bear has found a log filled with termites or other bugs. It is a good bet that your bear is somewhere close by if you happen upon a recently torn up log. HWS staff
- If you are going for a trophy rug... remember that spring bear's coats will not be as vibrant as a fall bear's coat. Bears who have been dening all winter will have rubbed and scratched most of their hide making for a poor quality rug. (tip courtesy Bob H.)
- You can tell in snowy areas where a foraging bear is. The ground will be all torn up and the snow will all be raked away where bears look for squirrel nut cache's, insects, anything. Bears will get up and forage all throughout the fall and winter. These spots will usually be close to bears dens. (tip courtesy Bob H.)
- Be ready for a second shot on a presumed dead bear. It is very common for a mortally hit bear to get back up after being solidly shot. (tip courtesy Bob H.)
- Bears naturally run into the wind when they are spooked. You can use this to your advantage when hunting with another person in your party. (tip courtesy Bob H.)
- When hunting black bear in heavy cover where you have located bear signs look for small openings in the forest which has fresh (green) forbs, leaves and grasses. Take a stand downwind and watch in the morning and evening. It will be rare to see a bear in the middle of the day unless it has been spooked. (tip courtesy Bob H.)
- Know your weapon's ballistics! Bear hides are tough and bears are much thicker than deer. You will need sufficient penetration and expansion (for bullets) to successfully kill a bear. It is easy to paunch shot a bear, so make sure you hit the shoulder area when you shoot. (tip courtesy Bob H.)
When hunting in the Northern parts of Washington for Bears, be aware that transient Grizzlies have been spotted. Know the difference between the Grizzly and the Black Bear. There are no hunting seasons for the Grizzly bear in Washington State. HWS staff
This is a picture of a Grizzly Bear - note the hump on its back and its general shape. Know what you are shooting before you do!
- Black bears are easily found in areas with significant fields of huckleberries. You can easily spot them feeding in the open during all times of the day. HWS staff
- Stands can be used for Black bears. Position the stand in travel corridors between tall timber and berry fields. Benches between two prominent hills are good places to ambush bears moving. HWS staff
- Use your hearing to locate bears. Bears who are comfortable will make a substantial amount of noise.
- Be aware of your quarry, if you have the time, wait to see if the bear you are about to shoot has cubs.
- When hunting bears, pay attention to where you are shooting, the kill zone on a bear is much different than a deer or elk. Shoot a bit lower on the shoulder than you would with a deer or elk. HWS staff
- A person would be best suited to stay away from the berry pickers and the roads, and do a lot of glassing. HWS staff
- Look in some open areas where the berries are early, like during the first part of the fall season of early August. if you can find those early patches of ripening berries, you'll find bear. HWS staff
- Hire a guide for one season. Chances are that guide will teach you more during your hunt than you would learn from years of "trying to figure it out on your own." Guides are willing to teach and are getting paid to give you all their attention. Most guides will be flattered if you continually pick their brains for information.
- Great Bear Information site North American Bear Center
- Calling of bears has been known to be effective. They are naturally very curious. A predator call (wounded rabbit, fawn bleat, etc) or the bleat of a cub bear have been known to bring in bears. HWS staff
- Bears seem to have poor eyesight. If you stand still, bears may walk right by you. HWS staff
- When hunting Eastern Washington do not be surprised to see blonde, red, or brown “black” bears. What you may mistake for a golden retriever, could be a trophy blonde bear. This is known as color phase. (verify your target before making a shot, shooting anything but what you intend is inexcusable.) HWS staff
- Look for remote apple trees to wait out a black bear. Eastern Washington is littered with apple trees in remote areas. These trees are bear magnets. HWS staff