 Welcome to the 2013
Spring Bear Hunting Forecast
The Spring Bear Hunting Forecast is also available in Word or PDF format.
See the "New forecast" section in the left hand menu.
Northwest | Southwest | Northeast | High Desert
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Joe Hulburt of Pacific City, with a spring bear taken in Trask Unit last season.
Click photo to enlarge |
The first spring bear hunting seasons in Oregon open April 1 but the best hunting usually occurs the last few weeks of the season, which runs through May 31.
Later in the season, the weather is warmer, which gets forage growing, puts bears on the move and opens up access to higher-elevation areas. This year, the snow back is close to average so higher elevation bears especially won’t be active until later in the season.
Wildlife biologists offer the following tips for new spring bear hunters:
- Look for open areas where bears will be moving through or foraging, including clear-cuts, meadows and open slopes that have cleared of snow.
- Earlier in the season, focus on south-facing slopes with rapid spring growth and open canyon slopes, where bears can be seen feeding on grass and digging roots.
- Predator calls are recommended later in the season when elk begin calving. Use calls near open meadows in forested areas.
- Find good vantage points and use optics to locate bears; early morning and late afternoon to evening are the best times to glass.
- Know your target—remember it is unlawful to take cubs less than one year old or sows with cubs less than one year old.
See the district reports below for more information on local hunting conditions.
Spring bear hunters should always be prepared for snow and limited access, especially early in the season. Also, hunters using motorized vehicles should stay off wet and muddy roads to keep from damaging roads and fish and wildlife habitat. Visit oregonhuntingmap.com for more on hunting locations.
Regulations: Check-in required
Just a reminder on the rules: successful bear hunters must check-in their bear’s skull at an ODFW office within 10 days of the harvest so biologists can collect a tooth and other biological information. Bear skulls must be unfrozen when presented for check-in; it is very difficult to collect data (such as tooth measurements) from a frozen skull. ODFW also recommends hunters prop the bear’s mouth open with a stick after it is harvested, again to make data collection a quick and easy process.
New this year, regulations clarify that when successful hunters present their bear skull for check-in, they must provide date of harvest, wildlife management unit where harvested, and their complete hunter information found on the tag (including tag number).
Separate from the check-in requirement, all hunters who purchased a 2013 spring bear tag are required to report their hunt results online or by phone (1-866-947-6339) no later than Jan. 31, 2014. Reporting is required even for those that did not go hunting or were unsuccessful. ODFW uses this information to determine harvest and effort and set future hunting regulations. More than 85 percent of 2012 controlled spring bear tags were reported.
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Black Bear
Oregon Fish and Wildlife |
Northwest Region Hunts
Scappoose-Saddle Mountain units (Hunt 710A, season April 1-May 31)
Damage information indicates that bears are distributed throughout Saddle Mt Unit, but in higher densities in the western half of the unit. ODFW field staff had not received any reports of bear damage or sightings in the Scappoose Unit yet (a few days before the opening of spring season). Bear densities are slowly increasing in the Scappoose Unit, but remain low compared to other big game units in the Coast Range. To find bears, hunters need to concentrate their scouting and hunting efforts near early season food sources like skunk cabbage (typically found along riparian zones and wet bottomlands) and grass patches found on south and southeast facing slopes. Bear activity should improve towards the middle or the end of the season, depending on the weather patterns.
Locations: See oregonhuntingmap.com. In the Saddle Mtn Unit, road access is available to most lands in the Clatsop State Forest. Non-motorized access is available to many private industrial forestlands. The Scappoose Unit has very little public land available to hunt and bears will be found primarily on private forestlands. Hunters are reminded to read and follow all rules posted near entry gates to private industrial forestland. Bears are very wary of vehicle noise, and tend to move away from well-traveled roads, so quietly-moving hunters on foot or bike may have the advantage. Expect Hampton Affiliates land in Clatsop County to be closed to entry.
Wilson-Trask units (Hunt 712A, season April 1-May 31)
Plant green-up looks to be on a normal schedule this year, but there will be some snow hanging on in the higher elevations of the Coast Range. Plant life springs back more quickly closer to the coast, so expect more bear activity further west during the early part of the season. Also, black bear concentrations tend to be highest in the western portion of the unit. With current weather conditions, hunters should concentrate in river and creek bottoms and south-facing grassy slopes with new plant growth.
Locations: See oregonhuntingmap.com. State and federal lands in these units include the Tillamook and Clatsop State Forests, Siuslaw National Forest and scattered BLM parcels. Some industrial forest landowners allow spring bear hunting as well, usually on a walk-in or mountain bike-in basis. Private forest and agriculture lands dominate the eastern side of the Trask Unit; access is by permission only.
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Black Bear
Oregon Fish and Wildlife |
N. Cascades (Hunt 716A, season April 1 – May 31)
Spring conditions in the north Cascades are fairly normal this year with snow levels average in most areas. Even under normal spring conditions bear activity is low during the early portions of the season, especially in the Cascades. Bear activity will increase as the weather warms and spring progresses. Hunters with limited time to spend afield will want to concentrate their effort during the last three weeks of the season. If you want to get out early, start along riparian corridors at lower elevations, on south or southwest facing slopes where some of the early grasses and skunk cabbage are growing. Watch weather forecasts to help predict snowmelt; warmer weather will be key for vegetation growth and increased bear activity.
Locations: See oregonhuntingmap.com. Snow in higher elevations will restrict access. Remember the Marion and Linn County portions outside of the Mt. Hood and Willamette National Forests are not included within the hunt boundary and are closed. The Clackamas and Collawash River drainages in the Mt. Hood National Forest have a high concentration of open south facing slopes and some good areas for glassing. Hillsides burned during the 2010 forest fire in the Bull of the Woods Wilderness Area should have an abundance of new plant growth once the snow pack melts. Hunters can also find good concentrations of bears in the Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness Area. In the McKenzie, hunting is best late in the season in some of the old, brushy clear cuts in the North Fork of the Middle Fork Willamette River and South Fork McKenzie drainages.
Alsea-Stott Mt. (Hunt 717A, season April 1 – May 31)
Spring vegetation began growing in early March and reports of active bears began in mid-March. Nevertheless, bear hunting is usually better in May than April. Hunters should look for bears at lower elevations along streams or open areas with a south or southeast aspect. These are typically areas with more vegetative growth.
Locations: See oregonhuntingmap.com. Access is fair on mainline forest roads but expect some roads to be impassible in April due to landslides and fallen trees. Siuslaw National Forest lands have many spur roads that have recently been bermed, which provide good walk-in hunting opportunity.
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Black Bear
Oregon Fish and Wildlife |
Southwest Region Hunts
SW Oregon (Season April 1 – May 31)
This hunt includes all of the Southwest Region wildlife management units (20-30), except within one mile of the Rogue River between Grave and Lobster creeks as these areas are closed.
Bear numbers in the entire region have been increasing for several years. The bear hunting season is expected to start slow and improve as the snow melts. With the amount of snow and rain the region has experienced, it may take a few weeks into the season before bears will appear. In general, bear density is greatest closer to the coast.
When bears are out they will be feeding in grassy openings. Focus on south facing hill sides in the early mornings and evenings. Good spots to check are skid roads and side roads that are untraveled with lots of grassy margins and bear sign.
Locations: See oregonhuntingmap.com. Hunters have access to plenty of public land including national forestland (Siuslaw, Rogue-Siskiyou, and Umpqua), BLM land and state-managed property like Elliot State Forest. Hunters should do their homework and call private timberland companies as some offer access. Local landowners include Weyerhaeuser, Plum Creek, Menasha/Campbell Group, Roseburg Forest Products, and Lone Rock Timber Co. Hunters can access public land and some private timberland through the Jackson Cooperative Travel Management Area (JACTMA). JACTMA restricts use of certain roads through April 30; for a map contact an ODFW office. Remember lands within one mile of the Rogue River between Grave and Lobster creeks are closed.
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Black Bear
Oregon Fish and Wildlife |
Northeast Region
W. Blue Mountains (Hunt 749A, season April 1 – May 31)
The mild winter and flush of green-up in late March will bring bears out early this year. The northern portion of the boundary near Tollgate has a full snow pack so that area will become available for access later, but the southern portion of the hunt area will have good access near the beginning of the season. Bears will be out in early to mid-April and hunter sightings of bears should increase at that time. Bear density is highest in the northern portion (north of Interstate 84) and lower as one goes south and west in the hunt area. Early season bear activity is concentrated along the lower elevation fringes of national forestland. Bears follow the green-up elevation band; concentrate on timbered slopes with small openings with lush green moss, sedge, or grassy areas. If the spring is wet, bears will be out on open slopes foraging on wild onions and sedges. If the day is cool, bears will be out in the open for longer periods. However, if the day is warm, bear activity will be concentrated early in the morning and late in the day near sundown.
Locations: See oregonhuntingmap.com
Starkey (Hunt 752A, season April 15 – May 31)
Bear numbers are strong in the Starkey Unit. The lighter than normal snow pack this year should provide good access to lower elevation areas earlier this spring. Some of the higher elevations still have relatively deep snow loads. Hunters should focus efforts on south aspects for best results. Walking in on closed roads is a good way to access bear habitat within this hunt area.
Locations: See oregonhuntingmap.com. The Dry Beaver Ladd Canyon road closure area offers diverse habitat and provides limited motorized travel. Other areas that have good bear densities are Spring Creek, open slopes along Fly Creek and public lands surrounding Vey Meadows. It is also quite possible to encounter a cougar in these areas, so having a cougar tag could provide a bonus opportunity.
Wallowa District Hunts (Season April 15- May 31)
Access is expected to be limited until early May in most units, with mid- to high-elevation roads blocked by snow. There has been little bear activity so hunters are safe in waiting until later in the season. Bear numbers should be about the same as last year. Bear activity generally improves by the first week of May.
Locations: See oregonhuntingmap.com. Remember the Noregaard, Whiskey Creek and Shamrock Travel Management Areas will be in effect in the Sled Springs Unit through May 31; maps are available at entrance points or at ODFW’s Enterprise office.
Pine Creek-Keating-Catherine Creek (Hunt 762A)
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Black Bear
Oregon Fish and Wildlife |
Baker County den investigations indicate that some bears are out at lower elevations. Boars are normally the first bears to leave their dens. The district experienced an average winter with good snowfall at mid elevations. Hunters should expect more snow than last year. In the Keating Unit, hunters will find snow-free areas in some of the mid to low portions of the national forest. Higher elevations near Pine Creek and McGraw Overlook still have deep snow and many of the high-elevation roads in all units are still impassible. Contact local offices of USFS or ODFW for a report on conditions before heading out.
The Catherine Creek Unit will produce good bear numbers this year although early season access will be limited by snow. Much of the unit’s lower elevations are on privately-owned land. The higher elevations of the Catherine Creek Unit are mostly within the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest and contain excellent bear habitat.
Locations: See oregonhuntingmap.com
Lookout Mt. Unit (764)
Moderate snow at high elevations will limit access in the early season. Low-to mid-elevation areas of the Lookout Mtn Unit are snow free. Try south-facing slopes near the treeline above Brownlee Reservoir. Private lands limit access; make sure you obtain landowner permission before hunting private land.
Locations: See oregonhuntingmap.com
South Blue Mtns (Hunt 746A, season April 15-May 31)
This hunt area experienced a moderate winter. Snow levels will affect hunter access in the upper elevations. Spring green-up is beginning to be seen in the lowest elevations and south-facing slopes. Bear populations are stable or increasing but this hunt is still challenging due to the heavily forested terrain which makes it difficult to spot bears. Hunters can find bears widely distributed through all units but harvest in the spring has been highest in the Desolation unit.
The Heppner and Fossil units are both now part of this hunt as well. Hunters in the Heppner unit should focus on the area along the breaks of the North Fork John Day River. See oregonhuntingmap.com for more hunting locations.
Hunters often use this tag as an opportunity to scout new hunting areas for next fall’s deer and elk seasons, turkey hunt, or collect shed antlers. Remember it is legal to take naturally shed antlers, but not skulls with antlers attached. More information on shed hunting
Locations: See oregonhuntingmap.com
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Black Bear
Oregon Fish and Wildlife |
High Desert Region
South Central (Hunt 731A, season April 15 – May 31)
Bear populations are stable to slightly increasing but low compared to other areas of the state. The highest bear densities are in the Cascade Mountains with lower densities in the drier, Ponderosa pine forest portions of the hunt area. Bear activity is most common west of Hwy 97 in the vicinity of riparian vegetation. Areas for hunters to check include the Keno Unit, western portion of the Sprague Unit, and the Gearhart Mountain area in the Interstate Unit. Focus on the unburned fringes around 2002 fires (Grizzly Fire in the Interstate Unit and the Toolbox/Winter Fire in the Silver Lake Unit) and in riparian areas. Throughout the hunt area, bear populations are low and hunters should expect low success.
Locations: See oregonhuntingmap.com. Public access is good within the Fremont-Winema and Deschutes National Forests and on open private timberland. Access for the opener will be limited due to heavy snows early in the winter; those areas that are snow-free will have muddy road conditions throughout the hunt area. Access should improve by later in the season. Please respect private property and avoid driving on soft or muddy roads. New travel management rules are in effect on Fremont-Winema and Deschutes National Forests. Maps showing open roads are available at Forest Service offices.
White River (Hunt 741, season April 15- May 31)
Bear densities are good, especially in forested areas of the unit. Success rates have been fairly low and hunters tend to have a tough time finding bears for this hunt. There is a fair amount of snow higher in the Cascades that may limit access early in the season. Like other spring hunts, effort should be focused within clearcuts and meadows, early and late in the day. The edges of the major drainages, such as the White River, Badger and Tygh Creeks, should be good places to find bears in the eastern edge of the unit. Good optics and patience glassing these areas should increase the opportunity to spot a bear.
Locations: See oregonhuntingmap.com. The majority of bear habitat is found on public lands so access is good. The western edge of the unit has a good amount of county and private timberlands. Be sure to get permission if hunting on private lands.
Hood Unit (Hunt 742, season April 15-May 31)
Bear numbers are good in the Hood Unit. Spring weather arrived early this year, allowing bears to come out of hibernation early and in good shape. Look for open south-facing slopes or decommissioned forest roads with good grasses and forbs. Early in the season, marshy areas with skunk cabbage often provide some of the first good forage for bears just out of hibernation. Later in the season, when beehives are out in orchards for pollination, hunt forestland near the beehives or seek permission to hunt on private orchard ground that borders the timber.
Locations: See oregonhuntingmap.com. Both public lands (Mt. Hood National Forest and Hood River County land) and some private industrial forestland are open to hunting; check with private landowners for access rules and permission.
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