Adapting your spring bear strategy

One of my first forays into spring bear hunting came many years ago when my friend Drew Myers came to Thunder Bay to hunt with me. I assumed the spring hunt would be a no-brainer, given the number of bears — especially big ones — I had observed the previous fall. I set out baits, hung trail cameras, and the photos started coming in. Early on, I had big bears at each site. I was excited and confident. That confidence may have been misplaced. While I consistently had bears on bait, I did not consistently have big bears. In some cases, it was a one-and-done deal. The big males showed up briefly, feeding for a moment or hanging around in the background while a female fed, before disappearing. Sometimes they never returned. Other times they just showed up for a taunting trail cam photo a week or two later. There was no consistency to it. After their long winter and a six-month fast, I couldn’t understand it. I have since learned a few things, and now it all makes sense. What I was seeing were the early stages of the bear rut. It typically runs from late May through July, peaking around early to mid-June, when bear behaviour and movement increase dramatically — and the chances of seeing a mature male spike. Though there may be some similarities to the whitetail rut madness of November, you won’t necessarily see the same intensity or chaos. There is a noticeable window when mature male bears become far more visible and nomadic. How cubs are made The black bear’s reproductive cycle is unique. Although mating occurs in June, the fertilized egg does not implant until fall — and only if the female has sufficient fat reserves. This is known as delayed implantation, and ensures cubs are born during the winter denning season. Female bears give birth in the den, raise their cubs through the year, and typically den with them again the following winter. During the spring when they are accompanied by cubs, females generally do not breed. As a result, most females only breed every other year. After emerging from the den that second spring, a female will eventually chase off her yearlings. Shortly afterward, she will come into estrus and become receptive to breeding. Females with cubs are highly protective, particularly around male bears. In some cases, males may attempt to kill cubs