2021 Montana Spring Black Bear Hunting

Tis the season where the bruins are starting to wake up from their long winters nap. We keep hearing of more and more bear sightings and even bear attacks across the state. As much ad people like to think that all bears are cute and cuddly creatures. At the end of the day they are predators and they need to be managed. Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks uses scientific data each year to determine the proper balance of bears in the state. Too many bears cases too much trouble in Montana. That is where hunters come in.

After spending my entire life in Montana. I have only recently taken interest in harvesting a black bear. I have had many black bear encounters, but never had a tag in my pocket. This year, I am actively pursuing the opportunity to take a Montana black bear. But how? For someone who has never spent a lot of time searching for black bears, where do I start? The internet of course. I stumbled across a video, from outdoor host Randy Newberg, that shows a great "spot and stalk" method for public land hunters in Montana.

Bottom line, bears are hungry after recently waking up from a long nap. You will see more bear movement in spring, than you will see most of the year. The trick is to get a good vantage point and glass. Bears will forage for about 1/3 of the day, and spend the rest napping. So just be patient and try wait for a groggy bear to go for a snack.