Black Bear - Reading Sign

Regardless of what technique is used to hunt black bear, it is important for hunters to know they are in an area frequented by at least one animal. Actually seeing a bear is the most reliable way to determine whether animals are in a area, but this is not always possible due to their secretive nature, coupled with the heavy cover and rugged terrain they often occupy. So, in many cases, hunters have to rely on reading sign.

Hunters who want to avoid areas occupied by black bear should also be familiar with sign left by these animals, so they are better able to steer clear of locations with the most bear activity.

Bear Trees

Boars reportedly stand on hind legs with their backs against marker trees, rubbing and scratching themselves on the trunk while reaching around with their mouth and biting the bark or treetop. In some cases, claws may also be used to mark tree trunks.

The height of bite marks generally correspond to the height of the bear that made them. The bear's scent is also left on the tree as a result of rubbing. There appears to be a connection between tree marking behavior among mature boars and the breeding season, because most marking occur before and during peak mating activity - May through July. Sows also rub against marker trees to leave their scent.

Feeding Activity

Signs of black bear feeding activity can be found on trees, too. Bruins are often destructive of trees they feed on and the evidence of their presence is easy to distinguish. Fall is the time of year to check fruit and nut trees for signs of feeding activity. Recently broken limbs should have fresh green leaves still attached. Leaves will die and turn brown after limbs have been broken a while. Count on black bears to return to a tree that still offers a good food supply. If signs of feeding activity are a year or more old and the tree has a supply of fruit or nuts again, a bruin will probably stop by for his share once they ripen.

Some black bear spend most of their time foraging for nuts on the ground rather than climbing trees to get them. For this reason, the absence of claw marks on the trunks of mast producing trees does not mean there are no bear in the area.

Black bear are fond of insects in addition to fruits and nuts. To get at ant, hornets and bees, bear often roll rocks and logs, rip apart stumps and logs, and dig holes in the ground. Claw marks can usually be found on logs and stumps that a black bear has manhandled. Scratches from claws are sometimes visible on displaced rocks, too. Remnants of a hornet or bee's nest at the bottom of a hole in the ground or in a ripped stump or tree is a sure sign o black bear was responsible. Large areas of soil may also be excavated by bear in search of plant tuber and bulbs.

Droppings

Black bear droppings are distinctive and are not likely to be mistaken for those left by another game animal in North America, except possibly in locations where the range of black and grizzly bear overlap. Dung is usually deposited in large piles. Numerous piles of droppings will be evident if favored feeding areas. Bear dung is normally white, brown or black, depending upon what the animals are feeding on. Black bear scats seldom appear fresh for more than a few days, unless the weather is cold. Piles of dung usually dry out and start to break down quickly.

The size of droppings may indicate, to some extent, the size of the animal that deposited them. Presence of bear scat of average size in the same area with small, raccoon size dung may indicate the presence of a sow with one or more cubs, for example. As a general rule, the larger the droppings the larger the bear. Black bear scat averages 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter, but may measure as much as two inches. After looking at black bear droppings over a period of time, hunters will get a feel for what larger than average droppings look like without measuring then. The same hold true for tracks.

Tracks

Tracks left by black bear can be a lot harder to find than many novice hunters realize. Despite the black bear's bulk, the animal has to walk over soft ground such as sand or mud to leave distinct impressions. The best places to look for bear tracks are along sand or gravel roads, muddy roads, in patches of sand or mud near feeding areas, and along banks of rivers and streams.

Bear tracks usually consist of imprints of foot pads and toes, with five toes per foot. A track left by a black bear's hind foot is similar in appearance to a print left by a person who is barefoot. The pad is longer than it is wide. Rear pads are widest just behind the toes and taper down to a narrow, rounded heel. Front pads are at least twice as wide as they are long.

Black bears have short claws compared to grizzlies, and impressions from claws don't usually show in front of toe marks, unless the prints are made in soft sand or mud, or if the animal was running. When claw marks are present in black bear tracks the small indentions they leave are often close to the toes. Claw marks are more prominent in tracks made by grizzly bear.

It is usually possible to get a general idea of how big a bear is by the size of its tracks. The front pad I an average black bear will measure from 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 inches across. Rear pads on an average black bear will be from five to six inches in length. This measurement only takes the pad into account, not the toes.

Trails

Regular trails will be packed down in areas frequented be black bear. All vegetation is usually flattened along these trails and may even be worn down to bare soil from heavy use, such as at a garbage dump. Bear trails sometimes tunnel through thickets at a height of about three feet. Trails used by a heavy bear will develop depressions every place the animal puts its feet because black bear have a tendency to step in the same spot each time they walk the same route.

Bed

Black bear beds are similar in size to those made by deer, but are more rounded, appearing circular. Deer beds tend to be made in more of an oblong or oval shape. Bruins may bed down in grass, but often lay at the base of large trees.

Black Bear Basics

Caring For Bear Meat

Not responsible for typo errors, omissions, or changes to regulations not stated here.

This page hosted by

Get your own Free Home Page