# Late moving bears?



## Stubee (May 26, 2010)

I deer hunt in NW Ontario about 50 miles from International Falls the first two weeks of November and just got back. There are of course a lotta bears up there but I’ve never seen them or even a track that late in the season. This year was quite a bit colder than normal with plenty of snow and I was surprised to see a smoking fresh set of bear tracks November 8 while walking to my blind. He ambled all over the place, zigzagging through mostly lower stuff. 

I mentioned this to others and a local said the bears are moving late this season because their usual hibernation spots are flooded. They’ve had far too much rain up there since mid-August and there’s water in place I’ve not seen it in my 17 years roaming around up there. A lot of water!

Does this make sense? I figured they’d pretty quickly adapt to the situation and find higher spots to hibernate? Just curious.


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## SMITTY1233 (Dec 8, 2003)

Normally late movement means not enough fat reserves for hibernation and their body isn’t ready. I’d assume the locals know what they are talking about as far as moisture and reasons too


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## shaffe48b (Oct 22, 2019)

I thought it was the opposite. Bears hibernate when there isn't enough food not due to the surplus of it. Also not due to weather.

But books are known to be wrong.


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

Last year I saw a big one running away from me as I walked back from my rifle blind.


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## Stubee (May 26, 2010)

Yeah I’ve seen both tracks and bears during deer rifle season in the NELP, just surprised to see one up in Ontario. But I was only surprised because I hadn’t seen one before. Thanks for the info.


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## SMITTY1233 (Dec 8, 2003)

Seen them out in lower several times in January over the years


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## JBMetalworks (Mar 11, 2015)

I saw a bear in the woods for the first time ever last year on Nov. 20, from my rifle blind in Cheboygan Co. Sow and 2 larger cubs I believe.

Really cool experience watching them browse around until I realized its 10 mins before dark and had to get out and walk back lol


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## shaffe48b (Oct 22, 2019)

JBMetalworks said:


> I saw a bear in the woods for the first time ever last year on Nov. 20, from my rifle blind in Cheboygan Co. Sow and 2 larger cubs I believe.
> 
> Really cool experience watching them browse around until I realized its 10 mins before dark and had to get out and walk back lol


A family member of mine was saying a guide from the up claims the old boars are the first to the den. But anything I've read and radio collar studies I've read from s central ak say the opposite. They say pregnant sows are the first to den and the latest to emerge and old boars are the opposite. It sounds like your bears might have been yearlings? But I thought they got run off in second year before she bred..but apparently not always.

Some of it might be local dependent. I was just reading that bears out west den on north slopes which is what everyone said. However, radio studies from ak basically showed they might den anywhere. In mi they dont even have slopes.


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## JBMetalworks (Mar 11, 2015)

They seemed small to be yearlings. They were much smaller than she was. Maybe kicked out of a den or had to relocate? If that's even a thing? Not a bear expert at all.

I had some cools pics and a video on my old phone...should have listened to the wife and backed it up to the cloud before it broke.


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## Scout 2 (Dec 31, 2004)

A couple yers ago I have pictures of one here on the 15Dec. It wander thru the west side of our yard and out in the back in a zig zag pattern then went on the neighbors where they got pictures. I saw tracks in the snow out back headed toward a spot where they have had a den in the past


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## stickbow shooter (Dec 19, 2010)

Fresh tracks in my yard this morning.


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## wannabeup (Aug 16, 2006)

My daugjter and non hunting grand daughter had one run right them this morning whilst in a ground blind. My daughter started yelling, "it's a bear. It's a bear. Get the phone Grace." Quite a commotion trying to get gloves off and get phones. The bear got about 12-15 yds away before it got scared of them and turned tail outta there. Newago county Woodville area.


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## Scout 2 (Dec 31, 2004)

wannabeup said:


> My daugjter and non hunting grand daughter had one run right them this morning whilst in a ground blind. My daughter started yelling, "it's a bear. It's a bear. Get the phone Grace." Quite a commotion trying to get gloves off and get phones. The bear got about 12-15 yds away before it got scared of them and turned tail outta there. Newago county Woodville area.


Something they will never forget


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## Martin Looker (Jul 16, 2015)

We found one when we were doing a polar bear camp out about 25 years ago. It was in a hole scooped out by a bucket loader. There was a balsam that fell over the hole. She had two Cubs, but we didn't know that until two weeks later.


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## walleyemagic (Mar 14, 2015)

Neighbors seen tracks last week in snow and got bear and cub on trail cam 2 days later walking a deer run. Alcona County


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## John Hine (Mar 31, 2019)

Had a bear in our back yard this morning, this is the latest I’ve ever seen a bear out up here, kalkaska county. Looked like 150 lbs healthy young male,


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## TommyV (Jun 20, 2014)

My SIL saw a bear yesterday afternoon in a field near Petoskey.


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## laserstraight (Jun 17, 2004)

About 80% of the time in the NWL I find fresh tracks around 
when I am muzzle loader hunting.


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## Martin Looker (Jul 16, 2015)

I see maybe one bear a summer around here crossing the road. Never have seen one back here in the woods, but something carried a whole gut pile the other night.


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## Vwidemann (Oct 7, 2019)

Martin Looker said:


> I see maybe one bear a summer around here crossing the road. Never have seen one back here in the woods, but something carried a whole gut pile the other night.


Most bears will almost always carry a gut pile off to a secluded place of it's choosing. Coyotes annihilate it wherever it lays.


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## kingfisher 11 (Jan 26, 2000)

Buddy of mone texted me from a tree stand Sunday. Just had a small bear come by his stand. Last year the same thing during muzzle loader season, but that bear was much bigger. He is in a big swamp less than a mile from a city limits in Antrim County.


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## rosharb (Sep 5, 2006)

Got a pic. of one Dec. 5 Isabella Co


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## Tjs1995231 (Sep 23, 2018)

I wondered the same thing.Still seeing tracks in the cornfield as of Saturday here in the N.w.l.p.


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## Tracker01 (Jul 6, 2010)

Just found fresh bear tracks this morning from last night. Granted it was near an uncut cornfield so plenty of food to be had.


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## SMITTY1233 (Dec 8, 2003)

Man I'd love to find one this coming saturday or sunday


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## shaffe48b (Oct 22, 2019)

SMITTY1233 said:


> Man I'd love to find one this coming saturday or sunday


You know due to this thread I've been hoping to see some tracks at least too. Most of the areas I hunt around are uplands, but I also didn't see any tracks in a likely area this weekend.


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## SMITTY1233 (Dec 8, 2003)

Brother was at camp last weekend for 6 days muzzy hunting they saw tracks two days in a row. Then none the last several days.


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## Tracker01 (Jul 6, 2010)

I was sitting the same field i had seen the fresh tracks on Dec 21st and had the combine come through the field and push a little guy out of the field to the hard woods. Definitely was a different experience seeing it run out of the corn.


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## bowjack (Nov 20, 2011)

Last year these were still out at the end of muzzleloader season in Manistee Co.


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