Bears in the Arizona High Country

Grampa

Grampa

New member
When you think of Arizona, you probably don't think of bears. We do have them although they tend to run on the smaller side of the bruin spectrum. In Arizona, a black bear at 350 pounds is a giant, while in Alaska it might be considered a throwback.

Here are some photos of the bear I shot in Arizona in October with my good friend and varmint calling expert Ron Wood. It was a 250lb boar, 4 1/12 years old and in his prime.

We had scouted out a water hole surrounded by oak trees and acorns (a black bear favorite). The shot was about 58 yards and hit him dead in the shoulder, heart and lungs.

Arizona does not allow baiting of bears, although dogs are still permitted. The prevailing wind in the Game & Fish department and legislature here will be to eliminate dogs as well, leaving only stalking and calling as the legal sometime in the future.

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Although we didn't actually call this bear, we could have. We were returning to our setup at the waterhole when we discovered the bear had beaten us there. He was ready to pose for his picture so quickly we didn't have time to get out the calls. Sometimes it just pays to be lucky. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
A 250 lb. bore is a nice bear in any state in my opinion.Our record black bear in NY dressed at over 700 lbs.(killed in the Adirondacks)but our average bear runs about 225 lbs..Congrats and thanks for the post.
 
You'd be surprised at the crop of bears in Arizona in 2007. We had ample rain and cool weather in the rim country and it has produced a bumper crop of waterholes, healthy grasses, and most importantly for the bears: acorns.

I hunted and took this bear in Unit 4A. Last year there was very little bear sign or signs of bear activity. This year, it's all over everywhere. Huge difference year to year.

The trick with bear hunting in the fall is getting out on opening day, or at least opening weekend. The tags are over the counter, and cheap ($14 bucks). So anyone can go. The trick is that each unit has a target limit of 1 or 2 sows being killed. As soon as that happens: pooof! The unit and the hunt are closed for bear til next year. Anyone can play: but as soon as somebody takes a sow: it's over.

Bear season in 4A rarely lasts more than 7 days.

I live just north of you in Glendale, ARizona
Terry
 
What's lucky, I hear, is few hunters actually call in their kills so it lasts a while. Even if they do- the area isn't closed down until the following Wednesday. This sound right?

I'm considering heading up to Oak Flats just North of Globe. I heard from a few they're seeing bears in that area.
 
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true. The way it works is the base season gets about 7 days (friday til end of day thursday). Then all hunters are required to call the game and fish to see if it still open. They will give the instructions on whether it is still open, and how often you must continue to call in if it is still open.

It's a funny system but it really is a great way to keep tight control on the population.
 
Yeah, Grampa

They cut into Mt Lion hunting this year as well no more hunts June - August in most areas.

That bear hunting with hounds is only for the fall season as well. No spring hunts for bears with the hound.

Any of you wanna head down to unit 35B and do some callin for bears or lion let me know. I also hunt up around 6A AND 7...

talk soon, Robb
 
Spent 6 days beginning opening day in 22N. The only sign I found was the same sign I had found 2 weeks prior. No new sign whatsoever. There was only 1 other bear hunter in the area besides me. The unit is still open, so I am assuming no one else is seeing any either. Or they are all killing boars.
 
Nice bear. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif I got a bear in 1997. It's weight was "only" approx. 200 lb. I was happy to get it and just wish I could get another one.
 
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