Best time of day to kill bear over bait
Contributors to this thread:Bears
From: Hunter4459
14-Aug-14
Heading for Canada later this month for my first black bear hunt. Not planning to do a fishing package, want to focus on the bear. Appears that the evening is the best time to kill a bear, but wondered how others have done in the morning and afternoon.
When did you kill your bears?
From: Venison Junky
14-Aug-14
Seen my first bear first day at 230 in after noon he came back at 4 pm and that is when I shot . Second bear I shot was coming in at 730 pm. on camera .The first night I hunted he came in at 630pm.
From: NY Bowman
14-Aug-14
Kill times for myself or my kids. 7:15 AM, 9:25 AM, 10:30 AM, 8 PM, 8:20 PM.
From: 300 Win Mag
14-Aug-14
Just before dark.
From: ridgerunnerron
14-Aug-14
last half hour b-4 dark!
From: carcus
15-Aug-14
X2 for last half hour, this is when the big buys roll in
From: Zebrakiller
15-Aug-14
I agree most are last hour before dark but go by your cameras, I have killed bears at all times of the day some years when baits are slow and unpredictable I will do all day sits if need be. Good luck
From: RD
15-Aug-14
The bear decides, put a camera or timer out and then sit at the time you get pictures.
From: TSI
15-Aug-14
The best time is always when the right bear is standing in the bait!
From: car
15-Aug-14
x3 on right before dark. I have taken them before around 3 but the bigger one show up right before dark or after dark.
From: flyingbrass
15-Aug-14
AFTER DARK!
From: Ole Coyote
15-Aug-14
All the bears I have taken came in betwee 4PM and DARK
From: spike buck
15-Aug-14
Most bear hunters hunt evenings, that's why most bears are shot in the evening. A lot of hunters that sit mornings here, see bears in the morning (Fall).
Spring time means getting up at 4:00 am for a morning hunt, after sitting till 10:30 pm the night before. That's why morning hours are not popular!!
Try a morning hunt, you might be surprised!!
From: TSI
16-Aug-14
Very true Spike,but ive found mornings in spring less reliable as far as appearances.And as you say very hard on the hunters.Going in in the mornings often pushes bears of that just simply move away and bed.With exceptions.5-7hrs per day is alot of time for hunters in stand to sit well.Everyone is different though,some can sit long well,others a short sit is all they can manage,hunters should tell guides there limits for sitting still.increase your odds rather than hurt them with a restless sit.
From: spike buck
16-Aug-14
Most times when you bump a bear in the morning the bear will be back soon after (fall). That's why you get there before daylight. Bow or gun doesn't come out of the case till daylight.
From: coyote hunter
17-Aug-14
I have killed them anywhere between noon and dark
From: Fuzzy
18-Aug-14
thanks for the question and info! :-)
From: StrutNut
18-Aug-14
In MN we used to hunt all day but gave up on it as we seldom saw much until 4 pm on. We head to the bait at 3 and hunt til shooting time. We killed bears from 4 to shooting with bigger ones coming in at any given time. It was kind of nice to sleep in and then run baits (self guided). Have lunch, relax and then head out. A very enjoyable hunt.
From: spike buck
18-Aug-14
In Ontario you have many fishing camps offering bear hunts. They promote a evening hunt because they are too busy with fishermen in the mornings.
From: Windwalker
18-Aug-14
Took this guy on 5/25/14 at 6:30 pm. He scored 20 and 3/8's.
From: Sage Buffalo
18-Aug-14
The best thing about bear hunting is that you CAN fish and hunt. If you still can it's definitely worth the fishing if you like to fish.
I did that in Alberta this year - pike and bear.
From: bigguy
18-Aug-14
We have big bears coming to our baits at all hours of the day. Morning noon or late in day. Anything under a 20" bear is not considered big. In the fall they want to eat. It's much like mid June when they are in rut. You just never know when a big bear will come in. If all your doing is hunting, get your moneys worth and hunt all day.
From: Hunter4459
18-Aug-14
Thanks to all for the many replies. Told me what I wanted to hear. As long as I am in the stand, there's a chance of taking a bear. This will be a fall hunt. I plan to be at the camp around noon on Friday 8/29, and will hunt that evening. Fishing is an option, but I'm heading up there to kill a bear. Will probably hunt a lot in the morning too. Get there before sunrise, hunt for 4-5 hours, and if I feel I need to get out of the stand, head back to camp and maybe fish for a couple of hours before getting back in the stand at 3:00 or so. This will be in Ontario, and the camp is right on Shining Tree Lake.
From: bigguy
19-Aug-14
We hunt a lot of mornings but never go to the stand before sunrise. We ease in slow and watch for bears after sun up. We have even killed bears while slowly sneaking in to the bait. Going in when its dark may scare a good bear away. Bears come and go so if there is a good bear on the bait when we are going in, we simply sit back and wait for him to leave. Once he's gone we slip in, shake the bait barrel a couple times and then get into our stands. More often than not, the bear returns.
From: Rob Nye
19-Aug-14
Good advice from Bigguy, plenty of experience there. Big bears are often active in the mornings, my clients have killed several giants in the AM. Alway take your bow along when checking baits.
From: Rob Nye
19-Aug-14
Sometimes the big bears are extra active in the morning!
From: spike buck
19-Aug-14
good pictures Rob!! We will keep our hunters going in before daylight, especially if it works!!
From: Hunter4459
26-Aug-14
Thanks much for all the replies. With reference to morning hunting, I thought the same thing as bigguy was suggesting. Wait until it's light enough to see before you sneak in. I don't want to spook one off the bait. Will head north on Thursday, get to the camp Friday around noon, and start hunting Friday evening. Looking forward to it!
From: gblevins525
31-Aug-14
When the bear is there. Shot mine at 6:30 in the evening friend shot his at 4:30
