black bears out in southcentral alaska
Contributors to this thread:Bears
From: elmer@laptop
22-Mar-16
Just saw my 2nd black bear of the spring out of the den here in the hills around anchorage today. I have seen 5 photos from others with black bears already out. Winter in soutchentral has been 10 to 15 degrees warmer than normal. It was 48 degrees today in east anchorage. Wonder how the early emergence of the bears will affect the hunting season? More early rubbed bears? Earlier mating season? Early food sources so maybe bears will not come to baits as much?
normal time for bears to start emerging is mid to late april. My first bear sighting was 10 days ago. Almost a month earlier than normal.
From: Nick Muche
22-Mar-16
Why didn't you go try to hunt it?
From: Ursus a. Horribilis
22-Mar-16
I was wondering, with the warmer winter, when the Bears would be out? This answers my question. Thanks Elmer!
From: elmer@laptop
23-Mar-16
Nick, both bears i saw were in a no hunting area in Chugach state park.
From: elmer@laptop
23-Mar-16
Ursus......there are a bunch of bears out around southcentral in the lowlands. Anything closer to 1000 feet elevation is still fairly heavily snow covered. South facing slopes/hillsides are the place to find the bears right now.
East anchorage and areas south hit 50 degrees yesterday!
From: Blacktail Bob
23-Mar-16
I saw a giant brown bear the other day at my cabin on the South end of Kodiak. I doubt very much he ever went in the den this year. Gets me excited to see him because I drew the tag to hunt out of the cabin next spring.
