Black Bear Hunt

[def90]

I’ve not tried it but have heard from several people that have that it’s good stuff, the bear fat when rendered down is highly desired by cooks/chefs as well. There is the possibility of trichinosis though so it needs to be cooked like pork. Colorado CPW would like it if more people hunted them, we have an over population of them throughput the state and CPW makes it as easy as possible to get a tag for one and encourages that you get one.

[Irving]

People think we are over populated because we stopped the spring hung, but we actually harvest more bears now with just the fall hunt, than we ever did when we had two seasons. I still haven't even seen one in the wild though, let alone gotten my own.

[Irving]

By the way, as to the age of a bear, there was a lady that was mauled by a grizzly that was interviewed on the MeatEater podcast. The bear that attacked her was in it's early 20's. Just this month I guess that bear for into trouble again and they put it down. It was 26 years old.

[def90]

People think we are over populated because we stopped the spring hung, but we actually harvest more bears now with just the fall hunt, than we ever did when we had two seasons. I still haven't even seen one in the wild though, let alone gotten my own.

CPW says they are overpopulated and that via some study areas they have been watching the last few years they are beginning to find out just how much of an impact bear predation on fawns is impacting the drop in mule deer populations through much of the state. I’ve never seen one hunting either but I’ve seen dozens of them while working in Steamboat and the Aspen area as well as I have see them many times up the canyons outside Boulder.

[Irving]

I just recently heard that CPW said they may have underestimated our bear population by as much as 50%! Can you believe that? Quite the over sight.

When I was hunting in unit 33 some local was telling me that they were over populated because all the bleeding hearts Aspen want them relocated all the time so they drive them up there to drop them off. I don't know how much I believe that, but I did see a bunch of tracks around my tent whole I was hunting. I went into town and got a bear license mid season, but never saw one. I was bummed.

[hunterhawk]

I saw 5 bears in 1 week of hunting and missed one of them :-/ certain areas have more bears than others. I really want to get one with my bow. It will happen sooner or later.