It’s February as I write this. The Christmas lights on the outside of my house are still up, a couple of inches of snow is expected to fall today (the first of the season for us in the lowlands), and I’ve got a deer roast slow cooking while I drink my Folgers coffee. But spring bear hunting is slowly occupying my thoughts, much like the evening frost taking over my yard. 

Now, I doubt that readers of this fine magazine need a reason to go bear hunting. Like me, you probably cannot wait to dust off the winter blues, stretch your legs, and get after it. But as we all know, honey-do lists can add up in the spring, time can pass quickly, and before you know it, you are off to some summer vacation with spring bear season in the rearview and fall bear season quickly approaching.  

This brings me to my first reason to go spring bear hunting: time flies. Yes, I am speaking the obvious to some. But as I have aged and hunting seasons pass, I realize that time not only flies but seems to increase in speed each passing year! So, since none of us are promised tomorrow, you should plan on doing what you want today. And if a spring bear hunt has been on your list, you should make plans to fulfill that desire immediately. Now I realize that it may be difficult for some to reach areas where spring bear hunts are available, but with some proper planning and financial saving, it is a very accessible and affordable hunt since states such as Idaho offer over the counter spring bear tags for certain units.  

Now, let’s say that you are immortal and have all the time in the world. Reason one is kind of a moot point. But, since I know full well none of you are, that should be the first point of reason you bring up to your significant other when discussing the option. The second reason, naturally, is conservation. The term “conservation” can mean all sorts of things when discussing the North American Model. But in our case, I consider it to have a simplistic meaning. Whether or not you are successful in hunting, the money you spend on licenses and tags (not including hunting gear, ammo, and the like) will directly benefit game and nongame species alike. You are making a direct financial contribution to the benefit of the natural world for all to enjoy; that is something you should always be proud of. That alone should be enough to get out there. But let’s say, for the sake of argument, that it isn’t a good enough reason to get the “go ahead” from your spouse. I’ve got another one up my sleeve. 

Reason three is one a Disney lover can appreciate: you’ve got to go save Bambi! Yes, that's right. Black bears are not cuddly and nice to sweet little deer fawns. In fact, they can be downright destructive to the population. Now, do we seek to punish bears for simply doing bear things? No, of course not. But if we can help alleviate some of the enormous predator pressure for our ungulate population by taking out a mature boar, we could likely save a hundred or more ungulates during the lifetime of that bear. That can make a big difference for a struggling deer, elk, or moose population. And let’s face it, in many western states ungulates need all the help they can get due to the incredible mismanagement of the resource and lack of predator seasons. I am a firm believer that if you go hunting for ungulates, you should take the time to remove or attempt to remove a predator now and again from the ecosystem. Springtime can be a great time to do this and can save vulnerable fawns and calves.  

Prime hides and quality meat is reason number four and one of my favorites. If you can go out and find a bear in early spring, you can get one of the finest hides known to man. A thick, luxurious bear hide without major rub marks in the early spring is an absolute treasure. They make fantastic throws, great mounts, rugs, conversation pieces, and so on. In fact, I use a spring bear hide as an extra blanket when I go to deer camp or even just around the house.  

However in the spring, you do run the risk of getting a “rubbed” hide. Imagine coming out in the spring and having on that thick, warm hide. The later it gets in the spring the hotter it gets, and the more you would want that hide to thin out. Bears rubbing against trees, stumps, and generally scratching will remove the hair and even create bald spots. If a quality hide is important to you, I would suggest hunting bears in the early season and practice patience so that you are not taking a shot at a bear who could be rubbed out on the side of its body you cannot see. Let the bear move around and show you all sides, if possible. And naturally, make sure there is not a little cub in tow. 

Having taken bears in both fall and spring, I personally cannot taste a difference in the meat between the two seasons. My experience has been mainly in Washington and Alaska, so this may not be true for all areas. Of course, in the spring you are dealing with much less bear fat than you would in the late fall, so there is that to consider if you enjoy the white gold of bear fat and all it brings. I’ve had bear meat from bears peeling trees, catching fish, and eating massive amounts of blackberries, and each one tasted the same to me even though they all smell different. 

Reason five is obvious to the knowledgeable bear hunter but completely unknown to the general public. Boars kill and eat bear cubs. That’s right. Sows, cubs, and boars are not happy little families, but rather a kill-or-be-killed, bear-eat-bear battle royale in the woods. Your ability to take out a mature boar may actually save the local sow and her cub(s) from becoming a pile of bear scat along a logging road. It never ceases to amaze me that when talking with non-hunters about bears, so many believe hunters are breaking up a happy family of bears.  

Ask yourself, when was the last time you had a truly great bear hunting adventure? Have you ever been bear hunting in the spring? Have you ever seen the snow-capped mountains break through the icy grip of the winter snow, giving way to frigid, unrelenting melt-off waterfalls? What about the blue sky highlighting the massive white clouds with the songs of a thousand birds singing, rejoicing in the change of season? When was the last time you took cover under a pine tree as a hailstorm struck and pelted the ground white, only to be melted off by the breakthrough of sunlight after the dark clouds had passed? Have you ever been so close to a bear that you could hear it breathe and snort while it strips a tree’s bark? When was the last time you enjoyed the excitement and curiosity of a cub while watching it from across a gully or canyon as it explored the new world around it? 

The fact of the matter is that cleaning out the closet can wait. Trimming back the brush and maintaining the yard can easily be done a week or two later. Choirs of all kinds come and go, but your ability to go hunting and create memories with friends and loved ones is finite. It is with these reasons in mind that I encourage you to go out this spring, find yourself a quiet part of the mountain, and enjoy hunting one of North America’s finest animals. I have never regretted going hunting, but I have certainly regretted not going. I hope to see you out there. Feel free to use this list as a guide to convince your significant other to let you go; it’s okay, you have my permission. Happy hunting, my friends.