alex-rumbel's Identifications

Here's a typical sequence of events when tracking and finding a bear. This young black bear tended to walk off if she saw or smelled me. The bear bed shown has been used over the years by several bears, including Armin the Bear, who I knew for many years... The Big Guy of this area.

My experience working with bears hands on and hanging out with them, has enabled me to also be able to smell them if I'm downwind... You can often tell the sex and age by their scent, and this took me many years to test and learn... may not be easy with all bears, yet bears vary in their behavior and what they rub or how often they wallow in mud and mark trees. This is age, sex, and status dependent.

You can also smell bear tracks, and depending on the amount of moisture in the air and the amount of sunlight they are exposed to... this tells who and when and is very effective when looking for bears. Keep in mind that Marking Trees (large and small), Trails and Tracks, Bear Beds, and vegetation they have passed by and/or foraged on all carry the Scent of a Bear... and who and when too.