2021 Spring bear hunting forecast

Statewide prospects

The timing of bear emergence will vary in parts of the state depending on winter snowpack and spring conditions. In areas that saw lighter snowpack and a milder winter, such as the coastal units, bears already may be active and feeding in lower elevations.

In other parts of the state, such as the northeast, slightly above average snowpack and a late winter storm, means hunters won’t have access to the mid and higher elevations until May.

A hunter’s best bet is to scout locations and look for grass starting to green up in clear-cuts and open meadows. Once green up begins, bears won’t be too far behind.

Hunters should always be prepared for snow and limited access, especially early in the season. Also, keep vehicles off wet and muddy roads to avoid damaging roads and fish and wildlife habitat.

The deadline to buy spring bear tags in March 31.

Tips for new hunters

Wildlife biologists offer the following tips for new spring bear hunters:

• Look for open areas where bears will be moving through or foraging, including clear-cuts, meadows and open slopes that have cleared of snow.
• Earlier in the season, focus on south-facing slopes with rapid spring growth and on open canyon slopes, where bears can be seen feeding on grass and digging roots.
• Coastal bear hunters should check riparian areas located in between slopes early in the season.
• Use predator calls later in the season when elk begin calving. Use calls in forested areas near open meadows.
• One of the best strategies for finding bears this time of year is to sit somewhere with a good view of open canyon sides and use binoculars or a spotting scope to find them. The animals will feed off and on during all daylight hours, so good optics and patience are important.
• Bears are very wary of vehicle noise, and tend to move away from well-traveled roads, so quietly-moving hunters on foot or bike may have an advantage.
• Know your target—remember it is unlawful to take cubs less than one year old or sows with cubs less than one year old.

You’ll find more spring bear hunting tips in 9 tips to be a better bear hunter.

Regulations: Check-in and reporting required

Check-in requirements

A new temporary rule for bear check-ins goes into effect March 22 and will be in effect for 6 months. 

If you harvest a bear you must contact ODFW -- phone, voicemail and email will all work -- within 10 days and provide the following harvest information: 

• Date of harvest and location of harvest including Wildlife Management Unit, sex of the animal, and
• Complete hunter information including the issued date and time of a paper tag or the confirmation number of an electronic tag; a completed “Wildlife Transfer Record Form” as found in the 2021 Oregon Big Game Regulations on page 81 is an alternative for providing the required information.
• Contact your local ODFW office to check-in and for questions, or email odfw.wildlifeinfo@state.or.us.

Report your hunt

All hunters who purchase a 2021 spring bear tag are required to report their hunt results online or at an ODFW license agent no later than Jan. 31, 2022. Reporting is required even for those who did not hunt or were unsuccessful. ODFW uses this information to determine harvest and effort, and set future hunting regulations.

See the district reports below for more information about local conditions and check the Recreation Report for periodic updates.

Northwest/Willamette area -- Hunt 710A 

The north Coast and north Cascade hunts have been combined into one hunt area now called 710A – NW Oregon. This hunt is made up WMUs 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, and 19.

Saddle Mtn – Scappoose units

Damage information indicates that bears are distributed throughout Saddle Mt Unit, but in higher densities in the western half of the unit. There are very few bear damage complaints and very few bears harvested in the Scappose unit. To find bears, hunters need to concentrate their scouting and hunting efforts early in the season near food sources like skunk cabbage (typically found along riparian zones and wet bottomlands) and grass patches on south and southwest facing slopes. Bear activity should improve as weather patterns move away from freezing snaps and become more stable.

Bears are very wary of vehicle noise, and tend to move away from well-traveled roads, so quietly-moving hunters on foot or bike may have an advantage. As always, predator calling can be very productive if you’re in an area where bear are known to be active.

Locations: See the Oregon Hunting Access Map. In the Saddle Mtn. unit, road access is available in the Clatsop State Forest. Non-motorized access to many private industrial forestlands is available, but check with the landowner before you enter their lands. Expect Hampton Affiliates land in Clatsop County to be closed to entry. The Scappoose Unit has very little public land available to hunt, and bears will be found primarily on private industrial forestlands. Contact private industrial forestland managers or go on-line to determine access policies. Hunters are reminded to read and follow all rules posted near entry gates to private industrial forestland.

Wilson & Trask units

Spring appears to be well on the way on the coast, with skunk cabbage already up and blooming in early March and buds breaking on riparian vegetation, as well. Coast Range snows were light this year, so bears may be active at any elevation although they will likely be in higher concentrations lower and closer to the coast.

Also, black bear concentrations tend to be highest in the western portion of the units, especially in the southwestern corner of the Trask Unit. With current weather conditions, hunters should concentrate in river and creek bottoms and south-facing grassy slopes with new plant growth. Again, predator calling can be very productive, especially if you know bears are in the area.

Locations: See the Oregon Hunting Access Map. State and federal lands in these units include the Tillamook and Clatsop state forests, Siuslaw National Forest and scattered BLM parcels. Some private industrial forestland owners allow spring bear hunting as well, usually on a walk-in or mountain bike-in basis. Hunters are reminded to contact private industrial forestland managers or go on-line to determine access policies before hunting. Small private forest and agriculture lands dominate the eastern side of the Trask Unit; access is typically by permission only. A reminder that most Weyerhaeuser lands are likely to be managed under a fee access policy.

Santiam and McKenzie units

Bear densities remain good in the north and central Cascades,; however, with the fires from last fall and a better than average snow year, hunters will need to do their research on access. The Beachie Creek, Holiday Farm, Lionshead, and Riverside fires were all within these WMUs. Hunters will need to check with Mt. Hood and Willamette National Forests about ongoing forest closures. The Santiam State Forest remains completely closed to public access at this time.

Additionally, with snow water equivalent in the Willamette Basin at approximately 107 percent of normal as of March 16, hunters should expect access to mid-elevation habitats to open later than normal. Hunters also may have some difficulty accessing higher elevation habitats. Take into consideration that many of the higher elevation and north facing road systems are expected to remain snow covered with limited access until late May.

Hunters should check road conditions and access before heading out, especially early in the season. The NRCS/USDA Oregon Snow Survey is a great resource for information on snow pack. Fortunately, hunters typically experience the highest success in the last 2-3 weeks of the season.

If you want to get out early, start along riparian corridors at lower elevations and focus on south and southwest facing slopes. The key to early success is to target days with some sun and mild weather. Hunters will want to look for areas with abundant green grass or skunk cabbage. Freshly torn up stumps also indicate a bear is in the area.

Locations: See the Oregon Hunting Access Map. Beginning last year, the boundary changed to include all of the McKenzie and Santiam units. However, many private timber companies still do not allow access. Make sure you check on access before you go hunting. The Clackamas and Collawash River drainages in the Mt. Hood National Forest have a high concentration of open south-facing slopes along with new forest thinning areas, this should make for some good areas for glassing. Hillsides burned during the 2014 36 Pit Fire should still have abundant new plant growth once any snow melts.

Hunters can also find good concentrations of bears in the Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness Area. The Forest Service has been doing meadow restoration projects that, once free of snow, often have good grass growth the bears will key in on. These can be located by looking at Google Earth. In the McKenzie, hunting is best late in the season in some of the old, brushy clear-cuts in the North Fork of the Middle Fork Willamette River and South Fork McKenzie drainages.

North Cascades unit

Bear densities remain good in the north Cascades and hunters typically experience the highest success in the last three weeks of the season. Access in the Cascades will be significantly limited due to the historic fire season in 2020. But in the long run these fires have opened up abundant bear and big game habitat. A large swath of federal lands (USFS and BLM) within and near fire perimeters will be closed indefinitely as well as roads that access these areas.

Some private timber companies have opened access to a portion of their lands including Port Blakely Tree Farms while others will not be opening until summer. Be sure to check each land manager’s website or contact them directly to determine access updates prior to visiting. With snow pack in the northern Cascades at approximately 110 percent of normal as of March 15, hunters should expect to have access to mid-elevation habitats later than normal and have difficulty accessing higher elevation habitats. Take into consideration that many of the higher elevation and north facing road systems are expected to remain snow covered limiting access until late May. Hunters should check road conditions and access before heading out, especially early in the season.

If you want to get out early, start along riparian corridors at lower elevations and focus on south and southwest facing slopes. The key to early success is to target days with some sun and mild weather. Hunters will want to look for areas with abundant green grass or skunk cabbage. Freshly torn up stumps also indicate a bear is in the area.

Locations: See the Oregon Hunting Access Map. The Clear Fork drainage along Lolo pass Rd has open south-facing slopes along with an open powerline corridor that should make for some good areas for glassing. Some roads near Timothy Lake remain open and lead to natural meadows and timber thinning that offer opportunity for bear hunters later in the season when most of the snow has melted.

Hunters can also find good concentrations of bears in the Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness Area. In the McKenzie, hunting is best late in the season in some of the old, brushy clear-cuts in the North Fork of the Middle Fork Willamette River and South Fork McKenzie drainages.

Alsea & Stott Mt. units

Black bear hunting this spring should start well as green up is occurring in the valley bottoms and spring weather patterns are developing. Typically, May is the better month to hunt as bears will be on the move and vegetation growth becomes more prevalent with warmer temperatures. Timberland clear-cuts are still in winter dormancy for the most part but creek bottoms and meadows are beginning to grow grass and skunk cabbage is blooming.

Bear population is abundant particularly in areas with mixed forest habitat (i.e., clear-cuts, second growth, older growth, meadows).  Bear densities are higher in the west half of the units.  Hunters should look for bears at lower elevations along streams or open areas with a south or southeast aspect early in April. These are typically areas with more vegetative growth and the grass that bears are looking for in spring. As the season progresses and warmer weather arrives, bear activity will increase in managed timberlands (clear-cuts) and openings.

Locations: See the Oregon Hunting Access Map. Access is good on mainline forest roads but expect some roads to be impassible in April due to winter landslides, and storm fallen trees. Always check with private timber landowners (e.g., Weyerhaeuser, Hancock, Starker Forests) for recreational access questions and permits. Siuslaw National Forest lands have many spur roads that are bermed, which provide good walk-in hunting opportunities. There is a fair amount of timber harvest this spring, so hunters should expect some access roads to be closed and log truck traffic on open forest roads.

Southwest Area -- Hunt 722A

This hunt includes all the southwest Oregon wildlife management units (20-30), except within one mile of the Rogue River between Grave and Lobster creeks, and the BLM North Bank Habitat Management Area in Roseburg. These areas are closed.  

Bear numbers in the southwest are stable and relatively high. However, the bear population density is highest closer to the coast in the Coast Range. Bear numbers are also high in much of the Klamath Siskiyou, including the Applegate WMU, and stable in the Cascades.

Black bear hunting this spring should start off good due to our mild winter, low snow pack, and the warm sunny weather we’ve been experiencing. The green up bears rely on this time of the year is already happening so there is cause for them to emerge from their dens and begin feeding. The lack of snowfall in the Coast Range should result in good access for hunters throughout the season. Typically, May is the better month to hunt as bears will be moving around more prior to the June rut, and vegetation growth accelerates with warmer temperatures.

Typically boars emerge from their dens earlier than sows and cubs. Remember that it’s illegal to harvest a sow with cubs. In general, it’s good to start off the season glassing open hillsides during sunny mornings and evenings. Bears will most likely be out at this time feeding on grasses and anything else that can fill their bellies.

The southwest Cascade Range is below average for precipitation and snow water equivalent this year, but conditions vary greatly across the southwest region. Hunters should check the NRCS/USDA Snowtel web map for specific information. 

Hunters are encouraged to keep checking the website for updates as the hunting season approaches and throughout the duration of the season. In general, lower elevations tend to green up first so hunters should focus their efforts there during the early part of the season, and then move up in elevation as the snow melts. Early in the season, focus on bear foraging evidence and tracks. After a couple weeks, bear digestive tracts will become more active and scat will serve as another indicator of bear activity.

Increased bear activity will most likely occur on decommissioned untraveled skid roads with high grass production. When bears are active, they will be looking to feed in these grassy openings or similar meadow-type ranges. Coastal wetlands, mid-elevation meadows, mountain prairies and riparian areas are other good places to look for bears. Hunters with access to private timberlands will find bears in clear-cuts, either feeding on green grass or tearing apart stumps looking for insects. Focus on south-facing hillsides in the early mornings and evenings, typically bears will be more active during these times.

Please be mindful of road access conditions. Even this winter’s mild snowfall has the potential to create impassable snowdrifts, especially on north-facing slopes. Hunters may want to drive roads they intend to hunt ahead of time to make sure that the roads are passable.

Locations: See the Oregon Hunting Access Map. Hunters have access to plenty of public land including national forestland (Siuslaw, Rogue-Siskiyou, and Umpqua), BLM land and state-managed property like Elliott State Forest. Hunters should do their homework and call private timberland companies as some offer access. Local landowners include Weyerhaeuser, Rayonier, Financial Investment Associates (FIA), Roseburg Forest Products, and Lone Rock Timber Co.

Hunters can access public land and some private timberland through the Jackson Cooperative Travel Management Area (JACTMA). JACTMA restricts use of certain roads through April 30; for a map contact an ODFW office or download a free geo-referenced pdf. Remember lands within one mile of the Rogue River between Grave and Lobster creeks are closed. The eastern portion of the Applegate unit has open timber draws and south-facing meadows that provide good glassing opportunities to locate feeding bears.

Columbia Area -- Hunt 741A

Bear densities remain fair to high, especially in forested areas. Lower elevation areas are great for spot-and-stalk hunting. Areas that have been logged or have other recent disturbance can provide good glassing opportunities, especially on the west side of Hood River valley. As you move higher into more densely forested portions of the hunt area, look for scat, turned over logs and rocks to key in on bears using the area.

The edges of the major drainages, such as White River, Badger Creek, and Tygh Creek should be good places to find bears in the eastern edge of the hunt area. Forested areas south of Mosier provide plenty of open areas in the western portion of the unit. Good optics and patience while glassing these areas should increase the opportunity to spot a bear.

Glass the open areas that you can find, but also plan to cover a lot of ground to increase your chances of running into a bear. Access in the early portion of the season will be very limited with many low elevation forest roads still snowed in. As the snow melts, focus on higher elevations in the western portion of the unit to find higher concentrations of bears

Locations: See the Oregon Hunting Access Map. In this hunt area, the majority of bear habitat is on public lands. The western edge of the unit has a significant amount of county forest and private timberlands (be sure to check access requirements as they vary by landowner) that harbor good numbers of bears. Weyerhauser owns a large amount of property in Hood River county and requires a permit to access (details available on their website). Be aware that the Forest Service owned portion of the White River fire scar near Wamic remains closed to public access per forest order 06-06-01-20-15 – see map.

South Central Area -- Hunt 731A

Snowpack is below normal as a result of mild winter conditions increasing accessibility to higher elevations. Bear populations continue to increase throughout the hunt area. Historically the highest bear densities are in the Cascade Mountains with lower densities in the drier, ponderosa pine forest portions of the hunt area. However, over the past several years there have been population increases in the Warner, Interstate and Silver Lake WMU’s as well as increased hunter success in these units.

Areas for hunters to check include the Keno Unit, western portion of the Sprague Unit, the Yamsey Mountain and Winter Rim areas of the Silver Lake Unit and the Gearhart Mountain area in the Interstate Unit. Focus on the unburned fringes around 2002 and 2012 fires (Grizzly and Barry Point Fires in the Interstate Unit and the Toolbox/Winter Fire in the Silver Lake Unit) and in riparian areas.  

 Locations: See the Oregon Hunting Access Map. Public access is good within the Fremont-Winema and Deschutes National Forests and on open private timberland. Hunting access is good in the southern portions of the Keno Unit, though precipitation over the winter has many two-track roads and trails too muddy to be driven without causing damage to the road. Access should improve by later in the season. Please respect private property and avoid driving on soft or muddy roads.

Northwest Area Hunts 

BAKER COUNTY

Pine Creek, Keating, Catherine Creek units -- Hunt 762A

The district experienced heavy snowfall in the mid to upper elevations. Hunters should expect access to be relatively limited early in the season with access to high elevations by mid to late season. Look for bears in areas of early green-up. Usually south-facing slopes are the first to become snow-free and can be good places to glass for bears.

In the Keating Unit, hunters will find better access in some of the mid to low portions of the national forest. Higher elevations near Pine Creek and McGraw Overlook will have deep snow early in the season but should become accessible by mid to late season. Hunters planning on traveling the 39 Road to access the McGraw area should be aware that the road is still snow covered in higher elevations and access will be limited. For up to date road conditions please contact the Wallowa Whitman National Forest, Baker Ranger District at 541-523-6391.

The Catherine Creek Unit will produce good bear numbers this year. Much of the unit’s lower elevations are on privately-owned land. The higher elevations of the Catherine Creek Unit are mostly within the Wallowa-Whitman National Forest and contain excellent bear habitat. Snow may limit access to the highest elevations in April but should open up by mid-season. Walking in on roads that are inaccessible by vehicle can be a productive way to find early season bears.

Locations: See the Oregon Hunting Access Map. The Little Catherine Creek Travel Management area just east of Union provides walk-in access to Hancock Forest Management lands; maps are available at entrance points or at ODFW’s La Grande Office.

Lookout Mt. unit – Hunt 764

Moderate snow in high elevations will limit access in the early season. Try south-facing slopes near the timberline above Brownlee Reservoir. Private lands limit access; make sure you obtain landowner permission before hunting private land.

Locations: See the Oregon Hunting Access Map.  

GRANT, HARNEY, MALHEUR Counties -- Hunt 746A

South Blue Mtns 

The area received a mild winter this year with lower accessible to hunters; however, higher elevations may still be inaccessible during the start of the season. Spring green-up is already occurring on the lowest elevations and south-facing slopes, providing ideal conditions for pre-season scouting. Bear populations are stable or increasing but this hunt is still challenging due to the heavily forested terrain that makes it difficult to spot bears. Hunters can find bears widely distributed through all units but harvest in the spring has been highest in the Desolation unit.

Hunters often use this tag as an opportunity to scout new hunting areas for next fall’s deer and elk seasons, turkey hunt, or collect shed antlers. Remember it is legal to take naturally shed antlers, but not skulls with antlers attached. More information on shed hunting.

Locations: Hunters in the Heppner and Desolation units should focus on the area along the breaks of the North Fork John Day River. See the Oregon Hunting Access Map for more hunting locations. Bears are well distributed across Grizzly and Ochoco units. Focus on riparian drainages and open areas, particularly recent burns in the Mill Creek and Bridge Creek Wilderness areas.

Early in the season, it’s best to work the lower elevation fringes of the forest, concentrating on areas with green-up, particularly rocky outcroppings near meadows and other open areas. 

UMATILLA COUNTY -- Hunt 754A

Mt Emily-Walla Walla

The district experienced above average snowfall at mid to upper elevations this winter.  With mild temperatures expected across the county for the next few weeks, look for the onset of spring and receding snot only at lower elevations. Hunters will most likely have only limited access to higher elevations until the last week of April. Due to recent floods in Umatilla County, several of the lower elevation access roads and trails have been washed out and remain closed by Forest Service order. Hunters can call the Pendleton ODFW office (541-276-2344) to obtain information on road closures and current snow conditions.

Early season bear activity is concentrated along the lower elevation fringes of national forestland. Bears follow the green-up elevation band; concentrate on timbered slopes with small openings with lush green moss, sedge or grassy areas. If the spring is wet, bears will be out on open slopes foraging on wild onions and sedges. If the day is cool, bears will be out in the open for longer periods. However, in warm weather, bear activity will be concentrated early in the morning and late in the day near sundown.  

Locations: See the Oregon Hunting Access Map.

UNION COUNTY -- Hunt 752A

Starkey-Ukiah

Bear numbers are strong in both the Starkey and Ukiah Units. Late snowfall created deep snowpack in both units, which will limit hunter access early in the season. Vehicle access will be a challenge throughout the month of April. When the snowpack begins to melt look to lower elevation access points in Union and Umatilla counties for hunting locations. 

Hunters should focus efforts on south aspects for best results. Finding bears in this unit may prove challenging due to the lack of open canyon habitat common in other east side units. Walking in on closed roads is a good way to access bear habitat within this hunt area. The Elkhorn Wildlife Area in the south end of the unit is open to bear hunting and allows walk-in access.

Locations: See the Oregon Hunting Access Map. The Dry Beaver Ladd Canyon road closure area offers diverse habitat and provides limited motorized travel. Other areas that have good bear densities are Spring Creek, open slopes along Fly Creek and public lands surrounding Vey Meadows. It is also quite possible to encounter a cougar in these areas, so having a cougar tag could provide a bonus opportunity.

WALLOWA COUNTY -- Hunts 756, 757A, 759A, 760A

Expect access in most units to be difficult until early May, due to snow drifts. Bear activity will depend on weather patterns in April and warm weather will result in more bear activity. While it is still early for bear activity, south-facing slopes are already beginning to green up at low and mid-elevations. Bear numbers should be high again this year with most found in canyon areas early in the season.

Locations: See the Oregon Hunting Access Map. Remember the Noregaard, Whiskey Creek and Shamrock travel management areas will be in effect in the Sled Springs Unit through May 31; maps are available at entrance points or at ODFW’s Enterprise office.