Over the last 12 plus years I have pursued Wisconsin Black bears with hounds in both training season and kill season. We get to train the months of July and August, and get a month to harvest starting early to mid September.

On that note, an interesting debate amongst hound hunters here goes into the scent glands of a black bear before hibernation. In July, August, and September the hounds seem to have a very strong “scent tunnel” on a jumped bear allowing them to add pressure quickly. It seems every year as October rolls around baits become a touch harder to start, and jumped bear races seem tougher to add pressure. This I can attest to with my own experiences. Maybe not every “overly proud” hounder will want to admit it of course.

One of the common theories is that a bears scent glands begin to “weaken” before hibernation, allowing them to be less detectable by predators when in their dens. This is the theory as we edge into the colder weather that puts these bears into hibernation, why bears become harder to trail.

What’s are your opinions or experiences?

Interesting question but I have my doubts.

Cold weather doesnt put bears into hibernation,lack of a food source does.

Surely a good bear biologist like Gary Alt can answer this interesting question.

That is a very interesting theory. Having hunted coon with hounds for many years, I have a few friends that use their bear hounds for coon once the bear enter hibernation. If the bear hounds came across a hibernating bear den, wouldn't it leave the coon track and take up the bear den? I have never seen that happen. Perhaps they do lose some sent. With coon however I believe they get stronger scented when they sleep. My older hounds will tree coon laying on the branches of a den tree that never touched the ground.

To me it does make some sense, especially for sows that will have cubs or den with young cubs. Makes sense with the mating season in summer where hormonal extractions will be at their highest and thus making tracking easier. Could it also mean that the hounds are getting some, a lot or most of their scent reception from the air as well as the trail or track? Where are the glands that emit most of the odor of from the bear. To me it would not be real difficult to have some kind of test to see how much scent is coming off the animal and at different times of the year, age(size) or gender.

Bryce

Howell Bros…. On that same note a lot of bear dogs get used on coyote all winter. I have personally never had my dogs find a bear in a den while chasing coyotes or bobcats. I’m sure there’s guys that have.


Just interesting to hear opinions. I can’t say I’m 100 percent bought in on the theory but it could make sense.

No, not at all. It's the higher humidity of the summer months.

Its the length of day in the US.

Length of day doesn’t change in Canada. Daylight does though.

This is my thinking too. I don't run bear...at least on purpose I use my own dogs for running coon. The scenting conditions definitely change with the season. Higher humidity is what creates the tunnel effect you're talking about. I've seen dogs drift a cold track by a good 30 yards one side or the other and run it like they were tied to it. Or tree a layup that hasn't even touched the ground yet. I've also seen the same dog unable to determine the direction of travel on a smoking hot track on the early frost of a October/November night. Seemingly makes no sense but it definitely happens.

I know nothing about bears but I stayed at a Jelly Stone Campground once...

Don't all body functions along with body temp drop to very low rates during hibernation ??

If the above is true; wouldn't scent production fall to very low levels??