Lucky fella!
Great luck to catch a pic. of that bear. On the subject of Black Bear color phases, they can be found in
black,
brown,
cinnamon,
blonde,
blue-gray (
rarest), or
white. Now rarity, that is even more interesting.
In western states like Arizona that have mountain meadows and open park-like forests, population studies have found that over half the black bears-
ursus americanus are brown, cinnamon, or blond-
ursus americanus cinnamomum. The general consensus is light colored fur reduces heat stress from sunlight and allows the bears to feed longer in open food-rich habitat. The lighter colored fur may also camouflage them in terrain with light/tan colors. Non-black- black bears with new dark brown fur can bleach to nearly blond by the time it is shed the next summer. So, blonde phase Black Bears are uncommon. However, rare would be sub-species with the blue-gray and white color phases.
There are two sub-species of Black Bear, which developed due to isolation by mountain ranges, they are found in British Columbia and southeastern Alaska.
In British Columbia the Kermode bear-
ursus americanus kermodi- subspecies can be found on a few coastal islands. The Kermode Bear have a unique color phase trait where twenty percent are a creamy white. The Native Americans call them "Spirit Bears"?
Farther north in southeastern Alaska is the Glacier Bear-
ursus americanus emmonsii- subspecies. Most are black, but a few are é›»ark-bluish gray with silver-tipped guard hairs? It is now only semi-isolated from surrounding populations, as it integrates with surrounding populations, the dominant black gene will likely breed out the blue-gray/frosted color.
This is the rarest color phase.
Black, Brown, Cinnamon, White, Blue-Gray (in order from left to right)
Black Bear hunting is one of my most favorite, hunting Quail is second and Elk being #1. My interest in this is because I have had a long aspiration to hunt all of the Black Bear color phases & sub-species. In the area I hunt the brown phase is common, cinnamon being uncommon and blonde almost non-existent.
PHOENIX PHIL, in one of your posts you mentioned seeing bear scat/spore, which means that is possibly a boar marking sight or corridor. If you get the chance I have no doubt you will not pass up an opportunity to bag a unique animal. Thanks for sharing.
Best of luck this season.