Black bears are very common to Vancouver Island. The most dense population of black bears in the world is in and around Clayoquot and Barclay Sound near Tofino and Ucluelet - about a five hour drive from Victoria, three hours from Nanaimo. I've been on two bear watching tours in Ucluelet and Tofino in the late spring and early fall -- only to find out that July and August are actually the best times for sightings near shore. The bears typically feed on grass in the spring and come out to the rocks to hunt for crabs in the mid-summer so it's easier to see them by boat. I've had a few bear sightings otherwise... once we spotted a baby bear feeding on grass along the highway headed to China Beach. I also saw a bear at sunset along the Buttle Lake Road in Strathcona (bears are very common to that area). Another time, I was taking photos of eagles in Goldstream park in February (alone and in the early a.m. when there was no one in the parking lot) and accidentally startled a teenage bear. He wasn't threatening and just sauntered away when he saw me.

You can also find black bears at the Vancouver Zoo. The zoo has a huge habitat where bears, wolves, elk, etc. roam free. You access the area Jurassic Park style - in a huge bus (you can open the windows) and electric doors that open and shut as the bus enters.

September, 2003
I visited Clayoquot Sound near Tofino in September 2003 and went bear watching on a conventional bear watching tour by boat. At this time of year, the bears come to the shore to hunt for crabs under the rocks. We spotted one bear and spent about 20 minutes watching him (see above). I made the mistake of going in the mid-afternoon when the sun was too harsh for good photographs.

May, 2004
I visited Barclay Sound near Ucluelet in May 2004 with Pristine Adventures via a motorized canoe. The owner and naturalist, Daryl is extremely informative and knows the area like no one else. He is aware of all the feeding sights of arious bears at various times and understands what photographers need in terms of light, angle, etc. He has taken out filmographers and phographers from major shows and magazines like Nikon Photographer and Canadian Geographic. Unfortunately, my slides were a bit over exposed (my own fault) so I don't have much to show from that particular trip. However, I would recommend Pristine Adventures any time. We only saw one bear, but Daryl made the trip worthwhile with his keen understanding of nature in the area.

See other photographs of bears at http://www.pbase.com/ccraft/bears/

Please leave advice and feedback about your own bear watching experiences in or near Vancouver Island, B.C.