Elkster12
Junior Member
Ok...just finished five days up in unit 12. YES, a reduced hunt unit with two bear tags. Here is my no holds assessment as a bear hunter with 14 bears under my belt and 30 years of predator calling bears by hand. Unless you are a local with secret honey hole knowledge or...
Ok...just finished five days up in unit 12. YES, a reduced hunt unit with two bear tags. Here is my no holds assessment as a bear hunter with 14 bears under my belt and 30 years of predator calling bears by hand. Unless you are a local with secret honey hole knowledge or BAITING for bears...
Well, hunting naked is not my thing. And it's not very practical with all the tics up there! 😁
I won't overdress though. I always layer when hunting. The cold gear comes out when glassing from knobs and ridgelines.
Heading up to 12 in another week to chase bear and wolf in the backcountry. Going to be packing my super down pro clothes and four season tent to handle any inclement weather. Just hoping to not be socked in for a week.
Thanks! Unit 27 is my back up plan and I have no issues turning round to head south to lower elevations if necessary. Time for some spring predator control and freezer filling!
Obviously lots of weather can happen in the next five weeks, but generally are most roads heading north off the US12 into GMU12 free enough of snow to be driveable in a 4x4 Jeep Cherokee by the last week of May?
I call bears all the time. Its my passion and I've been at it for 30 years! I use both open and closed reed hand held predator calls. The brand is of little value. It is more about the passion you put into your vocalizations. I have used cottontail, jackrabbit, and all kinds of low and high...
Nice grizz! I tried one interior grizzly hunt. Our 10 day hunt was only 6 days due to a weather delay and an early pull out for bad weather...plus, we were in a blizzard for 3 days. I'm never going to do a grizz hunt in October again!
It usually kicks in late April and runs through July, unless a 1 or 2 sow quota is reached. I have arrowed three archery spring bears. It is a tough hunt....but I call them in with hand calls. Good hunt over water too. But, it sucks for hardcore bear hunters, as a filled spring tag has you...
Very few bears are traditionally harvested during the spring OTC hunt in AZ. It is mostly used a money generator for the state. There is an archery only draw permit hunt after the OTC hunt ends.
Different colors are genetic traits, selected for by adaptation to various environments. Black colored bears get picked off in Arizona canyon country as they don't blend in well, while blondes and cinnamons can blend better with the yellowish brush and red earth.
I use both open reed and closed reed hand calls. Keep screaming non-stop while sounding scared and pitiful and you're likely to get a response if a bear is nearby and your scent is covered.