Advice for 18 year old starting spring bear for the first time

[atorres]

Hey y'all, I'm Aidan and I'm 18 from Texas. Me and my buddy are planning to do a spring bear hunt in Idaho for the first time this year after we graduate. I've hunted elk the past couple years in CO but never bear and never Idaho. I need advice generally, but obviously the first thing I need is to figure out where I'm going. One of the reduced units would be nice because of the cost, but if it comes down to it I'm willing to pay the cost for the best unit.

My thoughts so far have been in and around the Selway area: 12, 16, 17 etc. I know the panhandle is good too of course and I've heard some good stuff about the Salmon area. Kinda overwhelmed at the moment cuz I know there's bears everywhere, trying to figure out what the best way to go is. We're planning to pack in however far we need to and stay around five days at a time before we come back out for food, so wilderness area is ok, maybe even preferred. Only catch with wilderness is we're on foot so we need to be able to get to where we need to be from the roads.

Other thing is we need the units that go till June 30.

We're spot and stalking so units with fewer bait kills would probably be better. I imagine that goes without saying with the wilderness heavy units.

Appreciate any advice y'all have.

 

[archp625]

I would ask this over in the bear section. You may or may not get any hits. People are pretty protective to give any help on a unit they have or do hunt. My recommendation is to stick around and give a good name for yourself. Answer other peoples questions if you have experience or knowledge. Second, Welcome to Rockslide. Your bank account is screwed now.

 

[atorres]

I would ask this over in the bear section. You may or may not get any hits. People are pretty protective to give any help on a unit they have or do hunt. My recommendation is to stick around and give a good name for yourself. Answer other peoples questions if you have experience or knowledge. Second, Welcome to Rockslide. Your bank account is screwed now.

Thanks I appreciate it.

 

[archp625]

Thanks I appreciate it.

No problem. People have a hard time giving info on one and done guys. You see it all the time. Someone will post a question. What do you think of this unit. Then you never see them again. They add zero value to this community.

 

[Packin_packout]

I cannot comment on the areas...but getting out and looking for tracks has been the most effective way I have seen to do it. Snow melt leads to muddy roads which are good for figuring out where stuff is. Scat is a good guide as well.

I know that the few bears I have gotten in on have been cross canyon shots looking into small openings below the snow line in calving areas that are super green. I have some pictures of fresh scat I will try to dig up and tracks if you need them.

I look for a lot of what I have heard called arrowhead balsalm root? ( I curse this plant as the noise maker in the fall, dry noisy as hell and crunchy, big yellow flowers in spring and they seem to eat that a lot ).

 

[Firestone]

It depends a lot on what time of the year your gonna hunt them. Early spring bears are different then late may and june bears.

 

[atorres]

I cannot comment on the areas...but getting out and looking for tracks has been the most effective way I have seen to do it. Snow melt leads to muddy roads which are good for figuring out where stuff is. Scat is a good guide as well.

I know that the few bears I have gotten in on have been cross canyon shots looking into small openings below the snow line in calving areas that are super green. I have some pictures of fresh scat I will try to dig up and tracks if you need them.

I look for a lot of what I have heard called arrowhead balsalm root? ( I curse this plant as the noise maker in the fall, dry noisy as hell and crunchy, big yellow flowers in spring and they seem to eat that a lot ).

I've heard of that plant. So not knowing much about bears, are they habitual enough that finding tracks and setting up glassing over that area works?

 

[Packin_packout]

I don't know.

Just my experience and there will definitely be people with more experience than me on this but it has been a case of look for those as areas to watch. If I find fresh tracks and scat on a mountain side with it and I have not blown it from a wind perspective, I have crossed over and found a place to glass it. I try to find four or five places that look good and do evening run of glass/move/glass to see if I can find an opening with a bear in it. it's all tied to how much sign and how easy it is to glass.

 

[Opah]

Watch the video in the thread can you out run a bear.
it will provide the respect you will need when hunting these guys

 

[atorres]

I don't know.

Just my experience and there will definitely be people with more experience than me on this but it has been a case of look for those as areas to watch. If I find fresh tracks and scat on a mountain side with it and I have not blown it from a wind perspective, I have crossed over and found a place to glass it. I try to find four or five places that look good and do evening run of glass/move/glass to see if I can find an opening with a bear in it. it's all tied to how much sign and how easy it is to glass.

Gotcha. Thanks

 

[PathFinder]

Best thing you can do is go to any of those units, hunt as long as possible and learn as much as possible. Then don't tell a soul about it, especially on the internet...

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

 

[bachunt]

Not exactly what you’re asking for, but from TX and looking to do spring bear and fall elk in Idaho. Shoot me a PM

 

[atorres]

Watch the video in the thread can you out run a bear.
it will provide the respect you will need when hunting these guys

Ok cool. Thanks for the recommendation

 

[atorres]

Not exactly what you’re asking for, but from TX and looking to do spring bear and fall elk in Idaho. Shoot me a PM

Can't yet, account's too new. I can reply to one though

 

[atorres]

Best thing you can do is go to any of those units, hunt as long as possible and learn as much as possible. Then don't tell a soul about it, especially on the internet...

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

I hear ya. It's good to continually hear that there are many good units for bears.

 

[journeyman713]

We're spot and stalking so units with fewer bait kills would probably be better. I imagine that goes without saying with the wilderness heavy units.

Appreciate any advice y'all have.

This advice probably goes without saying, Make sure you can run faster than your friend, or bring something to pop him in the knee cap with, to slow him down a bit if need be.

 

[atorres]

This advice probably goes without saying, Make sure you can run faster than your friend, or bring something to pop him in the knee cap with, to slow him down a bit if need be.

Not worried about it in the least because I do happen to be faster

 

[14idaho]

We used to play with our clients. One day the guide would wear sneakers. Of course someone would ask him why the sneakers. He'd reply" lots of bear in the area". Of course one of the hunters would comment," you can't outrun a bear". The guide would reply," I don't need to, I just need to outrun you." Always got a laugh.

 

[atorres]

We used to play with our clients. One day the guide would wear sneakers. Of course someone would ask him why the sneakers. He'd reply" lots of bear in the area". Of course one of the hunters would comment," you can't outrun a bear". The guide would reply," I don't need to, I just need to outrun you." Always got a laugh.

That's pretty good. I wonder if guide services in grizz country make a point of hiring fat clients.

 

[Pootros]

I’m pretty new to spot and stalk bear hunting myself but I was taught the old adage to “chase the green”. Find areas that are lush, with dandelions being a plus. Also chase the bait. If you spot elk and deer with fawns, there is a good chance a bear will be near by.

We have found that being up at the crack of dawn doesn’t do much in terms of productivity. We found most activity at 1600 until dark. We spent a ton of time glassing so get a chair, a tarp for the rain, and some good binos or spotters. And don’t forget about the ticks. They are atrocious so don’t plan on floorless setup unless you hate yourself.

Judging a good bear is whole different beast, one in which I suck at. I shot what I thought was a “decent” bear that turned out to be the size of a Golden Retriever. It was heading directly towards some newborn elk so I felt good about it. My buddy helped by saying “Jeffrey Dahmer was a kid once too”.

Feel free to PM me if you want. I’m not going to give you specifics on areas but will help with tactics and gear.