Idaho Spring Bear Hunt: Unit 1 vs 17

[Tragik]

A few friends and I are planning an Idaho spring bear spot and stalk hunt. We're debating between Unit 1 and Unit 17 in mid/late May. We're accustomed to backpack hunting in Colorado wilderness areas but have never hunted black bear before. Reasons for Unit 1 and Unit 17:

Unit 17 is a wilderness area, which is what we enjoy hunting.

Unit 1 prohibits baiting and hounds, neither of which we'll be doing. Also, I've heard there are a lot of bears up in Unit 1.

Any thoughts or advice on either unit would be very much appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[PNWGATOR]

You’d have fun in either unit. If you get away from the roads you will not have as much competition with the houndsmen and bait stations. You will need to be grizzly aware in unit 1.

 

[idaho-shooter]

Unit 1 in Idaho has been pounded by late snow this year. Don't know how fast that snow will come off but it might make access to the higher elevations difficult. Just an FYI. Thanks.

 

[skierhs]

If your not baiting and not using hounds I’d go with 1. It will provide better opertutunties without having to deal with hounds and bait. To access the wilderness in 17 with so much snow the last few weeks you may have to wait to June as well. Both are great units but I hate having to deal with hounds and bait.

 

[Gli_ryan]

I’m kind of in the same boat, trying to decide where to go. But who knows what’s going to happen with the snow melt. There’s a lot of it on one hand, on the other hand temps are climbing above normal. I live here so I don’t have to travel far and can go whenever the snow dissipates.

 

[Tragik]

If your not baiting and not using hounds I’d go with 1. It will provide better opertutunties without having to deal with hounds and bait. To access the wilderness in 17 with so much snow the last few weeks you may have to wait to June as well. Both are great units but I hate having to deal with hounds and bait.

If we do Unit 17, I'm hoping we can escape hounds and bait if we go 5+ miles in. Or do you think we would still encounter either that far in?

 

[PNWGATOR]

Little to no chance you run into houndsmen or bait stations 5 miles from a road.

 

[skierhs]

If we do Unit 17, I'm hoping we can escape hounds and bait if we go 5+ miles in. Or do you think we would still encounter either that far in?

There’s always a chance but definitely doubtful you’ll run into many people that far back. Keep an eye on snow levels the closer it gets. If snow isn’t melting off fast then the more crowded it will be. That part will only show with time unfortently.

 

[Tragik]

Little to no chance you run into houndsmen or bait stations 5 miles from a road.

I figured as much. Now it's just a matter of determining bear density and likelihood of opportunities through glassing or otherwise in either unit. I've heard and suspect from e-scouting that glassing opportunities are few and far between in unit 1, but people still manage to clean up there, which tells me bear density is probably far higher than unit 17.

 

[Tragik]

Given the potential for snow pack, we're probably going to push our trip up to the first week of June and hike in to Unit 17 from Montana. Maybe I'll pack in some Bait Em 907 and some leftover grease from cooking and see what happens.

 

[skierhs]

Probably a good call. Just make sure to pick up a bear baiting liscence if your gonna have attractants with you.

 

[Tragik]

Probably a good call. Just make sure to pick up a bear baiting liscence if your gonna have attractants with you.

Ahh, never thought I'd bait so I never looked into the rules. Good to know that I need a baiting license. Thanks!

 

[alaskabound]

This will be my 3rd season hunting Unit 17 for spring bear. I've seen bear but I haven't closed yet. I can't send you a private message (I'm guessing there is a minimum post count). If you want to give me your email, I can share some tough lessons learned.

A couple things off the top of my head:

- I have pushed my hunt back every year. This year I am flying in June 15th.

-You will be hiking to locate open areas in Unit 17. I've done a 35 mile loop in one day and didn't get back to my truck until 3am.

-If you are looking at the same access route as I am considering from Montana, the road doesn't open until June 16th and from a call to the forest service, it's possible it could be later.

-In 2 weeks of hunting unit 17, for spring bear I have encountered 0 hunters and found one bait site within a mile of the road. It's one of the reasons I keep coming back.

-Watch your back. I was sitting on a elk trail over looking a creek. There was a seep coming down the ridge with heavy vegetation. I hear something behind me, look over my shoulder to see a bear standing on the elk trail 10 yards behind me, completely oblivious to the fact that I was there. I tried to swing around for the shot but by the time I got him in the scope all I could see was rump.

 

[arrowsender]

I have been looking at a bear hunt in Unit 1 also. Like you I want to stay clear of the baiters but mainly the hounds. I'm still trying to sort out details and research the hunt.

 

[dham088]

Following...

 

[Gli_ryan]

It’s going to be a really wet opener for turkey and bear this year.

 

[skierhs]

It’s going to be a really wet opener for turkey and bear this year.

yeah, 17 has gotten a ton of snow in the last four days. It’s still coming down.

 

[alaskabound]

yeah, 17 has gotten a ton of snow in the last four days. It’s still coming down.

A lot of people are saying that there is a ton of snow but according to the NOHRSC website (https://www.nohrsc.noaa.gov/nsa/) it's substantially less than last year. At least for the stations, I have been checking in 17.

From the graph it looks like around 70" @ Savage Pass and last year was right about 100". Of course that doesn't mean anything for the future if it melts off slower or it gets a bunch of late season snow.

 

[skierhs]

I was in 17 yesterday and it’s holding snow really well. My guess at the moment is mid May till your getting any real access from the roads.

 

[Natevon04]

This will be my 3rd season hunting Unit 17 for spring bear. I've seen bear but I haven't closed yet. I can't send you a private message (I'm guessing there is a minimum post count). If you want to give me your email, I can share some tough lessons learned.

A couple things off the top of my head:

- I have pushed my hunt back every year. This year I am flying in June 15th.

-You will be hiking to locate open areas in Unit 17. I've done a 35 mile loop in one day and didn't get back to my truck until 3am.

-If you are looking at the same access route as I am considering from Montana, the road doesn't open until June 16th and from a call to the forest service, it's possible it could be later.

-In 2 weeks of hunting unit 17, for spring bear I have encountered 0 hunters and found one bait site within a mile of the road. It's one of the reasons I keep coming back.

-Watch your back. I was sitting on a elk trail over looking a creek. There was a seep coming down the ridge with heavy vegetation. I hear something behind me, look over my shoulder to see a bear standing on the elk trail 10 yards behind me, completely oblivious to the fact that I was there. I tried to swing around for the shot but by the time I got him in the scope all I could see was rump.

35 miles?? You got to slow down you probably ran by a dozen bears! Either that or your gps is in Km.


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