Idaho Spring Bear

[gotlag1789]

Using tech to help you plan a spring bear trip.

Last year was my first spring bear hunt in Idaho. Despite my lack of success I did learn quite a few lessons, During my post hunt recap my biggest lesson learned was the lack of on the ground scouting that resulted in me showing up when there was still a significant amount of snow on the ground...

rokslide.com

appreciate you!

 

[packgoatguy]

If you weren't seeing bears in idaho last spring... it wasn't the weather or snow to blame. It's the influx of hunters. The bears are seeing too many people, so they just aren't moving around during daylight hours like they used to.

Between the beginning of April and the end of June, I hit over a half dozen major trailheads, and a dozen more non-trailhead locations. Every one had more rigs than any year prior. A few has as many as 30 vehicles in a location that just a few years ago would have only had 2 or 3 rigs. And don't think that just going in deeper is the fix... I found hunters back in the knarliest places, many miles from the trailhead, and everywhere in between.

Best bet if you are going to do it anyway, is go where there aren't any rigs parked... and do your best to deduce whether other guys were there a day or week earlier. If they were, then move on. Pick spots between major roads and major trailheads... don't go all the way to the trailhead.

 

[gotlag1789]

If you weren't seeing bears in idaho last spring... it wasn't the weather or snow to blame. It's the influx of hunters. The bears are seeing too many people, so they just aren't moving around during daylight hours like they used to.

Between the beginning of April and the end of June, I hit over a half dozen major trailheads, and a dozen more non-trailhead locations. Every one had more rigs than any year prior. A few has as many as 30 vehicles in a location that just a few years ago would have only had 2 or 3 rigs. And don't think that just going in deeper is the fix... I found hunters back in the knarliest places, many miles from the trailhead, and everywhere in between.

Best bet if you are going to do it anyway, is go where there aren't any rigs parked... and do your best to deduce whether other guys were there a day or week earlier. If they were, then move on. Pick spots between major roads and major trailheads... don't go all the way to the trailhead.

Honestly lol - we were 9.5 miles back on trail, and then 1k ft climb up and down the backside and ran into 2 other guys. It was actually pretty unreal haha.

Appreciate that info!

 

[LivinInTheRoot]

What do you guys think about these April 1st openers? We're in Western MT and considering spending a few days right out the gate, since the season here isnt going till the 15th. Curious on how you guys think it'll be that early in April. Obviously, the majority of bears wont be out till may, but I imagine if this winter stays light there's gotta be some boars starting to crack their eyes open. We're much higher than where we've been looking at in ID, here I've been on bears around 5,500ft on April 15th, but most people arent even thinking about them till middle of may.

 

[packgoatguy]

What do you guys think about these April 1st openers? We're in Western MT and considering spending a few days right out the gate, since the season here isnt going till the 15th. Curious on how you guys think it'll be that early in April. Obviously, the majority of bears wont be out till may, but I imagine if this winter stays light there's gotta be some boars starting to crack their eyes open. We're much higher than where we've been looking at in ID, here I've been on bears around 5,500ft on April 15th, but most people arent even thinking about them till middle of may.

In a lot of Idaho, this isn't a light winter... But bears were out last April 1st. I don't see why they wouldn't be next April as well.

 

[LivinInTheRoot]

In a lot of Idaho, this isn't a light winter... But bears were out last April 1st. I don't see why they wouldn't be next April as well.

Yeah you guys get it alot more than we do, even in areas that are 1500ft or more lower than us.