Idaho Spring Bear

[IDVortex]

All I hope is to find a bear and kill it. That's all that matters to me. Or a wolf, if I got a wolf over a bear, I'd be okay with that. But I'd really would like to take my non-capable gun and to light of cartridge out and kill something with it again.

 

[Customweld]

New high score on the year of 31 today and haven’t taken a shower yet.

That’s terrible! Gross buggers.

 

[David Gough]

That’s terrible! Gross buggers.

I started spraying the first layer of permethrin on my clothes last night. HATES them ticks.

 

[eod.mickelson]

I'm in SW Idaho and had a bear hit my bait site already, however it was shortly after midnight. I haven't seen any out moving around while Ive been glassing during the day yet.

 

[JCNorthID]

Not much snow this year and things are green all over. I had success last year just walking old logging roads that have not been used and are really green in North Central Idaho around the 3200 foot elevation.

 

[Cwagsta]

What optic are y’all south and central Idaho bear hunter using? I know it might be a tired topic but I’m flirting with the idea of a higher magnification bino. I dont typically hunt super thick country. I’ve been running 10x40 leicas for years because I was convinced that the weight savings was worth it. I recently went on a trip where the glassing was 1-2000 yards in any direction. I quickly found my 10x was a bit too underpowered for my eyes anyway. I know there are certainly more experienced glassers that could have done it much better than I. But I’ll just say if I didn’t have a spotting scope to glass I likely wouldn’t have been able to find anything.

So long story short what’s the consensus for spring bear?


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[Matt5266]

I run 12X50s all over Idaho 100% of the time

 

[Fuenstock]

I’m in central/south Idaho and really like 12x50 binos on a tripod. The tripod makes all the difference!
I’m after meat not trophies so I can mostly get away with the 12x50 binos on a tripod and leave the spotter in the truck.

 

[IDVortex]

12x50 guys, do you use them as your primary ones aswell, keep them in a bino case or do you have a smaller ones for just walking and a quick glass?

 

[Matt5266]

12x50 guys, do you use them as your primary ones aswell, keep them in a bino case or do you have a smaller ones for just walking and a quick glass?

I always use 12x50s. I always take a tripod too. Sometimes I take a spotter along

 

[Jason Snyder]

10x binos and 25x spotter. I spotted my bear from about a mile and a half. This gal and kiddos was about 1000 yards.

 

[IDVortex]

Well, told my wife I want some new glass. First time out looking for bears, instead of bears I found elk. This is through 10x42 Nikons and my phone zoomed in 2.6 times. According to Onx, right around the 1 mile mark. Cool to see. Spring bear is teaching me how to glass, never have before. Took almost a hour to find these things too.

 

[KG92]

I’ve now been out multiple times in both North and Central ID this year, and it’s my first year using permethrin. It is a game changer. I have not found a single tick crawling on me, vs dozens in years past. +1 for permethrin.

 

[Fuenstock]

12x50 guys, do you use them as your primary ones aswell, keep them in a bino case or do you have a smaller ones for just walking and a quick glass?

I started with 10x42 then moved to 12x50.
The 10x42 are now just a back up or loaner pair and I use the 12x50 all the time.
Carried in a chest pack.
My local terrain is mostly sparse trees and wide open mountains that run into sage desert.

 

[Oregonhuntrboi]

tagged out today on my first ever bear in Idaho !

 

[Cwagsta]

tagged out today on my first ever bear in Idaho !

Congratulations! Looks like a blast


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[GoatPackr]

tagged out today on my first ever bear in Idaho !

Tell a little about that rifle and the hunt.
Congrats on the job well done

Kris

 

[Oregonhuntrboi]

Tell a little about that rifle and the hunt.
Congrats on the job well done

Kris

Rifle - seekins element 7mm prc w/ nightforce nxs 2.5-10.

When planning spring bear this year I really wanted to go to Idaho hunt and see some new country. I felt like I was a little late with the timing due to no current snow pack so I was worried with how spread out the bears would be. After multiple highs and lows I was fortunate to glass up this guy on my last morning. After making a stalk in I was able to take a 100 yard shot after I snuck in above him. Never had such a steep pack out but I had a smile on my face the whole way.

 

[gotlag1789]

Rifle - seekins element 7mm prc w/ nightforce nxs 2.5-10.

When planning spring bear this year I really wanted to go to Idaho hunt and see some new country. I felt like I was a little late with the timing due to no current snow pack so I was worried with how spread out the bears would be. After multiple highs and lows I was fortunate to glass up this guy on my last morning. After making a stalk in I was able to take a 100 yard shot after I snuck in above him. Never had such a steep pack out but I had a smile on my face the whole way.

That’s awesome man, congrats! We had the same experience with the location but got skunked, unfortunately. Super weird weather, it was beautiful, but the 3-5k band had 0 snow and it was like brown/crunchy and just the tops still had snow. We had bear sign up top at 6k ft, but the green up had all been down low ~3500. Tbh I’m just not experienced enough on where to look if there’s no snow line, just yet. So, I put lots of miles on haha. Tired legs but a good trip overall.

 

[NLenz22]

That’s awesome man, congrats! We had the same experience with the location but got skunked, unfortunately. Super weird weather, it was beautiful, but the 3-5k band had 0 snow and it was like brown/crunchy and just the tops still had snow. We had bear sign up top at 6k ft, but the green up had all been down low ~3500. Tbh I’m just not experienced enough on where to look if there’s no snow line, just yet. So, I put lots of miles on haha. Tired legs but a good trip overall.

How well did what you saw in the field compare to the recent imagery photos on OnX or the like? The areas I’m looking at that do have a clear snow line don’t show any “green up” on the recent satellite photos, but the areas that are clearly green have no snow at all… is the first green up too sparse and subtle to show clearly on a satellite image?