Idaho Spring Bear

[alexanderl123]

Planning to go to unit 4A in spring of ‘26 or ‘27, anyone hunted there before?

 

[SteveAndTheCrigBoys]

Planning to go to unit 4A in spring of ‘26 or ‘27, anyone hunted there before?

Most likely

 

[IDVortex]

Planning to go to unit 4A in spring of ‘26 or ‘27, anyone hunted there before?

Most likely

Actually, its not really hunted for spring bear. Covered in G-bears. Id look more at 38 or 40.

 

[HilltopHitman]

Anybody already planning?

 

[gotlag1789]

Anybody already planning?

Always planning haha. Realizing though that it all changes usually in April

 

[WhiskeyCharlie]

Anybody already planning?

Thinking about it, last year we found bears but there were bait stations and guides/clients all over them. Found lots of places without bait, also no bears.

 

[Rowdy99]

Definitely thinking about it. Got our teeth kicked in this year. Focused on a POW black bear tag in June.

 

[gtriple]

Anybody already planning?

Already got flights booked. lol

 

[Aginor]

Never stopped planning. Year 3 of chasing this guy. He's not even the biggest bear in the area, but he's given me the slip so many times he's become my Moby Dick

 

[.204smokechaser]

Thought I’d bump this back up.

Those folks looking at taking leave for some back country spot and stalk hunting should think about waiting till late May or Early June. Roads lower down will probably be cut out by then for bear baiters and by us trappers.

I’ve been out in the woods 14 different days since the 12/17/25 windstorm. I have seen pictures from pilots that have flown in areas and the roads are littered in trees, especially in units 10 and 12. Trails are a mess as well.

 

[gtriple]

Thought I’d bump this back up.

Those folks looking at taking leave for some back country spot and stalk hunting should think about waiting till late May or Early June. Roads lower down will probably be cut out by then for bear baiters and by us trappers.

I’ve been out in the woods 14 different days since the 12/17/25 windstorm. I have seen pictures from pilots that have flown in areas and the roads are littered in trees, especially in units 10 and 12. Trails are a mess as well.

Where all did this hit?

 

[.204smokechaser]

Where all did this hit?

Pretty darn wide spread. Other Idaho folks will have to chime in.

It hit the Clearwater Region like a wrecking ball. I’ve gone through 10 tanks with my personal 044 since the 17th.

 

[Customweld]

Pretty darn wide spread. Other Idaho folks will have to chime in.

It hit the Clearwater Region like a wrecking ball. I’ve gone through 10 tanks with my personal 044 since the 17th.

Down on this end of the state too.

'Never seen anything like it': Hundreds of downed trees cause unsafe winter riding conditions in Boise County

Boise County officials said that, coupled with the downed trees, snow levels at Pilot Peak and Mores Creek Summit are low, causing unsafe conditions.

www.ktvb.com

 

[N.ID7803]

Clearwater to Coeur d Alene got hammered. Talked to guys up in Sandpoint, sounds like it wasn’t as bad up that way. Lots of easy firewood out there. We will have a bug outbreak from hell in a year or two.

 

[GoatPackr]

Clearwater to Coeur d Alene got hammered. Talked to guys up in Sandpoint, sounds like it wasn’t as bad up that way. Lots of easy firewood out there. We will have a bug outbreak from hell in a year or two.

NW MT didn't get it as bad either. We had a lot of trees down but not like you guys down south. Also due to a lack of snow I'm seeing a lot of the trees cut out already.

 

[IDVortex]

This coming spring is tje spring i plan to buy a new saw. It'll be used. But then again, with our snow, a lot of roads may already be cleared due to our lack of snow.

 

[dollarshort]

I wonder how many people will be looking for a spring bear hunt with the recent draw results. I know I am now..


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Gettincloser]

Since there is less snow, wouldn't you need to get out earlier? Not later? Or do you get a bulk of your snow in Feb/March?

I was thinking end of April to early May with the minimal snow so far...

 

[IDVortex]

Since there is less snow, wouldn't you need to get out earlier? Not later? Or do you get a bulk of your snow in Feb/March?

I was thinking end of April to early May with the minimal snow so far...

Due to the winds Idaho received, you'll be having to wait later to get into areas due to down trees.

 

[packgoatguy]

Since there is less snow, wouldn't you need to get out earlier? Not later? Or do you get a bulk of your snow in Feb/March?

I was thinking end of April to early May with the minimal snow so far...

You'd want to be out when there is food for the bears... ie green-up or elk calves. Neither of which seems to be totally dependent on snow loads. Many of the south facing slopes where you'll find bears will have been snow free for weeks, even months before the green-up happens in a typical year... I'm not exactly sure about the correlation... but it's not like you'll see green-up in March just because it's a lite snow year... more likely it has to do with available sunlight and the length of days. The biggest factor will be access. If the snow let's you over a mountain pass in May that is usually closed till June... then you can get to the bears sooner. Either way, if you are used to seeing bears in a particular spot around a particular time... I wouldn't expect them to be there weeks earlier just because of a lite snow year.