Montana Bear

[Stilpr]

I am looking into doing an over-the-counter spring bear hunt this spring. I will be coming from Wisconsin and I have a couple of questions I was hoping I could get some feedback on.

I’ve gotten some good information from this for him as well as a couple of podcasts, and think I could put a plan together.

- how many hunting days should I plan for? I was thinking four

- is it realistic to think I’ll be able to find a good spot using Google earth, onX , and other resources and driving out there? Or should I look into a drop the camp style outfitter for my first time?

-i’m not heart set on western Montana, it was selected due to opportunity and over the counter season, and driving from Wisconsin is there another state or location I should be looking into?

Thanks in advance!

 

[COSA]

I would say you probably need more than 4 days to figure things out (access, elevation the bears are at, ect.). So far, this has been a light winter in MT (not complaining after last year). If there's not a lot of snowpack come spring, it can make finding bears more difficult as there is more green, and not as concentrated.

 

[Stilpr]

Thanks! I thought if I had a number of spots at a variety of different elevations, I’d be able to access the snow line and adjust focus to the spots around that elevation.

I’ve also planned on hiking through areas on Google earth that seems really easy and been completely wrong as well!

Thanks for your input.

 

[missjordan]

I am looking into doing an over-the-counter spring bear hunt this spring. I will be coming from Wisconsin and I have a couple of questions I was hoping I could get some feedback on.

I’ve gotten some good information from this for him as well as a couple of podcasts, and think I could put a plan together.

- how many hunting days should I plan for? I was thinking four

- is it realistic to think I’ll be able to find a good spot using Google earth, onX , and other resources and driving out there? Or should I look into a drop the camp style outfitter for my first time?

-i’m not heart set on western Montana, it was selected due to opportunity and over the counter season, and driving from Wisconsin is there another state or location I should be looking into?

Thanks in advance!

I also think four days is a little too short, I’d almost lean more towards 7 hunting days or so if your going to drive out.

It’s probably realistic to find a good spot on on x and google earth if you’ve prepared yourself in advance. But sometimes it’s hard also because the terrain can look completely different than what you pictured on the computer. Have a couple different plans and a willingness to be flexible is key.

I would think Western Montana is a good choice, I’ve never hunted bear in another state so can’t really say what it’s like either. Going to be a long drive out here for you either way. Possibly going the outfitter route you could fly out here too and make extending your hunting days more manageable


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[Mt Al]

I also think four days is a little too short, I’d almost lean more towards 7 hunting days or so if your going to drive out.

It’s probably realistic to find a good spot on on x and google earth if you’ve prepared yourself in advance. But sometimes it’s hard also because the terrain can look completely different than what you pictured on the computer. Have a couple different plans and a willingness to be flexible is key.
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Agree! 4 is way too short, google earth is awesome but can be very deceiving especially when you're in a place with no trails.

 

[FlyGuy]

So, I did my first Spring Bear hunt last year, in MT. Traveled up from TX (flew) and hunted hard for 5 days. Saw everything BUT a bear. Moose, tons of deer and elk, VERY fresh wolf and cat tracks, turkeys...

Clearly I am no expert on this topic, but I too think 4 days is pretty tight. The truth is, if you don’t already know the area and where the bears live, or if you are not going with local buddies or a guide that already know where the bears tend to be, then this is a very, very tough hunt. When you think about the number of deer or elk you typically see in a week of hunting, verses the number of bears you typically see, then it starts to make sense why they are so hard to find unless you have lots of experience with Spring bears in a particular area.

BUT, if I am in the mountains with a tag in my pocket then I am a happy man. It’s a great time to be outside and a good opportunity to scout out a new area and to field test any new gear before your Fall trip. It also keeps you in training mode and on the stair master instead of putting it off for a few more months, and it honestly helps me to “scratch the itch” until September gets here. If you think of it like that, then you won’t be disappointed with your hunt no matter what happens. But, if that seems like a bust of a trip to you and just not worth the trouble, then I would encourage you to either set aside 10-12 days of hunting or look into hiring an outfitter who can put you on some bears in your timeline. The investment in a guide might really pay off in shortening the spring bear learning curve for you to do successful DIY trips in future years.

Good luck whatever you decide.





You can’t cheat the mountain