Montana Spring bear

[Axlrod]

I was going to approach from the red lodge side if we head to that area as it seemed further from Bozevegas. The last time I was in the Absarokas was for an elk and deer hunt with a backcountry tag so we had to get wayy back there to stay legal. I don't want to log that many miles hiking if I can help it. It was a 17+mi round trip hike last time and I don't wanna risk going that deep into the backcountry on a spring trip. I live in TN and spent summers working in Yellowstone in my 20s. Never been in the west in May and especially concerned since it seems to be a heavy snow year...I'm usually waiting for run off to end for fly fishing

First off we refer to it as Bozeangeles! And just a weather update, I'm at 5600 feet, and we got 10" of snow last night in SW MT. Most of the Snotel sites in the area north of the park are at 120% of normal.

 

[actionshooter]

Anyone know where the snow level is on the Westside? Around Flat Head?

Thanks!

 

[suda0402]

Anyone know where the snow level is on the Westside? Around Flat Head?

Thanks!

I was just up in Libby for work and there is a lot of snow up high, but it was all gone down low. It was in the 80's when we were there and they are forecasted to rain the next few days that will do some damage to the snow.

 

[mtwarden]

it really varies, much of the lower elevation stuff is completely clear of snow, mid to upper elevation stuff varies by aspect- north/east facing much slower losing snow, south/west- much quicker

check a few sites close by, look at the elevation and aspect and then you can make at least a reasonable assumption on the area you're looking to visit

we've has a week long "heat wave", but it comes to end today and we'll be back to more normal temps and will slow the melt

https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/porta...sociations=true&lat=40.01&lon=-99.01&zoom=4.0

 

[bow_dozer]

If you're referring to the 316 backcountry unit, I would imagine that to be very inaccessible right now. I'm sure someone could do it, but not me.

Would be epic to give a bear a ride out on a snowmobile!

 

[tkhuntsman]

Anyone know where the snow level is on the Westside? Around Flat Head?

Thanks!

It's melting fast bears are moving access is decent there is snow on the north slopes and up high

 

[Ohiohuntr]

I’m out here now and some of the roads around 6400 in the forest are dicey for a full size rig

 

[cavitykilla]

I came up empty handed. Didn’t even see a bear. I hunted around the Missoula area. Weather was great but seemed a little hot. Maybe next time I’ll bring a fly rod cause that would have been time better spent lol

 

[slowelk]

I came up empty handed. Didn’t even see a bear. I hunted around the Missoula area. Weather was great but seemed a little hot. Maybe next time I’ll bring a fly rod cause that would have been time better spent lol

It's been slow in the Missoula area, I agree. Friends who have been out in a variety of areas around Missoula have felt the same.

A fly rod would do you little good with the amount of runoff in the streams lately.

 

[wilterdink54]

It's been slow in the Missoula area, I agree. Friends who have been out in a variety of areas around Missoula have felt the same.

A fly rod would do you little good with the amount of runoff in the streams lately.

Do you guys think this coming week with the cooler weather might get better? I am leaving for Missoula on Saturday morning.


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[slowelk]

Do you guys think this coming week with the cooler weather might get better? I am leaving for Missoula on Saturday morning.


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Next week has historically been my most productive week of spring bear. Temps do look cooler than this weekend, but still basically average for the season.

 

[Blind Squirrel]

Do you guys think this coming week with the cooler weather might get better? I am leaving for Missoula on Saturday morning.


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How’d y’all do?

 

[wilterdink54]

How’d y’all do?

We saw a 4 bears in the Missoula area. A sow and a cub, a boar and another that was a quick flash. We should have gone after the boar immediately, but we watched him for a bit and then he was gone. We also glassed him almost 2mi away. Then some guys came in hunting with dogs so we decided to go check out another spot I found and unfortunately never saw another bear. Had a ton of fun though, I will be back.


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[ronebones]

We went out Libby area may 11-15, right during that major heatwave. Didn't see any bears out on sunny south-facing slopes, probably because it was mid to upper 80s all week and the sun shining on us was unbearable. Ended up seeing 3 bears, didn't get any shots. All were way down low elevation and in thicker cover, staying where it was cooler I think.

 

[mtwarden]

Definitely an odd ball Spring in Montana. We went from near to above normal snowpack across most of the state to near zero snowpack in a matter of 3 weeks. I've lived here 45 years and this was easily the quickest I've seen our snowpack go

 

[wilterdink54]

Definitely an odd ball Spring in Montana. We went from near to above normal snowpack across most of the state to near zero snowpack in a matter of 3 weeks. I've lived here 45 years and this was easily the quickest I've seen our snowpack go

Interesting, so what does that do to the bear behavior?


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[mtwarden]

I think it opens up a lot more real estate for them to roam, which makes it harder to pinpoint a good location. With a normal snowpack year you can rule out a lot of country in a hurry and concentrate on south/west facing slopes, when there is no (or little snow) it's very possible they may be avoiding those aspects much of the day.

I spent two 3 day trips (central Montana) hiking and glassing pretty hard and I never saw a single bear. It's not an area where I would expect to see a lot bears, but would certainly expect to see a few bears.

It would be interesting to see the harvest numbers stack up this Spring, based on what I've heard via the grapevine, harvest was pretty low.

 

[canyonhunter47]

It would be interesting to see the harvest numbers stack up this Spring, based on what I've heard via the grapevine, harvest was pretty low.

Fwiw in Arizona only 2 females were reported killed this Spring in the whole state.

 

[stayzeroed]

I think it opens up a lot more real estate for them to roam, which makes it harder to pinpoint a good location. With a normal snowpack year you can rule out a lot of country in a hurry and concentrate on south/west facing slopes, when there is no (or little snow) it's very possible they may be avoiding those aspects much of the day.

I spent two 3 day trips (central Montana) hiking and glassing pretty hard and I never saw a single bear. It's not an area where I would expect to see a lot bears, but would certainly expect to see a few bears.

It would be interesting to see the harvest numbers stack up this Spring, based on what I've heard via the grapevine, harvest was pretty low.

It was certainly my observation as well. We hunted in an area rife with elk, should they want calves. Plenty of water, plenty of greening material to munch on. We only saw one bear and no a single piece of scat.