MT Spring Bear Units 200 and 240

[Brittereiser]

A couple friends and I are planning a backpack bear hunt at the end of the month. We are first time spring bear hunters, and have 4 days to hunt.
We have focused in on the western half of unit 200 and the north half of unit 240.

I am not looking for anyone's honey hole, but any advice or recommendations are welcome.
- Does anyone have experience with these areas?
- What sort of elevation can we get to in late may?
- Glassing hill sides, focusing on areas with green grass...any other recommendation?

 

[bsnedeker]

I'd recommend picking up a book on bear hunting. I did and I find it very useful for figuring out what bear sign looks like and what they are doing at different times of the year. By late May they should be starting to rut so you'll hopefully see more activity.

Id recommend the Ultimate Guide to Black Bear Hunting by Douglas Boze who, as it happens, is a member of this wonderful forum! Good info and some good pictures.

 

[Selway]

Those areas get pounded my Missoula day hunters. I'd look somewhere much more remote if I were headed from out of state.

 

[skierhs]

Yeah those units get a ton of traffic from
Missoula. I live there and still go elsewhere to hunt because there are so many hunters. Even on a weekday afternoon if I see less then 10 hunting rigs I think it’s a light day.

 

[Call.me.porter]

Man I guess I hunt these areas a little different than most, I might run into one rig on a bad day. Most of these local hunters don't leave their vehicles anyways, not even to glass. With that being said, if you find a good gated road or trail the leads to some good openings and look hard enough you will see bears. By late May I don't expect there will really be any areas that you can't access. Some places I am able to get into now where I couldn't in years past. And other places I normally have no problems are snowed in still. But a few weeks of warm weather and rain should open everything up. Mid May to the end of season is when I see the most bears so your timing is good. Parts of 200 on the West side are steep and deep but have some great areas to glass if you're willing to hike up and get away from people.

 

[black dawg]

By The last week in may, access is usually pretty good. There have been more and more hunters the last five years, still not crazy though. This year so far, the number of folks just out and about is absolutely crazy. I would be looking at gated roads, and not trails......ALL the trails are getting absolutely pounded this spring.

 

[Ridge Ghost]

Most spots should be accessible by late May. Glass, glass, glass. Start with south facing slopes and logging roads. This is where new green growth will happen first.

As previously mentioned, there have been a lot more people out this spring- both bear hunters and rei hiker types. The bears are still there and still need to eat. You may just need to get a little more creative or work harder to find some more out-of-the way spots.

 

[MTguy0341]

I hunted 200 close to a dozen times last spring. Only saw one other vehicle all spring that was bear hunting. If you get off the roads, should be easy to get away from people

 

[Wildatheart]

I’ve seen 18 bear in 1 day. Right where your speaking of. Western 200 & northern 240 where they meet.

 

[skierhs]

I’ve seen 18 bear in 1 day. Right where your speaking of. Western 200 & northern 240 where they meet.

GPS location or it didn’t happen lol

 

[Call.me.porter]

Here's a decent 200 bear. Got my buddy on him last night. Wasn't the bear we had originally spotted but was in the same general area. Still not a lot of green grass and not seeing the sign on roads yet. Should only get better from now to the end of the season.

 

[Wildatheart]

GPS location or it didn’t happen lol

I’m headed out there in 2 weeks with my father and nephew, I’m ready to be back. Screw the quarantine.

 

[Brendan]

I’ve seen 18 bear in 1 day. Right where your speaking of. Western 200 & northern 240 where they meet.

Well, pretty much guaranteed that area will get hammered by hunters this year now...

 

[mtjimbo]

I live in 240. Not a bad unit but it does get hit fairly hard. Also did they finally open out of state hunting? Or did they never close it i heard with all this virus thing they weren't allowing out of state spring hunts? Never looked into it so I have no idea if that's true haha


Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

[mtjimbo]

Also almost all of 240 is steep there are entry of critters around if you work hard enough though

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

[Call.me.porter]

I live in 240. Not a bad unit but it does get hit fairly hard. Also did they finally open out of state hunting? Or did they never close it i heard with all this virus thing they weren't allowing out of state spring hunts? Never looked into it so I have no idea if that's true haha


Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

The out of state ban was lifted on April 24th, but the 2 week quarantine mandate has not. So I'm not sure what the work around is there. There's nothing saying if you're coming from Idaho or Washington or whatever state that you can't hunt so long as you don't come in contact with anyone. Pull a camper over to quarantine and you should be able to still hunt.

 

[mtjimbo]

The out of state ban was lifted on April 24th, but the 2 week quarantine mandate has not. So I'm not sure what the work around is there. There's nothing saying if you're coming from Idaho or Washington or whatever state that you can't hunt so long as you don't come in contact with anyone. Pull a camper over to quarantine and you should be able to still hunt.

Ah gotcha. I had just heard about it while I was in buying my tags and wasn't sure what the deal was anymore. Thanks for the update

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

[Wildatheart]

Well, pretty much guaranteed that area will get hammered by hunters this year now...

Good, maybe they will put a dent in the predator population.

 

[Selway]

I’ve seen 18 bear in 1 day. Right where your speaking of. Western 200 & northern 240 where they meet.

Slippery story you got there buddy.

 

[Brendan]

Good, maybe they will put a dent in the predator population.

More likely just ruining a hunting spot by posting locations on the internet. Good job.

At least I know a spot to avoid if I ever end up bear hunting out there.