Oregon Spring Bear 2023

[BetaOrourke]

I've been checking My ODFW every morning and today the results are finally in. Success for 722A! I think it's practically guaranteed but still felt like a win. Anyone else hunting SW Oregon this spring?

 

[Bobcat]

I drew SW. I think last year it was 87% first choice success.

 

[BetaOrourke]

See you out there @Bobcat !

 

[ReddingArcher]

Congrats on drawing. My BIL, niece and me drew also. I’m excited for it! This will be our first time spring bear hunting.

 

[Tremain4414]

I’ll be hunting SW this year as well!

 

[BetaOrourke]

Congrats on drawing. My BIL, niece and me drew also. I’m excited for it! This will be our first time spring bear hunting.

Very cool! I'm guessing you are a non-resident as well from your username. Any ideas which unit you're heading to?

 

[BetaOrourke]

I’ll be hunting SW this year as well!

Have you hunted SW before? Any tips?

 

[HuntWyld]

I live and guide in SW zone, look for green grassy slopes typically show first on south slopes then once they get burned later in the season follow the green grass to the north slopes. Make sure there is water near by and some thick cover for bedding.

 

[Tremain4414]

Also don’t overlook the rocky outcroppings. Still have no clue why but bears seem to like those rocky areas

 

[ReddingArcher]

Very cool! I'm guessing you are a non-resident as well from your username. Any ideas which unit you're heading to?

Yeah we are non-residents. I'm not totally sure what units we'll be hunting just yet, my brother in law has a guy he knows up there that was going to put us onto a couple areas. But I am going to start e-scouting areas tonight too. Where about in Northern California are you from?

 

[Oregonboy]

I got one as well

 

[EZduzIT]

My wife and I drew as well. Very excited as I grew up in Grants Pass/Rogue River area as a kid. Good luck everybody! Let’s drop some bears!

 

[BetaOrourke]

Yeah we are non-residents. I'm not totally sure what units we'll be hunting just yet, my brother in law has a guy he knows up there that was going to put us onto a couple areas. But I am going to start e-scouting areas tonight too. Where about in Northern California are you from?

I'm just outside Sacramento near Folsom Lake. I started e-scouting yesterday as well, such a huge area to cover. I'm starting by looking at old snowpack data to see which areas are likely to be melted off in May. What's your approach?

 

[BetaOrourke]

My wife and I drew as well. Very excited as I grew up in Grants Pass/Rogue River area as a kid. Good luck everybody! Let’s drop some bears!

What a cool area to grow up. Where do you live now?

 

[Nickb_00]

Both myself and hunting buddy drew south central this sping. Looking forward to getting after it soon!

 

[EZduzIT]

What a cool area to grow up. Where do you live now?

We’re in Colorado Springs now.

 

[Walkstoomuch]

My wife drew South Blue Mtn tag. We got our first bear last fall and we're very happy with how it's eating. Looking forward to putting some more in the freezer and just spending time in the woods before backpacking season traditionally starts for us. Good luck on the other side of the mountains!

 

[Oregon]

My wife drew South Blue Mtn tag. We got our first bear last fall and we're very happy with how it's eating. Looking forward to putting some more in the freezer and just spending time in the woods before backpacking season traditionally starts for us. Good luck on the other side of the mountains!

If you like how the fall bear tasted, just wait for a spring bear. 10 times better.
Pretty bad that you now have only an 87% chance at a SW tag. Used to get 2 OTC.
There is only one tip I have for you spring bear hunters.
Go. Just go. Every dang chance you get. Spring bear can be very monotonous. Hike up, glass, see nothing, walk out in dark at 9pm.
Then one day you walk up, see bear everywhere.
If you get get discouraged easy, treat it like a marathon not a sprint. Pick your days wisely.
I can see my bear hills from my house. I don't even start looking til April 20th and only go on nice afternoons. Every bear I've killed has been between Apr 23 and May 5th.
If you don't get discouraged easily, hunt every chance you get.

 

[Meshnasty]

I'll be down in the SW zone again this spring, thankfully my drive will be only 3.5 hours compared to almost 5 last year so it will be a little less time consuming to make a few trips down.

 

[Schoolhousegrizz]

I drew SW. I think last year it was 87% first choice success.

As a nonresident?