Spring Bear Questions

[GnarlesBarkley]

Longtime lurker but never posted here so appreciate everyone’s. This forum is a wealth of information.

A friend and I are looking to hunt Idaho this spring for bears. After doing research and getting some recommendations we were set on flying into the Middle Fork for a week. Rationale was two tags a piece, big time experience, shouldn’t be seeing other hunters, good glassing units, targeting units with more spot/stalk kills in the spring. After reading through some old threads on here, I am second guessing my plan as it sounds like we might have serious snow issues when the bear hunting is at its best and logistics in these wilderness units aren’t worth the squeeze. In looking at elevation levels it looks like most of the area is 5000ft+ and maybe this is better hunted in the fall? Is this OK to hunt at its lower elevations in the Spring? Seems like the resident hunters don’t have interest.

Goals of the trip:

Find bears so areas with good density
Use glass and legs, interest in wandering in the timber
Adventure
Prefer to avoid grizz unit

39 obviously stood out in the data. No elevation issues, lots of bears, spot/stalk would work but lots of access and I assume pressure from Boise so I initially avoided - maybe that was a mistake. I also see people believe McCall and Sawtooth hold good densities and maybe that is a happy medium.

Would welcome thoughts from others - thanks.

 

[GnarlesBarkley]

*no interest in wandering in the timber

 

[Elkhntr08]

Two tags each for the first year out of the gate? If you do beat the odds and tag 4 bears, you’ll be spending most of your time packing out. Concentrate on finding one bear on south facing slopes.

 

[GnarlesBarkley]

No doubt - not expecting 4 bears at all but at the discounted price thought it couldn’t hurt to bring another tag if we had the opportunity. Also willing to pay for the full price tag in a different area if that is the better way to do it.

 

[jdmaxwell]

Get a Wolf tag if in for unit you pick

 

[ID_MW]

Oh, you’re gonna see other hunters...
Plan on that.

 

[GnarlesBarkley]

Get a Wolf tag if in for unit you pick

Will do!

 

[GnarlesBarkley]

Oh, you’re gonna see other hunters...
Plan on that.

Really? Is there that many people flying in to hunt bears? I heard from a few people that last fall was very busy, especially near the airstrips but didn’t think we would have the same issue in the Spring.

 

[ID_MW]

For sure. It gets busier every single year.

If you and your guys are serious about it and are looking more forward to the experience of a wilderness hunt than the quality of a spot and stalk bear hunt; do it. It’s a special place.

If you want to see multiple bears a day and have some country to yourself- you’ll really have to stack some miles. There are outfitters to contend with as well, depending on where you are planning on flying. Best of luck.

 

[jdmaxwell]

We flew in last yr in Spring to Frank.
Covered ground and never saw another hunter.

 

[GnarlesBarkley]

For sure. It gets busier every single year.

If you and your guys are serious about it and are looking more forward to the experience of a wilderness hunt than the quality of a spot and stalk bear hunt; do it. It’s a special place.

If you want to see multiple bears a day and have some country to yourself- you’ll really have to stack some miles. There are outfitters to contend with as well, depending on where you are planning on flying. Best of luck.

Thanks - we were planning on putting in the miles to get away from the strip. We want a big time experience for sure, but also want to see a decent number of bears...I was hoping we could do both. I’m trying to determine if my efforts are better spent in other units where I can still fly in/camp.

 

[GnarlesBarkley]

We flew in last yr in Spring to Frank.
Covered ground and never saw another hunter.

Sounds like you had a different experience. What sort of elevation were you at and was snow a problem? Run into any bears?

 

[Eastern Elk Pursuit]

Is this your first western hunt?

 

[GnarlesBarkley]

No, but first time to Idaho and first black bear hunt.

 

[Muledeerfanatic]

Lots of bears here in west WY
No need to fly in and can shoot wolves without a tag

 

[JRMiller]

Most of the spring bear hunts in Idaho go until June, why not hold off till say early June if you'd like to avoid some snow

 

[GnarlesBarkley]

Most of the spring bear hunts in Idaho go until June, why not hold off till say early June if you'd like to avoid some snow

Thanks it sounds like that makes sense based on what I am reading for 27/26/20A. I’m sure timing is important, if you are too late you are looking for bears in big country and if your too early you might be post holing in the snow. I’d rather be late than early to your point.

 

[GnarlesBarkley]

Lots of bears here in west WY
No need to fly in and can shoot wolves without a tag

Sounds much easier!

 

[Western_hunter87]

buddy flew in last spring and he said the air strip was lined with people camping just off it. they backpacked in 3 miles off the air strip. said he saw 9+ bears and they ended up take 2. Im going this year and im in the same boat you are in.

 

[GnarlesBarkley]

Well, slipped on the ice on Wed and doctor thinks it’s a torn ACL. If that’s true, I’m going to have to wait until next spring or find a more forgiving unit....

Western - that’s good intel, thanks for sharing. I spoke with two biologists this week, one who told me to avoid the Middle Fork (tougher, lower probability hunt but great country/experience) and one who hunts it every year and has done well. The one who hunts regularly says snow is a non-issue if you fly in and encouraged us to go for it. Very rarely sees another individual while out there so must be more/less popular air strips. Transporters are probably the only ones with visibility into that.