Who has hunted idaho bear in mid/late june!?

[Brandon.miller.4]

Had a rough but successful trip to MT this spring and filled our tags. On the drive home we both were talking about how we "had our fill" for the year. That lasted about a week as expected.

Now we are discussing the possibility of taking a quick 4 day trip to eastern idaho in pursuit of some more high country bears! I've never hunted later than June 5th in similar country in montana. What can I expect for LATE June? How do their habits change? Will it be post rut? Or will there still be rut activity? Still preying on elk calves? Moving less? Moving more? From those of you that have hunted late may and late June tell me how they compare! Thanks

 

[Coveyleader]

Best time! Enjoy

 

[lang]

Sows with cubs from the previous year will kick them out first of June so there's more bears without cubs by the end of June.

 

[Team4LongGun]

Great question, this year will be my latest outing for bear. Hope others share their opinion, I'll report back when I return.

 

[BLJ]

In for info as well.

 

[EdP]

I think it varies so much with weather year to year that it is almost impossible to predict. Bigger bears may still be in their dens high up on north facing slopes or the meadows may be lush and green with new grass and the bears on them. Either way it's still a great time to be bear hunting.

 

[Schoolhousegrizz]

So where I hunt it is the best time. I see more bears and yes they are still rutting quite a bit if not the most. I saw some real good bears last year but it was hard to get on them, I never got a shot. Would have had one most likely been ran into a grizzly.

 

[CMF]

Curious as well. We will make it to central Idaho around the 18 or 19th and hunt until the 29/30th. Our first time for spring bear and actually targeting bear(not just a tag in our pocket during elk season). I plan on toting a bow and taking my 15yo daughter with a rifle. Any archery-specific advice for this time of year is appreciated.

 

[zkutz1]

Curious as well. We will make it to central Idaho around the 18 or 19th and hunt until the 29/30th. Our first time for spring bear and actually targeting bear(not just a tag in our pocket during elk season). I plan on toting a bow and taking my 15yo daughter with a rifle. Any archery-specific advice for this time of year is appreciated.

Bears are still rutting right now across the board. It snowed at higher elevations last night here. My camera read 30 degrees at my bait last night. Pack for cold weather lol

 

[FSUhunter1010]

following

 

[CMF]

checked out two different spots east of Cascade Thursday and Friday, first one we glassed the last hour of light from around 6600’ with no luck or seeing anything from the truck. Saturday on the way to another spot we saw a nice brown phase cross the road, but it was in standard unit and we have reduced tags. We made it to trailhead and hiked in 3 miles up to 8200’ and we could see for miles around. Glassed a few hours til dark with no luck. Saw no sign other than elk and deer tracks and one set of wolf tracks by the road. Saw no elk or deer glassing either, just a couple deer by the road.
Any tips on elevations to target or particular food sources to look for?

 

[Overlandascent]

Been hunting the last three days with the same outcome. Any tips on elevation bands, or feed sources? I know I am hiking to much, but I haven’t felt confident to stay out long enough on the glass because I don’t know what to look for. Is there something that holds bear to one particular terrain to focus glass on? Thanks

 

[Wrench]

green and solitude. Fresh grass, skunk cabbage, flowers....calves.

 

[CMF]

Well, we got skunked. Did see two different bears cross the road on different days between 5-6k feet about 3 miles from each other. Spent some time at higher elevation in a wilderness area and saw no bear sign and very little elk and deer sign. We ended up getting a tag for the area we saw the first bear cross the road and hunted it several days with no luck other than seeing some old sign. It was the last evening and got hot so we were riding and glassing and saw the second cross the road with about 5 minutes of shooting light left on the last day of the season. We hiked in a little toward the direction he went, but not much time to do anything else. We look forward to trying again in the future, hopefully a little earlier in the season next time.

 

[mtnrunner260]

Has anyone tried fawn/calf distress calling during the last half of June?

 

[CMF]

Has anyone tried fawn/calf distress calling during the last half of June?

I had one with me, but never tried. I was waiting to at least be in some fresh sign, but never was.

 

[blackdirtdiaries]

Hunted idaho first week of june 2021...shot a really nice bear with white blaze on her chest...it was SUPPOSED to be a hound hunt, but the outfitters dogs ran nothing but trash for 4 days straight, so those of us that got bears, shot them over bait in the evenings. I'd go back to idaho in a second...but id 1000% choose a different outfitter, one that was a "little" less "lost"