Winter is long........... You guys already thinking bears?

[rclouse79]

I still have a couple hunts going on through December and I am already thinking of bears. I have quickly grown to love that spring season.

 

[Elkhntr08]

Wyoming in the spring, Minnesota in the fall depending on elk tags drawn.
Sit baits in the afternoon in Wyoming, spot n stalk in the mornings.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Sort of, I like getting out on the snowmachines to look for spring bears but thats a ways off yet.

 

[JRMiller]

Oregon sw tag is easy to draw and lots of bears

Hmm, Rifle/non resident i didnt see a single unit with better than %2 draw odds.
Maybe i missed something. Thanks

 

[TNTBR]

Been burning some calories for the last few months in preparation for our bear trip to MT in May, then AK in Sept.

 

[wildwilderness]

Yes I have! Been thinking about a new spot for another bait for the kids. been setting up a trad bow to hopefully get a blackie this year with traditional gear.

Also debating on my brown bear bait if I should shoot the big sow if a boar doesn’t show.... (I finally killed the big boar last year) Had some new smaller brownies show up last year as well so will see what this year brings.

 

[roosiebull]

Bears don't show in good numbers up here until May 10th-20th or so. Focus is on bison and possibly another caribou hunt.

As far as bear tips:

1. sleep in
2. go fishing
3. hunt bears in the late afternoon/evening
4. south facing slopes are your friend

bear season begins April 1 here, and we usually see very few bear in April, but this year was actually good early. i glassed up bear the first 2 days, first time ever seeing one opening day.... really good season for here, probably saw 30ish, but with covid, i was VERY picky and didn't want to give my tag up. probably 7 or 8 were solid boars, at least one monster... it was too fun to pull the trigger this spring. i'm good at talking myself out of shooting bear regardless, but this year especially..... wanted to kill one to can, but didn't want to kill one enough to kill one, haha.

came really close one time, behind the gun, perfect angle, easy chip shot, safety off, good bear.... it broke one of my rules so i didn't shoot. i will not shoot a spring bear unless it's huge, or i get to watch it for 15-20 minutes before considering. bear are hard to judge unless they are small or big... between 175lbs and 300lbs can be tough without some time to really check things out like ears, body shape from a couple angles, gait, etc.... i just won't take a hurried shot on a bear.... especially a spring bear.

i saw a sow that was BIG this year, i thought it was a boar the first night i saw it. decided to go back the next night and see if i could turn it up again and get a better look, which i did, and it had 2 little fur balls. i think it was pushing 250lbs (real 250lbs ) it was the biggest sow i have seen by a fair margin, and had a really full coat so looked bigger. the night before i was watching a sow and yearling one draw over before i glassed up the bigger one, and the reference in size made me think it was a decent boar... validated my rule for sure.

your tips are solid, fish mornings, hunt evenings. winter steelhead early, spring chinook later. evenings are by far my favorite, see about 3/4 of my spring bear from 5pm and later... most morning bear are between 10-noon.

south slopes early, but later in the season it's not as much of a rule (oregon coast)

couple more-

wind is huge with bear, respect their nose, they will smell you, and from a long ways away! find their food source (grass and dandelion here) and look for the most lush patches. big boars like premium habitat. around here that usually means swamp bottoms early, then clear cuts later. learn what they eat where you are hunting. it's all about food until late May, early June.

generally, big boars become active first, so even though it can be slow early, if you see a bear early season, there is a good chance of it being a good one.

nothing is too steep for bear.

spray all hunting clothes in permethrin and wear gaiters (i hate ticks!)

bear are easy to kill with a well placed shot, one of the hardest animals to kill with a less than well placed shot

don't get too antsy to shoot too quick. bear are hard to judge, give yourself time to be confident on what you are shooting.

i'm beyond ready for season!! i love hunting spring bear.

 

[7718Sallee]

Was looking forward to spring bear in Oregon till i found out theyre controlled only now with abysmal draw odds.
Oh well, Wyoming will do

Spring bear has been draw for 2 years and my son has drawn sw as his 2nd choice both years. I use him as my lab experiment because I would really be depressed if I personally couldn’t hunt spring bears.

 

[JRMiller]

Spring bear has been draw for 2 years and my son has drawn sw as his 2nd choice both years. I use him as my lab experiment because I would really be depressed if I personally couldn’t hunt spring bears.

Is he resident, or non? thanks

 

[7718Sallee]

We are resident. I must have missed where you said nonresident