First time Hunter - questions

[Pinfold]

Hello everyone - first time hunter hear, at 46 I need to get in better shape (300lbs, the only shape I know is pear!) - so my wife agreed to let me take up a new hobby, Hunting.  Been a hangun shooter all my life, but have good aim with a rifle, got a new 30-06, had it scoped in, seem to be fairly accurate at 100-200 yards, so off I go!

Here's my saga so far, and any advice is GREATLY appreciated (if it leads to a bear, we are talking Steak Dinner on me appreciated! lol).

My 19 year old son and I have gone up towards Trout Lake, and the Sawtooth Berry Fields, scouted a few spots off of 141 in a clear cut that had a bunch of caves, and followed tons of logging roads, NF roads, etc.  Gone early morning, late evening, mid day, etc.,  no luck

My biggest problems are that I don't really know where to go, especially places where a potato like me doesn't have to hike up mountains for hours on end!

So, any advice (I know, that's opening a can of worms) you might have on spots that are somewhat accessible to a lump like me (hey, I'm trying to become a non-lump) in SW Washington (live in Vancouver, willing to drive though) are GREATLY appreciated.  The more specific, the better.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, I really want to be successful my first season as a hunter, and I promise I'm reading everything I can, took safety course, etc.

Pinfold
(Glenn)
jesrael@hotmail.com

[h20hunter]

It sounds like you are already in the learning process simply by getting out and scouting. I would rear and re-read the into to bears thread at the top of the segment. It is a "sticky" thread so it will always be up there. The member that put it together spend some time on it as you will see. Regarding your fitness level if you do happen to whack one you better make sure the young man is there to help. I'm a ways out of shape but doing ok'ish.  Bears are very compact and very dense. Without my brother in law with me this year I would have been taking it out in qtrs or sending out a major call for help on the Hunt Wa phone tree.

Find the food, find the bear, shoot the bear.

[Pinfold]

Thanks for the advice, I'm reading every sticky for the 3rd time!  Son is much more athletic, and is going with me every time.

Glenn

[Pinfold]

Bump - any advice on places within 100 miles of Vancouver is greatly appreciated.

Pin

[h20hunter]

How about in this area?

[Maligator]

 

Now that's really funny 

There has to be a couple in there somewhere! 

[Alchase]

 

My 19 year old son and I have gone up towards Trout Lake, and the Sawtooth Berry Fields, scouted a few spots off of 141 in a clear cut that had a bunch of caves, and followed tons of logging roads, NF roads, etc.  Gone early morning, late evening, mid day, etc.,  no luck

There are tons of bears in the area you were in.
Follow the food, that's where the bears will be. If you walk through the berry field you will see bear sign.
Finding the bears is the hard part, lol

[tides56]

I'm not very familiar with that area, but I will tell you one simple rule that will increase your chances by a lot. Get off the beaten trail. Good luck! Also, walk for around 20-30 mins until you find a nice place where you can see a lot of land. Sit for an hour or so and keep moving. 

[robertsjd]

Well I'm new to BEAR hunting , been hunting all my life and this is the first year I have actually bear hunted and to my supprise I filled one of my tags in eastern WA back in August , I just hiked and hiked found a nice berry bowl with a near by pond/ watering hole , and I move back and forth between the berry bowl , and on the walk back would watch the pond for a few , luckily the bear was thirsty when I was watching the pond so it's true fond the recourses and you will eventually find the bear , but I LOVE Taco Bell doesn't mean you will find me there everyday ! So be paitent brother ! Find scat , food , water , hit it for a few days he might just wonder your way ! Good luck man hope this helped