Bear hunter questions...

[Guy]

I've never shot a bear. That's my size 10 boot in the photo. Snapped the photo in the same ravine where I killed a good size mulie a couple of days ago. Now the bear has a gut pile, a hide and a rib cage to chew on.

From the size of the tracks - how big do you think the bear is? Worthwhile?

Also - am I breaking the "baiting" law if I set up in there over the remains of my mule deer???

Thanks, Guy

[Curly]

Are you sure that's a bear track?.............looks like bigfoot to me 



I'm interested to know the answer to your question about baiting.  It doesn't seem to me like it should be illegal, but I would bet that a game warden, if asked, would say that it is illegal.  On the other hand, if you didn't know about the deer carcass, and you were out there bear hunting and came across a bear.......      

[Gobble]

They won't bother you. They are disgusted about the baiting thing as well. Its not like you are placing it there for the sole purpose of hunting over it.

[rasbo]

track dont look to big to me.Measure the front pad,when it hits the 6inch mark I get stoked.Ive got two buds that nailed a cougar sitting on a gut pile,If I saw the bear I would harvest it.Good luck

[Ray]

I'll take a guess that bear is about 175-200 lbs.

I'd probably not shoot it over a gut pile.

[luvtohnt]

The few wardens and biologists that I have talked to said that it is legal to harvest an animal over a gut pile, because it is natural like a dead animal or other naural food source.

Brandon

[Guy]

Unfortunately I actually have to work for a living and won't be able to get back up there for a few days....

Am sure some of you fine fellows would be happy to go after the little ol' bear for me if I told ya where those tracks were seen... 

This coming weekend though - I may well be back up there. Time will tell. Thanks for the info - I didn't think he was too big, but big enough.

Regards, Guy

[Hunting Cowboy]

Last weekend 10-18-08, ran across some fresh bear scat and these fresh prints. I'm not sure if this picture shows the prints as well as they looked in person. I never located the bear.

But to your question............I guess I've never really thought about it before.

[WDFW-SUX]

I think gut piles are fair game.....

[PWN Kurt]

The tracks look like a smallish bear....good table fare, but nothing close to a trophy.  There might be bigger ones in the area.

As for hunting over a gut pile, I think it's your call.  Some wardens might get excited, others have bigger fish to fry.  If you're worried about it, it might not be worth it...especially for a small bear.  The funny thing is, its legal to bait deer in WA, but not bear.

Kurt

[Guy]

These were the biggest bear tracks I've come across recently - but they were in Alaska while I was salmon fishing last month:







I think he's a wee bit bigger than the Washington black bears I usually come across while backpacking!