Copalis spring bear hunt. Any success stories?

[afaa]

I'm a noob at hunting. Got drawn for Copalis. Just came back from a 2 day trip in there. Lots of thick woods. Didn't find  any good stake out places. My impression is that this is like trying to find needles in a hay stack. I need some encouragement to continue. Went with tje little lady. She's brainwashing me with the pessimism. 

[afaa]

Anyone successfully bag a bear here? Please post your story for some encouragement. No need for location specific if it matters to you.

[NW-GSP]

I hunted it for 14 + days three years ago. Only saw one bear the whole time and it was running across the road and I had no chance of getting a shot.
The thing they don't tell you is that they run dogs to hunt the bears in there.

[bobcat]

Of all the spring bear permits, that's definitely the toughest hunt of all. No doubt about it. Best bet is try to call them in with a fawn in distress call.


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[Boss .300 winmag]

Here is a thread about that unit spring bear permits.




http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,120603.25.html

[pd]

I'm a noob at hunting. Got drawn for Copalis. Just came back from a 2 day trip in there. Lots of thick woods. Didn't find  any good stake out places. My impression is that this is like trying to find needles in a hay stack. I need some encouragement to continue. Went with tje little lady. She's brainwashing me with the pessimism. 

OK, I am up to your challenge---you need positive encouragement, right?

1. Your tag is good until May 31st (if memory serves correctly).  Don't think you have to fill it in the first week.  You can't hunt every day or even every weekend.  Make a commitment to yourself to hunt the whole period.  In other words, give it your best.  (You bought the access permit, you owe it to yourself to make the best effort.  You WILL become a better hunter for this.)

2. Now that your better half knows how difficult this unit is, let her stay home next time.  The Copalis unit is said to be the most difficult spring bear unit, this is no place for casual observers.

3. I, too, strongly considered this unit, but applied for other areas because of the thick brush.  Now that you have the tag, you will have to do 2 things.  #1 is find open areas--this can be done by talking to locals if you cannot find advice here.  #2 is calling in the bear---this can be done by using manual mouth calls, or by using electronic calls, your choice.  Stalk hunting sounds really hard there.

4. During the week (whenever you can't hunt), go through the archives of this site.  Use the search function on the bear hunting section, and read every post with "copalis" listed as the search criteria.

At the end of this 6-week period, IF you bust your rear-end, you will become a much better hunter.  Good luck.

[Boss .300 winmag]

Just save your time and gas for fall hunting in a better area! 

[RadSav]

There are still a bunch of bear in there.  Just have to put some miles on your boots and keep an eye out for sign.  Calling does produce good results in thick brush areas, but I wouldn't rely on it.  Keep moving during early hours and then call once the prime grazing hours have passed.  You might want to send some PM's to Bearmanrick and Billythekidrock.  Maybe one of those guys can give you some one on one bear calling advise and get you set up with the right call!

[afaa]

Thank you all for your inputs. My permit is good until June 15. From reading this forum, I've seen people recommend hunting later in the spring season towards the end of May. I can see the reasoning behind this. Bears wake up, hungry, eat what they can in the immediate surroundings. Once that food source is depleted, they expand their area and travel outward.
I'm going to do a ton of research and asking for as much tips as possible before the next outing.  I'm thinking toward the end of May for the next trip. The lil lady agree to tag along as long as we'll be staying at a hotel/motel nearby at night. We were roughing it in a tent in the woods with down pouring rain  . That was pretty much the deal killer for her. 

I do have a Primos Frantic fawn. I'm looking for an affordable electric caller in the sub $100 range. If you have a recommendations on which one to get that would be helpful. I'm thinking of this particular one: ICOtec Call of the Wild GC300

I'm determined to bag a bear. I can envision the moment I sight the bear in my scope. I feel the adrenaline rushing just by thinking about it. 

[RadSav]

Not nearly as important to wait on Copalis bear.  They don't sleep the same way bear in the NE and SE do.  When you start seeing fresh green grass they should be moving.  We are starting to see bear movement here around Vancouver already.  I expect Copalis to be about the same as here.

[billythekidrock]

There is a reason that there are 100 permits for Copalis, and it is not because there are a lot of bear.

I have seen bear in there in the spring, but I see more sign in the fall. I drew this permit two years in a row and if it were free access I still would not apply again.

I suggest calling in areas with feeding activity or peels. There are lots of roads and when the bear are active you should find some sign on or along the roads.

The unit is mostly flat and it is extremely wet, even when it's not raining. I would scout the edges of the creeks and swamps. I would not waste my time with then clear cuts until mid May, unless there are pockets of grass and new growth.

Look for peels and focus on the area of fresh peels.
Pay attention to peels and

[afaa]

There is a reason that there are 100 permits for Copalis, and it is not because there are a lot of bear.

I have seen bear in there in the spring, but I see more sign in the fall. I drew this permit two years in a row and if it were free access I still would not apply again.

I suggest calling in areas with feeding activity or peels. There are lots of roads and when the bear are active you should find some sign on or along the roads.

The unit is mostly flat and it is extremely wet, even when it's not raining. I would scout the edges of the creeks and swamps. I would not waste my time with then clear cuts until mid May, unless there are pockets of grass and new growth.

Look for peels and focus on the area of fresh peels.
Pay attention to peels and

Thanks. I'll try that next time. I also got some tips from Eli on this board of where to start.

[oldschooltrucks]

Drew Copalis last year and didnt have any luck.  We never did see a bear.  We ran into one guy who heard us calling from a ridge line.  He glassed a bear grazing and told us that the bear never turned.  He continued eatting as we called and called.  May have been too early still for calling as it was middle of May.  He was looking for that trophy bear so he didnt take the shot...was his story lol.   I was told by several people they're out the last few weeks of the season. 

[bobcat]

The harvest report for last year's spring bear hunt in Copalis shows 1 bear killed out of 48 hunters.


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[oldschooltrucks]

i heard there was more than that.    Something like 4 or 5 taken?  But that's from running into other hunters and listening to thier gossip LOL  I found all kinds of signs while hunting there, just never saw them