Where are the Bears

[VirginiaxBoi]

I am getting creative now... YOU WILL TELL! 

[ICEMAN]

Why dont you check the state game harvest report, it will tell you all.

[billythekidrock]

Why dont you check the state game harvest report, it will tell you all.

Yep.. look for 10% or better success rate with less than average amount of hunters.
Harvest reports are here. http://wdfw.wa.gov/huntcorn.htm

As for the poll, by number of kills according to the 2006 harvest reports..

Skookumchuck 4.4%  22 kills
Capitol Peak     5.8% 18 kills
Mossyrock       5.0%  10 kills
Lincoln            1.7%   5 kills
Deschutes       1.5%   2 kills

[actionshooter]

Billy, you just took all the fun out of the poll 
 

[Ray]

The bears are steering far from me right now. That's about all I know.  Heard 4 shots this morning. Was unclear if someone connected because they were off in a different area... but close enough to hear them.

[nwhoundhunter]

It looks like there is a bear in Kitsap, or two. 

[Ray]

It looks like there is a bear in Kitsap, or two. 

[billythekidrock]

Sorry.......
Just trying to make it easy on the guy..

But now figure this out. The question is "Which G.M.U. would you say is best for Bear Hunting?"
Deschutes unit has alot of bears, but it is populated with people. Lincoln and Mossyrock are not very populated with low level kill %. The Skook & Peak have mid level kill %, but have tons of people. So, which is best for bear hunting?

[bobcat]

I wouldn't hunt any of those units for bears if I only had one season to hunt. One thing to be aware of is that private lands get hunted pretty hard by the hound hunters. For that reason, I would concentrate on units that are primarily National Forest lands, and this time of year, hunt the higher elevations, and get away from the roads. Anywhere on the Olympic Peninsula or in the Cascades should be good. Forget about any of the units listed in your poll. If you look at the harvest reports as others suggested, you'll see some good numbers in the North Cascade units.

[billythekidrock]

I wouldn't hunt any of those units for bears if I only had one season to hunt. One thing to be aware of is that private lands get hunted pretty hard by the hound hunters. For that reason, I would concentrate on units that are primarily National Forest lands, and this time of year, hunt the higher elevations, and get away from the roads. Anywhere on the Olympic Peninsula or in the Cascades should be good. Forget about any of the units listed in your poll. If you look at the harvest reports as others suggested, you'll see some good numbers in the North Cascade units.

I agree, there are alot better units to hunt. Like I said above, 10% or better is the place to be.

[actionshooter]

Appently I'm having bear issues also. I have definatley put my time in this year. Spent a couple of days up at Gifford and only found a ton of people. I guess I should have expected that on this weekend.
 I'm gonna take a few days and hit the eastside hard in a couple of weeks.

[boneaddict]

SHERMAN

[boneaddict]

Gifford Pinchot or Gifford on the Columbia

[actionshooter]

I was in Gifford Pinchot , pretty close to Adams wilderness. My 13 year old daughter got her first 2 grouse.     
 I have spent a fair amount of time in Sherman, one of my favorites  . Killed my first colored there.

[VirginiaxBoi]

Thanks Bobcat, exactly the type of response I was looking for. Apparantly with a little research, there is bear on Fort Lewis and I know which Areas. Unfortunately the most populated area is not huntable, its right acrossed the street from the hospital. Go figure. I might just go sit at a bus stop with my bow in Kitsap. 

[Palmer]

There are a lot of bears on the eastside of King County.  I'm hearing of a lot of nuisance bears ruining fruit trees.  I'd say look up some public land near developed areas.  You'll see them in the last half hour of shooting.

[SHANE(WA)]

There is no better to place to hunt bears in this state than NE WA.

[PolarBear]

101 unit!

[edmondshunter]

I say a lot of fresh sign when I was out in the randle gmu.  I was along the border of mossyrock

[Houndhunter]

There is no better to place to hunt bears in this state than NE WA.

i dont agree, i got lots of places over here on the west side that are full of bears. just depends how hard you wanna work to get one


and as far a hound hunters go, you aint gotta worry bout them messing up your bear hunting spots. timber companys dont lease out enough of them to do much, really the only place i know that does alot is that hancok area

[billythekidrock]

and as far a hound hunters go, you aint gotta worry bout them messing up your bear hunting spots. timber companys dont lease out enough of them to do much, really the only place i know that does alot is that hancok area

I know myself and at least one other site member who have had hunts ruined in the Capitol Forest by hound hunters during the spring permit hunts.

[Houndhunter]

theres a gazillion bears up at capital forest, theres no way that could happen. theres way to many bears there, and capital forest is huge. i doubt that hounders hunt every area in capital forest ruining it for others. i could believe that maybe on a hunt you could cross hound hunters and that may mess up where you were planning to hunt for the day, but thats  bout it

[billythekidrock]

theres a gazillion bears up at capital forest, theres no way that could happen. theres way to many bears there, and capital forest is huge.

Well you'd be wrong in your assessment of a "gazillion" and also wrong with "too many" as they have been knocking the crap out of them the last 4 or 5 years. F&G is having a hard time trapping any the last couple years. I know a couple guys that are actually working on paperwork to support an argument to end the spring hunts in the CF do to overharvest.

i doubt that hounders hunt every area in capital forest ruining it for others.

Your right as that would be illegal, though it does happen.

i could believe that maybe on a hunt you could cross hound hunters and that may mess up where you were planning to hunt for the day, but thats  bout it

That is what happens most of the time, but it ruins the area for more then a day.


Your in the Tumwater school district, you should join "Project Black Bear".

[Houndhunter]

i think i know the program your talking bout, i saw a thing bout it last year. not to interested in it though, doesnt really fit me. i like hunting them and i see enough of them doing that. not into all the studying and differnt stuff, i wouldnt fit in with the group of people that is doing it too

[ICEMAN]

Hey, you may give a new unique perspective that the program needs. Don't count yourself out. Sometimes the best thing a group like this needs is new blood, a different perspective and approach.

[billythekidrock]

Hound - I agree with Iceman. Coming from a different perspective may be a tad uncomfortable, but if you know your stuff you may impart wisdom that they may be lacking. So if you enjoy hunting them, why wouldn't you want to learn more about them? Some of the kids in that program are hunters. I know, that is how I heard about it, from a kid deer hunting the CF.