Bears Have Me Frustrated, Swing and a Miss!

[johns8168]

Hey Guys, new to the site and relatively new to WA. So I have lived most of my adult life in Colorado and 3yrs ago made a job change, here I am in WA! So here is the skinny.. I have found what I believe to be a decent bear spot in Western WA on timber company property, specifically about 4.5 miles behind a locked gate. This will be my second year in this area, it's your typical timber company property (various ages of clear cuts and a maze of new and old roads throughout, some berries and grass along the roads in spots (fair amount of scat and tore up stumps, is what I am basing this on) I did manage to get a quick glimpse of two bears last year, one way out in a clear cut at dark and another hauling butt across the road in front of me. Not too bad for my first year but I think I am missing something in my approach.

So my tactics so far have been getting into my clear cut areas just before dark glassing 25-35 min and creeping on to the next one for a look. I have some question for you veterans as this is different country than Colorado for sure, here we go..

-should I be glassing longer at each clear cut (I know they are deceptively difficult to see a bear in)

-should I glass for the first couple hrs then still hunt the older roads (shady) for the rest of the morning

-anyone have better luck hunting morning vs afternoon

-seems fawn distress calling has worked for some, worth a try, an hour per set-up about right?

-are the bears active all day in August or is that more specific to later in the season

I appreciate any and all input, again it seems to be a decent spot and I haven't yet seen another hunter that far back so I hope I am on the right track...

Thanks

[dreamunelk]

Sounds to me like you are on the right track.  Some guys go years and never see a bear.  So if you are sure there are bears in the area be patient it will happen.  Bears can be active all day.  Just depends.  Fawn calls may work.  Glassing and waiting are what I would recommend.  If you are in a good spot that has food it is just a matter of time and one will present it self.

[billythekidrock]

I would find the area with the most activity and hunt it all morning. Run and gun can work, but I prefer to camp on a good spot.
If I am calling I will start calling about a half hour after daylight and call for at least an hour. If it is a long trek in I would maybe take a nap and hunt until the evening.

[johnnyaustin44]

I'd say find a solid area and camp on it. Most of my experience doing this has been good. Bears can pop out in the open all of the sudden. Just cause you don't see it in the cut doesn't mean there isn't one there. The cuts I usually hunt are fairly old and over grown. A lot of times the bears don't ever seem to leave them because they feel safe in thicker areas. All of the sudden one will appear in the middle of the unit where I've looked for the last hour and makes me wonder how the heck did he get there so quick. Find the sign and camp on it. Should produce results for you eventually. Good luck. 

[johns8168]

Thanks guys, much appreciated! As I kind of expected I need to get a handle on my A.D.D.  and stay put on a good cut. As long as work doesn't call me in next weekend I will give it the whole day, a nap in the woods sounds a crap load better than mowing the lawn or going to another neighborhood barbecue. Best of luck to you guys this season, I will probably be chiming in again in the near future to pick your brains.

[billythekidrock]

My wife takes a book or crossword puzzles for stump sitting. Glass a bit, then read and listen. Keeps her out there longer.

[johns8168]

Well, let me start out by thanking everyone who chimed in with some advice, not sure I would have had the opportunity I did last night without so many people telling me to keep my butt planted firmly in one spot. Now for my sob story..

Got all the way back in to my favorite clear cut pretty early yesterday afternoon and after about 2 hours of sitting I decided to do a fawn distress call sequence. After about 45 minutes I decided to take a few minute break and have a snack. About halfway through my granola bar I spotted him, about 360yds out just entering the cut! I pulled my gun up and actually saw a fawn (still in spots) bounding towards me away from the bear, he looked to be a decent bear and I am confident there were no cubs in tow. I composed myself knowing I would get a shot as he didnt appear to be in any hurry making his way into the cut. I knew the range as I had ranged the far corner of the cut and knew I could make the shot (wrong). So I took my time getting a good rest on my pack and proceeded to pull the trigger...he ran off like a bolt of lightening through the cut back into the treeline. Now let me say this is not the first time I have missed and I am sure I will miss again in my hunting career. I have practiced out at 300yds with this rifle and these handloads, I knew they were up to the task, the operator obviously wasnt. After about 2hrs of searching for blood both in the cut and inside the treeline, following a couple of trails with fresh tracks I conceded that I had made a clean miss. After a long walk of shame back out of the cut to where I had shot from I figured out where I had gone wrong. In my excitement I had used the wrong hash mark on my scope! I looked at my range card and realized I used my 200yd hash mark, such a stupid mistake since I had time to review the card before my shot but thought I had it memorized, pretty sure I shot right under him, it was a long sad march off the top of the hill last night!

Reinforced some things I already knew last night, take your time, look at the range card, slow the hell down! Now I cant say for sure that I called the bear in but it seems to me that I probably did, he didn't come running in but in hind-sight I should have started calling again and brought him in closer...anyone have any thoughts on this? Is it wise to give this cut a little rest and get back on it next weekend?

So here I am, grateful for the opportunity to get a shot and get a renewed sense of confidence, but humbled by the situation. I had spent many days at the range earlier this summer getting my equipment ready (and I am confident it was) but I have to chalk this one up to a bit of adrenaline and operator error!
Anyway thanks to everyone who jumped in with advice and best of luck this season.

[deerhunter_98520]

Sorry to hear about the shot....happens to all of us....if it was me I would be right back out there....there's probably more than one bear in the area and chances are if there's lots of feed he will be back out

[Payne]

I could have made a pretty good shot (230 yd) on a bear the first day I went out. But I decided not to, thinking I would have another chance... Well I haven't seen one since and am kicking myself a bit. We all make mistakes! Sucks what happened to you, but that's a better day to me than not seeing anything at all... Get back out there and smoke that bear!

[billythekidrock]

I would also get back out there.

[johns8168]

Thanks guys, definitely was great to get a crack at one and see the plan almost come together. I can say I am in for some punishment if I knock him down where he was when I shot, its a nasty little clear cut! I will be out the next chance I get, had some family obligations but next weekend looks good (maybe one day this week if I can sneak out of the office early.