Spring Bear Applications

[Big6bull]

Very excited! Putting In for the harder to draw hunts, hoping to get lucky!

[trophyhunt]

I'm in!!  6 points should get my dad and I drawn but I won't be surprised if another NOT selected is added to my pile.  Love the spring bear hunt, the end of hunting season is depressing but the spring bear hunt is great way to start the year off.  Good luck to all those who didn't put in for my unit!!!

[acnewman55]

So to hunt in the North Skagit and Monroe areas (assuming you were drawn) one would have to purchase access from timber companies?  One can't simply hunt regular ol' public land?

[50CalJim]

In the Monroe unit you'll get a combination for the lock and a key for the skagit. Pretty sure theirs not a fee.

[h20hunter]

No fee. You get a packet (at least for Monroe) showing you the hunt area. Gate key/combo as well for the locks.

[saylean]

Dnry..... .  Good luck to all!

[carpsniperg2]

In Skagit you use to have to give a deposit to get the key. I think it was 100.00 the first time I did it and when you  turn the key back in you get the money back. The second time I drew it the year after the first time. I don't think I had to give the deposit just met with the guy and he gave me the key.

So not sure what they are doing now days. There was no fee to hunt the timber company up there when I had the tags in 11 and 12.

[ghosthunter]

No timber land fee in Skagit.
Pick up key at DNR
Key opens most gates not all.

[Wea300mag]

The Skagit area is limited and has been thinned out, I wish they would open up more area.

[Ripper]

I just submitted my app. It's been 3 years since I drew so I have my fingers crossed.

[Southpole]

Submitted last Friday for Sherman 

[D-Rock425]

Good luck to everyone.  Do date is march 15 right

[Jonathan_S]

Good luck to everyone.  Do date is march 15 right

I thought it was 30 March...oh well, nothing wrong with getting them in early.   

[pd]

Took me 10 years to find it and figure out how to hunt it. It's been good to me. 

OK. I will bite.

I will not ask you where you hunt, but given your proven ability to connect, would you share your knowledge as to "I figured out HOW to hunt it?"  What type of land, your tactics, etc.

[luvmystang67]

Took me 10 years to find it and figure out how to hunt it. It's been good to me. 

OK. I will bite.

I will not ask you where you hunt, but given your proven ability to connect, would you share your knowledge as to "I figured out HOW to hunt it?"  What type of land, your tactics, etc.

Drive around July 31st and look for trucks at gates, you likely won't see any.  Drive around August 1st and by the same gates, you'll probably see a lot of trucks, they are hunting bears.  This is very unlikely to mean that they are successful, mostly just that they at least think bears are there.

Secondly, find berries, bears eat them, they're really good at it, and its often in crap that no other creature would venture into.  Find a spot where you can look down into berries and sit.

Third, set up trail cameras and check them. 

Fourth, I'm convinced there are more bears in the westside foothills than there are deer.  Pretend like you're going deer hunting and shoot a bear instead.  I would advise looking in 5+ year old clearcuts, including ones that are too busy to see well in.  You might catch a glimpse of a bruin.

Fifth, offer to help people haul out bears.  Its a job that sucks, you'll make some friends, and you'll probably have a pretty good idea where they shot it.
 

Sixth (if you're dumb enough to try this you deserve what's coming).  Roll around in doughnuts and bacon grease and sleep in the middle of a berry patch for a few nights, let them come to you, see what happens.