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Author Topic: Spring Bear?  (Read 12204 times)

Offline huntingdog16

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Spring Bear?
« on: January 15, 2016, 07:54:22 PM »
I was wondering if anyone would mind informing me on the steps I need to take to apply for a spring bear permit. Also if anyone could help me with a question about the North Skagit hunt as well I would appreciate that as well. Thanks guys.

Offline wheels

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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #1 on: January 15, 2016, 07:56:53 PM »
buybear tag , permit application  pick and submit

Offline huntingdog16

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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #2 on: January 15, 2016, 08:10:55 PM »
Thanks a lot :hello:

Offline saylean

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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #3 on: January 15, 2016, 10:22:31 PM »
Whats the question about North Skagit?

Offline ctwiggs1

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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #4 on: January 19, 2016, 12:40:05 PM »
Are there any advantages to Spring Bear?  I've never actually put in for it.... to be honest because I always forget until I see  "Spring Bear Down!!" on here.  Taste better?  Better hide??

Just curious about this

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Offline h20hunter

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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #5 on: January 19, 2016, 12:43:04 PM »
Mine tasted fine. I actually think it can be harder tag to fill than the general season. I know Stang killed a spring boo boo a few years ago an the meat was about as nasty as it gets.

Offline ctwiggs1

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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #6 on: January 19, 2016, 12:44:44 PM »
I've been wondering about that.  I know they taste great after they get into the berries, but I have to wonder about these spring bears that are around when the berries haven't come up yet.

Offline saylean

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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #7 on: January 19, 2016, 08:16:31 PM »
Spring bears have tasted great, the ones I have killed. I just like to put in to try to get a chance to hunt a little early, and it is a different style of hunt.

Plus, the hides are great if you catch them early.

Offline carpsniperg2

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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #8 on: January 19, 2016, 08:24:03 PM »
Spring bears have tasted great, the ones I have killed. I just like to put in to try to get a chance to hunt a little early, and it is a different style of hunt.

Plus, the hides are great if you catch them early.

My thoughts as well. The 2 spring bears I killed tasted good. The 2 fall bears I have killed tasted bad! I know the spring bears that get into the skunk cabbage can be very nasty.
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Offline sled

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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #9 on: January 19, 2016, 08:37:06 PM »
I've gotten one spring bear,  It was awsome meat.  I've gotten one fall bear, had summer sausage, and pep made it was good.

Offline trophyhunt

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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #10 on: January 19, 2016, 08:46:12 PM »
Better hides, and easier to find!  The boars are out looking for sows, and your hunting big game in the spring, it's a blast for me.
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Offline Turner89

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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #11 on: January 19, 2016, 09:01:41 PM »
Spring bears have tasted great, the ones I have killed. I just like to put in to try to get a chance to hunt a little early, and it is a different style of hunt.

Plus, the hides are great if you catch them early.

My thoughts as well. The 2 spring bears I killed tasted good. The 2 fall bears I have killed tasted bad! I know the spring bears that get into the skunk cabbage can be very nasty.
:yeah: I thought the 2 spring bears my son, and i got were great. The only bad tasting bear I've ate was one that had been eating rotten humpies........that thing was disgusting. I won't hunt them anywhere near where salmon are spawning.
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Offline ShaneTyTrey

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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #12 on: January 19, 2016, 09:10:06 PM »
Better hides, and easier to find!  The boars are out looking for sows, and your hunting big game in the spring, it's a blast for me.
:yeah:
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Offline huntingdog16

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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #13 on: January 19, 2016, 09:29:43 PM »
Well I just put in for North Skagit. Keeping my fingers crossed :IBCOOL: :IBCOOL:

Offline bobcat

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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #14 on: January 20, 2016, 12:16:01 AM »
A large portion of their diet in the spring is green grass, so I can't imagine the meat being bad. I've only killed one bear in the spring and we had all the meat made into breakfast sausage. It was good but I can't really say what the meat would've tasted like without the seasoning. But I'm sure it would've been fine. There's nothing else to hunt in the spring except turkeys so if you have the time it's definitely worth going. My problem is I just don't seem to ever have the time anymore. Sure am building up a lot of points though.  :tup:

Offline wheels

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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #15 on: January 20, 2016, 12:34:28 AM »
put in for westside only day drive distances  monroe Nskagit  copalis kapowsin

Offline D-Rock425

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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #16 on: January 20, 2016, 11:41:51 AM »
Better hides, and easier to find!  The boars are out looking for sows, and your hunting big game in the spring, it's a blast for me.
easier to find I'm not so sure about.

Offline trophyhunt

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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #17 on: January 20, 2016, 11:53:06 AM »
They are where I hunt.  :chuckle:
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Offline luvmystang67

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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #18 on: January 20, 2016, 11:59:10 AM »
They're not really any easier to find on the west side... in general and in my opinion.  They aren't very active until the spring green up begins and at that point you lose a lot of your advantage.  The food source is anywhere (grass and stumps) so it is hard to focus on one particular area that'd hold bear (no berry patches).  Their hide can be good if you get them before they rub, but they're also good late in the regular season.  In general they're going to be lighter weight because they've been fasting for the winter, so if you're looking for trophy weight I'm fairly certain spring is a bad time.

Taste, as H20 mentioned, one was not great, the other was good (but I turned it into summer sausage and pepperoni, even duck is good like that)  :chuckle:.

Plan to spend a lot of time at it.  I think success rates are fairly low because people don't dedicate enough time to being out in the woods.  I know Monroe took ~4 bears total last year, one of which was mine. 

Clearly Skagit is the place to go  :tup:

Jokes aside, its not an easy hunt, but what else are you going to do with your spring, hunt turkeys?  (Jk, turkey hunting is fun too).

Offline sled

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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #19 on: January 20, 2016, 12:05:51 PM »
I hunted almost every other day for over half the season when I drew Monroe before I connected.  It definately comes down to time in the woods.  I found a few areas with sign and concentrated on them.

Offline saylean

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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #20 on: January 20, 2016, 08:33:30 PM »
They're not really any easier to find on the west side... in general and in my opinion.  They aren't very active until the spring green up begins and at that point you lose a lot of your advantage.  The food source is anywhere (grass and stumps) so it is hard to focus on one particular area that'd hold bear (no berry patches).  Their hide can be good if you get them before they rub, but they're also good late in the regular season.  In general they're going to be lighter weight because they've been fasting for the winter, so if you're looking for trophy weight I'm fairly certain spring is a bad time.

Taste, as H20 mentioned, one was not great, the other was good (but I turned it into summer sausage and pepperoni, even duck is good like that)  :chuckle:.

Plan to spend a lot of time at it.  I think success rates are fairly low because people don't dedicate enough time to being out in the woods.  I know Monroe took ~4 bears total last year, one of which was mine. 

Clearly Skagit is the place to go  :tup:

Jokes aside, its not an easy hunt, but what else are you going to do with your spring, hunt turkeys?  (Jk, turkey hunting is fun too).

Clearly, he means Monroe is the place to go....

Offline Turner89

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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #21 on: January 20, 2016, 08:54:36 PM »
Like stang, and sled said in general it can take more time I think. I love the fact that you get keys to the gates, and for the most part theres nobody else out there. It's pretty cool not being wore out at the end of the day after hiking, biking in. :tup:
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Offline jkononen

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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #22 on: January 22, 2016, 09:22:10 AM »
Hunting is better in Monroe, its just the hunters that are better in the Skagit.  :P :chuckle:
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Offline h20hunter

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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #23 on: January 22, 2016, 09:25:27 AM »
I would say on average bears in Skagit are pretty big.....however, some nice sized ones in the Monroe unit. Here is a fella that Eldplanko missed by almost 24 hour exactly....

Offline h20hunter

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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #24 on: January 22, 2016, 09:27:37 AM »
Here is a better pic....

Offline D-Rock425

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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #25 on: January 22, 2016, 09:28:08 AM »
Hunting is better in Monroe, its just the hunters that are better in the Skagit.  :P :chuckle:
not true skagit is clearly better.

Offline h20hunter

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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #26 on: January 22, 2016, 09:29:57 AM »
Of course....I only post bear pics from the Skagit unit....

Offline TheSkyBuster

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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #27 on: January 22, 2016, 09:30:24 AM »
North Skagit bears are few and far between.   Plus they all taste nasty.  Do not waste your point(s) applying for this unit.

Offline luvmystang67

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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #28 on: January 22, 2016, 11:08:20 AM »
North Skagit bears are few and far between.   Plus they all taste nasty.  Do not waste your point(s) applying for this unit.

For my points I cannot imagine a better hunt than North Skagit.  I've heard there are more bear than deer up there.  I haven't been able to draw because it is too competitive.

Offline D-Rock425

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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #29 on: January 22, 2016, 11:10:40 AM »
Think I may take my 5 points and only put in for skagit.

Offline dune

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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #30 on: January 27, 2016, 10:56:27 AM »
Well I had fun in monroe shot at one and saw 2 other bears last spring

Offline Kit Carson

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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #31 on: January 29, 2016, 05:06:32 PM »
First time putting in for Spring bear  :tup:

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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #32 on: January 29, 2016, 08:50:05 PM »
North Skagit bears are few and far between.   Plus they all taste nasty.  Do not waste your point(s) applying for this unit.

I can second that. Thick, steep, hardly any animals, crazy to have anyone put in for it.

Monroe or the north east are the ticket. :tup:
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Offline acnewman55

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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #33 on: February 27, 2016, 10:28:20 PM »

I love the fact that you get keys to the gates.

Can somebody explain that to me?

If you draw you actually get gate keys to access DNR land?


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Re: Spring Bear?
« Reply #34 on: February 28, 2016, 03:58:41 AM »
North Skagit bears are few and far between.   Plus they all taste nasty.  Do not waste your point(s) applying for this unit.

Yeah?  No bear. 
Yeah.  They taste nasty. 
Yeah!  That's the ticket. 
Me and my girlfriend....Morgan Fairchild!  We hate Skagit bear hunting!!  Yeah!!!
He asked, Do you ever give a short simple answer?  I replied, "Nope."

 


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