What happened to west side bear hunting?

[JeffRaines]

As the title states, upon doing research it seems like bear hunting on the west side took a huge dive around 2010-2012. What caused this? I was thinking it might've been due to regulation changes but there doesn't seem to be much difference between now and then, save for some areas opening 15 days later now.

[JimmyHoffa]

Discover Pass and Tree Farm Permits??

[bugs n bones]

Lack of logging, access to the older higher elevation 1980s cuts is mostly gone or over grown. It takes a good 3 years in my opinion for a bear to feel comfortable in a clear cut, providing there's feed in it.  Tree farm access costs money, and a lot of times is closed to fire danger during prime time.

[JeffRaines]

Discover Pass and Tree Farm Permits??

I can sort-of understand the decline in 653 due to tree farm permits... but then Mashel is probably the best in the area due to tree farm permits, and now 653, according to harvest numbers, is way low. I guess the reason for the others like South Rainier and Packwood is due to the lack of logging, so then I take it logging is still going strong in the northwest GMUs?

[JimmyHoffa]

before logging, the early homesteaders in Washington didn't report many bear or deer.  Once some land was opened up, the bear population started to go up.  (so I read anyways)

[JeffRaines]

before logging, the early homesteaders in Washington didn't report many bear or deer.  Once some land was opened up, the bear population started to go up.  (so I read anyways)

Very interesting!

[Kittman]

Another reason, no ATV's or UTV's use allowed on any West side National Forest lands.

[HUNT-HARD]

I don't know maybe people aren't reporting. I have been hunting bears in western Washington for a lot of years and last year was the first year we didn't kill multiple bears. Last year was tough because all the berries were gone or dried up by the time the season came around.

[jackmaster]

We lost bear baiting and hound huntn!! Those two were the only effective bear huntn methods

[D-Rock425]

We lost bear baiting and hound huntn!! Those two were the only effective bear huntn methods

[JeffRaines]

We lost bear baiting and hound huntn!! Those two were the only effective bear huntn methods

Yeah, as far back as I looked in the hunting regs... I think I went as far back as 2008, they were both illegal. The numbers were still high then, too.

I don't know maybe people aren't reporting. I have been hunting bears in western Washington for a lot of years and last year was the first year we didn't kill multiple bears. Last year was tough because all the berries were gone or dried up by the time the season came around.

I know that the north cascade gmus still produce bear no doubt, but the south cascades used to be much better.

[seth30]

We lost bear baiting and hound huntn!! Those two were the only effective bear huntn methods

Yeah, as far back as I looked in the hunting regs... I think I went as far back as 2008, they were both illegal. The numbers were still high then, too.

I don't know maybe people aren't reporting. I have been hunting bears in western Washington for a lot of years and last year was the first year we didn't kill multiple bears. Last year was tough because all the berries were gone or dried up by the time the season came around.

I know that the north cascade gmus still produce bear no doubt, but the south cascades used to be much better.

Wolves!!

[rasbo]

I believe the bears are still there,I think a lot of the hunters have changed..

[D-Rock425]

Better hunters up north.

[singleshot12]

Infertility drugs in the pellets at the feed stations on tree farms is more likely.

[jackmaster]

Infertility drugs in the pellets at the feed stations on tree farms is more likely.

or   

[JimmyHoffa]

or in the herbicides being sprayed. 

[BUTTER]

The state changed the opener from August 1st to August 15th which might not seem like much but where I hunt it matters a lot depending on the season and berries your hunting the berries can dry up faster even in those 15days

[CAMPMEAT]

You guys must live on the wrong side of the state. We have a buttload of bear in the 101 unit.

[justyhntr]

I believe the bears are still there,I think a lot of the hunters have changed..

 

653 has a lot of bears , just take some apples up somewhere and put a camera on it . A couple years ago we did this to see if deer would come in , what we got was over a hundred pictures of 7 different bears .I don't bother putting apples out anymore .  654 is the same way , there are a lot of bears . We are on Hancock managed land so that may make a difference , they are logging and there are a lot of cuts unlike a lot of the public land in those units .

[JakeLand]

My opinion is since baiting and hound hunting became illegal a lot of immature and sows get shot . When you could bait and hound hunt you could be selective and either not pull the trigger on one at a bait station and or just pull the dogs off a bayed (treed ) bear 
 My   but there's still bear out there you just got to follow the berries right now

[h2ofowlr]

Less hunters or more hunters not willing to put in the work.  If they can't drive to the location they don't go.  In the past you could drive hundreds of miles of gravel roads seeing lots of good cuts and that has really changed in the last 15 years.  Now, you see a good cut and many times about the time it looks really good for bears, they spray it.  Or if you can't get a good spot via the internet you stay at home and say it's not worth it.     Definitely not as easy as it once was.

[Katmai Guy]

You guys must live on the wrong side of the state. We have a buttload of bear in the 101 unit.

Man Camp meat, don't tell anyone, that's a well kept secret!

[huntingaddiction]

D-rock doesn't seem to have problems.  I think it has a lot to do with getting out of your truck.

[180-GRAIN]

I usually hunt around Stevens pass and I will say 5-6 years ago I could go out and gaurantee seeing a bear if not 4 or 5 a day. The last couple years I can say that I don't have that confidence anymore the bear are heed to predict because of the food pattern. That is the main thing I have seen change is most berries are gone in the lower elevations anymore come August 1st. I can also say that this year besides most berries being gone Weyerhaeuser has bought most of the logging property and destroy bear habitat for the most part. I went into 3 cuts that were 4 years old and prime last year and found there fertilizer bags all over the place and it was obvious they sprayed as they were barren dirt and chopped up tree chunks everywhere. I don't think they do the animals any favors when they do that. Maybe after a few years it will benefit critters but not right now. I think the only bear hunting for me will be high from now on.

[rasbo]

I have taken several people up where  I used to hunt,only 2 of them would stay where I told them to stay,they got bears,the others were afraid of the area it was to thick..An old houndsman showed me a couple of trails bears used every year,and these trails put out..They were steep ridges with tons of cover...Lots of small drainages which the bears love, running off these ridges..The bears are still there,the people for the most part wont get after them..Geez and some of the crap folks think they have to bring everytime  they get out of the rig is unreal...Damn ya would think they were hiking the pacific crest trail south to north...Man I wish I still had the legs to hunt these areas...

[Duckslayer89]

I have taken several people up where  I used to hunt,only 2 of them would stay where I told them to stay,they got bears,the others were afraid of the area it was to thick..An old houndsman showed me a couple of trails bears used every year,and these trails put out..They were steep ridges with tons of cover...Lots of small drainages which the bears love, running off these ridges..The bears are still there,the people for the most part wont get after them..Geez and some of the crap folks think they have to bring everytime  they get out of the rig is unreal...Damn ya would think they were hiking the pacific crest trail south to north...Man I wish I still had the legs to hunt these areas...

PM me your spots I will live it for you rasbo 

[JeffRaines]

I have taken several people up where  I used to hunt,only 2 of them would stay where I told them to stay,they got bears,the others were afraid of the area it was to thick..An old houndsman showed me a couple of trails bears used every year,and these trails put out..They were steep ridges with tons of cover...Lots of small drainages which the bears love, running off these ridges..The bears are still there,the people for the most part wont get after them..Geez and some of the crap folks think they have to bring everytime  they get out of the rig is unreal...Damn ya would think they were hiking the pacific crest trail south to north...Man I wish I still had the legs to hunt these areas...

PM me your spots I will live it for you rasbo

Agreed!

Getting out of the truck isn't the issue with me at least. I enjoy hiking in the off season so putting in miles/elevation doesn't scare me in the least. I just wanted to know if there was any one change that's happened to lower the bear hunting success locally.

[Whitenuckles]

I agree. It's been alot slower these last few years.

[klikboom]

I have taken several people up where  I used to hunt,only 2 of them would stay where I told them to stay,they got bears,the others were afraid of the area it was to thick..An old houndsman showed me a couple of trails bears used every year,and these trails put out..They were steep ridges with tons of cover...Lots of small drainages which the bears love, running off these ridges..The bears are still there,the people for the most part wont get after them..Geez and some of the crap folks think they have to bring everytime  they get out of the rig is unreal...Damn ya would think they were hiking the pacific crest trail south to north...Man I wish I still had the legs to hunt these areas...

I'd like to hear more about how you hunt the west side ridges. Do you find them running ridges during day? I've never seen a bear in timber yet, always the open. I actually know of a timbered ridge which i saw huge bear piles but it was in mature timber so limited visibility. Are you sitting on this ridge all day every day till it produces?

[luvmystang67]

D-rock doesn't seem to have problems.  I think it has a lot to do with getting out of your truck.

Do not give him this much credit....

[rasbo]

I have taken several people up where  I used to hunt,only 2 of them would stay where I told them to stay,they got bears,the others were afraid of the area it was to thick..An old houndsman showed me a couple of trails bears used every year,and these trails put out..They were steep ridges with tons of cover...Lots of small drainages which the bears love, running off these ridges..The bears are still there,the people for the most part wont get after them..Geez and some of the crap folks think they have to bring everytime  they get out of the rig is unreal...Damn ya would think they were hiking the pacific crest trail south to north...Man I wish I still had the legs to hunt these areas...

I'd like to hear more about how you hunt the west side ridges. Do you find them running ridges during day? I've never seen a bear in timber yet, always the open. I actually know of a timbered ridge which i saw huge bear piles but it was in mature timber so limited visibility. Are you sitting on this ridge all day every day till it produces?

I've shot bears in the am and pm,and at noonish...if its breeding time I will park on one trail,but I love to side hill using thermals,walking very slow and listen and call in some..Its very close hunting so you must pay attention to wind and thermal..when these clear cuts are full grown bears can be feeding and you will never see some of them..Ive only had one bear try to put the hurt on me and that was while I was hiking in deer hunting one morning,he came at me and I shot him point blank in the face,he flipped over and hauled butt ,I went back down to the road and checked myself to see if I leaked anything in my drawers..went and got my partner who was in another drainage,we found what looked like pieces of tongue or lips,we tracked that bear with a good blood trail over a mile,then it started pouring rain we lost all sign after another 1/2mile or so,and we were trespassing at that time no bear..His front pad was 6 1/2 inches....

[Turner89]

Last year we had end of august weather by 4th of july weekend.  Berries were gone by bear season, and fire closures.  Besides last year, I haven't noticed any difference in my area.
 I haven't made it out in the woods all summer this year due to work, but I would think this should be a good year for berries, and bears.

[h20hunter]

Turner..had a BRUTE on cam up at the flamingos. Woth a walk by the bowl and the rocks if you are up there.

[Turner89]

I'm going up somewhere tomorrow,  not sure where yet.   The flamingos still doing their thing? Lol

[bear hunter]

Going out tomorrow to. Good luck every one

[h20hunter]

Yep. The bruiser.....big hog....carried one away.

[Turner89]

4 bears were shot yesturday that I know of. The black berries are about a week from being full blown ripe at the elevation we were at......this should be a great year.
  My sons bear at 7:30 last night.

[jackmaster]

Congrats to your son, that is awesome man