Spring Bear hunting strategy (East side bears)

[Rob]

Howdy all!

I am a greenhorn bear hunter (have been a few times but have not been successful yet). 

I drew Spring Bear in Sherman and I have been scouting several areas - I have found considerable bear sign (Tracks, scat, turned over rocks, etc) in my efforts and I feel pretty good about filling the tag.

For those who have been successful, what strategy do you use?  I see three strategies:
1.  Drive around a lot and cover as much ground as possible.  Scan likely areas from the vehicle and/or walk short distances to see areas not visible from the road
     -Pros:  maximizes area covered and tends to ID highly visible bears
     -Cons:  It is basically road hunting and not my favorite style of hunting.  Really limits ability to see fresh bear activity
2.  Still hunt areas with bear sign.  Slowly walk roads, meadows and clear cuts that are high probability and try to either bump a bear or spot and stalk
     -Pros:  covers considerable land, gets you up and personal with any local bear sign.  Can use a call to call in bears.
     -Cons:  Very difficult to be quiet.  if bears are not in the area you are wasting time.  Very difficult to observe bears prior to shooting to look for cubs
3.  blind hunt. 
     -Pros:  great for calling in bears.  best chance to observe prior to taking a shot
     -Cons:  significant reduction in land covered.  if you are sitting in an area where no bears come through, there are no shots!


I go between options 1 and 2 for the most part.  When I am covering lots of land in a truck, I am wishing I was still hunting.  When I am still hunting I am wishing I was covering lots of land in the truck...

What have others been successful doing?

[MtnMuley]

You're right on track. I'd skip #3 "blind hunting" and mix calling in with #2. You should have a really fun hunt with this heat wave we've been getting.

[KFhunter]

calling bears



gets you up close and personal with the bear 


look for fresh logging activity, hunt the edges

[Machias]

Call them in!!

[270Flat]

First time spring hunting this year. We set up two callers in an area we knew there were bears(visual/scat/torn up hill side). Didn’t stop calling as we had two callers and I got tired and he’d start calling. We did that for 25 minutes and the bears came running. We saw two and I killed one that came in hot and heavy looking for a meal. He was ready to fight for it. Got him in the chest with one shot at 85 yards.

[Vmascorro89]

First time spring hunting this year. We set up two callers in an area we knew there were bears(visual/scat/torn up hill side). Didn’t stop calling as we had two callers and I got tired and he’d start calling. We did that for 25 minutes and the bears came running. We saw two and I killed one that came in hot and heavy looking for a meal. He was ready to fight for it. Got him in the chest with one shot at 85 yards.

What type of calling did u use?

[270Flat]

Fawn bawl and bleet call

[Rob]

Appreciate the insights! 

I was all set to do a fawn call the other day with a FoxPro only to find out my dad had replaced that effect with Hyena's!

Oh well...

[DOUBLELUNG]

Appreciate the insights! 

I was all set to do a fawn call the other day with a FoxPro only to find out my dad had replaced that effect with Hyena's!

Oh well...

 , that made me chuckle out loud.  Not at you, with you!

[Rob]

He was probably getting me back for hiding a pair of pronghorn testicles in his rifle case for the trip back to Texas...

[bearmanric]

I would be calling now for sure.  Fawn, Fawn and more Faw. RickRick

[Pac_NW]

Rob, I can share where I have been in the Sherman unit. I downed a bear and am trying to retrieve it. Blood trail stopped cold, and have been at its end trying to pick it back up or find where the damn thing is.

Trail ended after a bit more then 400 yards. Luckily my hunting partner and I heard a crash, then death moan.

[bearpaw]

Appreciate the insights! 

I was all set to do a fawn call the other day with a FoxPro only to find out my dad had replaced that effect with Hyena's!

Oh well...

I'm not a bear caller, I find more bear in the same amount of time by not calling, but the fawns in this country start dropping the last days of May through June. That seems like the right time to call with a fawn bleat!   

[KFhunter]

Appreciate the insights! 

I was all set to do a fawn call the other day with a FoxPro only to find out my dad had replaced that effect with Hyena's!

Oh well...

I'm not a bear caller, I find more bear in the same amount of time by not calling, but the fawns in this country start dropping the last days of May through June. That seems like the right time to call with a fawn bleat!   

You need to call one in, just one time, or a few times 

[bearpaw]

Appreciate the insights! 

I was all set to do a fawn call the other day with a FoxPro only to find out my dad had replaced that effect with Hyena's!

Oh well...

I'm not a bear caller, I find more bear in the same amount of time by not calling, but the fawns in this country start dropping the last days of May through June. That seems like the right time to call with a fawn bleat!   

You need to call one in, just one time, or a few times 

My son and his two buddies called one in when they were 15 and 16, one of the most exciting expereinces they ever had, it came in snapping teeth, all three of them emptied their guns, none of them were hitting it right, but they got it, scared the dickens out of them. No doubt I would enjoy it, I enjoy all types of hunting, one time I spent all day for a week straight calling cougars, we got everything to come but a cougar that we could see. In the same amount of time with the hounds I would see more cougar. It sort of works that way for bear with me, I've called and I know guys who call and get them to come every so often, but in the same amount of time I can usually find more bear with other methods. (I'm not at all saying it isn't a great way to hunt bear.)

[KFhunter]

I figure if they come running hot into a fawn bleat.... they know that sound for a reason

[bearpaw]

I figure if they come running hot into a fawn bleat.... they know that sound for a reason

exactly, those are definitely good ones to get

[bearpaw]

I figure if they come running hot into a fawn bleat.... they know that sound for a reason

exactly, those are definitely good ones to get

I figure the same thing every time a coyote comes to my turkey calling, need to get that one!

We better get back on topic and help Rob!

[Limhangerslayer]

Seat time is highly effective this time of year also,  especially in an area with a lot of sign.  Right now for bears is like November for deer and September for elk.  Boars ate looking for the ladies!

[KFhunter]

anyone got any sow in heat urine?  Pour some on your boots and start walking, a big boar will find you!

[huntnnw]

only option I use for bears in spring and fall is not listed and thats patience and glass and glass some more. I like to sit on vantage points to where I am in shooting range if I see a bear but also the abilty to glass even further and put a stalk on a bear. Pretty much anywhere in the mountains of sherman unit has bears all about patience and glassing.

[Limhangerslayer]

only option I use for bears in spring and fall is not listed and thats patience and glass and glass some more. I like to sit on vantage points to where I am in shooting range if I see a bear but also the abilty to glass even further and put a stalk on a bear. Pretty much anywhere in the mountains of sherman unit has bears all about patience and glassing.

that's what seat time means, not sat time in the vehicle!   The big boar we shot Saturday we sat 10+ hours in the same drainage

[huntnnw]

  places I hunt are very close to roads and you can see alot from the road, but the bears know how to navigate the country to not be seen from the road. I have lost count how many times Ive watched bears walk right under guys sitting on the road glassing and they had no clue there were bears under 400 yards from them

[KFhunter]

Wouldnt mind seeing the bear that made these tracks

Size 12 foot


Or not, no spring tag :/



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[Bango skank]

Best strategy is to not have a permit.  In 3 days of hiking around ive stumbled upon 4 bears inside 100 yards without spooking them.  Yesterday morning hanging cams i came right up on the best bear ive ever laid eyes on at about 40 yards.  Huge bear, beautiful light cinnamon coat.  Looked like a damn grizz but it wasnt.

[CAMPMEAT]

Calling in a bear is a real rush, especially when they creep up on you to within the length of your Chevy 1500 hood.