Free: Contests & Raffles.
Quote from: longtrails on July 01, 2019, 01:54:31 AMQuote from: cdriver on June 20, 2019, 09:52:16 AMI hunt coyotes year round, mostly in Mason County, Tahuya area. I've gotten to know some areas real well by concentrating in one area. I have noticed a sharp decline this spring in the amount of coyote sign I see while at the same time I am seeing a lot more bear and bear sign. Have gotten good looks at bear three out of the last four trips. Coyote sign in one usually active spot has dropped off to almost nothing. The same area shows bear sign, lots of tree stumps ripped open. Several bear sightings. My queston is whether the bears are pushing out the coyotes. I live and hunt in Tahuya, and I can attest to the bear and cougar overpopulation problem. My nephew and I have seen a lot of fresh scat in multiple areas. I have never eaten bear, and have heard it is extremely greasy, so health wise it's not a good idea for me to hunt for it due to bad cholesterol, though very tempting with all the bear sign. As you know they have been doing a lot of logging in this area including on Manke land so its driving ALL wildife into smaller areas. But bears aren't pushing them out, they have just moved to another area because that are looking for more food, because they have exhausted the area. From what i can tell, and hear, is that they have moved closer to residential lake areas right now for more food. Warning though, don't put your coyote call out near residential areas, it pisses non hunters off and last year the cops were called for disturbing the peace. The reason you hear bear meat is greasy is because the fat is very oily. The meat is not greasy, but people take a bear into the butcher and tell them to make sausage. The butcher, charging by the lb, is going to put all that oily fat in there. If you butcher yourself, take all that oily fat off, cut steaks, roasts, stew meat, its not greasy. bear meat is excellent. And you can set the fat aside, render it, and use it to make stuff like biscuits and pie crusts.
Quote from: cdriver on June 20, 2019, 09:52:16 AMI hunt coyotes year round, mostly in Mason County, Tahuya area. I've gotten to know some areas real well by concentrating in one area. I have noticed a sharp decline this spring in the amount of coyote sign I see while at the same time I am seeing a lot more bear and bear sign. Have gotten good looks at bear three out of the last four trips. Coyote sign in one usually active spot has dropped off to almost nothing. The same area shows bear sign, lots of tree stumps ripped open. Several bear sightings. My queston is whether the bears are pushing out the coyotes. I live and hunt in Tahuya, and I can attest to the bear and cougar overpopulation problem. My nephew and I have seen a lot of fresh scat in multiple areas. I have never eaten bear, and have heard it is extremely greasy, so health wise it's not a good idea for me to hunt for it due to bad cholesterol, though very tempting with all the bear sign. As you know they have been doing a lot of logging in this area including on Manke land so its driving ALL wildife into smaller areas. But bears aren't pushing them out, they have just moved to another area because that are looking for more food, because they have exhausted the area. From what i can tell, and hear, is that they have moved closer to residential lake areas right now for more food. Warning though, don't put your coyote call out near residential areas, it pisses non hunters off and last year the cops were called for disturbing the peace.
I hunt coyotes year round, mostly in Mason County, Tahuya area. I've gotten to know some areas real well by concentrating in one area. I have noticed a sharp decline this spring in the amount of coyote sign I see while at the same time I am seeing a lot more bear and bear sign. Have gotten good looks at bear three out of the last four trips. Coyote sign in one usually active spot has dropped off to almost nothing. The same area shows bear sign, lots of tree stumps ripped open. Several bear sightings. My queston is whether the bears are pushing out the coyotes.
for your first bear make sure to get one that's been eating right.