2009 Spring Bear Sign

[billythekidrock]

I will start a main thread for bear sign this spring. Pictures and a local area would be good.

Grays Harbor County. February 2009

Here are a couple pics of the largest single piece of bear dookie I have ever seen. I found these in Western WA in the first week of February 2009. The pictures don't do it justice. This thing was larger then a softball.

I noticed this while following a bobcat track across a beaver dam. I saw the fresh bobcat turds first, then I noticed the bear crap. It was at least a week old and looked a lot like domestic dog, only a lot more. It seemed to be the consistancy of moist dog food. There is a quarter on the ground for size reference.



A couple days later I was back and I noticed this about 5 feet away. I was shocked to say the least and surprised that I didn't notice it before. I thought we had an elephant on the loose. The round is a .243 for reference. This seemed to be the consistancy of damp pressboard.

[boneaddict]

 

[hogsniper]

I was up on the hill last night and didnt see any sign!! Bout 2 weeks ago I did see a track in the snow so some of them are up and out moving around!!! The rest of them should be waking up any day now! I dont know about other units but in the N. Skagit it should be easier to get around this year compared to last, as long as they give out the right keys!!  I am excited to see the first one of the year!!   

[rasbo]

good idea ya might want to get runamuck to do some field testing

[billythekidrock]

I was up on the hill last night and didnt see any sign!! Bout 2 weeks ago I did see a track in the snow so some of them are up and out moving around!!! The rest of them should be waking up any day now! I dont know about other units but in the N. Skagit it should be easier to get around this year compared to last, as long as they give out the right keys!!  I am excited to see the first one of the year!!   

I hope it is easy to get around up there. We will only have a short time to hunt.

[Jake T]

just spoke to the DNR guy about teh North skagit hunt.  said that any star on the map will be opened by the key you get from them.  verified this with the Sierra pacific guy.  he said that "the key you get is a pretty good key.  it should get you anywhere you want to go that is inside the hunt boundary."

so unless they are lying to me...life should be good

[TheHunt]

BTKR,
That is fantastic find...  Who are you positioning to shoot that monster?

[whacker1]

BTKR - I think he blew his cork 

[billythekidrock]

Yea, I think he dropped his plug. Hope to have my wife get that bear, but it is in a tough place to hunt.

Jake - Thanks for the update on keys/gates.

[Pathfinder101]

This is awesome... I didn't get drawn for my spring bear tag, BUT WDFW CAN'T STOP ME FROM HUNTING POOP!!!!!

I gotta get OUT THERE!!

[cohoho]

Plugs I have seen are nasty blue/black/green like a new born first real turd...  After licking grease for a few days they would blow their plugs right at the bait station, nasty and extremely foul smelling...  I think the second was Bigfoots...

[Cascade_Sherpa]

Definitely Sasquatch!

[Timber]

Found some bear tracks this morning. There still is a lot of snow, but it's melting and Skunk Cabbage is starting to sprout in certain areas.

This was in Whatcom County. Elevation about 1800ft (valley floor).

[saylean]

skunk cabbage is all over in my hike spots...havent seen any bear sign yet, but i havent had time to scout Monroe...just gonna scout while I hunt to save a little gas. 
nice pics timber

[billythekidrock]

The skunk cabbage has been showing down here for a month, but I haven't found any sign near it yet.
I may go out for a quick drive today.