Lolo bears

[Bango skank]

So any of you spend much time in idaho units 10 & 12? Im curious about bear densities. Looking at where to do some spring bear hunting, i see that 10 and 12 are open through june 30th for all 3 bear, lion and wolf. For that reason id like to hunt bears there, to be able to maximize my opportunity by being able to notch a wolf or lion tag if i call one in.
Im also interested in your take on bear densities in units 7 & 9, since those 2 units are open for bear through july 31st, which leads me to believe there must be a very healthy number of bears there.
So, any knowledge about bear densities in those 4 units would be great. Also, since ill be hunting via calling, i have to ask, are grizz numbers very high there? Or is it like the selkirks where there are some grizz, but not exactly a thriving population worthy of significant concern when calling?

[Naches Sportsman]

Bear populations in 10 and 12 are pretty high it seems. At least where I venture to. In 12, along the highway is where I see a lot of bears that love to travel down back and forth to the river. You can also get up high in unit 12 and there seems to be a lot of bears. Lots of hound hunters where there's roads though.

You'll likely find/hear/run into a wolf in either of those units if you spend enough time there. Especially if you go at a time where you're using calf distress or fawn distress. They love the elk calves.

Collared grizzlies were in 10 and 12 this year at one point. Haven't heard anything recently.

Shoot me a PM if you decide on the lolo units.

[Tracker0721]

Following.

[Britt-dog]

I hunted unit 10 for quite a few years before moving north. bear numbers are high and you shouldn't have any trouble filling tags. The area I was in was hunted HARD by the outfitter, which made things kind of competitive. Seemed like they already either had baits at every logical site, or claimed to. For sure we were sharing bears at any site near a road. Because of the difficulty with the remote area and the outfitter I changed things to a new area and have been killing more and better bears.

[Machias]

@Todd_ID

[Machias]

Part of the reason those units are open so late is you cannot access them sometimes until June.  I used to run a couple of baits in there and ran some dogs in there as well on bears several years ago.  Awesome country.  Some years it can be frustrating trying to access it.  Not only snow, but the area is prone to slides every year and it takes a while before some of them are cleared.  I used to drive to Superior, Montana and go over Hodoo Pass and into Unit 10, down to Kelly Creek, Moose Butte, all good bear areas and quite a few wolves.  Another great way to access those areas is if you have a boat and go in through the Resivoir.  Great way to get into some country early in the season that is not accessible by land.

[Britt-dog]

Part of the reason those units are open so late is you cannot access them sometimes until June.  I used to run a couple of baits in there and ran some dogs in there as well on bears several years ago.  Awesome country.  Some years it can be frustrating trying to access it.  Not only snow, but the area is prone to slides every year and it takes a while before some of them are cleared.  I used to drive to Superior, Montana and go over Hodoo Pass and into Unit 10, down to Kelly Creek, Moose Butte, all good bear areas and quite a few wolves.  Another great way to access those areas is if you have a boat and go in through the Resivoir.  Great way to get into some country early in the season that is not accessible by land.

I could never get over Hodoo in the spring so had to make the longer trip up river from pierce. Hard to keep baits going for extended periods that way. Usually couldn't make it anywhere past Kelly creek campground before Memorial day, because of snow. We often had to clear the winter downfall to get to our hunting area. Lots of wolves.

[Machias]

My trips over Hodoo were always on snowmobile, chasing cats with the dogs. 

[idaho guy]

Part of the reason those units are open so late is you cannot access them sometimes until June.  I used to run a couple of baits in there and ran some dogs in there as well on bears several years ago.  Awesome country.  Some years it can be frustrating trying to access it.  Not only snow, but the area is prone to slides every year and it takes a while before some of them are cleared.  I used to drive to Superior, Montana and go over Hodoo Pass and into Unit 10, down to Kelly Creek, Moose Butte, all good bear areas and quite a few wolves.  Another great way to access those areas is if you have a boat and go in through the Resivoir.  Great way to get into some country early in the season that is not accessible by land.

  10 has lots of bears  I have ran dogs down there in the past. I have spent just a little time in 12 so no advice. I may be going down this week to chase bears in 10 so I might have more current info. 7 and 9 in my opinion don't have higher bear densities and the length of season has to do with access for hunters. Also idfg has declared war on predators since the wolves came in so a lot of the 2 bear areas and longer seasons I think are just to get more predators killed in the more remote units. Which I guess makes sense since we now have wolves stacked on top of 2 already established predators. The farther from town a unit is in the panhandle the longer the season and bigger limit. I think it has a lot less to do with bear densities and a lot more to do with just getting people to take the extra effort to kill some bears that are harder to get to. I ran a bait in 7 and I wont again. I would say bear density in 7 and 9 is just average for north Idaho at best. You wont have to deal with many houndsmen up there though

[Bango skank]

So, typical snow / road conditions, is getting into 10 / 12 generally doable the first week of june with just a truck, no snowmobile or atv?  Dont really want to haul my quad over.

[KFhunter]

I wouldn't say typical, its a bit of a snow belt

[idaho guy]

So, typical snow / road conditions, is getting into 10 / 12 generally doable the first week of june with just a truck, no snowmobile or atv?  Dont really want to haul my quad over.

I say yes on getting in with truck no problem but bring your quad you will want it anyways and if you get into a bunch of snow you're covered. It also depends on what "part" of 10 you want to access and of course that changes by the year 

[idaho guy]

12 is pretty much roadless so just bring your snowshoes and start hiking form the hi-way 

[Machias]

First year I drew a Non-Resident Hound permit for Unit 10.  I tried to get in via Hodoo Pass.  I leave after work and make it to Superior Mt at 1000 pm.  Start heading up to Hodoo Pass.  Pretty foggy and then I realize I'm driving on snow.  About 2 miles and I realize I am driving my truck on snow packed snowmobile tracks!!!  I get out and realize just a few feet on either side of my truck I sink down to my crotch.  I slowly back out and make it to gravel.  I drive back around and go in a Wallace Idaho, find out Moon Pass Is still closed.  So I go down Hwy 3 and go in at Clarkia, ID.  I'm able to drive 75 miles of logging roads, some on truck tracks in the snow.  I make it all the way down to 2 miles from Unit 10, but a 300 yard wide section of the road has slide down the mountain.  Road is completely gone.  I go back around and cross at Grandad Bridge only to hit deep snow 2 miles in.  I go around and come in from Headquarters, ID.  I FINALLY make it to Unit 10 11 hours after I started.  First road I turned down was Skull Creek, made it 300 yards and came to a huge slide. 

[Bango skank]

What time of year was that machias?

[Duckslayer89]

I missed a stud last night in 10 and killed one last year. Competing with people baiting but I still have good success seeing them

[SCRUBS]

I missed a stud last night in 10 and killed one last year. Competing with people baiting but I still have good success seeing them

Well that sucks.

Are you calling, baiting or spot & stalking?

[boneaddict]

No shortage of bears in Kelly Creek.  I see multiple of them every time I fish there.  Not sure if thats in your unit

[Machias]

What time of year was that machias?

End of May

[huntnnw]

I missed a stud last night in 10 and killed one last year. Competing with people baiting but I still have good success seeing them

any snow in 10?

[Duckslayer89]

I missed a stud last night in 10 and killed one last year. Competing with people baiting but I still have good success seeing them

any snow in 10?

A little up high. Probably more now though. I was just spot and shooting like I usually do there

[huntnnw]

After trudging 36 mi on foot in that country if they call that a high bear density area then my spots must be a petting zoo in WA  Hell I can hike around 20 min from Spokane and find sign. We saw 1 pile of bear crap in all those miles and it was spring. Fresh snow at 4,800’ and not 1 bear track. Either these bears migrate to lowest elevation or went to sleep.

[idaho guy]

I don’t doubt your story but that’s  strange there’s usually a lot of bears in 10 obviously not where you were though.

[KFhunter]

I found some big changes in Washington and I wonder if its the same in Idaho?

I had a lot of bear hunting areas that have historically had a ton of bears for many years. 
Some of those areas have almost completely dried up, no sign, no poo, no tracks for miles and miles and miles. 

Strange, I'm not sure what to attribute it too     The deer have went downhill too big time in these areas, tribes have declared it a "dead zone".


I'm not sure just how reliant the bear are of the fawns, if they needed them in the spring or can do without? or just prefer not to do without and move?
or perhaps wolves are ripping the bears out of dens, or just harassing them enough they move.   

Not sure yet, it could also be weather related although I'm less inclined to think so, the areas are loaded with berries which would spread the bears out good, but the amount of miles covered you would see poo/tracks and evidence still even if spread out. 

Just curious what you all think or if you've seen the same things.

[idaho guy]

I found some big changes in Washington and I wonder if its the same in Idaho?

I had a lot of bear hunting areas that have historically had a ton of bears for many years. 
Some of those areas have almost completely dried up, no sign, no poo, no tracks for miles and miles and miles. 

Strange, I'm not sure what to attribute it too     The deer have went downhill too big time in these areas, tribes have declared it a "dead zone".


I'm not sure just how reliant the bear are of the fawns, if they needed them in the spring or can do without? or just prefer not to do without and move?
or perhaps wolves are ripping the bears out of dens, or just harassing them enough they move.   

Not sure yet, it could also be weather related although I'm less inclined to think so, the areas are loaded with berries which would spread the bears out good, but the amount of miles covered you would see poo/tracks and evidence still even if spread out. 

Just curious what you all think or if you've seen the same things.

 

I don’t know if the fawns are a factor. My experience is it is the presence of wolves. I have noticed it in a big way with the lions coming close to town etc. I think the wolves harass everything to the point they would rather deal with people than 24/7 wolves. I think the lions are just following the deer and elk bears might be doing the same but I doubt it in the fall. I don’t think they are very good hunters other than killing fawns and calves in the spring. Tough to say in Idaho because of 2 bears and extended seasons I have noticed less bears everywhere and a lot less big ones. Age structure of Idaho bears has changed a lot from what I have seen. My hound buddies have found numerous bears dragged out of dens by wolves during cat season I never have though. Maybe they are just getting away from wolves like the deer and elk seems like bears are mostly driven around by their stomach so could be food sources too

[Naches Sportsman]

Was up on the boarder of 10 for a bit Sunday morning and ran into three different bear tracks in about a foot of snow. Going to check the cams in a couple weeks up in 12 and will post what I had as far as bears go.