Spring bear in the northeast techniques and times

[MooseZ25]

I spotted my first bear for 2021 in Douglas Unit the other day.  Spot and stalk is my preferred method to hunt spring bears.  Lot's of time on the glass around areas I find a sign that interests me.  May when the bear start to rut can be awesome.  Find the sign find the bear. 

[dilleytech]

I spotted my first bear for 2021 in Douglas Unit the other day.  Spot and stalk is my preferred method to hunt spring bears.  Lot's of time on the glass around areas I find a sign that interests me.  May when the bear start to rut can be awesome.  Find the sign find the bear.

Do you think it really matters what direction a slope is facing or just wherever the green is? The unit I’ll be hunting seems to be mostly clear cuts mixed with thick forest.

[jrebel]

Been successful on many hunts with me, family and friends.  Find food, find sign and find bears.  Good grass (not big blade grass), water, piles of poop (everywhere) and then find the bear.  I spend a ton of time behind the glass and moving from a couple different areas that have sign.  Good Luck.

I have tried calling with very little success....but I also have no idea what I am doing. 

[Rob]

My opinion is that the direction the slope faces is not important, the green is.  However the catch is, the green is made by the sun, and the sun hits southern slopes first and longest.

So north facing green is fine, but in rarer supply.

But I have chased bears for years without success so take any of my advice with a grain of salt!

[MooseZ25]

I spotted my first bear for 2021 in Douglas Unit the other day.  Spot and stalk is my preferred method to hunt spring bears.  Lot's of time on the glass around areas I find a sign that interests me.  May when the bear start to rut can be awesome.  Find the sign find the bear.

Do you think it really matters what direction a slope is facing or just wherever the green is? The unit I’ll be hunting seems to be mostly clear cuts mixed with thick forest.

I always chase the green early in the spring season.  Later when everything greens up I will look for sign like scat or tracks in the mud. 

[boneaddict]

Remember those big bears with the humps on their backs aren’t black bears

[dilleytech]

Remember those big bears with the humps on their backs aren’t black bears

Are there really very many? Say percentage of grizz to black?

[jrebel]

Remember those big bears with the humps on their backs aren’t black bears

Are there really very many? Say percentage of grizz to black?

Just a big color phase is all.....

[HillHound]

What I want to know is who’s fault is it if a grizzly gets shot in an area where they are not forcing the hunters to take the identification test. They are doing their due diligence by forcing us to be able to identify them in certain areas. Seems like it would be a pretty good defense if someone accidentally shot one in an area where the test is not required. Or are they treating them like mule deer and Blacktail. Once the mule deer cross the Columbia crest Trail it  becomes a Blacktail So once the grizzly leaves the units they have id tests for does he become a black bear?

[birddogdad]

What I want to know is who’s fault is it if a grizzly gets shot in an area where they are not forcing the hunters to take the identification test. They are doing their due diligence by forcing us to be able to identify them in certain areas. Seems like it would be a pretty good defense if someone accidentally shot one in an area where the test is not required. Or are they treating them like mule deer and Blacktail. Once the mule deer cross the Columbia crest Trail it  becomes a Blacktail So once the grizzly leaves the units they have id tests for does he become a black bear?

asked a similar question to WDFW calling in a wolf sighting a couple years ago... was told "sir, there are no wolves there" i followed with "then its ok for me to shoot that trophy coyote when i see it again right?" .. and then silence...

[HillHound]

I spotted my first bear for 2021 in Douglas Unit the other day.  Spot and stalk is my preferred method to hunt spring bears.  Lot's of time on the glass around areas I find a sign that interests me.  May when the bear start to rut can be awesome.  Find the sign find the bear.

That’s great to hear you’re seeing them up and moving around. Can I ask what time of day you saw it?

[MooseZ25]

I spotted my first bear for 2021 in Douglas Unit the other day.  Spot and stalk is my preferred method to hunt spring bears.  Lot's of time on the glass around areas I find a sign that interests me.  May when the bear start to rut can be awesome.  Find the sign find the bear.

That’s great to hear you’re seeing them up and moving around. Can I ask what time of day you saw it?

It was mid day after the sun came up and was shining on a south facing hillside.

[hunter399]

I spotted my first bear for 2021 in Douglas Unit the other day.  Spot and stalk is my preferred method to hunt spring bears.  Lot's of time on the glass around areas I find a sign that interests me.  May when the bear start to rut can be awesome.  Find the sign find the bear.

That’s great to hear you’re seeing them up and moving around. Can I ask what time of day you saw it?

It was mid day after the sun came up and was shining on a south facing hillside.

WOW
Already up and moving.

[bhawley76]

I seen one yesterday run across the road, It was a small cinnamon that looked like he needed a cheeseburger or 3.

[Machias]

And this is why guys get fired up and start hunting early.  You start reading all the bear sightings and you get fired up and rip roar out of the gate and hunt your tail off and then by the end of April you are flat out wore out and haven't seen a dang thing and oh the crappie are biting....Wow, it's already the end of the season?