Preparing for the opener

[acspah33]

Anyone care to share their opinions on how the extended wet winter will affect bear locations come August 1st? I've been scouting in the Snoqualmie area and have ran into a few bears on some old cat roads sub 2000 feet elevation. What elevations are you all finding bears at?

Happy Hunting

[phildobaggins]

I've got a spot packed with bears right now. It is between 5500-6500 ft.

[acspah33]

I've got a spot packed with bears right now. It is between 5500-6500 ft.

Nice! You got any pictures of the bears?

[phildobaggins]

I've got a spot packed with bears right now. It is between 5500-6500 ft.

Nice! You got any pictures of the bears?

[phildobaggins]

About it for pics 

[builtfordtough]

Ya u do! Great pic of the bear in the tree!

[phildobaggins]

Ya u do! Great pic of the bear in the tree!

 

[Sliverslinger]

I’ve been chewing on this same thing after such a late and wet spring. I hunt the high country berry fields and my experience has been the bears follow the berries, which ripen lower first. The berries seem to ripen 55-60 days after the snow melt in the area, but for the first time since I can recall, there is still snow on some of my berry spots. I think I may start a little lower and focus more exclusively on the south slopes than usual.

[jasnt]

Berries are definitely behind schedule!

[pickardjw]

Found some super fresh scat at 2300' in the Gifford Pinchot this weekend. South facing slopes at 5000 were clear of snow, maybe as of a couple weeks ago? I'm expecting it to be 2-4 weeks later than usual.

[phildobaggins]

I've seen bears, and fresh bear sign, literally everywhere from 2000-6500 ft. I'm finding bears at 5500' on north facing slopes right now.

[acspah33]

I've seen bears, and fresh bear sign, literally everywhere from 2000-6500 ft. I'm finding bears at 5500' on north facing slopes right now.

Interesting... I have been focusing my efforts down low where the blackberries are starting to flower. Tough part is everywhere low is thick as can be. I found bears up high (around 5,000) around this time of year the last few seasons, but come opening day, they seem to have moved presumably down lower to where the berries were. I have a few spots at different elevations and was planning to target low around the opener and follow the berries on the way up.

[pickardjw]

I think it's important to distinguish east side vs west side...

[dmoua]

I’ll be hanging around 3000’ come opener weekend.

[acspah33]

I’ll be hanging around 3000’ come opener weekend.

Are you on the East or West side?