Prince of Wales Spring Bear 2026

[RB]

As the title says POW Spring Bear 2026. Anyone on this forum going? Have the tag and going solo end of May first part of June and looking for those in Washington that may be going. Just like offshore fishing it is great to have others to talk to during/after the day to compare notes and check in with for safety. I have a tentative place and rig with a lodge and went in September last year to scout some. PM me if you do not want to talk open on the forum. Best of luck for your seasons in 2026!

Bob

RB

[jrebel]

Sounds like a great hunt.  Wish I was going as spring bear is one of my favorite times to hunt.  Can't wait to hear how you do!! 

[hiway_99]

I put in for the last couple years but haven't been luck enough to draw.  Definitely following along to learn and hear about your adventure.  Good luck and shoot a masher

Sent from my SM-S928U using Tapatalk

[Heiny]

Will be up there first part of May. Staying on the north end of POW, but hunting Kupreanof. Did the same last year on Kuiu. Very fun hunt with great fishing.

[trophyhunt]

Dream spring bear hunt, my best friend went many years ago and killed a monster bear!!!!  I will have to look into that hunt for the future, best of luck!

[HereDuckyDucky]

I have done it many times. Shoot me a PM if you have questions. Happy to help.

RW

[redi]

Best of luck. Sounds like a great adventure

[RB]

Sounds like a great hunt.  Wish I was going as spring bear is one of my favorite times to hunt.  Can't wait to hear how you do!!

Thanks 

[RB]

I put in for the last couple years but haven't been luck enough to draw.  Definitely following along to learn and hear about your adventure.  Good luck and shoot a masher

Sent from my SM-S928U using Tapatalk

Thanks 

[RB]

I have done it many times. Shoot me a PM if you have questions. Happy to help.

RW

PM sent Thank you! 

[The Butcher]

Good luck Bob!  Hope you get a monster!

[RB]

Good luck Bob!  Hope you get a monster!

Thank you!

[Chesapeake]

Best advise I think I could give would be to identify an available bear sealer and then plan your hunt to allow time to meet up with the sealer and get your bear sealed.

Are you hunting by boat or the road system? North or south(central) end of the island?

Might could have some general advice but I generally hunt from a boat so maybe not relevant.
I like mid may myself, get to far along into June and they seem to be rubbed and everything is green. But so far this year has been a heavy snow year. If winter hangs around long late May could be prime.
Also lingcod tends to open 15-ish of May, so thats a consideration if fishing as well. Kings may also still be open in May. They can shut them down or reduce limits early summer some years.


18-19” seems about average, some folks get 20”+ bears. Can be hard to get good hide and large skull in same boar. Maybe decide ahead if your looking for one or the other.
Dont shoot a dink or a sow. There are plenty to take your time and get a good one.

[RB]

Best advise I think I could give would be to identify an available bear sealer and then plan your hunt to allow time to meet up with the sealer and get your bear sealed.

Are you hunting by boat or the road system? North or south(central) end of the island?

Might could have some general advice but I generally hunt from a boat so maybe not relevant.
I like mid may myself, get to far along into June and they seem to be rubbed and everything is green. But so far this year has been a heavy snow year. If winter hangs around long late May could be prime.
Also lingcod tends to open 15-ish of May, so thats a consideration if fishing as well. Kings may also still be open in May. They can shut them down or reduce limits early summer some years.


18-19” seems about average, some folks get 20”+ bears. Can be hard to get good hide and large skull in same boar. Maybe decide ahead if your looking for one or the other.
Dont shoot a dink or a sow. There are plenty to take your time and get a good one.

Will be hunting the road system. Purchased an annual fishing license too when I bought my Bear tag the other day will get a King Salmon stamp if I fish for them. I have a nice Lamiglass rod and reel that will fit in my gun case if I want to freshwater fish while there. Not looking for a record, just a nice Boar. Could not do mid May due to family obligations, and work schedule. Some fresh Lig would be amazing that is my favorite white fish! Thank You for the reply! 

[Chesapeake]

If your land bound a king stamp wouldnt be of much use.

Hunting the road system you’ll probably want to key on newer clear cuts with grasses in them as well as beaches you can get to that have grassy back bays, estuaries or muscle beds.
I prefer the beach hunting cause its easier to get a good look at a bear to size it up and look for cubs. Can be hard in brushy clear cuts, and anyones guess when one runs across the road and folks jump out of the rig to shoot.

If you tell me what town your staying in, or what forest service cabin you've rented I can maybe point out some spots for you to look.

Not sure what you’d fish the streams for in May. Steelhead, cutthroat, dollies…
If you rent a skiff you could chase saltwater fish and bears on the beach.

[RB]

If your land bound a king stamp wouldnt be of much use.

Hunting the road system you’ll probably want to key on newer clear cuts with grasses in them as well as beaches you can get to that have grassy back bays, estuaries or muscle beds.
I prefer the beach hunting cause its easier to get a good look at a bear to size it up and look for cubs. Can be hard in brushy clear cuts, and anyones guess when one runs across the road and folks jump out of the rig to shoot.

If you tell me what town your staying in, or what forest service cabin you've rented I can maybe point out some spots for you to look.

Not sure what you’d fish the streams for in May. Steelhead, cutthroat, dollies…
If you rent a skiff you could chase saltwater fish and bears on the beach.

Tentatively will be Thorne Bay at the Thorne Bay Lodge. Drove around there to Coffman Cove and drove to Whale Pass one day as well when we scouted in September. Caught enough silvers in September to bring a box home, it was fun! Thanks 

[Chesapeake]

Rosie (John) Roseland was(is) the Sealer in Thorn Bay. Not sure he still does it. Last year I had my bear sealed in Craig.

Ill send a pm.

[RB]

Rosie (John) Roseland was(is) the Sealer in Thorn Bay. Not sure he still does it. Last year I had my bear sealed in Craig.

Ill send a pm.

Perfect, received your PM Thank you 

[Chesapeake]

Few POW bears

[RB]

Holy Cow, Thank You that is Awesome!! 

[Chesapeake]

A pretty big sow w/twins. Maybe the fattest one we saw, think it was a sow but not sure. And a few smaller bears to give you an idea of what to consider passing.(Not saying to pass the fat one. We did, but because it was rubbed.)

[RB]

This is part of what has been challenging, how to judge a nice Bear. Awesome, thanks! 

[Chesapeake]

Its not easy for the average joe. I like to get inside of 200 yards and use good glass to look them over real well. I find that many of the boars have a brown muzzle. They have a more squared muzzle and blocky face. They look more bulky in the front, thicker front legs. Big wide head with small ears off to the sides and a crease down the middle.
The sows tend to have black more pointy muzzles and less blocky faces. They tend to be pear shaped with lighter front ends.

Thats easy to say, to write in a book, or put in a a short video. But in the field its not so simple.

They seem to only step out to feed for a little while. Often its just half a minute less than you need to judge them, make the call, then get into position. Then they walk back into the brush just before your ready.
The ones you dont want will stay out feeding forever it seams.

For me #1 is shoot a decent sized boar, never a sow and certainly not a sow w/cubs. After that its all just frosting. Either way your removing a fawn killer.

I look at the hide for rubbing. I prefer a nice hide over a slightly bigger skull. Unless I thought it was 20”, then Id overlook the rubbing.
They seem to rub the tops of their feet, the lower front legs, and sides just behind the front legs, their forehead. These parts will look redish or brownish if rubbed, not jet black.

[RB]

Really appreciate this, have some studying to do will be searching YouTube and other sources looking at coastal Black Bears. Thank You!

[Chesapeake]

Ill try and dig up some pics to try to show reference.

In my first post of pics the first 3 are shooters. They are 6’ bears with likely 19”-ish skulls.
The fourth pic is a younger boar, maybe a 5’ bear with Id guess a 17”-ish skull. Probably the upper side of the average bear taken in Washington but one to pass on POW.

In the second pic post #2 pic is a biggin. 6’+ for sure and Id guess 19”+ on the skull.
Pics 3 and 4 are young boars. 5’ sub 18” type bears you pass on.

[Chesapeake]

These 4 Id say are small younger bears. 5’ sub 18”.

[Chesapeake]

This is a small bear. Round head, Mickey mouse ears, not wide and blockey.

[Chesapeake]

This one is more medium sized. Ears look a bit smaller and off to the sides, still round and not blocky yet.

[Chesapeake]

This is a big one. Small ears well off to the sides. Big wide blocky head.

[Stein]

All I gotta say is good luck Bob, sounds like an awesome opportunity.   

[RB]

This is a small bear. Round head, Mickey mouse ears, not wide and blockey.

Ok, in Washington I would shoot this Bear everyday of the season, but knowing there are bigger Bear in the area I would not. This is a "nice" Bear in Washington, I believe, but would not want to use my AK tag on it. This helps immensely, thank you.

[RB]

This is a big one. Small ears well off to the sides. Big wide blocky head.

Big rump, big belly and small ears with a block head, this is what we will be looking for! Thank you!!

[Chesapeake]

This is a good sized Washington bear up north of Spokane. They don't get to fatten up on salmon and beach muscles ect.. like SE Alaska bears. I agree, in Washington this is a shooter. He walked cause I was after other critters and didnt want to mess with a bear at the time. Id guess he was near 6’ and 18”, maybe a touch less.
If its getting down to the wire then pull the trigger on one like this. You can go after a bigger one next time.

[HereDuckyDucky]

Here are some that we have taken over the years.

RW

[HereDuckyDucky]

Couple more.

My wife shot the one with all the rubs back in 2009. Ugly as hell, but it was a tank, and she couldn’t say no.

RW

[RB]

Right on!