Want to start bear hunting!

[zackmioli]

Im starting to think about getting into bear hunting. I have never gone before and don't know anyone who does. I really love being out in the woods and hunting and the more I read about the bear stories and stuff on here the more I want to try it!

I would be staying on the West Side to hunt them. I am basically just looking for any tips, good books to get, gear, anything! I just want to learn! I'd be interested in tagging along sometime as well if anyone was interested.   

[shanevg]

Get up high into the meadows in late August, early September and look for ripe blueberries.  When the blueberries are ripe, the bear tend to be out.  I've been to areas where I can see 5 bear at one time across a canyon at 11 a.m. in a 80 degree day.  If there is an abundance of food, they will be eating it.

[Snowman]

zackmioli if ya pm and we can talk about a tag along. My other partners say they want to go all the time, but when it comes time to go they bail. shanevg is right best time to get out is when the berries come in. they taste better when eating berries than fish. I was getting ready to post for new hunting partners so ya let me know

[billythekidrock]

I am basically just looking for any tips, good books to get, gear, anything! I just want to learn!

Here is a link to some info on calling bears.
http://hunting-washington.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=22&Itemid=45

Some good bear videos for calling include:
"They come to eat" by Wayne Carlton
A couple older videos that are good include:
"The Bear Facts with Bow and Arrow I & II" and "Masters of the Black Bears / Sure Fire Bear" both by Stoney Wolf Productions
There are some reviews of these bear videos and more on this sites Review page.

As for books, I always suggest the first two by Ralph Flowers to bear hunters in the NW. Both "Education of a bear hunter" and "Bears and Flowers" have a lot of local info and flavor.

[zackmioli]

thanks for the info!

[Cylvertip]

Read Education of a Bear Hunter by Mr Flowers - Great book! Thanks for pointing it out.  I've recommended it to lots of folks in my neck of the woods, and it's presently loaned out with several folks waiting in line for in.   Now I need to get his other two.

[rasbo]

first get a handfull of marbles..then put them in your mouth...Start hunting..Spit out a marble everytime you have a close encounter..Once you lose all your marbles,and still go after them,gimme me a holler..Good luck

[runamuk]

first get a handfull of marbles..then put them in your mouth...Start hunting..Spit out a marble everytime you have a close encounter..Once you lose all your marbles,and still go after them,gimme me a holler..Good luck

Thats good but the guaranteed way for me to see bears up close and personal is either take NO gun into the woods or the.410  the teeny weeny gun attracts teeny weeny bears 

[rasbo]

first get a handfull of marbles..then put them in your mouth...Start hunting..Spit out a marble everytime you have a close encounter..Once you lose all your marbles,and still go after them,gimme me a holler..Good luck

Thats good but the guaranteed way for me to see bears up close and personal is either take NO gun into the woods or the.410  the teeny weeny gun attracts teeny weeny bears 

Ah excuse me princess but Rasbo thinks you might have allready lost your marbles

[runamuk]

first get a handfull of marbles..then put them in your mouth...Start hunting..Spit out a marble everytime you have a close encounter..Once you lose all your marbles,and still go after them,gimme me a holler..Good luck

Thats good but the guaranteed way for me to see bears up close and personal is either take NO gun into the woods or the.410  the teeny weeny gun attracts teeny weeny bears 

Ah excuse me princess but Rasbo thinks you might have allready lost your marbles

Probably seeing as my favorite thing to do is go into the woods looking for bears  ........I wont shoot a momma or baby bear so the teeny bear attracted by the shrimpy grouse gun is safe...for now....I know where he lives though...lol...it was the first time I saw a bear go up a tree and the first time I heard a baby bear bawl.