Hunt'n'Bear in unit 117 49 Degrees North

[kodiak13]

  A friend has invited me to hunt next year in this unit and was wondering how good a unit it's going to be? Would we be better off in a nearby unit like "113" or "121", he want's to hunt the third week of October.

[benhuntin]

117 is as good as any

[quadrafire]

117 is as good as any

They are in there

[jackelope]

They are also in the other 2 units you mentioned as well.
 

[bearpaw]

Are you talking about Bear Hunting?

Any units here have bear, but I can't think of a worse time to hunt bear in NE Washington. Well maybe the middle of winter if it was open.... 

Maybe there's something I don't know, but the only guys I hear of who kill many bear in late october are the ones illegally shooting them off bait. Bear are really tough to find in October. Do yourself a favor and hunt earlier in the season for bear.

[quadrafire]

Bear are really tough to find in October.

Bearpaw, I agree with you. Why do you think that is?

[alecvg]

Bear are really tough to find in October.

Bearpaw, I agree with you. Why do you think that is?

Most the feed that get them in the open in late augest and september has mostly died or gone bad, so they are back in the timber and thicker stuff eating grubs and whatever else they can find, and they are starting to hunk down for the winter, they arent up moving as much. 

[bearpaw]

Bear are really tough to find in October.

Bearpaw, I agree with you. Why do you think that is?

Most the feed that get them in the open in late augest and september has mostly died or gone bad, so they are back in the timber and thicker stuff eating grubs and whatever else they can find, and they are starting to hunk down for the winter, they arent up moving as much. 

Yep that pretty much sums it up Alecvg, we only see bear back in the deep dark woods then, and we don't see them often. Now and then I will see a track the 1st of November, but most are pretty close to their dens by then, and depending on weather, many may already be in.

[huntnnw]

horrible time to bear hunt. What makes them visible and huntable with spot and stalk techniques has all dried up

[HunterJim]

Been hunting Unit 117 every October for 20 years now.  Only saw one small cub in all those years.  Yep, early season would be better according to the locals.

[alwinearcher]

I spend a lot of time in 117.
There are plenty of bears in there, but as others have said, you could pick a worse time.
If you really want to kill a bear early Sept is going to be your best bet

[Austrian Hunter]

Unit 117 9/5/2010