A "How To" guide for west side spring bears (Updated w/pics 3.24.12)

[saylean]

Great write up saylean. Do you chase yogi around Baker lake at all? I'm up in Bellingham and constantly hear how great it is there. My biggest problem, finding the high country meadows that aren't full of hikers. I know full well I have as much right being there hunting bear but packing one out past a family of 4 tree huggers doesn't paint the best picture of us hunters. I am to the point where I get sooooo tired of seeing hikers and mt. bikers when in the woods, and yes, I get off of
the trails, a lot, they just out number us out there. Always looking for input for potential spots (like everyone else right!?)

Good hunting, we're almost there!

Thanks guys.
Buckfvr29~ My brother hunts alot up by baker, so when we hunt together we go up around there, but its a BIG area. What makes me the most irritated, isnt really the hikers, but the guys on quads or motorbikes behind locked gates. I would like to kick them in the squirrel snacks. It can be disheartening to see hikers when hunting, but I have actually called in bears literally minutes after an area was walked by hikers.

Two years ago my older brother and I went up in the snow around baker and I was able to call in two bears, he bagged one of them. Along the way out we met several snow shoe parties, who were all very surprised that bear were even in the area! One party actually called it a day when they heard that.
I think done politely (I usually always say hi and move over a bit off the trail so people can pass) packing out animals can help our cause. It might give them an idea of the work and effort it takes.

I ran into two people when I was out scouting two weeks ago who had to large black great danes. We get to talking about bear hunting (and how their dogs could be mistaken briefly for bears) and I explain a few misconceptions they had about bear hunting....hoping to let them better understand why I hunt bears. I even showed them some old spring bear damage they were right next too and had no idea about what bears did in the spring. They said they found it pretty interesting as they wanted to hike a bit more and look for damage.
I doubt they will be hunters anytime soon, but maybe a seed was planted that will grow into the idea that hunting isnt all evil, but rather natural.
Keep pluggin away looking for bear honey holes, there are plenty out there. And remember, you dont need to hit the high medows, find some ripe berries and some seclusion and you will find bearskies!
Below is a pic of the bear we got in the snow !

Bear season in less than a week!

[buckfvr29]

Good points Saylean. I suppose I need to try a bit harder to be nice. We're just so over run with mt bikers in Bellingham and their attitude that they have all rights to anything their tires touch, I've developed a bit of an attitude towards them. I
(like most of you guys) am very much into processing and cooking all of my game, I've turned a hell of a lot of people that
had never even considered trying wild game. I tend to use that approach when dealing with greenies. Go buy your organic grass fed beef and feel like you're making a statement, hunters have them beat. I explain that I honestly have no purchased red meat in my freezer and haven't for years. I hunt it, I clean it, I pack it out, I butcher it, I grind the burger, I vacuum seal it, I cook it. I know where that meat has been since I first layed eyes on it while still on the hoof. They can't say the same and I also explain the amount of work involved vs going to the store. I also point out that I give the state over $200 every year for tags, licenses, draws, etc., more than your average greenie puts towards wildlife management and
habitat.

Anyway, thanks for the input and ideas. I'm about to head out and hit the roads. I've got a few spots I've been watching, lots of berries and water close by. I think with the dry weather I'm gonna focus more on the water than meadows. While they look good with lush grass often there isn't water in the area. Also, with the heat I think they'll be closer to dark timber where they can nap more comfortably.

Good luck out there.

[h20hunter]

Buckfvr29......Pick up this months edition of Northwest Sportsmen......I think you will find a pretty solid article about bears right in your neck of the woods.

[buckfvr29]

H2ohunter, will do, thanks for the heads up. Spent most of the wknd in the woods. Found a good looking spot I'm going to focus on. 3 mi behind locked gate, about a 100 acre clear cut, 3 - 4 years old, good lush growth about 2 - 3 feet high so good visibility plus 2 good drainages on either side of it, good sign on the roads. We'll see how it goes.

[Pete112288]

Wow, a lot of good info here. I would be very interested in reading a similar write up on hunting west side bear August-October. I am new to bear hunting and the one I got was a chance encounter while elk hunting. I would love to learn more about bear hunting west side but all the info I turn up in my searches is kinda blanket info of hunting bears in general not specific areas. As I read through your thread here and saw the pictures I figured out theres likely a lot more bears in my hunting area than I originally thought. The peelings opened my eyes a lot. I see that quite often in my area. I knew bears would do this but I saw so little other bear sign that i figured it was just other critters but some of your pics almost look like the exact trees I see in my area. Also it made a lot of sense when i was reading through it. Where I got my bear is an area with some marshyness to it, old beaver dam. Quite a bit of skunk cabbage and such. I have heard and read a lot about calling bears but have not done so since I am often hunting alone and would rather be elevated in a tree stand to do this while I am alone. The scat piles I also only know as much as what you find in general tracking books and such that only show one or two small pictures. After seeing the ones you posted I realize a lot of what I have wrote off as other critters is likely bear. I would like to learn more if anyone can ablige

[saylean]

Glad to hear it helped out.  :tup:I will try to answer your questions in a day or so.

PM Sent.

[Sideswipe]

Good read & tutorial Saylean! Where were you 10 years ago when I first moved to WA? Actually Billythekidrock was a great help.

[h20hunter]

Was out for a little walk yesterday with a buddy. Saw these. A few more good examples of what I believe are pretty fresh peels.

[saylean]

Good examples h2o

[h20hunter]

Those were crazy fresh!

[Sprintcars_Dylan]

Awesome thread lots of good info. Thanks for sharing

[saylean]

Awesome thread lots of good info. Thanks for sharing

Your welcome sir. Welcome to the forum.

[h20hunter]

Bumpity bumpity to go along with all the spring bear chatter.

[Becky]

Just read through this whole thread and probably will two or three more times. Great information, thanks saylean and others who took the time to write this up a few years ago. Much learned.

[saylean]

My pleasure. Best of luck on your spring hunt.