Ripper's Spring Bear Log

[luvmystang67]

Ripper,  you would've seen D-Rock and I if we were jerks, but we couldnt quite get ourselves to do it and turned around.

Mostly I was intimidated by the fact that your truck is larger than mine.

Good luck to you (and I'm glad you left me some).

[Huntboy]

Good luck, hopefully they will start moving more.

[D-Rock425]

That's the truck we saw.  Ripper you're in my spot. 

[Ripper]

Well thanks for turning around, but there was nothing there anyway! I trekked back in there, got down into the thick on the right side of the road. I saw some major stumps and log damage, but no poo, peels or fresh tracks. That's my second trip into that area lately. I saw a couple of deer on my way in and plenty of deer tracks. Lot's of yote sign back there also. Did you guy's find any fresh sign?

[D-Rock425]

I missed a yote back there before well maybe 2 or 3.  You are in the right spots ripper keep after them.

[Ripper]

I thought I heard a shot or two while I was out there. I'll be back out Sunday morning bright and early.

[D-Rock425]

It wasn't us.

[Ripper]

Yesterday was a good day. Like everyone has been saying, after May 1 things will pick up. We were running a little late Sunday so a change of plans took us to a spot closer to home. It's the same spot as the old peels from the start of this thread. Didn't see anything on the old skid road we were on, but I spotted a real fresh peel inside the trees, down by a creek. Close examination told us that it couldn't have been more than an hour old at the most. It was as if the bark had just been removed. It hadn't even begun to seep yet! We made our way further down the trail and cut back in trying, unsuccessfully, to remain quiet. I had just whispered to FC, We sure aren't going to sneak up on anything, when I caught movement to the right. I turned just in time to see a young bear turn his head away and move out of sight about 35 yards away! That'll get your blood a pumping! I brought up my rifle but never got a look at the body. It had a long skinny neck and smallish head, so I assumed it was a young bear. We never heard it run off so I guess it just walked away. I just got one of Ricks calls and blew on it a few times just to see if it would respond, but no it didn't. Exciting chit right there! found more fresh peels back there then got out to let things calm down. I'll go back there in a few days to see if there has been anymore activity.

Then it was off to another spot I had been to last week. This is where I saw the freshest poo yet. A big steamy pile right in the road the size of my boot! We also saw some fresh peels in this area too, but no bears. We did find a cute little salamander under a log. He was cold and lethargic, but I'm sure it warmed up as the day went on. The day wound up being very warm and sunny. Hunted most of it in just a T-shirt. Had a good time and with the sighting and fresh sign, my spirits are sky high.

[Button Nubbs]

good deal! i was hoping to get out today but am having truck problems again...

[FC]

The thing running through my mind when you turned to whisper to me was that we could call ourselves team CRUNCH, seemed kind of laughable to whisper but we obviously got closer than either of us thought we could to a bear 

That soft dirt covered in tons of old dead sticker bushes and twiggy crap all over just makes it impossible to move quietly.

[Ripper]

I tried to call you Tyler around 1;00 yesterday, but no answer. Good luck with your truck.

[Button Nubbs]

did you leave a message? my phone is messed up too. lol! i was out hanging elk cams yesterday.

[woodman]

Get-em Ripper! I have been following your thread and rooting for you.

[FC]

Some pics I got the last time out.


An old peel with some recent action.

[Ripper]

Good day to all my hunting homies out there. I dropped my 12 yo son off at school this morning at 8:00 like I do everyday, then it off to hunt there wily bears. My plan was to go back to where I the one on Sunday. I was going to sneak in as quietly as possible and sit for a few hours before work. Well with the wind screaming out of the west, that wasn't going to happen! Plan B, go back to where I saw some fresh poop and peels from Sunday afternoon. I drive in, park the truck and what do you know,  the wind is perfect. So I glass this open clear cut for a while but since it was sunny and windy, I didn't expect to see anything out in the open. I hike my way around to a trail that I saw a couple of hippy hikers come out of Sunday, and the trail splits. Their tracks led to the right , so I took the trail to the left. Wind was perfect, right in my face. This is an awesome trail, narrow, overgrown, lined with grass, perfect! So I still hunt this trail and I found fresh droppings and 3 freshly peeled tree's. It's too bad I had to go to work because this is the kind of place we spring bear hunters dream about. It took me 2 hours to cover about 1/2 mile, then I hiked out in 8 minutes. I think I may take Friday off to hunt since I have to work this weekend. The bruins are awake and on the move, I predict more pics and stories to come this week. Maybe I will even have some success on Friday. I have my fingers crossed.