Recent Bear Hunt in Blue Mountains - Updated

[Rufous]

Pueblo, that looks like great spring bearitory. Wishing you luck.

[bearpaw]

Great writeup, be sure and look for green grass and skunk cabbage and you will find bear. 

[Gringo31]

Thanks for sharing and it sucks when leaving a message and posting publicly doesn't even get a reply from WDFW. 

How hard could it be to return a damn call?   

I bet if you had said it was a wolf leg this would be all over the news and a top priority.

[Outdoor Guardian]

Great post, Pueblo! I really enjoyed the photos.... all except that next to the last one. 

I checked with our dispatchers and they don't have record of any voicemails about the wasted turkeys and bear paw. I'd like to get an officer out to look at the area where you found these. If you could PM me your contact info, I'll be sure to get one of our officers to check this out. I know it's been a few weeks, but there may have been additional 'disturbing' activity since you were in the area, or the local officer may know of similar activity in other nearby locations. It never hurts to look into it.

Just a reminder for folks, our poaching hotline is currently only manned  Monday-Friday, 8am - 5pm. Any information received after hours, on weekends, or on holidays will be responded to on the next business day. I know, it would be great if we could staff the poaching hotline 24/7, and we hope to extend the hours in the future, but we just don't have the staffing available to do it at this time.

Thanks again for the great post and the info. -OG

[Machias]

OG     Sicum.....the possible poachers!!

[Pueblo]

G

I checked with our dispatchers and they don't have record of any voicemails about the wasted turkeys and bear paw. I'd like to get an officer out to look at the area where you found these. If you could PM me your contact info, I'll be sure to get one of our officers to check this out. I know it's been a few weeks, but there may have been additional 'disturbing' activity since you were in the area, or the local officer may know of similar activity in other nearby locations. It never hurts to look into it.

Just a reminder for folks, our poaching hotline is currently only manned  Monday-Friday, 8am - 5pm. Any information received after hours, on weekends, or on holidays will be responded to on the next business day. I know, it would be great if we could staff the poaching hotline 24/7, and we hope to extend the hours in the future, but we just don't have the staffing available to do it at this time.

Thanks again for the great post and the info. -OG

PM sent.   

[bearpaw]

Glad to hear this will get checked out.... 


Gringo, I agree with your scenario about the wolf leg...

[hoytem]

maybe they should keep the poaching hotline open on weekends only. It seems that is when most people are out in the woods/on the water.

[Gringo31]

OG THANKS!

It is clear that having someone like you can fill the gaps and help us work together towards sound management and enforcement of the wildlife we care so much about.

Thanks for giving me a little hope that there are some good guys out there.

 

[steen]

Great story and photos!  Reminds me of my'09 elk hunt.  Seeing the pictures gives me goosebumps!

[bigpaw 77]

About 2 years ago I left a message on our local game wardens cell phone after someone poached a buck right behind my house at 9 pm (they actually shot toward our house) and I am still waiting for him to return my call.

[woodywsu]

I would encourage all to meet the local warden in your are and get his business card. The ones I know dont mind a weekend call if you need to. 

 

I have 6 gamies in my cell. They will take my call at all hours.

[Pueblo]

Getting back with a follow-up.  I managed to get back out to the unit a couple of weeks ago for 2 1/2 days...way too short.  I did not get'er done but had a great time trying.  The weather was awesome and bear sign was everywhere.  Somehow I managed to combine lack of skill with not enough dumb luck to stumble on a bear within range.  It felt a bit like a game of "Whack a Mole" as I'd see a bear on a distant hillside, spend some time getting there and he'd be gone, only to look back where I'd been to see one there!  I even had a couple run across the road at breakneck speed as I was driving. 

Saw lots of poo... sometimes 10 or so in a quarter mile of road.



Because the snow has receded some I got higher and into better bear habitat, but it also flattened and closed up some, making the vistas smaller and less productive. 



On the first evening I spotted a huge brown colored bear on a distant hillside.  I jumped in the truck and sped off to get within walking distance only to find my way blocked with snow.  The next day he was back in the same spot shown in the picture below.  I made a decision to drive the 30 miles down out of the mountains and then 30 back up to reach the hill he was on.  I got there late in the afternoon and stayed through dark...no show. I did get to watch several bull elk and some turkeys use the meadow. 



I saw a couple of females with cubs.  In shooting range of course...I sat and ate a sandwich just above this family.  Watched the cubs frolic. 



Just in general it was so awesome to be out in the spring weather hunting. I'll do this as often as I can draw a tag.  From opening week until mid-May the difference in the plant life and the animals was shocking.  In April the Elk were ragged and white and now they're sleek and brown.  My unit was a foothill unit and at times snow was a big issue, I must imagine that the Wenaha East guys had a really tough go of it accessing their area. 

One last shot of just how nice it was out there.

[carpsniperg2]

Glad to hear you had a good hunt and had fun

[Rufous]

Pueblo, I enjoyed reading the account of your adventure. I am still trying to fill my tag in the Dayton unit. I could have shot a couple small bears this weekend but opted to let them grow up.