Springers in Kapowsin

[hardknox870]

Thanks all on the congrats and good luck to those on this last day!

[nailbender]

Nice job there Hk! congrats to ya

[Rickyrebar]

Anyone tag out on the last day?
I saw the same thing Ive seen all season long... nothing.

I see other peoples posts here about seeing fresh signs, peels, scat piles etc. (in the last couple weeks), was curious where that might have been?
The way I see it, calling the Kapowsin spring hunt a "deprivation" hunt is a bit of a laugh. The only "bear problem" I can see they have, is the lack of bears, spring bears that is. I've had members post "there are lots of bears in there"... can't argue with those that know other wise, but damn... I don't see any evidence of that. I see more bears during the general bear season near my home.
This was my 1st crack at the spring bear tag, my take away is its not what I expected. That said I did come away with some positives, it was great to get out and explore some new areas. Saw tons of deer & elk. So if it were a spring deer & elk "scouting tag" it would have been great.
Congratulations to those who hammered a beast great way to start off the 2012 season!
The End...

[funkster]

I saw the same thing Ive seen all season long... nothing.

 I am no bear expert but I think spring bear has a lot to do with weather. Last year was my first spring bear hunt ever and my first time in the kapowsin block.  It took me a lot of time to learn bear habitat, once I did, I was on fresh peels,scat and final a bear.

This year my Dad was pulled for the Kapowsin and was only able to get out 4 times. With what I learned from last season, I was able to point him in the right direction and he was on fresh sign and saw two bears out of the four times he went. He almost connected on the second to last day. He had a bear at 40 yards and just as he raised his riffle the bear bolted off up the hill. This spring was warm and it seemed the bears where moving around more than the previous year. If the tag went to the end of June, I think more bears would hit the ground, the action was just starting to heat up.

I feel the hunt is a fun hunt! For me it is only 40 mins from my door to a nice chunk of land that holds a lot of animals and not a lot of yahoo's. I wanted to buy a year pass this year but did not, I really want to hunt elk in there so I think I will buy a year pass next year. Where else can you have a pretty good chance of getting a 300 plus class bull for $350? Throw in deer, bear and fire wood and it seems like a no brainier. 

[rasbo]

now that all the bears have been killed in kapowsin,please don't waste any time on purchasing a spring permit next year,I really want a chance at not getting a bear in there next year...

[Rickyrebar]

now that all the bears have been killed in kapowsin,please don't waste any time on purchasing a spring permit next year,I really want a chance at not getting a bear in there next year...

"...don't waste any time on purchasing a spring permit next year..." I can't promise that rasbo. I've got the bug and there no way in hell I can ever pass on any opportunity to be in the woods looking for something in season to kill!

[fillthefreezer]

well my soup is not so tasty but i still had a great first spring bear season, wish the weather woulda cooperated and i think i was getting damn close there at the end to dropping the hammer on one.
a sincere thanks to all those who helped teach me and point me in the right directions, you know who you are

only 56 days til it opens in there again 

[SemperFidelis97]

I didn't have much luck up there this year, but I also didn't put in the time I think that was necessary to really deserve a chance.  I have hunted the area for better than a decade, but most of the bears I have seen were in central.  I think the tag was well worth it for all the early season scouting I got in it gave me a chance to check out areas I typically wouldn't have bothered with in years past. 

[rasbo]

I didn't have much luck up there this year, but I also didn't put in the time I think that was necessary to really deserve a chance.  I have hunted the area for better than a decade, but most of the bears I have seen were in central.  I think the tag was well worth it for all the early season scouting I got in it gave me a chance to check out areas I typically wouldn't have bothered with in years past.

putting in the time is key right there.there is a ridge up there that always produces a bear if you park your butt and watch the trail..here is one of three taken off the same trail in the spring and summer...Epq21 shot this one, a nice boar.another one I called in ,and one with scotty gott that showed me the trail,who has passed now God bless him for the fever he turned me onto

[SemperFidelis97]

Great looking bears Rasbo I am sure there are great areas there for bear in south I just didn't find them this year.  It seems you, and a few others on here really have them dialed in up there.  We will be back in August, but I think most of my time will be spent in central where I have seen some consistant sign in years past.

[rasbo]

wnt into my favorite area today found a ton of girdling,sure wish I had that spring tag this year

[woodman]

Found this print in the mud up there today. Just over 6 3/4" wide when I measured it.

[rasbo]

looks like 2 tracks there,about 5 inch track...which is sweet

[woodman]

looks like 2 tracks there,about 5 inch track...which is sweet

Nope, one track. The picture does it no justice, but it clearly was one track. I have a pic of it with the tape measure laying on it. Will try to post it up later.

[Mudman]

looks like 2 tracks there,about 5 inch track...which is sweet

Nope, one track. The picture does it no justice, but it clearly was one track. I have a pic of it with the tape measure laying on it. Will try to post it up later.

Is that five toes Im counting?