Post by: GBoyd on October 02, 2014, 06:59:44 PM
I'm on this forum all the time reading and searching, but generally I stay pretty quiet. I'm writing to ask this one because I can't find anywhere that it's mentioned specifically.
What time of year do you give up hunting for fall bear? I've been hunting hard this year, but I haven't connected so far. Should I keep on it to the official close of the season or will I be wasting my time as the bears start to hibernate?
I hunt both coastal and foothill areas. Is there a different date for different elevations?
Thanks for your help. I've learned a bunch reading posts on this site.
Post by: RadSav on October 02, 2014, 07:02:14 PM
Post by: csaaphill on October 02, 2014, 07:09:47 PM
Post by: jasnt on October 02, 2014, 07:28:06 PM
Post by: 3nails on October 02, 2014, 07:33:09 PM
Post by: bankwalker on October 02, 2014, 07:46:01 PM
Post by: Humptulips on October 02, 2014, 07:55:10 PM
Post by: fillthefreezer on October 02, 2014, 08:29:47 PM
Post by: GBoyd on October 03, 2014, 07:57:31 AM
Post by: boneaddict on October 03, 2014, 08:10:55 AM
Post by: cryder on October 03, 2014, 08:26:04 AM
Post by: jasnt on October 03, 2014, 12:34:03 PM
Great question ! I was wondering the same thing ,this is my first bear season and as you may have noticed I got plenty of wonderment.What ive been experiamceing is contrary to what was just posted,not that anybody is wrong or anything,(don't want to wake the rough crowd )ive just been seeing bears allday long continuousely on a trail cam during the summer and now that im out there continuously I don't see them except the one time. I had him but heard stuff behind him so according to the bear manly manual I made sure it wasn't cubs ,well it wasn't it was the big dude I had seen during the summer,anyways between the two didn't get a shot.Since then ive seen nothing,or heard them blowing up stumps and stuff like before,so as usual I have questions,any input is very appreciated :yike: :chuckle:
there food of choice has changed since summer or late summer. They are focused on fall foods now and may just not be in the areas you seen them earlier in the year. Keep at it tho cause this cool weather will have them in almost constant feeding.
eat, nap, eat, nap. Not a bad life in my opinion :)
Post by: boneaddict on October 04, 2014, 07:17:21 AM
Post by: Jingles on October 04, 2014, 07:35:01 AM
Post by: n_mathews13 on October 08, 2014, 07:31:36 AM
Post by: fordpowerforever on October 08, 2014, 08:50:40 AM
Post by: bankwalker on October 08, 2014, 10:41:46 AM
I've seen a ton of of bears over the last 13 years of hunting and I've never seen one out here in November, peninsula coastal units....but they can be found up till the end of October... like mentioned before i think the weather has screwed with them and they are gonna be a little behind this year. My dad has property with 13 trail cameras on it year round in a thick bear area and they disappear come November, but the bears hate rain and that's all we get in November haha
My October bear area I found last year is a steep canyon full of salal berries that stay ripe through October. See bears regularly in October every few days. Then as soon as November rolls around I completely stopped seeing bears last year. Salal berries were still thick in the canyon.
Post by: h2ofowlr on October 08, 2014, 10:49:03 AM
Post by: n_mathews13 on October 08, 2014, 11:06:38 AM
Quit hunting for them when the season closes.
:yeah:
Post by: liljozie495 on October 08, 2014, 11:50:20 AM
Post by: boneaddict on October 08, 2014, 11:51:11 AM
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimg.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fv47%2Fboneaddict%2Fbonesbucks%2Fbigbear_zps70ab5208.jpg&hash=5b61990b4205e4c7aea14008c7eb185a6a03621f)
Post by: Watimberghost on October 11, 2014, 12:19:34 PM
Post by: Limhangerslayer on October 11, 2014, 01:59:59 PM
I've seen a ton of of bears over the last 13 years of hunting and I've never seen one out here in November, peninsula coastal units....but they can be found up till the end of October... like mentioned before i think the weather has screwed with them and they are gonna be a little behind this year. My dad has property with 13 trail cameras on it year round in a thick bear area and they disappear come November, but the bears hate rain and that's all we get in November haha
My October bear area I found last year is a steep canyon full of salal berries that stay ripe through October. See bears regularly in October every few days. Then as soon as November rolls around I completely stopped seeing bears last year. Salal berries were still thick in the canyon.
Probably moving up to their denning grounds
Post by: Jonathan_S on October 11, 2014, 02:10:09 PM
Other than that, just look for fresh sign. If you only find sign that is several weeks old...pretend you didn't find it because the bear(s) is/are elsewhere due to change in food source.
Post by: JJB11B on October 11, 2014, 02:14:53 PM
Post by: billythekidrock on October 11, 2014, 03:08:10 PM
Post by: snowpack on October 11, 2014, 03:36:13 PM
I've seen a ton of of bears over the last 13 years of hunting and I've never seen one out here in November, peninsula coastal units....but they can be found up till the end of October... like mentioned before i think the weather has screwed with them and they are gonna be a little behind this year. My dad has property with 13 trail cameras on it year round in a thick bear area and they disappear come November, but the bears hate rain and that's all we get in November hahaIs the property of which you speak next to the spot in your profile photo--assuming it is where I think? If so, bears are around in that unit until at least mid November...after that couldn't tell you where they go. I'm surprised, too, because of all the evergreen blackberries that are in that area. Used to see tons all through there in the 80s.
Post by: SCRUBS on October 11, 2014, 03:41:44 PM
Post by: h20hunter on October 13, 2014, 07:10:19 AM
Post by: RadSav on October 13, 2014, 12:30:10 PM
Post by: h20hunter on October 13, 2014, 12:50:45 PM
Post by: Rob on October 13, 2014, 01:02:57 PM
I saw 3 bears walking on a frozen lake in January a couple years back... Would have thought I was hallucinating except that I had a buddy with me who also saw it!
Post by: n_mathews13 on October 13, 2014, 02:30:32 PM
Post by: skagitsteel on October 14, 2014, 05:54:52 PM
Post by: sled on October 14, 2014, 06:09:53 PM
anyone ever shot a bear with a .50 cal Muzzy? should I use the same bullets I have for deer hunting? 250 Gr TC Controlled Expansion. Yep.
Post by: JJB11B on October 14, 2014, 07:56:45 PM
Post by: jrebel on October 14, 2014, 08:00:17 PM
Post by: blindluck on October 14, 2014, 08:25:54 PM
Post by: Turner89 on October 14, 2014, 08:40:44 PM
I also saw one of the biggest bears I've seen in my area Monday night. I went up right after work, and didn't even get a 1/4 mile in, when BOOM! I looked to my left, and about 50ft away there was a large bear that a guy had just shot. The bear ran up the mountain ( wich was about 350-400yds up) The guy emptied his gun, but never hit him again. I think he was having trouble working the action on his gun, not sure :dunno:. I don't think the bear was hurt to bad from the way he was moving, but who knows.
Lot's of bears out still. I regret not shooting that bear last Saturday. There's still good black berries where I'm hunting. 1800ft.
Post by: Longbowz on October 28, 2014, 02:38:13 PM
Post by: bankwalker on October 28, 2014, 04:16:41 PM
Last year I found lots of salal berries still ripe in quite a few places well into October/November.
This year I finally have been able to hunt those areas and they are empty of berries.
Now I've been just hunting huge STEEP clear cuts in areas I know hold bears. And just glassing and waiting for one to wonder into the clear cut.
After 6 straight days of watching the same few clear cuts I had a bear walk out and give me a 600 yard shot.
Last year I thought I finally had my area figured out and after not finding October berries this season I was very bummed out...but I still stuck with those areas and hunted them the same way. It was tough to sit for hours knowing the food source wasn't there.
Post by: GBoyd on October 29, 2014, 06:10:41 PM
I maybe should switch to glassing big clearcuts too.
Post by: LeviD1 on October 30, 2014, 12:20:53 AM
Post by: boneaddict on October 30, 2014, 06:23:05 AM
Post by: huntnnw on October 30, 2014, 06:26:08 AM
Post by: bankwalker on October 30, 2014, 09:10:18 PM
Yeah, I'm not finding any berries in my areas either. A bit of salal here and there, but the blackberries and salmonberries are gone. I'm not finding fresh sign lately around where I saw it before.
I maybe should switch to glassing big clearcuts too.
I would look for big steep clear cuts between 3 and 6 years old that are bordered with thick reprod. I've been walking a few lately and there is alot of sign in the cuts I've been glassing that I can't seen from far.
I say steep cuts so you can look into them and see everything. I find a vantage point that gives me an higher point to glass from so I'm looking down into them.
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on October 30, 2014, 09:21:20 PM
Yeah, I'm not finding any berries in my areas either. A bit of salal here and there, but the blackberries and salmonberries are gone. I'm not finding fresh sign lately around where I saw it before.
I maybe should switch to glassing big clearcuts too.
I would look for big steep clear cuts between 3 and 6 years old that are bordered with thick reprod. I've been walking a few lately and there is alot of sign in the cuts I've been glassing that I can't seen from far.
I say steep cuts so you can look into them and see everything. I find a vantage point that gives me an higher point to glass from so I'm looking down into them.
I glassed one of these for over an hour today nothing.
Post by: Longbowz on November 01, 2014, 01:00:20 PM
I get bears on cam every year in late November
What are they feeding on?
Post by: mxryder909 on November 02, 2014, 09:28:13 AM
Post by: GBoyd on November 02, 2014, 11:56:26 AM
Kind of disappointing, but it was a great hike and now I know where I'll be the last week of August!
Post by: jasnt on November 02, 2014, 08:10:40 PM
it was full of plum seeds
Post by: bankwalker on November 02, 2014, 08:16:11 PM
Post by: billythekidrock on November 02, 2014, 08:20:56 PM
Post by: Turner89 on November 02, 2014, 08:22:29 PM
I havent seen any bear in the last two weeks up in the sultan basin, just deer hunters....:yeah: Prior to last week was the last time I saw a bear up there. Before that I was seeing, or at least hearing one just about every time out. I did shoot My first bear on November 5th. though. They're out still, just not as easily found :twocents:
Post by: skagitsteel on November 02, 2014, 09:29:46 PM
Post by: boneaddict on November 03, 2014, 10:39:18 AM
Post by: bankwalker on November 03, 2014, 11:48:36 AM
Stepped on one yesterday. Not sure which one of us needed to go to the cardiologist first. You think grouse are bad
At least with grouse you usually know they are taking off in the opposite direction....can't always be certain with a bear :yike:
Post by: boneaddict on November 03, 2014, 12:06:09 PM
Post by: JackOfAllTrades on November 03, 2014, 12:40:56 PM
Then my innards relax and it gets messy from there on out. :yike:
-Steve
Post by: Turner89 on November 03, 2014, 07:44:45 PM
Steppin on Bear or a Cow Elk.. Almost always need to clean my shorts! There's all this damn racket, thumpin, stompin, grunt'n and then silence, (silence because that's about when my brain has realized my heart stopped and tolt my innards to constrict like a boa, in some effort to make me implode). My eyeballs are still workin, my sniffer's still workin and just about when my brain yells at the heart to go thump thump again, it sends this nuclear charge of adrenaline and who knows what other ecoli laced chemical through my veins to make it thump harder and faster than any cardiologic stress test prescribed. That's about when that critter stops, turns and looks at me wondering WT Frick!:chuckle: :chuckle:
Then my innards relax and it gets messy from there on out. :yike:
-Steve
Post by: boneaddict on November 04, 2014, 10:07:34 AM
Post by: Kittman on November 07, 2014, 09:30:58 AM
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on November 07, 2014, 10:04:08 AM
The weather is looking to be good for one last bear outing tomorrow. I am thinking I will be heading to the high country, checking a couple spots, sitting and glassing to see if any bear are still around. Years past I have done this so late (weather was cooperating) and it is when I have seen the big ones showing themselves finally.
Yep me and Loki are going Tuesday! :tup:
Post by: bankwalker on November 07, 2014, 10:37:49 AM
The weather is looking to be good for one last bear outing tomorrow. I am thinking I will be heading to the high country, checking a couple spots, sitting and glassing to see if any bear are still around. Years past I have done this so late (weather was cooperating) and it is when I have seen the big ones showing themselves finally.
I'm gonna be out all day tomorrow weather is perfect
Post by: jrebel on November 07, 2014, 08:05:55 PM
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on November 11, 2014, 08:26:49 AM
The weather is looking to be good for one last bear outing tomorrow. I am thinking I will be heading to the high country, checking a couple spots, sitting and glassing to see if any bear are still around. Years past I have done this so late (weather was cooperating) and it is when I have seen the big ones showing themselves finally.
Yep me and Loki are going Tuesday! :tup:
Today's the day if lokidog ever gets across the water little windy today.
We're going high to one of my favorite spots to hunt bears. I've never gone there on days like this and not seen a bear. :tup:
Hopefully history repeats it's self today so Loki can score some bear meat and quite eating coons. :chuckle:
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on November 12, 2014, 06:56:56 PM
The weather is looking to be good for one last bear outing tomorrow. I am thinking I will be heading to the high country, checking a couple spots, sitting and glassing to see if any bear are still around. Years past I have done this so late (weather was cooperating) and it is when I have seen the big ones showing themselves finally.
Yep me and Loki are going Tuesday! :tup:
Today's the day if lokidog ever gets across the water little windy today.
We're going high to one of my favorite spots to hunt bears. I've never gone there on days like this and not seen a bear. :tup:
Hopefully history repeats it's self today so Loki can score some bear meat and quite eating coons. :chuckle:
Well the water was rough and Loki was later than expected so we didn't get to go to my spot yesterday, so we checked out a closer spot with no luck.
Today we hiked to my favorite spot in the nice sunny weather, boy was MT Baker in all her glory today. Loki took pictures as he has never been in this area maybe hill will post some.
Started out in some snow but up the trail we went and the snow didn't get much deeper than about 4-6 inches that had some melt setteling.
Topped out on the ridge we hunted hopping the basin would be snow free, it wasn't oh well.
Started glassing it and found bear tracks pretty quick but with no feet in them. :bash:
Looked across the canyon and we both started seeing MT Goats right away, man they are cool to watch on the rocks and cliffs. :tup:
We hiked a ways further were I stop usually and took a break glassing for bears up close with no luck. But saw where a sow and cub had come up from down low up through the basin to a spot in the timber were there tracks ended with no others around coming out, so I think we were really close to Bears that were already nighty nite for the winter. :chuckle:
Well we just kept glassing the goats they were playing today might as well see how many if those we can find. :chuckle:
By the time we left and started down the trail we lost count around 50+ MT Goats not bad I guess. I just wish I could draw the tag. :bash:
Lokidog had never seen a goat in WA till today, it will be hard to beat his goat sighting today. :tup:
Well lokidog ended up taking some goat meat home for his efforts! :yike: domestic goat meat that is. :chuckle: we had a goat that needed butchered. :drool:
Enjoy Loki. :tup:
Had fun today, we just need to get in there earlier next year to get the yogies. ;)
Post by: h20hunter on November 12, 2014, 07:15:38 PM
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on November 12, 2014, 07:18:22 PM
Sounds like a great hunt to me. Look fwd to some pics.
I'll see if Loki can do that.m :tup:
Post by: lokidog on November 13, 2014, 09:21:27 AM
Post by: Boss .300 winmag on November 13, 2014, 09:59:16 AM
Now I just need the tag so we can have some wild goat! :drool:
Post by: mxryder909 on November 13, 2014, 12:18:20 PM
Post by: bobcat on November 13, 2014, 12:39:10 PM
saturday you quit!!! Going again friday and saturday to polish off the season
Yep, Saturday evening at 5:05 is when you have to quit. I'm going deer hunting with a friend that day, but I'll be packing my rifle for bear or cougar.
Post by: theshade on November 13, 2014, 01:53:37 PM
Post by: Jonathan_S on November 14, 2014, 08:06:44 PM
Post by: boneaddict on November 16, 2014, 08:08:59 AM
Post by: cryder on November 17, 2014, 04:18:18 PM