Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Bear Hunting => Topic started by: jbeaumont21 on August 21, 2015, 03:37:14 PM

Title: Bear Hunting St. Helens
Post by: jbeaumont21 on August 21, 2015, 03:37:14 PM: Hey all, I have some family from the Midwest coming out to go bear hunting next month and all my usual places are shut down due to extreme fire danger. Any suggestions on where to try looking in the SW part of the state. I've elk hunted up on St Helens a bunch and know some areas so was maybe thinking of starting up there, since its not likely they will shut down the Federal lands between now and next month. Never bear hunted up there though before, anyone have much luck up by Goats Marsh and Blue Lake trail area? Any suggestions you can share would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!
Title: Re: Bear Hunting St. Helens
Post by: jbeaumont21 on August 22, 2015, 09:24:01 AM: Well I guess that answers that question, St. Helens is not the place to bear hunt lol. Guess I'll start looking else where.
Title: Re: Bear Hunting St. Helens
Post by: zackmioli on August 23, 2015, 12:30:36 PM: Could check out the goat rocks wilderness area.
Title: Re: Bear Hunting St. Helens
Post by: RadSav on August 23, 2015, 01:47:51 PM: Quote from: jbeaumont21 on August 22, 2015, 09:24:01 AM
Well I guess that answers that question, St. Helens is not the place to bear hunt lol. Guess I'll start looking else where.

Fridays and weekends don't usually produce much banter on here. St. Helens area does produce bear, just not as much as further north. It's all about berries! Find a good berry field and you'll find bear. The Goat Rocks lead is a viable one. But, there are spots just about everywhere where visibility, lack of pressure (Hunting/hiking/quad-running), and food all come together.

Plenty of bear in the area you mention. There are also a bunch of hippy, granola crunching, potheads on the crazy train up there too! Just spend a little time observing those morons and then try to calculate on a map where the bear will be to avoid them. One ridge is usually enough to separate bears and bung holes. ;)
Title: Re: Bear Hunting St. Helens
Post by: jbeaumont21 on August 24, 2015, 11:48:44 AM: Quote from: zackmioli on August 23, 2015, 12:30:36 PM
Could check out the goat rocks wilderness area.

Thanks! I'll have to check that out. Never been up there but I hear its beautiful. What's the best way to access goat rocks, from the north end near packwood or up from the south?

Thanks again for the tip!
Jesse
Title: Re: Bear Hunting St. Helens
Post by: jbeaumont21 on August 24, 2015, 11:55:35 AM: Quote from: RadSav on August 23, 2015, 01:47:51 PM
Quote from: jbeaumont21 on August 22, 2015, 09:24:01 AM
Well I guess that answers that question, St. Helens is not the place to bear hunt lol. Guess I'll start looking else where.

Fridays and weekends don't usually produce much banter on here. St. Helens area does produce bear, just not as much as further north. It's all about berries! Find a good berry field and you'll find bear. The Goat Rocks lead is a viable one. But, there are spots just about everywhere where visibility, lack of pressure (Hunting/hiking/quad-running), and food all come together.

Plenty of bear in the area you mention. There are also a bunch of hippy, granola crunching, potheads on the crazy train up there too! Just spend a little time observing those morons and then try to calculate on a map where the bear will be to avoid them. One ridge is usually enough to separate bears and bung holes. ;)

Thanks RadSav, I appreciate the advice. Sad that someone has to ruin it for the rest of us. We are certainly planning to do a lot of hiking to get away from the heathens lol. I plan on scouting over the next couple of weeks and see where I find the best signs/berries and go from there. I appreciate the tips guys, thanks!
Title: Re: Bear Hunting St. Helens
Post by: ELKBURGER on August 25, 2015, 12:17:28 PM: Usually some good berries up towards timberline anywhere north of the 83 rd around june lake around to lahar.
Title: Re: Bear Hunting St. Helens
Post by: Alchase on September 08, 2015, 06:52:27 PM: There are plenty bear near the "berry fields" and mosquito lakes as well.
The berry fields get allot of people they also get many bears.
Title: Re: Bear Hunting St. Helens
Post by: CAMPMEAT on September 08, 2015, 07:10:50 PM: I just watched on, Rugged Justice, that the Mt. Rainier area is good for GRIZZLY and Black bear hunting.... :chuckle: