Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Bear Hunting => Topic started by: huntinkid20 on February 17, 2021, 09:54:13 AM

Title: Spring Bear with a bow?
Post by: huntinkid20 on February 17, 2021, 09:54:13 AM: Dreaming of being selected. Im going into the draw with 8pts this year. I'm in for SE units. Has anyone had any luck harvesting a spring bear with a bow? I make and shoot my own bows (longbow) and would love to hear of anyone getting into bow range of these spring bears. I know they tend to move alot. I am not opposed to a rifle and will have one with me as well if I draw. Lets hear some up close stories!
Title: Re: Spring Bear with a bow?
Post by: jrebel on February 17, 2021, 10:09:04 AM: Couple years ago during my mother in laws spring bear hunt, I had a small color phase at about 5 feet.....Is that close enough? :chuckle:
Title: Re: Spring Bear with a bow?
Post by: KFhunter on February 17, 2021, 10:15:12 AM: This |--| close

Fall, bow.

He was laying down behind this tree, I couldn't go up, or down to get a shot due to brush, so I waited here over an hour as he was shifting around, finally wind got me.

You can see his ear in this pic

(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210217/9c1169d8a1ed62b3ca11151500f78ebb.jpg)
Title: Re: Spring Bear with a bow?
Post by: trophyhunt on February 17, 2021, 10:22:29 AM: Killed several in the SE area, had only 2 around 60 yards, it’s a dream of mine to arrow one as well. Tough to do in those hills, lots to carry having both weapons, unless your buddy carry’s the gun.
Title: Re: Spring Bear with a bow?
Post by: huntinkid20 on February 17, 2021, 10:59:01 AM: Quote from: jrebel on February 17, 2021, 10:09:04 AM
Couple years ago during my mother in laws spring bear hunt, I had a small color phase at about 5 feet.....Is that close enough? :chuckle:

I think so :chuckle:

That's awesome @KFhunter. Tough to make that situation happen. Being stuck is the worst.
Title: Re: Spring Bear with a bow?
Post by: huntinkid20 on February 17, 2021, 11:00:33 AM: Quote from: trophyhunt on February 17, 2021, 10:22:29 AM
Killed several in the SE area, had only 2 around 60 yards, it’s a dream of mine to arrow one as well. Tough to do in those hills, lots to carry having both weapons, unless your buddy carry’s the gun.

Steep and deep for sure :tup:. Hoping to trick... I mean convince a friend to carry the gun.
Title: Re: Spring Bear with a bow?
Post by: Timberstalker on February 17, 2021, 11:05:49 AM: I've had several opp's in the Blues up close, but it happens awful fast and I've never had the bow with me when I was close enough. We did kill one in 2016 at 21 yards, with a gun. It was the perfect scenario for a bow harvest as well.

As was mentioned, they move a ton, so that makes it tough.

Best of luck.
Title: Re: Spring Bear with a bow?
Post by: Machias on February 17, 2021, 01:38:31 PM: Out of nine bears taken so far 5 with a compound bow, 3 with a rifle and 1 with a longbow, all of them, even the three rifle bears have been under 20 yards. Seven have been over bait though.
Title: Re: Spring Bear with a bow?
Post by: ch1pnasty on February 18, 2021, 09:43:24 AM: Ive Harvested bears with a compound bow both on the ground and from a tree . one encounter I could have probably used my recurve . totally doable .
good luck
Title: Re: Spring Bear with a bow?
Post by: Jonathan_S on February 18, 2021, 11:19:30 AM: Sometimes bears can get really close.
Title: Re: Spring Bear with a bow?
Post by: Rem14 on February 18, 2021, 11:50:35 AM: They can get very close!! Had an encounter last year bear hunting. Getting dark headed out to the road waiting for my ride, heard something coming my way on the road. By now it is dark and the bear was running straight for me. I yelled , the bear did a four wheel drift sideways , at 8-10 ft. from me and off into the brush. Laughed about it later about almost getting run over by a bear.
Title: Re: Spring Bear with a bow?
Post by: HillHound on February 18, 2021, 01:14:03 PM: Quote from: Machias on February 17, 2021, 01:38:31 PM
Out of nine bears taken so far 5 with a compound bow, 3 with a rifle and 1 with a longbow, all of them, even the three rifle bears have been under 20 yards. Seven have been over bait though.
Definitely much easier in a controlled environment where are you know the bears are going to be coming in and sticking around for a while. I am definitely shot some bears with my rifle that would’ve been in bow range. But all of them were so quick cause that there’s no way I would’ve had time or a shot with a bow. I would try it in a state like Idaho that allows bating but other than that it’s going to be pretty tough. Call with how much they wander even seeing which direction they go would be hard to cut them off.I am sure it has been done though. Maybe when I can’t afford any more taxidermy bills cause I will give it a try to. Until then I’m sticking with the rifle
Title: Re: Spring Bear with a bow?
Post by: Machias on February 18, 2021, 03:05:54 PM: Two of my rifles shots were with calling, both of those I could have easily used my bow. Plenty of time and plenty close enough. Also through the years I've passed on several bears within bow range that was not over bait. It's certainly MUCH harder, but then that is the point of using the bow, just another type of challenge. For me it is certainly way more exciting to shoot a bear at 15 yards than it is at even 100+ yards. That type of hunting does not excite me much at all. Not knocking anyone else, only speaking for myself.
Title: Re: Spring Bear with a bow?
Post by: huntinkid20 on February 18, 2021, 04:11:47 PM: Some great experiences being shared, I appreciate it! I think calling will be a great tool to get one in close.

Keep the stories coming!! Any success stories out there of spot and stalk bears with a stickbow?
Title: Re: Spring Bear with a bow?
Post by: Shawn Ryan on February 22, 2021, 05:24:37 PM: Shot a bear last September with a compound. Had an idea the bear would come back the same way as it had the night before. 20 yards. Obviously not a spring bear; I don't know how much different their behavior is from spring to fall.
Title: Re: Spring Bear with a bow?
Post by: Fl0und3rz on February 24, 2021, 10:12:33 AM: Quote from: huntinkid20 on February 17, 2021, 09:54:13 AM
Dreaming of being selected. Im going into the draw with 8pts this year. I'm in for SE units. Has anyone had any luck harvesting a spring bear with a bow? I make and shoot my own bows (longbow) and would love to hear of anyone getting into bow range of these spring bears. I know they tend to move alot. I am not opposed to a rifle and will have one with me as well if I draw. Lets hear some up close stories!

That would be awesome.
Title: Re: Spring Bear with a bow?
Post by: konradcountry on February 27, 2021, 07:07:17 AM: The bigger problem is with scouting.

You need to figure out the MO of the bear and then get a tree stand setup.

So for us west siders that is a lot harder if we are hunting the east side and only have so much time off.

The other problem is that they have a thick layer of fat and can speed through thick brush.

So even if you get a shot (which is hard) you might not recover it.

Not trying to dissuade you. If you can scout then go for it. I would take a carbine along if you can swing it.
Title: Re: Spring Bear with a bow?
Post by: Big6bull on February 27, 2021, 11:14:02 AM: I’ve shot two in the fall with my bow archery hunting. My last spring bear I shot wuth my rifle but he was less than 20 yards away. If your patent and have time you can definitely get close. They don’t see all that great too.
Title: Re: Spring Bear with a bow?
Post by: boneaddict on February 27, 2021, 12:22:02 PM: I’ve killed several bear with a longbow. I’d say unless your part wild, you may want to stick to spot and stalk. Calling in the spring can bring them in hard. It will check your grit.
Title: Re: Spring Bear with a bow?
Post by: huntinkid20 on March 03, 2021, 08:27:01 PM: Several @boneaddict? That’s incredible! Spot and stalk or from a tree?
Title: Re: Spring Bear with a bow?
Post by: h20hunter on March 03, 2021, 08:31:32 PM: Bone just whispers....cmere deer.....cmere elk.....cmere bear....I'm just ginna take a picture.....lemme just slide on up.....schwflit.....oh....was that an arrow....sorry my friend....
Title: Re: Spring Bear with a bow?
Post by: Machias on March 03, 2021, 09:44:06 PM: :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle: