Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Bear Hunting => Topic started by: Dumb New Hunter 81 on February 28, 2022, 11:17:31 PM

Title: Where are the bears?
Post by: Dumb New Hunter 81 on February 28, 2022, 11:17:31 PM: Classic tail of woe. I’ve been hiking, camping and fishing in Washington since before I learned to walk and I’ve seen black bears from the Idaho border all the way out to Forks. Once I decided to take up hunting? They all disappeared.

I’ve sat all day on a prime berry patch, I’ve come across a gut pile and sat on it for two days, but a bear never comes to pay me a visit. Is it me? Do I secrete the aroma of a dangerous predator? Or am I screwing up something really basic?

Any tips that I can’t find in a Google search?
Title: Re: Where are the bears?
Post by: Gobble Gobble on March 01, 2022, 05:20:58 AM: It's not you it's the weapon of death you carry that is emitting a scent of fear and death. Try going into the woods without said instrument of death and Not during bear season and I can promise you you will start seeing bears. The same goes for all species of game animals. My bow does the same thing.
Title: Re: Where are the bears?
Post by: Chesapeake on March 01, 2022, 05:59:10 AM: You don’t need just any berry patch, you need one with fresh bear sign. And they tend to like to show late afternoon, and some in the morning. Generally not much going on in the middle of the day.
Title: Re: Where are the bears?
Post by: syoungs on March 01, 2022, 06:07:01 AM: Quote from: Dumb New Hunter 81 on February 28, 2022, 11:17:31 PM
Classic tail of woe. I’ve been hiking, camping and fishing in Washington since before I learned to walk and I’ve seen black bears from the Idaho border all the way out to Forks. Once I decided to take up hunting? They all disappeared.

I’ve sat all day on a prime berry patch, I’ve come across a gut pile and sat on it for two days, but a bear never comes to pay me a visit. Is it me? Do I secrete the aroma of a dangerous predator? Or am I screwing up something really basic?

Any tips that I can’t find in a Google search?

If you don't trick a bears nose, you will never see the bear.
Sitting on berry patches/gutpiles is great, until you realize you have cut off the route that bear was using to access the food by being upwind.
Scent blockers might buy you an extra moment, but imo they don't work as advertised for bears. Gotta play the thermals and the wind constantly.
Title: Re: Where are the bears?
Post by: GASoline71 on March 01, 2022, 06:46:59 AM: If only it was that easy... ;)

Gary
Title: Re: Where are the bears?
Post by: Rob on March 01, 2022, 07:37:22 AM: Get a copy of this book. written by a member from this board (Saylean?) and covers PNW bear hunting about as well as I have seen.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1510709797/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Title: Re: Where are the bears?
Post by: dilleytech on March 02, 2022, 10:07:08 AM: Last resort always carry a predator call and give it a shot. Eventually you will call one in and that’s the funnest way to kill one I think. I have killed a few bears that smelt me and didn’t care. But that’s probably the advantage of hunting closer to
Town. They always smell people.