Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on January 28, 2010, 12:08:09 AM
I am hunting one of the west-side units and will be scouting from now until season and wondered what kind of terrain I should concentrate on, creek heads, south facing slopes, benches, saddles between drainages...etc.?
should I concentrate on swamps, or new clear-cuts?
I am new to Spring Bear, but did get close to one last year while going after a tom turkey. It was coming out of a new cut (year old) into creek-bottom.
because this is west-side and the weather is so mild I am pretty sure they are not hibernating, and feeding on new growth, grubs and ants.......
What say? any advice?
Post by: rasbo on January 28, 2010, 01:12:05 AM
Post by: bobcat on January 28, 2010, 07:19:50 AM
You sound pretty confident you'll be hunting this spring. How many points do you have?
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on January 28, 2010, 03:31:19 PM
Post by: SkookumHntr on January 28, 2010, 03:35:34 PM
I plan on doing a little leg work in preparation for this upcoming spring bear season and was wondering what you guys look for when staring at topo maps prior to getting out and walking.-Ya, you might want to draw the tag first, lol! Lots of us have 5pts! :chuckle:
I am hunting one of the west-side units and will be scouting from now until season and wondered what kind of terrain I should concentrate on, creek heads, south facing slopes, benches, saddles between drainages...etc.?
should I concentrate on swamps, or new clear-cuts?
I am new to Spring Bear, but did get close to one last year while going after a tom turkey. It was coming out of a new cut (year old) into creek-bottom.
because this is west-side and the weather is so mild I am pretty sure they are not hibernating, and feeding on new growth, grubs and ants.......
What say? any advice?
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on January 28, 2010, 03:47:15 PM
No reason not to get out in the woods though....I mean what if I do get drawn?
with a 3.6 point average I stand a 50% chance of getting drawn, either I will or I wont......
I am not going to use it as an excuse NOT to scout. :dunno:
Post by: SkookumHntr on January 28, 2010, 03:51:21 PM
Even if I dont draw a tag, I will still be Turkey hunting, so it does not matter.-You can never scout enough as far as im concerned, I will be scouting the same unit as well, starting now too ;)
No reason not to get out in the woods though....I mean what if I do get drawn?
with a 3.6 point average I stand a 50% chance of getting drawn, either I will or I wont......
I am not going to use it as an excuse NOT to scout. :dunno:
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on January 28, 2010, 04:09:56 PM
I know its pretty obvious. :hello:, but anyhow, what point are you accessing it from ?
I have spent most of my time walking in the DNR roads, but did almost get a tom last season after having a sow and cub at 30 yards one morning on Weyerhauser property.
Post by: SkookumHntr on January 28, 2010, 04:14:18 PM
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on January 28, 2010, 04:23:01 PM
BTW, I live on Chilvers, Christmas tree farm on 2 borders of property.
Post by: SkookumHntr on January 28, 2010, 06:29:36 PM
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on January 29, 2010, 08:52:52 AM
I cannot tell what areas are reprod without walking or driving to them....
I was wondering if there were any terrain features (on a map) that you look for such as saddles, benches, south facing slopes,...etc....
Post by: Shootmoore on January 29, 2010, 09:19:19 AM
Back to topic...
I cannot tell what areas are reprod without walking or driving to them....
I was wondering if there were any terrain features (on a map) that you look for such as saddles, benches, south facing slopes,...etc....
Google Earth, check the area and it should have a date when the satalite photo's were taken. Its a pretty good tool. Is that your place at the end with all the outbuildings :o
Shootmoore
Post by: bobcat on January 29, 2010, 09:22:07 AM
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on January 29, 2010, 02:54:28 PM
I have topo maps, Weyerhauser maps, Google Earth, Virtual Earth, been to WDFW GoHunt etc....
I am asking about terrain features to look for on a topo map, :dunno:
reprod is all over and I was just curious if there were any particular type of "travel corridors" that bear prefer.
What makes one patch of reprod better than another?
I guess it must be a stupid question.
There really is no substitute for boot leather..........
Post by: billythekidrock on January 29, 2010, 07:00:35 PM
It is funny that this came up as today at work I was thinking about bear scouting this weekend in the hopes that one might be out and about.
I doubt they would be moving or feeding much right now, but with this weather you never know.
In a couple months I will be scouting the edges of a few swamps and looking for beds. Sometimes you can find travel corridors if you scout ridges of reprod from a distance.
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on January 29, 2010, 07:18:12 PM
Post by: Shootmoore on January 29, 2010, 08:12:38 PM
Shootmoore
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on January 29, 2010, 11:19:07 PM
I usually see at least one bear a year, but never really went looking for them, and haven't shot at one. I just buy a tag "just in case" but other fhan sows with cubs I cannot get close enough to release an arrow.
Many years ago I read a few books and tried baiting, that almost worked for me. Then they made that illegal :bash:
Almost everything I can find to read has to do with baiting, and very little with hunting spring bears that aren't coming out of hibernation.
I have acquired a few calls and read as much on calling as I can find, but was hoping to get an idea on where to start looking.
Randomly walking logging roads, hoping to see one and then call it in to range just seems to be how I deer and elk hunted back when I didn't have a clue.........
Sitting by a patch of reprod hoping there is one nearby seems even more foolish...
I will just have to get out and look for sign, and hope to learn something about these critters.