Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Bear Hunting => Topic started by: Woodchuck on January 28, 2011, 09:52:49 AM

Title: Bears out already?
Post by: Woodchuck on January 28, 2011, 09:52:49 AM: So I just got a phone call from a guy that i do believe knows what a bear is and said he just saw one out in a field. Seems pretty early to me :dunno:
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: BIGINNER on January 28, 2011, 09:57:15 AM: nope.. its bigfoot :hello:
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: BIGINNER on January 28, 2011, 09:58:34 AM: no bears in washington
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: Woodchuck on January 28, 2011, 10:13:23 AM: good point, i will correct him ;)
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: dreamunelk on January 28, 2011, 10:14:39 AM: Bears will come out of their dens for many reasons. They do not go in to a true hibernation. It is more of a torpor. They still have to remove bodily wastes. Also been documented in Washington that sometimes they will come out for a quick bite to eat. Some of the boars apparently like get up and find a sow with cubs and have a cub snack. Can't remember the paper or author at the moment, but this was documented on Long island.

Unfortunately what your friend may have seen was a bear that did not reach a good body condition to enter hibernation. Been a really bad year so I expect this is the problem. Been lots of reports this year of bears still raiding bird feeders, garbage cans, and etcetera. This year does not look to be much better for them. I am betting a lot of skinny bears get harvested this spring.
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: billythekidrock on January 28, 2011, 04:26:42 PM: I have been expecting to see sign at anytime. With the warm weather and fresh grass growing it won't be long.
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: millertime89 on February 03, 2011, 05:40:03 PM: I'm sure they are all confused this winter.. At the end of late archery over here by Spokane it was muddy and green... and then back below zero ha..
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: grousetracker on February 12, 2011, 09:15:06 PM: the wife and i found a big den last year that had a bear in it,checked it on monday and it had a bear in it. i shine my light in there and could see his or hers back.
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: ICEMAN on February 13, 2011, 05:29:26 AM: Quote from: grousetracker on February 12, 2011, 09:15:06 PM
the wife and i found a big den last year that had a bear in it,checked it on monday and it had a bear in it. i shine my light in there and could see his or hers back.

Did you make her look first? :chuckle: That has to raise the hairs on the back of the neck if you ask me......
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: billythekidrock on February 13, 2011, 06:09:58 AM: Did you take any pics? A couple years ago we snuck up on a den that was occupied a couple weeks earlier, only find it empty. :bash:
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: woodman on February 13, 2011, 06:26:06 AM: I took this pic at the end of January. It has long stringy half digested grass in it. Does it look like bear to you?
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: billythekidrock on February 13, 2011, 06:34:07 AM: Looks like dog to me. :dunno:
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: TheHunt on February 13, 2011, 07:43:11 AM: Looks like baby big foot to me. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: boneaddict on February 13, 2011, 07:47:57 AM: It was 65 degrees at my house yesterday even with 30mph winds. As stated, bear are less likely to perma den in areas on the westside and climates like here. Now the NE corner and the Methow are a different story. It easily could have been a bear. Lots of black calves on the ground too. :)
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: sisu on February 13, 2011, 07:48:41 AM: Quote from: ICEMAN on February 13, 2011, 05:29:26 AM
Quote from: grousetracker on February 12, 2011, 09:15:06 PM
the wife and i found a big den last year that had a bear in it,checked it on monday and it had a bear in it. i shine my light in there and could see his or hers back.

Did you make her look first? :chuckle: That has to raise the hairs on the back of the neck if you ask me......

Try a griz! We were staking some homestead land between Moose Creek(kroto ck.)& the Parks Hyw when I walked thru a little raised area on the property approx. 100x100 ft. I saw a hole near the base of the biggest tree there and walked over to check it out. I looked in & looking right back at me is a big brown beady eyed bear! Nearly crapped myself, no weapon, chain saw, ax, surveyor's tape etc.

Our homesteading group went back either a week or two later, armed with bear weapons not ptarmigan & grouse guns, to check out the den. The bear was gone this time but it had either found a dead moose or killed one because there was one antler there, bones, hide but all important protine was gone.

We talked with the local bio for that area and he said the griz & black bear don't crash out all winter. They get up wander close to den go back.

BTW we crawled into the den and it fit three adult males and three young boys all with winter sno-go gear on, and when I looked at that bear it seemed as if he filled it up real well! It was well insulated with about a foot deep in dry grass that was actually comfortable.
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: ICEMAN on February 13, 2011, 03:49:06 PM: Uh, call me a wuss, cause I do not want to peer down into a den....
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: JackOfAllTrades on February 13, 2011, 04:41:16 PM: I remember it was the first of March last year that StrutNrut1984 was lookin for dens and when he got near, they were actually out and huffin at him from deep in the briars. They'll be out soon in many areas.

-Steve
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: zackmioli on February 15, 2011, 02:46:20 AM: already looking forward to this bear season. still trying for that first one!
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: Wea300mag on February 15, 2011, 08:18:41 PM: I spent most of Sunday out in an area that is known for a few spring bears and there was no sign of them yet.
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: Wea300mag on March 12, 2011, 10:07:28 AM: Any new updates? I know 50calJim saw some fresh sign recently in the North Skagit Unit. It's still wintery up here so I'm thinking most are still sleeping. I'm going to set a couple trail cams next week to do an inventory of the Skagit unit.
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on March 12, 2011, 12:50:20 PM: There is a member on here that posted a picture on Facebook of a bear that came to their porch, have asked for it to be posted here....
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: Ironhead on March 12, 2011, 06:11:16 PM: I saw fresh tracks in the snow yesterday.
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: FWilliams on March 12, 2011, 06:30:03 PM: couldnt even get into the area i like because of snow......a lot for this time of year.

Fred
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: billythekidrock on March 12, 2011, 06:31:41 PM: Quote from: Wea300mag on March 12, 2011, 10:07:28 AM
Any new updates? I know 50calJim saw some fresh sign recently in the North Skagit Unit. It's still wintery up here so I'm thinking most are still sleeping. I'm going to set a couple trail cams next week to do an inventory of the Skagit unit.

The F&W program manager that was at our meeting today said most are still denning in the Thurston county area. He was leaving our meeting to go do a den check in the Capitol Forest.
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: h20hunter on March 18, 2011, 09:18:06 AM: Bump! Gotta being getting close. I'm planning on doing some walking around this Sunday. Maybe I'll see a yote or something while I'm out.
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: rasbo on March 18, 2011, 09:49:48 AM: bronchitis is keeping me in for now,April 15Th they will arrive
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: demontang on March 18, 2011, 09:06:33 PM: Yea they have been out for a while around here. My parents can across one in the Yakima canyon.
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: SituationNormal on March 19, 2011, 08:16:10 AM: Quote from: sisu on February 13, 2011, 07:48:41 AM

Try a griz... I saw a hole near the base of the biggest tree there and walked over to check it out. I looked in & looking right back at me is a big brown beady eyed bear! Nearly crapped myself, no weapon, chain saw, ax, surveyor's tape etc.

...went back either a week or two later, armed with bear weapons not ptarmigan & grouse guns, to check out the den. The bear was gone this time but it had either found a dead moose or killed one because there was one antler there, bones, hide but all important protine was gone.

Good thing that you didn't look like a moose that day. :chuckle:

Seriously though, he probably had that moose in there when you walked up. Otherwide you may had ended up in its place.
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: h20hunter on March 20, 2011, 03:39:47 PM: Went for a walk today up in the Sultan area. No tracks to speak of and my apples have not been hit by deer or bear. We did hear some weird "oofing" up in some dark timber. Didn't sound to far away but wasn't right at our feet. I've never heard a waking up woof so I have no idea what it was. Kind of fun thinking it could be though. Did see some nice area and found a fairly close by area that somebody spent some time stacking rocks of all sizes and shapes on the stumps. i especially like a set of three. I'll attach a pic of the three and then my contribution to the zen way of life in the woods.
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: CAMPMEAT on March 20, 2011, 04:30:07 PM: Stacked rocks = hippies

Be careful there.....pack a gun
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: runamuk on March 20, 2011, 05:26:57 PM: yeah stay away from stacked rocks dangerous stuff... :rolleyes: from someone who loves stacking rocks ;)
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: rasbo on March 20, 2011, 05:35:44 PM: side note about rock stacking,in the high desert of se idaho the sheep herders stack rocks,you could see some of the stacks at a pretty good distance,1,2 or 3 stacks meant,either rattlesnake den,water and I forget the last one..It was pretty cool speaking with them guys
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: Huntbear on March 20, 2011, 05:56:05 PM: I also know some choker setters that used to stack rocks on stumps. As they cleared an area, they would stack rocks, just to screw with people.. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: runamuk on March 20, 2011, 06:04:38 PM: I love when they put huge boulders up on stumps :chuckle: :chuckle:
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: Houndhunter on March 20, 2011, 06:17:27 PM: or take a ten foot stump and stick it upside down, makes ya do a double take
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: CAMPMEAT on March 24, 2011, 07:57:39 AM: ............or carve a chair into a stump.
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: STIKNSTRINGBOW on March 24, 2011, 08:05:21 AM: Quote from: CAMPMEAT on March 24, 2011, 07:57:39 AM
............or carve a chair into a stump.
That would be curious... :dunno:
I have seen stumps carved into chairs.....
Title: Re: Bears out already?
Post by: Decker on March 25, 2011, 04:44:19 PM: Quote from: STIKNSTRINGBOW on March 24, 2011, 08:05:21 AM
Quote from: CAMPMEAT on March 24, 2011, 07:57:39 AM
............or carve a chair into a stump.
That would be curious... :dunno:
I have seen stumps carved into chairs.....

I lol'ed for seconds.. :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle: