Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Bear Hunting => Topic started by: billythekidrock on April 09, 2011, 12:04:56 PM

Title: 2011 Spring Bear Sign
Post by: billythekidrock on April 09, 2011, 12:04:56 PM: I went out to set up some cameras for bears this morning in an area that they like to eat the grass in the spring. Two weeks ago there was no sign and I planned to put the cameras up last weekend, but that never happened. So this morning I am on my way in at about 7 am and I jump a doe. She heads towards my target area, but on a different trail than me. I walk another 50 yards and I hear something take off, splashing water as it went away from me. At first I thought it was the doe, but it didn’t seem quite right. I then heard more water splashing and brush breaking so I assumed it was a bear. I took my pack off and took out my camera, all the while scanning the thick brush hoping to catch a glimpse of whatever it was. After sitting still for a couple minutes I heard some blowing noises out in front of me. Now I am thinking it could be a deer or bear. I grabbed my pack and moved forward about 15 yards before I heard tree bark being scratched. About 20 yards in front of me was a bear climbing a large evergreen tree. As I got closer I realized that it was two cubs in the tree. One was climbing and the other was blowing and chomping its jaws at me. After a few pictures and some video (when I got home and played the video for my son he started laughing at all of the sounds those cubs were making), one decided to climb down and leave. As it ran off I could hear it reunite with mama about 50 yards away. After a few more minutes the second cub had enough and climbed down and went the same way but I never heard the other bears. About 2 minutes later I heard a couple bawls, then some loud brush popping and off they went sounding like a herd of elk.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2Fweb51.jpg&hash=a10fcd6b4f6855cc63af4cea657a29c6877133d1)

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fweb32.jpg&hash=67b958e22a1585e2953fccc19e96f792ea201bd4)

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2FwebIMG_0245.jpg&hash=f962bacce0ebd17182ee6cc4db04915e3a4a4f7f)

I found one bed and probably 20 piles of scat, but none of it was more than a couple days old so I think I timed it right. Last year I got my cameras out a little later. They have used this bedding area a few times in the last couple years and I am hoping to catch some interesting photos with a cam nearby.

Bed
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2FwebIMG_0269.jpg&hash=04926e91996a01d4fb262331200c434d824fd0e9)

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2FwebIMG_0291.jpg&hash=cb7ba8a54ee0d3e3407605bae034f9de01f96c22)

They have already been by my old camera spots leaving me little presents.
Before.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2FwebIMG_0274.jpg&hash=8d0d87094390697bb1804b2853574849013ac92a)

After
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2FwebIMG_0276.jpg&hash=4c3311885c7ae98f48eb1be78cb31b23a8f689d4)

Mama poo
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2FwebIMG_0280.jpg&hash=2153b8897eeb9fd01268078d7867eae7bd31b10d)

Cub poo
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2FwebIMG_0284.jpg&hash=2b39d1fdc2d2d47f436b74c3473373e744a53efc)

While looking for scat along the trail I happened to find this little pecker bone.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2FwebIMG_0288.jpg&hash=45c14b514e91090212e445bd915d2d0f5f6fb96b)
Title: Re: 2011 Spring Bear Sign
Post by: shedcrazy on April 09, 2011, 12:52:40 PM: Cool pics, glad to see them out and about!
Title: Re: 2011 Spring Bear Sign
Post by: Decker on April 09, 2011, 05:03:29 PM: Awesome! Thanks BTKR!!!
Title: Re: 2011 Spring Bear Sign
Post by: h20hunter on April 09, 2011, 05:16:46 PM: Out and about this morning I may have come across some sign. I've seen quite a bit of scat during the later season but haven't been out much early on. So, anyway, this morning the scat I saw was fairly good sized in volume, not that I measured it, but it seemed to more "woody" and dense. It was very similiar to the pic posted. Is this fairly typical of early season scat?
Title: Re: 2011 Spring Bear Sign
Post by: Sideswipe on April 09, 2011, 06:34:34 PM: This could be classified as heresay but my next door neighbor was up high in the DNR portion of the North Skagit area today. He said there were bear tracks in the snow on all the roads he was on. Don't know how fresh they were but some bears are moving eh?
Title: Re: 2011 Spring Bear Sign
Post by: dscubame on April 09, 2011, 06:38:54 PM: I love the xtratuffs. I live in those things.
Title: Re: 2011 Spring Bear Sign
Post by: dogtuk on April 09, 2011, 06:55:34 PM: was out looking today and covered a lot of ground but did not see any sign around here today
Title: Re: 2011 Spring Bear Sign
Post by: Austrian Hunter on April 09, 2011, 07:01:10 PM: Awesome, but no Spring tag for me :'(
Title: Re: 2011 Spring Bear Sign
Post by: alecvg on April 09, 2011, 08:51:16 PM: Awesome! My and shanevg saw some big bear tracks today up in the snow while looking for goats, looked like they were from today. I am so pumped to start seeing some bears!
Title: Re: 2011 Spring Bear Sign
Post by: ICEMAN on April 09, 2011, 09:16:54 PM: I saw that the Skunk Cabbage is popping up around my place. This just happened there, in the last few days....
Title: Re: 2011 Spring Bear Sign
Post by: Dean44 on April 10, 2011, 06:35:44 AM: Great find BTKR. It is great to see some activity already.

We made a quick trip to Lincoln last weekend and found some big chunks of sod that had been freshly uprooted and turned over.
Title: Re: 2011 Spring Bear Sign
Post by: Gutpile on April 10, 2011, 07:22:40 AM: Not even close to being ready in Huckleberry where i hunt. :bash: I did see these though when leaving town. :hello:
Title: Re: 2011 Spring Bear Sign
Post by: Gutpile on April 10, 2011, 07:24:18 AM: Dang BTKR thats really outstanding. i've got a few weeks left over here. That one pile is a big one and who doesn't love seeing cubs. Very cool.
Title: Re: 2011 Spring Bear Sign
Post by: D-Rock425 on April 10, 2011, 07:43:38 AM: nice pics
Title: Re: 2011 Spring Bear Sign
Post by: billythekidrock on April 10, 2011, 07:05:26 PM: Quote from: h20hunter on April 09, 2011, 05:16:46 PM
Out and about this morning I may have come across some sign. I've seen quite a bit of scat during the later season but haven't been out much early on. So, anyway, this morning the scat I saw was fairly good sized in volume, not that I measured it, but it seemed to more "woody" and dense. It was very similiar to the pic posted. Is this fairly typical of early season scat?

Right now they are primarily feeding on grass so it will look just like photos, but could be a yellowish color to shades of green to black if it is old. Basically it looks like wierd piles of horse crap.

Did you happen to see any signs of feeding activity?
Title: Re: 2011 Spring Bear Sign
Post by: billythekidrock on April 10, 2011, 07:13:03 PM: Quote from: ICEMAN on April 09, 2011, 09:16:54 PM
I saw that the Skunk Cabbage is popping up around my place. This just happened there, in the last few days....

I followed the cubs as they took off through a patch of ripening skunk cabbage. Though the trail was heavily used they have yet to start digging it up. Won't be long though.
Title: Re: 2011 Spring Bear Sign
Post by: billythekidrock on April 10, 2011, 07:22:19 PM: Quote from: Gutpile on April 10, 2011, 07:24:18 AM
Dang BTKR thats really outstanding. i've got a few weeks left over here. That one pile is a big one and who doesn't love seeing cubs. Very cool.

Thanks.
That was a good pile, but I was hoping for the big boy that comes here in the spring. He leaves a real load.

I was happy to see the cubs but I hope they don't hang out too long. That pecker bone I found was probably from a young cub in the last year or two.
Title: Re: 2011 Spring Bear Sign
Post by: Decker on April 10, 2011, 07:53:21 PM: Quote from: billythekidrock on April 10, 2011, 07:22:19 PM
Quote from: Gutpile on April 10, 2011, 07:24:18 AM
Dang BTKR thats really outstanding. i've got a few weeks left over here. That one pile is a big one and who doesn't love seeing cubs. Very cool.

Thanks.
That was a good pile, but I was hoping for the big boy that comes here in the spring. He leaves a real load.

I was happy to see the cubs but I hope they don't hang out too long. That pecker bone I found was probably from a young cub in the last year or two.

Yeah, what the heck is up with THAT!? Bears don't just go around shedding their junk. ...And if they did, telling someone I was going shed-penis-bone hunting would be awkward.
Title: Re: 2011 Spring Bear Sign
Post by: saylean on April 10, 2011, 08:30:43 PM: Nice work.
Title: Re: 2011 Spring Bear Sign
Post by: billythekidrock on April 11, 2011, 06:08:32 PM: Here are a couple more of the little fellas.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2FwebIMG_0253-copy.jpg&hash=270a54e7a8bf35506167e3eda51f7199040c89c8)

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2FwebIMG_0241-copy.jpg&hash=0e489f8b6220db70ffd6c8265e0c51bd3b0042fe)
Title: Re: 2011 Spring Bear Sign
Post by: benhuntin on April 11, 2011, 06:10:52 PM: Quote from: Gutpile on April 10, 2011, 07:22:40 AM
Not even close to being ready in Huckleberry where i hunt. :bash: I did see these though when leaving town. :hello:
Argone Flats????
Title: Re: 2011 Spring Bear Sign
Post by: Gutpile on April 11, 2011, 06:26:42 PM: Quote from: benhuntin on April 11, 2011, 06:10:52 PM
Quote from: Gutpile on April 10, 2011, 07:22:40 AM
Not even close to being ready in Huckleberry where i hunt. :bash: I did see these though when leaving town. :hello:
Argone Flats????

Never heard it called that but sounds good to me. Argonne just south of Day Mt. Spokane
Title: Re: 2011 Spring Bear Sign
Post by: benhuntin on April 11, 2011, 06:29:54 PM: Quote from: Gutpile on April 11, 2011, 06:26:42 PM
Quote from: benhuntin on April 11, 2011, 06:10:52 PM
Quote from: Gutpile on April 10, 2011, 07:22:40 AM
Not even close to being ready in Huckleberry where i hunt. :bash: I did see these though when leaving town. :hello:
Argone Flats????

Never heard it called that but sounds good to me. Argonne just south of Day Mt. Spokane
hows the scoutin goin , Im from chewelah and know a couple good spots but from your past posts it looks like you know where your goin :hello:
Title: Re: 2011 Spring Bear Sign
Post by: KillBilly on April 11, 2011, 06:53:56 PM: Reports from Skagit are dim. No sign, lots of snow, all gates don't have correct locks yet. It looks like a late april early may turn out this year.
Title: Re: 2011 Spring Bear Sign
Post by: Decker on April 11, 2011, 09:49:27 PM: Quote from: billythekidrock on April 11, 2011, 06:08:32 PM
Here are a couple more of the little fellas.

Here's a couple of my little fella :brew:
Title: Re: 2011 Spring Bear Sign
Post by: Gutpile on April 12, 2011, 05:49:08 AM: Quote from: benhuntin on April 11, 2011, 06:29:54 PM
Quote from: Gutpile on April 11, 2011, 06:26:42 PM
Quote from: benhuntin on April 11, 2011, 06:10:52 PM
Quote from: Gutpile on April 10, 2011, 07:22:40 AM
Not even close to being ready in Huckleberry where i hunt. :bash: I did see these though when leaving town. :hello:
Argone Flats????

Never heard it called that but sounds good to me. Argonne just south of Day Mt. Spokane
hows the scoutin goin , Im from chewelah and know a couple good spots but from your past posts it looks like you know where your goin :hello:

So far the scouting has revealed snowed in roads but I kind of expected that. I'll be chasing turkeys this weekend then I'll go check out my spot again the following weekend. They typically dont come out until May. I may get ahold of you if my spot doesn't pan out.