Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Elk Hunting => Topic started by: Ron Howard on November 20, 2011, 02:11:08 PM

Title: bear river
Post by: Ron Howard on November 20, 2011, 02:11:08 PM: first time archery hunt in bear river unit. any advice like where to start.
Title: Re: bear river
Post by: GigPig on November 20, 2011, 02:20:42 PM: Back up over that way :hunt2:
Title: Re: bear river
Post by: flinger on November 20, 2011, 03:15:55 PM: At the end of the road :dunno: :chuckle: :chuckle:
Title: Re: bear river
Post by: dreamunelk on November 20, 2011, 04:51:36 PM: Excuse our behavior we all still in shock from the days the server was down :chuckle:

My first question is what to you know about Bear River GMU? Any why do you want to hunt it? There may be better options closer to home.

That said there is good public access for the most part. You need to be aware of the USFS refuge and it's rules. There is some RYN lease lands too.
A good portion of it is foot or bike in only. It is a small GMU that you can drive around the boundaries in less than 2 hours. So my advise is to
explore google earth and find a logging road and go for a walk or ride. generally speaking you will find better elk numbers on the norther end and
the southern end.

Anyone else having issues typing replies? Sentences are not wrapping to the next line.
Title: Re: bear river
Post by: AKBowman on November 20, 2011, 05:04:00 PM: People say the west side is thick but BR is INSANELY thick. So thick you cannot hunt 90% of it and guess where the elk are during daylight?

If you're hunting BR b/c it is 3 point min or antlerless and your hoping to get a bull I would give someone a 1:300 chance of killing a bull in there during late season. In order to effectively hunt that unit in the late season you will need to scout a lot and find a spot for a good tree stand. Typically the elk dont move around as much in the late season as they do in Sept so they are harder to pattern.
Title: Re: bear river
Post by: deerslyr on November 20, 2011, 05:29:56 PM: Quote from: dreamunelk on November 20, 2011, 04:51:36 PM

Anyone else having issues typing replies? Sentences are not wrapping to the next line.

I am as well
Title: Re: bear river
Post by: RuttinWapati on November 21, 2011, 01:33:41 PM: My brother and I hunted this unit pretty hard during rifle season. Was into elk 4 of the 7 days we hunted. Saw at least a dozen cows and worked over a couple bulls. Never did get an opportunity on the two bulls (3pt and 5pt). They were in some thick-ass-chit to say the least. We tried pushing them out, we tried waiting them out to no avail. The 5pt. moved up into some thick dog hair / reprod and just barked at us. He barked and squeled at us for at least 45 minutes saying I know your'e there what ever you are and I aint coming out!!!
Now I did my scouting, Hung my Cameras and done did the work, but could not get it done. If I were to hunt this for the first time I would go either to the northern or southern most part of the unit and hike or bike in behind the gates. Locate the deep, thick drainages and try to get close. I would be in at dark and out at dark....

Good luck..... :tup:
Title: Re: bear river
Post by: Lcl 66 Tinner on November 21, 2011, 06:04:21 PM: I was in Long beach this weekend and couldnt just sit in the room while the wife and kids were at the beach, so I left them a note saying I'll be back later. I went for a cruise through the bear river unit on Saturday. I drove down ParPela Rd. and hit every logging rd that wasn't locked up. Didn't see anything out in the woods but when I was on my way back to town( around 4 ) I spotted about 30 elk in a private field no more than 2 miles from 101 (no bulls). Then when I got to the refuge just outta Long Beach I spotted about 15 elk. I didnt have a camera so no pics. Sunday morning I got up at 5 and headed off to get pics of the elk, I was in position about a hour and a half early and freezing my arse off. Finally it got light enough to take pics so I put the sneak on and one of them busted me from about 300yds out. She started barking and they moved off at about 100yd increments and kept me at 300yds. I counted 32 but the pics only show 27 because 5 peeled away. Then on my way back to the hotel I stopped at the refuge and looked and saw 1 elk that was a spike and all along. Earlier I went up the 8000 line off of Parpela rd and didnt see anything other than salmon in the creek at the 2 mile mark and got pics too. I'll try to post pics in a bit