Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Bear Hunting => Topic started by: Stalkin Prey on August 14, 2019, 08:33:08 AM


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Title: Bear advice needed
Post by: Stalkin Prey on August 14, 2019, 08:33:08 AM
Headed up the Entiat valley next week to try and get my first bear. I’m trying to get a game plan figured out, I’m thinking the chiwawa, slide ridge, Entiat or swakane. I haven’t been up the valley in several years, any advice would be greatly appreciated. I have some calls from bearmanric I’m going to be taking and trying if I get in some decent sign. Not looking for any honey holes just looking for some advice. Thanks in advance and good luck to everyone in the upcoming seasons.


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Title: Re: Bear advice needed
Post by: 7mmfan on August 14, 2019, 08:36:58 AM
It's going to be hot, so looking near water will be important. They most likely won't be out on those big expansive buck brush hill sides. North slopes with open pockets that have berries, stream bottoms that have rose hips, choke cherries and service berries, etc... They'll be in the brush most likely so glassing from distance may be tough. Might need to get on their level and still hunt until you hear them.
Title: Re: Bear advice needed
Post by: boneaddict on August 14, 2019, 08:37:55 AM
Choke cherries low, Hucks high, ants at daybreak
Title: Re: Bear advice needed
Post by: Stalkin Prey on August 14, 2019, 09:08:09 AM
Anyone have experience hunting bears in old burns? Will they will most likely be in the upper 2/3’s of the mountain? Lots of area to cover, was looking at harvest reports and I don’t know if I should stick to one unit or if I should bounce around. Ideally I’ll be able to pick a few spots and put boots on the ground and keep moving till I find fresh sign and start calling or glassing if it’s open enough.


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Title: Re: Bear advice needed
Post by: boneaddict on August 14, 2019, 09:18:23 AM
They’ll be throughout
Title: Re: Bear advice needed
Post by: 7mmfan on August 14, 2019, 09:32:22 AM
Like Bone said, they'll be throughout. They don't know unit boundaries, they just go where the food is. That is their primary driver, food food food. Cover ground, find the areas that have the berries and dead/rotting stumps and logs, and really focus your time in those locations. All of those units have those spots, you just need to find them.
Title: Re: Bear advice needed
Post by: Stalkin Prey on August 14, 2019, 09:40:19 AM
Thanks for the help guys, confirmed a lot of what I was thinking. Next week can’t come soon enough.


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Title: Re: Bear advice needed
Post by: boneaddict on August 14, 2019, 09:44:23 AM
Enjoy.   Rain really helped and will help the bee situation out.   Being your first, I can’t emphasis enough how fast you need to get that hide off and guts out if the temps are typical.   If you shoot one late, you won’t recover it in the morning.
Title: Re: Bear advice needed
Post by: Stalkin Prey on August 14, 2019, 10:11:37 AM
I’ve been concerned with the heat, I’ll have a good cooler with frozen jugs in the truck. God willing I’m successful and get everything broken down and in game bags and in a cool spot, what time frame do I realistically have to get my last load on ice? I solo hunt majority of the time so if I’m successful I’ll most likely have to take multiple trips. I’m going to be very mindful of distance as well. Im not going to be taking any shots that I know will end with spoiled meat.


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Title: Re: Bear advice needed
Post by: boneaddict on August 14, 2019, 10:19:41 AM
You’ve got time once hide is off.  Hornets and jackets will normally torment you so having game bags really helps, but like I said, the last storm was brutal to them and it’s not an exceptionally bad year for them. 
Title: Re: Bear advice needed
Post by: Stalkin Prey on August 14, 2019, 10:48:48 AM
Thanks again for the advice. Time to put everything together.


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