Bear Hunt

[justintaylor62]

I have been considering doing a bear hunt for the first time in my life this fall and have been reading through all the posts/information in other locations. I am currently considering either a guide or seeing if someone will let me tag along with them this year. I grew up hunting high desert mule deer and the dense West side mountains have not been my friend. My couple attempts at black tail on this side of the mountain in past years that were basically just me hiking with an unnecessary amount of protection. So based on that, and my wife's dislike of guide prices, this is my attempt to see if anyone would be interested in helping a new black bear hunter out this year. If not, recommendations on guide/s that are at least worth the price. I am Puyallup based, but travel for hunting as most do.  I am also a subsistence hunter rather than trophy hunter, so don't really care about a monster so much as mature and responsible hunt.

[trophyhunt]

Bear can be a little tougher on the west side, as you know, mature blacktail in this thick stuff is even harder. I’ve had better success up high in the backcountry than logging roads or timber property. When the berries ripen up, up high, it’s a good place to glass. Sit and be patient, I agree w the wife, no guide necessary, there are some good guys on this site, I’m sure someone would have you go along w them. 

[.257mag]

In my opinion there's no need to go with a guide for bear in this state.  There's no baiting allowed so ur odds of harvest are virtually slightly less if you do a little work.  With the stupidity of the wildlife commission canceling the spring season, our fall encounters of bears should be pretty good.  If I were you I'd focus on old gated logging roads early August.  Fawn distress calls work great if your seeing sign or sit over an older clearcut that you can still see into during the evening hours. Good luck!

[justintaylor62]

Thank you both for the thoughts. Definitely will hold on the guide path since I was already on the fence anyway. Maybe I can convince the wife to do mushroom foraging in the right areas this year and get early scouting in some higher areas.

[X-Force]

Buy the no bait just bears or ultimate guide to bear hunting book.

Lots of good areas on the west side, alpine berry patches in September and October, lower clear cuts in august and September.

Get behind gates, if it’s hot hunt gully’s and shaded sides of hills.

[Blacktail Sniper]

The tribe can use bait on their lands, but is spendy:

https://biggamehuntingadventures.com/trophy-black-bear-hunting-in-washington-state/


The site owner, Bearpaw also offer do it yourself hunt maps, cheaper than a guided hunt and have heard folks on here say they are fairly successful using them:

https://www.bearpawoutfitters.com/

[justintaylor62]

Buy the no bait just bears or ultimate guide to bear hunting book.

Lots of good areas on the west side, alpine berry patches in September and October, lower clear cuts in august and September.

Get behind gates, if it’s hot hunt gully’s and shaded sides of hills.

Thanks. Just ordered the ultimate guide and will read through that the next few weeks.

[justintaylor62]

The tribe can use bait on their lands, but is spendy:

https://biggamehuntingadventures.com/trophy-black-bear-hunting-in-washington-state/


The site owner, Bearpaw also offer do it yourself hunt maps, cheaper than a guided hunt and have heard folks on here say they are fairly successful using them:

https://www.bearpawoutfitters.com/

I saw both these options when I was researching guides and liked the idea of the map since it just helps close my gap on where to go and get started. Appreciate the insight that they do help.

[GASoline71]

Buy the no bait just bears or ultimate guide to bear hunting book.

Lots of good areas on the west side, alpine berry patches in September and October, lower clear cuts in august and September.

Get behind gates, if it’s hot hunt gully’s and shaded sides of hills.

Thanks. Just ordered the ultimate guide and will read through that the next few weeks.

It's an exceptional book, and the author Douglas Boze is a member here.  @saylean

I've read through it twice.

Gary

[WoodHacker]

I have been considering doing a bear hunt for the first time in my life this fall

That's where I was in 2019 and I have killed 2 bears now.  Like others above, I recommend the book and finding where the berries will be ripe during your hunt.  Bear Hunting Magazine is also a good information source and there is no substitute for 'boots on the ground' scouting.  If you are a reader, Education of a Bear Hunter by Ralph Flowers can teach you a few things about bear food sources.

[hunter399]

I'm no expert like many on here.
Food sources,and places off the beaten path ,
Is my advise.
There will be many of us hitting it hard this year.
Spring bear closing,has got some guys getting itchy.
I bought my son a bear tag first time this year.
So my attention will be on that above myself.

[ElkTacos]

If I were you I'd focus on old gated logging roads early August.  Fawn distress calls work great if your seeing sign or sit over an older clearcut that you can still see into during the evening hours.

Lots of good areas on the west side, alpine berry patches in September and October, lower clear cuts in august and September.

Get behind gates, if it’s hot hunt gully’s and shaded sides of hills.

I'm now a Washington resident, had been hunting bear in California previously. I need to get familiar with Washington food sources, and August is the biggest question mark for me right now. What elevation are you targeting for august bears and what are they eating? Based on these replies it looks a lot like grasses, shoots and ants/bees/bugs.

I'm seeing salmon berries in lower elevations and flowering in higher elevations, but i'm expecting the major berry crops of blackberries, chokecherries and huckleberries to come out later season and im expecting bears to be higher up in elevation later season vs August, but would love to test those thoughts against the realities of your experiences.

Would love any insights on elevation for bears month to month and food sources month to month. I'll be reading the books this thread recommended and have read through the materials on black bears at wdfw.wa.gov to try to hone in a bit more for Washington food sources and elevation. In the mean time i'm boots on the ground working some areas to get familiar with them

[pickardjw]

Doug's book details some of the food source by month information.

I also use hiking reports to gauge when food sources hit in the fall. Half my bear waypoints on OnX are areas I think look good from maps, the other half are from reading hiking reports and knowing bears frequent the area.

Doug's book also goes into bear calling, so don't write that off as an option. I'll be giving it a go this year.