JBLM Bears

[riggiesmalls]

Anyone here hunted bears on JBLM? I have an orchard-type area that had a little sign, but I know in-general that there is less bear activity down this way than up in the North Cascades/OP. Don't know if it's worth my time going someplace closer to home like on base or just making the trip up to GMU 418. (I'm active duty and have all the requirements to hunt on base already - waterfowl was a blast last year).

If anyone has other spots around the area, open to suggestions / link-up!

[HuntNFish]

Hi there Dupont neighbor. JBLM bear hunting can be very spotty. Over the years I know of many who have tried and spent a lot of time on JBLM land and never got a bear. IMO there's way better places to find and harvest bears in this state than JBLM. It's convenient for sure, but not the best.

[duckmen1]

Saw a big bear cross the road really close to town on Fort Lewis recently. I was in shock seeing it walk out in front of me while at a stop sign. He must have been looking for some Taco Bell across the highway at night. Lol

[Feathernfurr]

I mean the real reason to hunt bears at JBLM is so I can have Texas Roadhouse afterwards 😂

[wadu1]

In my travels to JBLM I saw the most by the Madigan gate. One big boar was always in the grassy area next to the gate when leaving. A quite a few in the timber between Madigan and the main post.

[ThomMedic]

JBLM is something else. Explore it all the time. Always find lots of sign, even odor around the old orchards and with large areas of black berry. But hardly ever see any thing more than a crow. The areas have been too thick with ground vegetation. One day we were walking down a hardly used dirt road a few yards parallel to a large prairie. A beautiful large black bear >300 pounds suddenly jumped in front of us <80 ft. It was a beautiful specimen complete with vocals.

The population of animals in any one areas seems to migrate and never remains consistent just as the food sources do. I have seen lots and lots of coyote and their droppings, just a thought I am up for both if some one wants to team up. PM me for more details and locations.

[Bullkllr]

Most of it being relatively flat topography has to be a factor. Most places you'd have to be about right on top of a bear to have a chance to see it. 

[Threewolves]

The biggest hurdle on JBLM after you pay for your 135.00 Isportsman permit is hoping the area you want to hunt is open! and open for the type of weapon you want to use! For today, only one area in South Rainier was open.

There are trade-offs  to any place you want to hunt. You just have to decide how many hurdles you want to jump.

For example, you can roll into Capitol Forest ( or a national forest)  with your rifle and hunt an area you saw a bear last time you were there. And if you don't find it, you can go anyplace in CF and look for any other one.  You daughter can hunt with you.
No checking in or out. No punishment.

JBLM: pay your 135.00

1. You look at Isportsman maps the day before, hoping the area you want to hunt is open.

2. Get up at 0 dark thirty. There is no checking into the area the night before.  Check again to make sure the area is open.

3. Check into an area through  Isportsman.

4. Make sure your access pass is on the dash.

5. Drive out to your assigned area. (Do not shoot the grouse in the area you are driving through to get to your assigned area! you are not signed out for this area) Do your bear hunting thing. The area looks good enough to try tomorrow, OH crap it's closed tomorrow.

6. You want to try another area. Great, it's open. Check out of the area you are in and check in to the new one through Isportsman.

7. Go home. Oh, crap you forgot to checkout of your area before 10:00 PM.  You just lost the next 12 days of your access for failing to check out. Good thing  this isn't muzzleloading deer season you would have lost your whole season. If you wanted your son to hunt fork up some more bucks.

Seriously, look up the hunting report for 2023. Don't worry about that a hunting area maybe missing on the top line. It will kinda give you an idea # of animals taken vs, # of hunters. It does not show animals taken by the Nisqually. Determine if it is worth your time.
 
Good luck and good hunting.

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[Threewolves]

I know my above post sounds kind of negative, but it is a reality. JBLM is for military training. That is the priority. Last year was  the first year of this Isportsman.

Also, JBLM closed down in deer season last year for a WEEK for post clean up. Seems like this cleanup could have been done some other time. I wonder if the clean-up is scheduled in deer season this year. I will try and find out.

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[okie john]

I was stationed at Ft. Lewis for almost five years. I saw a lot of game there but I wouldn't try to hunt it now. You could have a battalion-sized element show up in an area you've scouted and push all of the game out of it.

One exception might be the hills between Steilacoom and Solo Point. The hills are brutal and there are plenty of blacktails but you might be limited to archery.


Okie John

[GWP]

Wow! JBLM has changed since I was hunting and dog training there!
Saw deer and bear going in from the East gate off of 7 and heading N a quarter mile or so.
But that was quite some time ago.

[Threewolves]

JBLM post clean up usually the first full week in November, so closed during rifle elk. And, for the rifle seasons, rifle is usually only allowed on weekends.

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[Threewolves]

Just as an example, JBLM area hunting areas are closed all this week for training until Saturday, and  that is why you have a backup plan. I have a Weyerhaeuser permit or go to national Forest property.
 

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