2021 Spring Bear Thread

For those in Bozangelas, There's a good bruin posted up on a carcass off of the trail system by Pete's... He knows he's safe in town I guess. But if someone could make him go away, my coworkers and I would appreciate not getting all the calls about him.
 
A friend of mine came to visit today and wanted to see some bears, so I took him up to where I had seen the grizzlies yesterday. Sure enough the sow and cubs were in exactly the same spot and the big black bear was only a couple hundred yards away from where he had been the evening before. After we got tired of watching them, we decided to posthole up the drainage a couple miles to look at some different country. There was a lot more snow up there, but there were still bears in the area. Had this decent bear feeding at a bit over 300 yards for an hour. He is missing most of the fur off his ass end. We got some good looks at it through the spotting scope and it didn't really look like an injury. I am guessing mites in the den? If anyone has any other ideas I'd be curious to hear what you think would have caused this.

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this bear looks like the one off of the Great Outdoors after it got peppered with a shotgun!
 
A friend of mine came to visit today and wanted to see some bears, so I took him up to where I had seen the grizzlies yesterday. Sure enough the sow and cubs were in exactly the same spot and the big black bear was only a couple hundred yards away from where he had been the evening before. After we got tired of watching them, we decided to posthole up the drainage a couple miles to look at some different country. There was a lot more snow up there, but there were still bears in the area. Had this decent bear feeding at a bit over 300 yards for an hour. He is missing most of the fur off his ass end. We got some good looks at it through the spotting scope and it didn't really look like an injury. I am guessing mites in the den? If anyone has any other ideas I'd be curious to hear what you think would have caused this.

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Also got to watch a sow with a new cub play in the snow for a bit. The cub was feeling pretty feisty and was play fighting with mom. It would get up on its hind legs and swat at moms face. She would swing back at it, but was obviously missing on purpose. After awhile they disappeared into a cave under the dark rock above them.

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Travis,

I am going to text you and some other miscreants tonight. We should have some room in the truck, need anything from Minnesota? A loon? A woman of Scandinavian decent?
 
Well. If you look through my post history you will find a few memes, a few remarks about burping the worm, and a few comments on how most of you don't do Mexican food right. Almost nothing hunting related. Sometimes I even wonder why I'm here if not for the BS. But this is a hunting forum after all and I joined for that reason. I aint much for write ups. I could probably sit down and tell you all how it worked out but I like stories that are short and sweet just as much as the longwinded detailed ones.

Found this bear Sunday. Made a play for him but couldn't seal the deal. Had to back out because I brought my family with me.

b1.jpg

I got the ok from the Mrs. to go Tuesday and try and make it happen. Long story short I bumped A bear. Not the same one but A bear. Look down the ridge and there's two dudes who saw everything. Embarrassing. We meet up at the trailhead and have a quick talk, they pretty much told me they've been out there 3 days in a row and have seen bears all three nights. Thinking to myself these guys are putting the pressure on this place. Damn.

My wife is having a procedure on Friday that would ground me for at least a week. I was so conflicted. I was already given the ok to go Tuesday. Which was supposed to be it until after her deal. After a few pep talks with some friends I finally put my foot down and said to my wife "I am a man, I can do what I want without your permission. So can I please go hunting after work? It will be THE last time I swear!!!" After some negotiations I was approved.

Headed out after work. Worried that the guys would already be there. Pull up to the trailhead and no ones there. I grab my shit and run up the hill to an OK glassing area. Not the best but it gives me about 80% view of the face. I sit and wait for a few hours. Lights fading and it was feeling a bit discouraging. I was grabbing my stuff getting ready to move around and still hunt the hill. I look up and he's right there. I GOT JACKED. It was going down. I could feel it in my loins. Closed the gap too 257 yards. Dialed. Settled. Squeezed. Surprisingly didn't miss.

b2.jpg

Had a hell of a night. First bear. Packed it all out solo. Was a great time.

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Huge shoutout too @EYJONAS! If any of you guys get him to tell you his secrets. LISTEN.
 
Well. If you look through my post history you will find a few memes, a few remarks about burping the worm, and a few comments on how most of you don't do Mexican food right. Almost nothing hunting related. Sometimes I even wonder why I'm here if not for the BS. But this is a hunting forum after all and I joined for that reason. I aint much for write ups. I could probably sit down and tell you all how it worked out but I like stories that are short and sweet just as much as the longwinded detailed ones.

Found this bear Sunday. Made a play for him but couldn't seal the deal. Had to back out because I brought my family with me.

View attachment 181869

I got the ok from the Mrs. to go Tuesday and try and make it happen. Long story short I bumped A bear. Not the same one but A bear. Look down the ridge and there's two dudes who saw everything. Embarrassing. We meet up at the trailhead and have a quick talk, they pretty much told me they've been out there 3 days in a row and have seen bears all three nights. Thinking to myself these guys are putting the pressure on this place. Damn.

My wife is having a procedure on Friday that would ground me for at least a week. I was so conflicted. I was already given the ok to go Tuesday. Which was supposed to be it until after her deal. After a few pep talks with some friends I finally put my foot down and said to my wife "I am a man, I can do what I want without your permission. So can I please go hunting after work? It will be THE last time I swear!!!" After some negotiations I was approved.

Headed out after work. Worried that the guys would already be there. Pull up to the trailhead and no ones there. I grab my shit and run up the hill to an OK glassing area. Not the best but it gives me about 80% view of the face. I sit and wait for a few hours. Lights fading and it was feeling a bit discouraging. I was grabbing my stuff getting ready to move around and still hunt the hill. I look up and he's right there. I GOT JACKED. It was going down. I could feel it in my loins. Closed the gap too 257 yards. Dialed. Settled. Squeezed. Surprisingly didn't miss.

View attachment 181870

Had a hell of a night. First bear. Packed it all out solo. Was a great time.

View attachment 181871

Huge shoutout too @EYJONAS! If any of you guys get him to tell you his secrets. LISTEN.
Congrats to you buddy very happy you were able to connect with him. Well earned beautiful bruin. Love it, nothing like the spring bear season.
 
Went out again yesterday evening. There was way more snow in the bottom of the canyon than I have seen up there this time of year, and we had a few unpleasant miles of hiking in deep snow. Almost didn't go up into the slide I normally grass from due to the handful of avalanches we heard and saw while hiking in. In the end we decided to tae the risk and were rewarded with some great views and an evening of watching two more grizzlies and six moose. I haven't seen that many moose in NW Montana in the past 8 or so years combined. Even got to see a cow that had a collar that I may have caught a few years ago for an FWP moose study.
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Not a NW Montana moose, but you get the idea.
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Well. If you look through my post history you will find a few memes, a few remarks about burping the worm, and a few comments on how most of you don't do Mexican food right. Almost nothing hunting related. Sometimes I even wonder why I'm here if not for the BS. But this is a hunting forum after all and I joined for that reason. I aint much for write ups. I could probably sit down and tell you all how it worked out but I like stories that are short and sweet just as much as the longwinded detailed ones.

Found this bear Sunday. Made a play for him but couldn't seal the deal. Had to back out because I brought my family with me.

View attachment 181869

I got the ok from the Mrs. to go Tuesday and try and make it happen. Long story short I bumped A bear. Not the same one but A bear. Look down the ridge and there's two dudes who saw everything. Embarrassing. We meet up at the trailhead and have a quick talk, they pretty much told me they've been out there 3 days in a row and have seen bears all three nights. Thinking to myself these guys are putting the pressure on this place. Damn.

My wife is having a procedure on Friday that would ground me for at least a week. I was so conflicted. I was already given the ok to go Tuesday. Which was supposed to be it until after her deal. After a few pep talks with some friends I finally put my foot down and said to my wife "I am a man, I can do what I want without your permission. So can I please go hunting after work? It will be THE last time I swear!!!" After some negotiations I was approved.

Headed out after work. Worried that the guys would already be there. Pull up to the trailhead and no ones there. I grab my shit and run up the hill to an OK glassing area. Not the best but it gives me about 80% view of the face. I sit and wait for a few hours. Lights fading and it was feeling a bit discouraging. I was grabbing my stuff getting ready to move around and still hunt the hill. I look up and he's right there. I GOT JACKED. It was going down. I could feel it in my loins. Closed the gap too 257 yards. Dialed. Settled. Squeezed. Surprisingly didn't miss.

View attachment 181870

Had a hell of a night. First bear. Packed it all out solo. Was a great time.

View attachment 181871

Huge shoutout too @EYJONAS! If any of you guys get him to tell you his secrets. LISTEN.
Nice work man! Way to stay persistent!
 
Here it's folks the 2021 Montana Spring Bear opener. First off good luck to everyone that's getting out chasing the bruins this spring season. It's truly one of the best times of the year in my opinion. Anyone getting out post some pics. Everyone is welcome to share whether your chasing spring bruins in Montana or brownies in Alaska even sitting over a tub of jelly donuts in Canada. If your hunt turns into a shed hunt or a mushroom hunt let's see it. Good luck everyone and be safe out there!View attachment 180619
Oof that's a beef cake. I've only been hunting in MT for a few years... does hunting bears make you feel more comfortable in the mountains while doing other things (camping, elk hunting, fishing) after learning about them more? I love the mountains, but I'm always a solo guy. Always in the back of my mind that something could kill me any moment. Any advice for a solo mountaineer?
 
Oof that's a beef cake. I've only been hunting in MT for a few years... does hunting bears make you feel more comfortable in the mountains while doing other things (camping, elk hunting, fishing) after learning about them more? I love the mountains, but I'm always a solo guy. Always in the back of my mind that something could kill me any moment. Any advice for a solo mountaineer?
I guess to answer your questions.... No bear hunting doesn't make me feel like more of a badass or comfortable out there. I hunt spring bears because I love the season and they're pretty sweet to watch out in their environment. In the back of your mind you should know that yes something could eat you.... you just need to be smart about being out there and camping, hiking, hunting whatever.... common sense goes a long way. Good luck
 
First trip of the year last night... Bumped a blonde sow with two cubs 300 yards from the truck, so the night was off to a good start. Posted up and glassed the same basin I shot a bear in last year for 4 hours and turned up two more lone bears. Both were too far off to make a play on, and neither looked like first night jumbos, but 5 bears for the first evening of the year has me motivated to get back out ther.

In fact, I better get things wrapped up in the office here quick and get back on the mountain. Hopefully more to share Monday.
 

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