2025 spring bear thread

[Trap]

ID doesn’t have limitations on NRs except for two draw units. However, legislature has added verbiage to the draw unit description making the units open to anyone under certain circumstances. NRs can essentially hunt 100% of the state with OTC tags.

I’m all for more hunter opportunities but the swarm of NR bear hunters each spring is getting out of control. I hunted a gate last year that would normally have 2-4 total rigs parked. It had 12. I counted license plates states - TN, NV, PA, MN, etc. There was one other ID plate.

This year I’m driving and I see a horse trailer being pulled slowly by a truck. Another rig driving slow ahead. I look into the trailer to check out the horses as I drive by them. Llamas. First rig has NR plates. I know exactly where they’re going. I bet they have a hot tent, llamas and are going to hike five miles away from the gate to hunt bears. Sigh. Eastern NRs must watch the same YouTube videos to get the same idea on how to hunt the west.

ID needs to consider a restriction of 10% on NR bear tags too.

Restrictions? How about stop selling nr discounted tags first? I agree with you but many of our units in north Idaho are selling nr 2 otc tags for like 30 bucks each. I dont understand why so many nr flock to Idaho (other than cheap otc tags) I would consider it one of the worst states for spot and stalk bear hunting since we allow baiting and hounds in all but unit 1. Bears on average are much smaller and numbers are down signifigantly since they went to 2 tags and extended seasons. Most bro non res bear hunters I see seem to be spot and stalk hunters it makes no sense. We still get bears every spring with our hounds but F&G does need to limit non resident

 

[PoleX]

No happy ending. As soon as the storm lifted a bear popped out. Made a great stock, down and up…still miss a layup every now and then…

 

[Sask hunter]

That’s not how I left my stand

 

[Rack Daniels]

Big sow on my bait View attachment 371152

That pics a lot harder judge of “boar or sow” than the one asked earlier!

 

[ccc23454]

That’s not how I left my stand
View attachment 372178

We could never leave seat cushions in ladder stands as bears would chew and shred them all the time. When walking up to 2 man stands in dark always had to check there isn't one napping on platform. Hope they didn't bend anything that matters

 

[Sask hunter]

We could never leave seat cushions in ladder stands as bears would chew and shred them all the time. When walking up to 2 man stands in dark always had to check there isn't one napping on platform. Hope they didn't bend anything that matters

Destroyed the cushion but other than that was just very very crooked. Next time I’m back I’m going to move the stand. Over the time bears have started coming from a different direction so this should be better stand location

 

[Frequently Banned Troll]

I see the Wyoming sow/boo-boo killers are trying hard to not to be outdone by Montana. They even bait there - so people are apparently plumb happy to kill Yorkie sized bears, more intentionally - as they should be able to size them up well when their head is stuck in the bait bucket. Wyoming is cruising to about 50-50 boar to sow. Very impressive Cowboys.

 

[samuel_284Win]

Harvested my first black bear last week. Warden estimated the sow to be 6-8 yr old when a tooth was pulled for precise aging. No signs of lactation this year. Probably an average 5 ft. bear from what my brother-in-laws told me.

 

[Pucky Freak]

Less than a week away to be in SW MT glassing hillsides. I’m planning to hunt the same area as I did last time (2022), but with tactics adjusted to apply what I learned:
-I’m not going to catch a cruising boar headed away (tried, waste of time).
-3 sets of elevations to glass, select based on where the green-up is when I am there
-verify tracks are actually BB (got excited after finding concentrated sign…turned out to be subadult GB)
-don’t walk around so much and blow out prime spots (loafing bear bumped out with a huff on a hillside I should have glassed instead).
-discern cruising bear sign from stationary bear sign
-don’t take too much stock in days-old bear crap…bear very well moved up or on to fresher green-up
-be more strategic about sitting ambush funnels for cruising boars, if I switch from glassing…got some great tips from a generous forum member who specializes in this ambush tactic, and sees a bijillion bears.

Maybe only have slightly more of a clue than on my first attempt, but I am optimistic I’ll see more bears this time. Last time was the early June torrential rains for days on end that caused the catastrophic flooding around Yellowstone - I had maybe 10 hours of sunshine in 5 days of hunting. I heard that bears aren’t very active in the rain??

 

[Frequently Banned Troll]

That the bear you followed to it's den a few years ago? mtmuley

It’s dead now. My daughter got him.

 

[Frequently Banned Troll]

6’8” square w/ 19.5” skull

 

[El Jason]

Man that’s a big old nose on the bear.

 

[PoleX]

Kurt, looks like a great time! Did she shoot it last night, back to the house around 1-2am? You got some tough kids! Out of all the bears you've harvested, you find your biggest and hers must be in the top 3-5? Wild start to the year!

I'm with @520 Road Sow, might as well hang it up for the year and try a little harder next season before I embarrass myself with a 4.5-footer.

 

[520 Road Sow]

Kurt, looks like a great time! Did she shoot it last night, back to the house around 1-2am? You got some tough kids! Out of all the bears you've harvested, you find your biggest and hers must be in the top 3-5? Wild start to the year!

I'm with @520 Road Sow, might as well hang it up for the year and try a little harder next season before I embarrass myself with a 4.5-footer.

Who said anything about quitting? Shit is just gonna start getting good.

#keephammering

 

[520 Road Sow]

Congrats to Olivia! Absolute stud of a bruin!

 

[PoleX]

Who said anything about quitting? Shit is just gonna start getting good.

#keephammering

I should probably go sit this den I found 2 years ago and see whats hanging around.

 

[Frequently Banned Troll]

Kurt, looks like a great time! Did she shoot it last night, back to the house around 1-2am? You got some tough kids! Out of all the bears you've harvested, you find your biggest and hers must be in the top 3-5? Wild start to the year!

This spring has been flowing with very good luck. We did get home around 2 a thankfully only a couple miles in.

 

[Sask hunter]

Congrats to your daughter @Frequently Banned Troll

 

[Frequently Banned Troll]

He had a broken jaw at one time. And I was a little low on skull measurement, looks like 19-3/4. Such a fun time out ..

 

[El Jason]

He had a broken jaw at one time. And I was a little low on skull measurement, looks like 19-3/4. Such a fun time out ..
View attachment 372500

Wonder what the story was behind that fracture.