2025 spring bear thread

[cgasner1]

@520 Road Sow
View attachment 371109

Trying to avoid the r/nr blame game but do they post those numbers somewhere with that

 

[Frequently Banned Troll]

Trying to avoid the r/nr blame game but do they post those numbers somewhere with that

I’d bet more than 1/2 of the sow killers in 510/520 reside in one MT city.

 

[cgasner1]

Maybe Batman will drop me a dm with some numbers I bet he knows

 

[MTLabrador]

@520 Road Sow
View attachment 371109

And all before the good stuff even turns green.

 

[Pucky Freak]

Would someone care to explain all the bemoaning of killing sows and units being closed early? My thought is if it is such an issue, get out there before they do, and kill your bear. Plenty of species around the country, especially marine species, have quotas. The best hunters and anglers get out early and often, and get their kill or catch. Are we upset because there are so many more skilled hunters than us?

If a sow quota is reached rapidly, are there not just more boars and older boars because so many were spared by not being hunted at all during the rut? Boars you can hunt in the fall or next spring? If no one killed a sow, wouldn’t a ton of boars get killed through June 15th, making the unit crappy anyways?

Is it somehow not possible, or extremely difficult for us to kill a spring boar in some units because of hounds, or lots of private land?

I am all for a tag system that is heavily-favored towards residents, especially in high-demand areas. The unlimited NR OTC is a joke. That still leaves MT with some work to do on balancing hunt quality with the O-word, something they have not done particularly well at for many species for a long time.

Most other states have draw quotas for spring and fall bear. Really AK, MT, and ID (and by some measure WY) are outliers. If I were king for a day I’d make the MT high-demand areas draw only and 10% NR cap. You draw a tag, you have all of spring and fall to hunt, w/ no early closure.

Now that I pissed in everyone’s soup, fire away!

 

[Frequently Banned Troll]

Tell me you don’t hunt spring bear without telling me you don’t hunt spring bear.

 

[HappyCamper]

Tell me you don’t hunt spring bear without telling me you don’t hunt spring bear.

Can you enlighten others instead of pretending we’re too dumb to get it?

 

[Frequently Banned Troll]

Can you enlighten others instead of pretending we’re too dumb to get it?

This is not a case of pretending.

 

[HappyCamper]

This is not a case of pretending.

Fair enough, just stop whining when hunters don't share your ultra-virtuous view on spring bear then. I see 14 successful hunters that played within the rules.

 

[Frequently Banned Troll]

Fair enough, just stop whining when hunters don't share your ultra-virtuous view on spring bear then. I see 14 successful hunters that played within the rules.

14 female bears, likely every one of them resembling a mid sized Labrador retriever killed in a unit that had a 9 female quota. Females are what produce the next decades of bears. In the process - closing the season way early in great areas where bear hunters who realize the getting isn’t even getting good yet.

The swarms of sow killers are shameful.

I’m watching WY quotas, waiting for prime time, after having dropped almost $400 on a NR license, and hoping that the idiots sitting on bait can at least tell they are shooting a tiny bear and maybe they’ll hold off.

 

[smw110136]

I think the grind here is that the quota was originally designed for incidental sow killing. Hunters would focus on finding boars and mature bears to avoid being a number booked towards the female quota. However, as FBT is pointing out, that doesn't seem to be the mindset around the spring hunt anymore. Everyone is just out to get theirs with no care towards boar/sow or mature/immature. And that hurts the population dynamics. If the female quota is hit early, not enough boars are hunted late into the spring. Hunters take the maximum amount of females allowed (in this case more than desired, but still within regulation), and no one even has the opportunity to balance the harvest with boars because its over in that area.

 

[HappyCamper]

14 female bears, likely every one of them resembling a mid sized Labrador retriever killed in a unit that had a 9 female quota. Females are what produce the next decades of bears. In the process - closing the season way early in great areas where bear hunters who realize the getting isn’t even getting good yet.

The swarms of sow killers are shameful.

I’m watching WY quotas, waiting for prime time, after having dropped almost $400 on a NR license, and hoping that the idiots sitting on bait can at least tell they are shooting a tiny bear and maybe they’ll hold off.

Thank you for explaining, I only jumped in because I am opening to changing my mind and wanted to understand the anti-sow hunting sentiment.
I get killing females has large impacts on population but I’d be surprised if those units ever see low populations. The fact they fill quota so quickly suggests there are piles of bears in accessible areas (likely area with high potential for human conflict). I get it takes opportunity from hunters that want to chase a big boar later, but there isn’t any reason the few hunters in that camp should be prioritized over the any-legal bear crowd.

 

[HappyCamper]

I think the grind here is that the quota was originally designed for incidental sow killing. Hunters would focus on finding boars and mature bears to avoid being a number booked towards the female quota. However, as FBT is pointing out, that doesn't seem to be the mindset around the spring hunt anymore. Everyone is just out to get theirs with no care towards boar/sow or mature/immature. And that hurts the population dynamics. If the female quota is hit early, not enough boars are hunted late into the spring. Hunters take the maximum amount of females allowed (in this case more than desired, but still within regulation), and no one even has the opportunity to balance the harvest with boars because its over in that area.

Makes sense, I think having discussions like this will sway people that ignorantly have a goal to harvest any bear - so why scold people instead of educating, right? I’m on HT to be more informed and I’m sure others are too.

 

[cgasner1]

Makes sense, I think having discussions like this will sway people that ignorantly have a goal to harvest any bear - so why scold people instead of educating, right? I’m on HT to be more informed and I’m sure others are too.

Those unit have turned a absolute zoo. I’ve been told it loads up with nr and they shot the first animal they see wearing fur. It may not even be the size of a labradoodle from what I’ve heard

 

[Frequently Banned Troll]

Getting sowed happens, it is almost always an oversight, poor judging, not being careful, or just being fooled. Bear hunters should just try harder to be careful. Who actually goes out with this goal in mind, and helping close the season? I especially enjoyed @Pucky Freak’s “Are we upset because there are so many more skilled hunters than us?”

 

[LCH]

Boar or sow?

 

[Frequently Banned Troll]

Boar or sow?View attachment 371130

Sow

 

[cgasner1]

The one guy looks like he is trapped in jumanji

 

[trb]

Getting sowed happens, it is almost always an oversight, poor judging, not being careful, or just being fooled. Bear hunters should just try harder to be careful. Who actually goes out with this goal in mind, and helping close the season? I especially enjoyed @Pucky Freak’s “Are we upset because there are so many more skilled hunters than us?”
View attachment 371126View attachment 371127View attachment 371128View attachment 371129

How are you going to omit the greatest HT bear photo of all time?

 

[Frequently Banned Troll]

This is the 2025 topic.

Relocate to laugh at sow killers here:

Sow bears and boo boos - let's see them.

Hold your head high. Get some thick skin. Share your pics (or those of others). It's happened to most. I've got 4 of my own & have seen it happen to others too. Why and how? Let the tears and laughter begin.. It's an annual tradition.

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