Bear Hunt

[sbhooper]

I have been a fan of the TV show for a long time and never did check this website. If I had known about Hunt Talk, I would have been on sooner.

I have been considering a bear hunt before I get too old to do it. I lived among the bears in New Mexico and always figured that I had plenty of time to get one. I actually called one in with a varmint call and BLEW IT. Long story short, I ended up moving to Nebraska and that kind of ended my bear quest. I went hunting in Newfoundland last year for moose and also had a bear tag. We found bears, but the weather beat us and we were unable to make a stalk. It did motivate me to do it, however.

I am physically able to go to whatever distances I need to in order to get a bear. I have packed out hundreds of pounds of deer and elk meat over many years, so I am familiar with the whole ball game. I really don't want to use an outfitter, as I prefer to do it myself or with somebody else that is willing to work as hard as I do to be successful.

It seems to me after looking at the threads here, that many of you are very experienced, hard working hunters and I have really enjoyed reading about everybody's successes.

It appears that most of you on here hunt in Montana. It does not take long to figure out that northwest Montana is definitely the best area overall for that state. I am open to going to Idaho or Washington, also, but I have no use for baiting. The only kind of bear that I want is spot and stalk.

I would like to know what the overall consensus is. Which state would offer me the best rookie chance at a spot and stalk bear and where would be the best town to base out of. I really don't want to do the camping thing, but I have spent many nights in elk country over the years, so I am not totally adverse to doing it. I would just prefer the day-trip thing at this stage in my life.

I would also like opinions on spring vs fall hunting. I am open to both, but I have read that the fall meat is generally better and I like to eat what I kill. Also, if I hunt fall, I don't have to wait until next spring.

This will probably be a once-in-a-lifetime hunt for me, as I really have no need for more than one bear rug (and I really don't even have room for one!). I will greatly appreciate any pointers that any of you are willing to share with me to help make this DIY hunt possible.

Sorry I kind of strung this out a bit.

Sid

 

[Big Fin]

Welcome to Hunt Talk.

Seems you have a pretty good feel of things already, based on what research you have done. NW MT is by far a better place for bears, but also much tougher hunting. Thick and nasty. Spring is a great option, as it is more predictable with bear activity. Think about May 10th and later, if you don't want to take a large gamble on the weather and bear activity levels.

 

[drahthaar]

I think you can just about pick a town up here and drive to national forest land easily. Kalispell will be the biggest town. Libby or Thompson Falls wood also be good. There is a ton of bears and national forest land up around Eureka. You could easily find lots of locked gates to walk behind up there as well.

 

[sbhooper]

Thanks, Drahthaar. That is kind of what it seems like to me just doing my research. One thing about it, if I go to Kalispell, I can probably do a timeshare trade and live 5-star at night while I hunt bears in the day!

The closer a guy gets to Glacier, the more grizzlies are around though I suppose-right? I prefer to avoid them if possible, but that is not going to be a determining factor for me. I suppose most of the real good area in Montana is capable of producing a one-on-one with a grizzly, so bear spray may be in order anyway.

I have a long time to research and a lot of country to look at in Idaho and Montana. There is so much good bear country, that it makes it hard to decide where to go. It is just great that there is so much good public land with that type of oportunity on an animal that is pretty much under-utilized.

Thanks a lot.

 

[THWAK1]

If you go to Kalispell, make sure you stop by Moose's Saloon! You'll be glad you did!

 

[sbhooper]

Sounds good! I am always up for a beer or 15.

 

[drahthaar]

There really isn't anywhere you can go to avoid grizzlies up here. The most grizzlies, IMO, are in the east flathead valley and down the swan. And they are in the valleys heavy.

 

[----]

There's lots of non grizzly areas with good black bear hunting. Except for the Blackfoot, all of region 2 is more or less black bear only. The lower Clark Fork from Superior on downstream to ID is really good bear hunting, and I've never heard or seen of much grizzlies in there.

 

[sbhooper]

Thanks! I am looking at all options for sure. I have a long time to keep gathering information on all areas. I have, however, already been concentrating my search on the general area that you mentioned. I have not found any negatives about it yet.