Endangered Grizzly Bear Photo Thread

[mdunc8]

I had a friend of a friend shoot one three years ago. Stopped by to check out his ram before heading back to ND. Those things are even more impressive when you get your hands on them.
I think most units are two, but I’m not positive. It’s not uncommon for them to go unfilled. However, it’s a very real possibility that your unit might close several days into the season.

 

[mixedbag]

Ha,at my age I expect them to kick my butt.I was mainly asking to see if I can even make it back to where sheep may be.I would love to give it a try.Do they have to be full curl to be legal??What's hunting pressure like??

 

[Steve O]

No.

Many.

Low and NO.

99.9% of the guys that want to do this have no idea how difficult it is. Those that do-do it successfully on their own-are in the smallest North American hunting fraternity there is...and the most impressive. I especially get a kick out of the ones that just plan to run out and take a nice ram with their bow!

Good luck.

 

[neilmoore406]

I had the most epic time giving the 300 unlimited a try this year. I spent 7 days in there solo, most of it before the season opened. Saw ewes and lambs which I was stoked on, but no rams. Will be back every year I can - way too much fun. I've only been hunting three years and I am addicted. The unlimiteds may be the coolest opportunity hunt in the US.

Here is a video I made of my adventure. No tag filled but an epic time nonetheless. You'll see I have my bow and rifle - next time I won't pack that much weight. The bow was in case I ran into a nice elk.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd1wBY0KF5s&t=3s

Enjoy!

 

[MTGomer]

Is this even a realistic chance at success for a NR diy hunter?I'd lke to give it a try.How many miles in till your where the sheep are?? Love the otc opportunity for sheep.What are the quotas and are they always met??

If you want to do it you should.

Before deciding if you want to, I would recommend a week long scouting trip in August. Not to find sheep necessarily, but to get a realistic sense of the scale of the mountains and your ability to get around in them. Good way to figure out if it's for you without spending $1250

Have you gone on backpack Wilderness hunts for deer, elk, etc or are atleast experienced in backcountry hiking/camping/fishing?

There are hard unlimited hunts and really hard ones. The right way to do it is 5+ (10 is ideal) days during a period of mostly reasonable weather.
Do your research, hunt hard, be smart and you'll eventually see sheep.

Get good gear. Disregard People that say ' you don't need expensive this, or that nice of that' They would have literally gotten hypothermic and died with me twice already this year and several more times in the past few years. Most recently over the last few days. Buy nice shit.

Get used to being alone. Unless you have friends with way more flexible schedules than me, nobody is going to continually go on a wild goose chase to Montana with you. I go with others sometimes and enjoy it when I do, but you gotta go when you can. Alone or not.

Be able to tolerate being uncomfortable.

Know your limits. I found mine Saturday morning in waist deep snow about 12 miles from the truck, with all known water sources frozen solid. Sometimes you have to retreat a bit and change your plan.

If you are deathly afraid of heights, lightning, or grizzly bears( in that order) forget it.

I think a NR has a plenty good chance. I ran into two guys from Colorado on opener nearly 20 miles from the trailhead right where I get into sheep, and they were onto a ram.

It's pretty winterish this year.

 

[antlerradar]

Every once in a while I think about asking a friend about helping me with an unlimited sheep hunt. With his help I would have a good shot at punching a sheep tag. Gomer's pictures remind me of why I don't.

 

[squirrel]

Was stuck in a pickle and opened this one the other day, pretty nice pics everyone, and stories too. It is amazing country, I headed up there full of piss and vinegar for elk a few years back, went in 12 miles or so which was my recovery limit with 1 llama and 1 dog as my packers... sucked ass for elk as there were wolves everywhere, but what an amazing place, at 12 miles in I was just getting started. I needed more of a pack string instead of just a single packer. I would have gone back better prepared if anything I had seen would have warranted another trip, but in the duration I never cut a track, found one rub from that year. Great rip for observing wolf pack behavior though. (Lester the llama didn't like them much)

How in the hell... if you are twenty miles in can you be supposed to know the quota has filled, and what amount of prison time would you be sentenced to if you came out with an over quota ram to be checked in? Always wondered that after seeing the pure vastness of the country.

 

[mdunc8]

Satellite phone or texting function on DeLorme inReach

 

[squirrel]

Satellite phone or texting function on DeLorme inReach

Not that those were in existence when I was in there or I would be able to figure them out now, as I still get my ass kicked by my cell phone 8/10 times, but OK. ( I didn't find out they took out the twin towers till almost October) And I thought finding and killing a legal ram would be the hard part! Gorgeous country if you can handle it though.

 

[Tradewind]

If you want to do it you should.

Before deciding if you want to, I would recommend a week long scouting trip in August. Not to find sheep necessarily, but to get a realistic sense of the scale of the mountains and your ability to get around in them. Good way to figure out if it's for you without spending $1250

Have you gone on backpack Wilderness hunts for deer, elk, etc or are atleast experienced in backcountry hiking/camping/fishing?

There are hard unlimited hunts and really hard ones. The right way to do it is 5+ (10 is ideal) days during a period of mostly reasonable weather.
Do your research, hunt hard, be smart and you'll eventually see sheep.

Get good gear. Disregard People that say ' you don't need expensive this, or that nice of that' They would have literally gotten hypothermic and died with me twice already this year and several more times in the past few years. Most recently over the last few days. Buy nice shit.

Get used to being alone. Unless you have friends with way more flexible schedules than me, nobody is going to continually go on a wild goose chase to Montana with you. I go with others sometimes and enjoy it when I do, but you gotta go when you can. Alone or not.

Be able to tolerate being uncomfortable.

Know your limits. I found mine Saturday morning in waist deep snow about 12 miles from the truck, with all known water sources frozen solid. Sometimes you have to retreat a bit and change your plan.

If you are deathly afraid of heights, lightning, or grizzly bears( in that order) forget it.

I think a NR has a plenty good chance. I ran into two guys from Colorado on opener nearly 20 miles from the trailhead right where I get into sheep, and they were onto a ram.

It's pretty winterish this year.

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Gomer: give us a gear list or a bag dump of what you have to survive 5+ days at 10,000 ft. Boots, pants jacket, etc, for when the snow falls and the temps follow.
Thanks

 

[mixedbag]

I have really good gear and have back packed hunted a bit,not 10+ miles though.I've done Alaska 3x so I can handle being away from civilization,grizzly for neighbors and constant rain/being wet.I would be happy just to find sheep and get to watch them do their thing.Seems odds at finding a legal ram is extremely slim.Do the sheep tend to frequent certain mountains??How much hunting pressure do you run into?If I lived close,I could easily see getting addicted to trying to fill one of these tags.

 

[MTGomer]

Gomer: give us a gear list or a bag dump of what you have to survive 5+ days at 10,000 ft. Boots, pants jacket, etc, for when the snow falls and the temps follow.
Thanks

Boots: in order of weather from fair to terrible;
La Sportiva Trango Cubes
Schnees Granite
Saloman ice climbing/mountaineering boots of some sort. Not even sure the model. They’re old.

Pants:
Merino Long Johns, Sitka Timberlines, Sitka Kelvin puffy for glassing.

Coats: a mix of kuiu kenai, superdown, Sitka kelvin, timberline, Patagonia, or even a spyder ski coat.

Dakine snowboard mittens, Smith ski goggles

Hilleberg tent.

Rabbit bomber hat Warmth and top tier style!

 

[MTGomer]

Speedo, Knife, Moccasins, Satchel.

Fireball whiskey, medical grade bud, Starbucks via coffee. Crocs.

I’m joking. Maybe.

 

[Tradewind]

Speedo, Knife, Moccasins, Satchel.

You're too funny :W:

 

[MTGomer]

Man it’s a tough year. Went out again recently a few times.
By this time last year I’d seen 9 rams, 6 of them legal. And 40+ ewes. This year I’ve seen 6 ewes and lambs.

 

[Jim/Wa]

Just curious. Which Hilleberg tent is that?

 

[MTGomer]

Just curious. Which Hilleberg tent is that?

That is the Akto. If you have the extra money and don’t mind the extra pound or two I’d recomend the Soulo, but for what it is the Akto is great.

 

[Southern Elk]

Better take a snowmobile!

 

[MTGomer]

I think most people’s seasons are about over in 500 and 501. There is over 30 inches of snow at the trailheads on the front.
55” at Fisher above Cooke and the snowtel is nowhere near the top.

 

[lonedave]

Too bad. I was really hoping to see at least one of you guys get into them this year after that quick start in the 300's. I guess I'll have to live through you next year, unless I bite a really big one and go at it one of these years. I'd better make a decision though as I'll be 60 next May!