Going for bear tomorrow

[Elkhunter]

Well another year has gone by since last spring bear season. It opened yesterday, on May 1. I ws not able to go yesterday or today due to having to work. I am going out in the morning to attempt to find me a bear. I am going to a drainage that tops out as a nice bowl and and has several pockets of trees scatterd about it. There are a couple of water holes and it is a south facing slope. The next drainage over is where I saw the sow and cub in August. Just over the ridge is where I had the night feeders that were chowing out on my 100 pound a day smorgosboard. Someone from the FS told me they have seen lots of sign up there. I will find out tomorrow. It should be just a morning hunt. It is close to home and there are a couple of vantage ponts where you can see most of the drainage and bowl. If nothing else, I will be out in the hills and enjoying the mountains.

 

[JoseCuervo]

One of the best things about Spring Bear hunting, is it just gets you out in the woods, and lets you see things a bit differently than you see them in the heat of the Summer, or during the hunt in October. The Elk just seem to know they are safe, and the deer too.
Best of luck tomorrow, hopefully better than the Idaho crowd (me

) seems to be doing.

 

[Elkhunter]

Thanks Elkgunner. I have never had any luck getting me a bear. But I sure do enjoy going out and being in the hills.

 

[JoseCuervo]

If you need luck hunting bears, you need to take me. I have been at the scene of 4 kills, and it was never "my turn" to shoot.

94 or so, the last year we didn't have to pack out the meat in Idaho, up on the Payette during rifle season, a buddy dropped one while we were Elk hunting. Ended up about 5', big for here.

A small bear up on the Lochsa in 95 killed by a buddy over bait with a bow.

Spring-2001 up on Prince of Wales in Alaska, I took my soon to be 60 year old dad "Hunting in Alaska", and he ended up with a dandy, 6'.

Fall -2001 up on the Tannana River in Alaska, yet another buddy killed one off a gut pile from a Moose we killed 2 days earlier.

I seem to be a good luck charm, for others...

 

[Moosie]

GOOD luck BILL !!!!!! Me And Elkgunner will venture up in the Hills tommorrow as well...

MAYBE we can Swap stories

 

[ELKCHSR]

Good luck Bill and elkgunner...We are hoping you come back with the big ones, and great stories to tell!!!

 

[Elkhunter]

Well I ended up coming back home after I picked up the horse and got my rain gear as it was raining down here and snowing in the mountains. On the way I saw 2 deer, 17 buffalo, 6 elk and a moose. It stoped raing and the area looked like it could have been very promissing. I got about 1/2 way up and did a lot of glassing but only saw an elk. I did see people tracks, probably from horn hunters. I worked my way to the top and found old snowmobile tracks which pissed me off because it is an area that is closed to human activity until May first. Oh, well, nothing I can do about that now. Of course I took the wrong route and ended up dismounting and walking the horse up the friggin mountain. But once all the way up it gave me a nice vantage point to watch from. I was overlooking a large draw and watched it for about 30 in and never saw a thing. Just before I started to watch the draw I did see 4 elk coming aross the top at quite a distance away. I did learn which way not to go up and chose a different route on the way down. Much easier. It rained on and off all morning and a little snow mixed in with it. By the time I got back to the truck and loaded the horse in it was friggin dumping snow on us. On the way home I saw 26 buffalo and 5 moose in the hayfields and along the river. So that was my day today.

I might hit the next drainage over tomorrow on foot for a quick look see. That is where the night feeders were hitting my bait some years back.

 

[Dick Reece]

Go get'em Elkhunter,best of luck to you,I'll be praying you get to shoot a huge boar,record class.

 

[Elkhunter]

LOL.....

I'll shoot a Teddy Bear if that is all I see.

Thank you for the luck wish and prayer though.

I need it for sure.

 

[ELKCHSR]

You must be back up into the hills for another peakaboo..
Hope it go's well for you today...

 

[Moosie]

WE ended up not going yesterday... SOUNDS like a good day you had though !!!

 

[Elkhunter]

All in all it was a good day Moosie. Saw a few places I may investigate further for elk and possibly deer. At least I was able to get out in the hills and see some new country and that is always cool.

I went again this morning and hiked up the next drainage to the east. Saw some old sign, a few chipmonks and a coyote. It was a nice day to be out and about. Next week I will hit the next drainage over and see if that will produce anything.

 

[MEATHEAD]

Good luck Bill, While your in there see if you can find me a big old elk and tie it up till I get there.

HaHa

 

[Elkhunter]

Martin, I went through a stand of trees yesterday where I believe just about every tree was completely rubbed. They were all between 2" and 5" in diameter and covered over an acre. The next stand of trees was just about the same. It was a pretty impressive site.

 

[ELKCHSR]

I wanted to head up tonight, but the hills are all socked in...All well, maybe tomorrow will be better..
Keep at it Bill, you will succeed

 

[Elkhunter]

Just get out and hit the hills Russ. We don't want no excuses now.

Good luck if you go out tomorrow.

 

[BigHornyRam]

Got out Sunday AM, and ran into a moose, some elk, deer, and grouse. Found fresh pile of bear scat, but no bears. Things are greening up real fast around here, so its only going to get better. Good luck to all.

Paul

 

[Moosie]

WELL.. they're out and About..... Seen some myself

GOOD luck guys !!!

 

[MEATHEAD]

Thanks for the info Bill. Good luck on the Bears.

 

[Elkhunter]

You are welcome Martin.

I am going to try a different spot tomorrow after work. As soon as I get out I will grab the horse and try a spot a friend set me on. He says he saw a lot of tracks on Friday and then heard one yesterday when he went back. He was out horn hunting and said it scared the crap out of him.

Are they hitting your bait pretty good now Moosie?