Prince of Wales Spring Bear- Solid Ground?

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Has anyone hunted the inland parts of the island in the spring?

I know all about the fall road hunting massacres and the new rules there, but am interested in possibly driving up and hunting off the road system on logging roads and clear cuts in the spring when it's legal. I don't think I've hardly ever read about someone doing this in the spring there. I have on other islands, but the stuff on POW is always down along the beaches.

Does all the beach grass draw the bears down low so it's a wasted effort? Is access a pain due to heavy drifts? Kind of seems like it could be the same type of hunting I'm used to, just with bears the size of Angus.

 

[glass eye]

I have not hunted it yet but my apps are in.
I believe that beach grass is the first food source available for bears when they come out of their dens.

 

[wdkrings]

I have hunted it twice, and ALWAYS had better stalks and saw more bears on the logging roads away from the ocean. I was warned that you were more likely to run into sows with cubs up high, but I only saw boars... and some really big ones... I had a couple opportunities on the beaches, but would say that tactic is betters served for coastlines far away from civilization, and brown bears. If I ever go back the beaches will be my last ditch effort.

 

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I have hunted it twice, and ALWAYS had better stalks and saw more bears on the logging roads away from the ocean. I was warned that you were more likely to run into sows with cubs up high, but I only saw boars... and some really big ones... I had a couple opportunities on the beaches, but would say that tactic is betters served for coastlines far away from civilization, and brown bears. If I ever go back the beaches will be my last ditch effort.

Just confirming, both your hunts were in the spring?

 

[wdkrings]

Both were in the Spring. I have lots of digital pictures of one of the hunts, but the first one was back in disposable camera days. I cant figure out how to post pics on the forum just yet, but I could email you a few. I could even show you on a map some of the areas I used to hunt. Later,

 

[Big Sky]

I was up there once in the spring and hunted both from a boat and a little from the roads. The boat system was more effective in covering more area and seeing more bears. However had I just wanted to shoot a nice boar and wasn't holding out for something a little better than "just nice", it would have been no problem to kill a bear off the road system. I did end up with a really nice boar, but without the boat that bear would still be alive.

 

[wdkrings]

I agree the boat is a great way to cover country fast. I would sit in a bay waiting for bears only to have skiffs roll in with rifles ready. Most the time they wouldn't see me but motor through the bay and on to the next one. While hunting on foot, I had a much better experience in the hills.

 

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Great stuff guys, I appreciate it.

Our group has three guys applying, anyone out there interested in getting in on it so we can do a couple party applications?

 

[Big Sky]

Randy I will warn you though hiking through the timber and especially the slash areas is not not anything you have ever likely experienced in Montana. It is extremely difficult to get around in. It humbled me very quickly. If you shoot a bear keep shooting until it goes down as you do NOT want to track into the tangled mess it will surely head for.

 

[brownbear932008]

I have been there on two hunts both spring and my buddy has went three times both spring and fall. I personally like the beach hunt I saw more animals and like said above if you get in the woods and off any logging road its nothing like you have ever been in very thick stuff with devils club everywhere. I have seen bears doing both. I think with the limited amount of tags now given out the beach hunt should be even better than it was my pre draw system hunts I may be applying for the first time myself this year. Good luck in the draw. My buddy likes the fall hunt great fishing on the island and deer hunting.