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Spring Montana black bear hunt questions.

Elliot1987

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Joined
Aug 5, 2015
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I love bear hunting and have done a few dedicated bear hunts in different states. I’ve steered clear of areas that could hold griz. Mainly because I don’t want the precautions of avoiding bad encounters with griz to interfere with my hunt. With that said I’ve hunted deer and grouse in the big snowies and Judith mountains. I saw some decent sign of black bears, but it’s been a couple years. Not interested in knowing your specific spot, I’d like to know how the roads are in the spring, typical snow cover during the season and things like that, Accessibility more than anything as that has been my headache every year. I’m not a smart man, but I’m not stupid either, so if you have a suggestion on an area to hunt bears, I will listen. I’ve been trying to find a reason to go to the Custer national forest, but I doubt I’d find bears there.
In addition we plan to backpack in, but not a crazy distance. We haven’t set a time period on when we’ll be there, so suggestions on a time period would be helpful as well. I’d be happy to exchange info on Colorado bear, MN bear and Arizona bear if anyone is interested.
 
I love bear hunting and have done a few dedicated bear hunts in different states. I’ve steered clear of areas that could hold griz. Mainly because I don’t want the precautions of avoiding bad encounters with griz to interfere with my hunt. With that said I’ve hunted deer and grouse in the big snowies and Judith mountains. I saw some decent sign of black bears, but it’s been a couple years. Not interested in knowing your specific spot, I’d like to know how the roads are in the spring, typical snow cover during the season and things like that, Accessibility more than anything as that has been my headache every year. I’m not a smart man, but I’m not stupid either, so if you have a suggestion on an area to hunt bears, I will listen. I’ve been trying to find a reason to go to the Custer national forest, but I doubt I’d find bears there.
In addition we plan to backpack in, but not a crazy distance. We haven’t set a time period on when we’ll be there, so suggestions on a time period would be helpful as well. I’d be happy to exchange info on Colorado bear, MN bear and Arizona bear if anyone is interested.
I am interested in doing a spot and stalk bear hunt in Az some day. Preferably zone 27 or 8. Do you have any good intel on either of those zones?
 
Montana begins bear hunting with dogs this year don't they? Weigh that in when picking a spot, need to get far away from roads...
 
I'm probably not much help as I left Montana in 1973. But lived in Lakeside and used to see lot of bears all over in NW part of the state. We'd just go out and find dirt roads and travel them and see bears. They used to come in the the town dump quite a bit in lakeside and saw a good number going to the top site, USAF. I have been told the place to hunt them is Oregon, where I live now but if I've seen three in the 50+ years I've been here I don't remember the last. Montana was a black bear paradise. As far as grizzly is concerned, got a 338 mag right after I got there, Idea of grizzly got the better of me. Lived up there about 5 yrs and never saw a grizzly and I was in their country a lot. Lived a couple years in Alaska and have never seen one up there either. Then again I never went looking for them either. Be aware of where your at and what's around you and go for it! What was supposed to be as good as it get's in Montana was way NE in the Yaak. Only ever made one trip up there and didn't see a thing. Was early spring and still lot of snow so not sure they were even out yet. I actually preferred hunting the fall or them.
 
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