Washington Bears

[45/70]

I was going to try hunting Idaho this year, then lost my job. I'd saved up enough money and had to spend it to stay alive this winter, so It's back to square one...

So, I need to find a bear in Washington! I've tried lots of places so far, without even seeing one. So now I'm going to ask for mercy information, so I don't waste my season chasing around bad spots again.

I don't expect anyone to give up a hotspot, but maybe someone knows were there's an "extra" bear that needs to be removed? I'm not a trophy hunter, anything over 5' would do me just fine. My house isn't big enough for much over that anyway. At least not without kicking one of my 4 kids out...if I get a big one It's going to be hard to pick a kid I can live without

Sure wish I was going with you all to Canada! Maybe if you do it again in 2005?

Thanks a million,
45/70

 

[ELKCHSR]

Good luck 45/70 I didn't hunt Bear activly in Wa. when I lived there...Sorry..

 

[brokfut]

45/70
It's been a while but when I lived in Everett, (actually, Lake Stevens) I hunted on Higgins Mountain and on the NW side of the White Chuck. I have seen LOTS of bears on the White Chuck and killed my first bear on Higgins. Like I said, it has been a while. Good Luck!

 

[Horn Seeker]

Hey, I've killed bears in Washington with a 45/70!

45/70....The best bear hunting I know of in the state is in Pend Oreille county. If you are interested at all in travelling that far, let me know and I'll point ya. There is a guy on here, Rufous, that hunts the Blues and I think he does pretty good, maybe he'll show up on this post. Another really good spot, not too far from you is up on Snoqualmie/Stampede Pass. I am talking about fall bears here, dont have a real good grasp on Spring bears. Do you guys have a spring bear season?

Anyhow, for fall, you could head up to Yaki then turn left and get into the mountains, up high in late August early September. Find a berry field and you'll find bears for sure!

 

[45/70]

Horn Seeker,
I do indeed travel to Pend Oreille country. My uncle lives at Rivers Bend, so my wife and I have, both, bow and rifle hunted around there. I've found that area void of open hills. We've found fantastic bear sign but it's always in the deepest cover, or in the middle of the road. I've not found it to be condusive to spot and stalk.

The area that we usually venture into, is Monumental mountain. Up the le clerk creek road. We've hunted all the way to the summit and down into bunchgrass meadows. I've seen grizzly in to open, middle of the day. But never seen a blackie. I'd gladly entertain a better spot in that area. We usually go along with whatever my Uncle is doing, but he doesn't get bears either. So I'm definately looking for advice.

Thanks again,
45/70

 

[Kraven]

45/70 good luck to ya this upcoming season.Have you applied for any of the bear tags for the Blue Mtn areas,they take quite a few bear out of there each year.I hunt here on the Wrong (west) side of the state.I have seen alot of sign on White Chuck also.If ya find Berry patches you should find them bears.Have a good one.

 

[45/70]

I'm definately going to put in for Spring season in the Blues. I used to hunt Elk in the Blues. But then there got to be too many people. My wife and I used to (before kids, more time) hunt archery and we'd camp on Chase Mountain. Then the Bear hounds started overrunning the place and after them, the Dayton Gun Club started organized terror campains against the Archers...beleive me it was BAD! My wife won't even go into the Blues camping anymore. I just pack my Glock and don't carry a bow there...
I've been pouring over the maps of the Whitechuck area but can't find "Higgins Mountain"? Is the area good in general or are there better sections? Thanks a million!

45/70

 

[Kraven]

There are Bear on Higgins mtn.They just logged the area last year tho so it is kind of a mess now.Higgins is back towards White Horse.We used to Deer hunt in there took some nice bucks out of the area but the cougar and bears in there are not being nice to the deer population I think.I just went Steelheading up there a couple weeks ago,lemme know if you need any other info.

 

[Horn Seeker]

45/70,

There are very few open areas up there besides clear cuts, but there are some ridges and open hillsides that are pretty open and covered with berry bushes. If you spend some time in some of these areas you'll find trails that the bears use pretty heavily so you dont really have to glass a huge area.

One spot that is LOADED with bear is South Baldy, directly east of Usk up the Kings Mountain road. The top "bald" part wont have them, but the berry fields just off the top are loaded and there are quite a few clearcuts and burns that are grown up with berry bushes now. We've killed countless bears off that mountain (with hounds) and now without us killing them the population and size of the bruins has to be outstanding.

Another great place would be the head end of Tacoma Creek. Its just to the West of Cusick. The area around Tacoma Pass and Tacoma Peak is loaded as well.

Kraven, western washington is so loaded with big bears now that there is NO reason to travel away from there. A couple of my friends still hunt hounds over there for the timber co's and the state and they catch 300-450 pound bear on a regular basis, opposed to when we were there hunting and the hound season was open we'd NEVER catch a 300 pounder.

Good Luck

 

[45/70]

Horn Seeker,
Thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU! I've hunted in that general area for over 10 years but never those two places. I'll check them out and even if I don't get a bear, I'll at-least have seen some new country...

Oh, and...Thank you!

 

[brokfut]

45/70
Mt Higgins is just about dew East of Lake Cavanaugh and del North of Darrington.
Its just a touch over 5200 ft and well rounded on the top. There are some pretty deep valleys cutting down from the top and any where there is an open area on the south or west faces with briers and berries there are bears. I've got a funny story about a big boar on one of those faces.

"It was early in Sept and we were up on top looking for deer. I was hunkered down in a slash pile up near the head of one of the big draw glassing both sides. Way off down the draw I see this big old boar working his way toward me, kinda side hillin. He would grab up a big paw full of briers and put it in his mouth and pull it through side to side. He was strippin the berries off the vines. Thing is, those berries are ferminted pretty good that late in the year and the bear was just a little bit on the tippsy side of a good buzz. By the time he gets up to where I am he is better then buzzed, he is slightly trashed.

Well, he suddenly stops, looks up where I am sitting and sticks his nose in the air and sniffs and couple of time and says "whoof, whoof". I sit real still and don't make a sound, but he knows there is something there, he just hasn't figured me out yet.
He stands up on his hind legs and sniffs some more and starts with the "whoof, whoof" again.

I let him carry on for a couple of minutes standing up there. He is a good size bear, might go 300 to 350 pounds.

Well, I know there are no deer left on the mountain, much less in this little valley so my hunting is pretty well shot for the day here.

I suddenly jump up and shout at the bear; "Whoof your own self bear".
My God, you would have though I had lit off the dynomite.

That poor bear, bein' drunk and all, let out the strangest yelp, kinda like a kicked dog, put his front paws on his head, arms crossed over his face, dropped down on his butt, curled into a ball and started rolling down the mountain. He must have rolled 3 or 4 hundred yard. He hit the bottom of the grade, bounced into the creek with a big splash and come up outta there like he'd been set on fire. Last I saw him he was heading into the Duglas fur and cedar on the crest across the vally and he wasn't lookin back.

Funny thing, thats the last time I was up there on Higgins too.

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 01-25-2003 21:17: Message edited by: brokfut ]</font>

 

[45/70]

What's that called "BUI" Bear under the infulence?

Great story! Thanks

 

[Kraven]

LOL brokfut that as great.We always entered on the Cpost road and that road has changed drastically, not sure if you came in same road or not brokfut.The lower half of that mountain has been logged and looks nothing like it used to but atleast they got rid of some of them damn 6 ft tall ferns.

 

[Horn Seeker]

No Prob 45/70, if you want anymore info feel free to ask. Definitely some country not to be overlooked in the Cascades too. White Pass, Chinook Pass and Snoqualmie Pass. All just a couple hours from ya.

 

[45/70]

Kraven,
I was going to ask what the best access was to the hunt..."Cpost Road"? I've been going over the map (gazetteer) of this area. I'm going to get a better map, but for now I'm wondering if there's a road number, or a description of the access? I'll do everything in my power to spend some time scouting this spring and later in the summer. I've never felt good enough about an area to put all my eggs in one basket, but this place truely looks great, from the map.

Thanks again

 

[raybow 1]

45/70:
Where is Benton City? I have got a couple suggestions for ya depending on where you are and how far you wanna go and the time frame you have to work with. No shortage of bear here in washington and no problem to find em if you have a couple two or three days.

 

[45/70]

Raybow 1,
Benton City is by the Tri-Cities, SE corner of the state. Pretty close to the Blue Mountains, but they're all but a waste of time anymore...too many people like the dry hunting conditions.
I can usually go anywhere in the State for 3 days max, unless I get lucky and can get some time off. That is, if I go back to work...otherwise, I'll have all the time I need.
My Aunt lives in Bellingham, so that area has a definate advantage for me...some place to stay.

Thanks for posting,
45/70

 

[kirkl]

45/70, hello, were almost neighbors, i live in selah, right next to yakima, im going to try hunting bears in yakima this year, i know a couple areas with bears, just need to find them. my cousing lives up in Burlington, about 30miles from bellingham, he usually gets his two bears every year. Its thick with bears up there.

 

[redrider]

Lets see...

I have a brother in Burlington, a friend with property at the base of Whitehorse Mt. in Darrington and my hunting partner has prime hunting property in Pend Oreille Co. Choices choices and more choices, life is good I guess!

Partners' land is right next to the Blueslide Resort on the Pend Oreille river, between Cusic and Ione. We have hunted his land as well as the Ruby Creek area. The place is loaded with critters that's for sure, I just wish it wasn't 8 hours away!!! 425 miles, one way, makes for a long damn drive. One whole day to get there and one to get home, it kinda cuts into hunting time. The whole way over I'm always thinking of all the good spots I'm driving right past, but I love the Pend Oreille. God's country.

Last turkey season a cinnamon bear ran across the road right in front of Dad and me while we were walking back to the truck. We are going back this spring to check on the place.

My buddy lived over there in Newport for 7 years and his old step-dad is "Jim the Logger". Jim is always out in the woods and sees many, many animals, and usually has a "jobsite" for us to hunt on. That means access to thousands of acres of land that is gated to the general public. Directly behind Jim's house is 3000 acres of timber co. land, I shot a nice doe on last year. We won't talk about the big buck that I missed.

Oooops. Case of buckfever.

I like the idea of Darrington or Mt. Baker because they are so much closer to home. I will have to call my buddy at Whitehorse and see if my invite to hunt on his place is still good.

<FONT COLOR="#800080" SIZE="1">[ 02-22-2003 20:31: Message edited by: redrider ]</font>

 

[45/70]

Redrider,
My Aunt and Uncle live RIGHT across the river from the Church camp. I've glassed the hill on that side, looking for anything to move. Every now and then seeing cattle over there, loads of geese & many beavers. Haven't seen a bear yet...the USAF survival school is right there too, we see a lot of helicopters circling the forest no doubt training our best to survive...good place for jungle training...