Bear hunt reports

Joined
Jan 12, 2017
Messages
812
Location
Idaho Falls,ID
Well....bear season has been on in Idaho for 2 weeks now, and probably getting close or already happening in other states too. Let's hear some of the reports! Snow is deep, creeks and rivers are swollen, but I know more than one guy on here has been hunting. As for myself, I've got a bait set in East Idaho, one in Central Idaho, and have been out 4 times, 3 on snowshoes. I've seen one set of tracks, no bears, and very few deer. Picked up a couple antlers even though I loathe shed hunting, they were at my feet and easy.
 
Joined
May 16, 2017
Messages
6
Location
Wyoming
Western Wyoming. Bait its at 6800 ft, still need snow shoes the last 1/4 to access bait. No activity at bait, getting second bait set over the next couple of days. It should start getting really good here in the next week. Just noticed this morning the neon green grass is starting to show in patches on the low south and west facing hills. I did glass up one cinnamon bear last week from the front yard.
 
Joined
Apr 20, 2018
Messages
24
Location
Butte
Just went out in SW montana this weekend. Grass just popping. Bear don't seem to be headed upland just yet. Still stuck in the creeks for another week probably. This weekend will be OK (May 5). Guessing the wkd of May 12 will be money....
 

weatherbow21

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Sep 10, 2014
Messages
225
My wife and I won a hunt with Cody Carr through the hunting fool and just got back sunday. We were a couple weeks early it seemed, stuff is greening up fast but the bears weren't moving far from their dens yet, I saw one little monkey faced bear, poor thing had a bad case of mites, we saw a couple other smaller bears one of which my wife unfortunately missed, and one sow with last years cubs. That area of NW montana needed a couple more weeks in my opinion.
 

Michael Pawul

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 3, 2016
Messages
172
Location
Graham, WA
Haven't seen anything in Western Washington. I've been out 5 times since opening day on 4/15 and haven't even seen any sign. With the way the weather has been, I think it's going to start picking up pretty quick though. Grasses are growing and it's starting to warm up!
 

BCSteel

FNG
Joined
Dec 31, 2014
Messages
94
I'm heading out for 4 days (6-9) in central Alberta with a buddy. First time out this year. I'll be out every weekend until the season closes. Hoping to do better than last year. Shouldn't be hard, only saw two bears last spring lol

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Tyler Beck

Lil-Rokslider
Rokslide Sponsor
Joined
Jan 9, 2018
Messages
115
Location
Lewiston, Idaho
I'm baiting just outside of Lewiston, Idaho and have a few small bears consistently hitting it but nothing of any size.
 

fly1tie6

FNG
Joined
Apr 30, 2018
Messages
34
Location
South East Ohio
Did you enjoy hunting with Cody and his crew? I ask as I will be there myself the week on the 14th. Sounds like I may be getting there at a good time.
 

weatherbow21

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Sep 10, 2014
Messages
225
Did you enjoy hunting with Cody and his crew? I ask as I will be there myself the week on the 14th. Sounds like I may be getting there at a good time.

You're going to have an awesome time, you'll hit the timing just right I think, bears should be pretty active by then. We saw some bears they were just really sluggish, and things were just starting to green up.

Codys operation is absolutely top notch. I've been fortunate enough to do a couple of guided hunts, at 30 years old and newly married I can't afford much guided stuff anymore but was extremely fortunate to win the hunt. Cody is the most friendly outfitter I have met, many I have experienced are so stressed and worn out the job doesn't seem to be fun to them anymore, this wasn't at all the case with Cody. His wife KoLiss (she will most likely cook for you at times) was great, super energetic and always smiling and in a good mood. Guides were all friendly and experienced, and the food and amenities were awesome, not over the top but just right. Not to sound like an ad here but we are 100% happy with our experience and are hoping to make it back.

You will have opportunities at bears, I have no doubt. Practice your shooting out past 400 as shots tend to be long, and do yourself a favor and buy a bottle of Permethrin (walmart, amazon etc) and spray down all your gear before you go. My wife and I were laughing at the guides, I assumed they'd be used to ticks but they weren't and it was a little comical at times. The permethrin we sprayed on every bit of clothes we brought before we left helped a ton.
 
Joined
Jan 23, 2014
Messages
508
Location
John Day, OR
We did a quick trip weekend of April 21-22 in eastern Oregon by the Idaho border.

Saw 3. One was too far to reach in that terrain, one we must have spooked as we saw it running about 600 yards out, and one was big sow with a 2 year old cub. Pretty slow, but not terrible for 2 days of hunting.

Heading back for a five day trip next week.
 

luke moffat

Super Moderator
Joined
Feb 24, 2012
Messages
102
Not Idaho but here is a pic from a bear hunt I got back from Saturday. Not me or my bear in the pic. I was merely the photographer ;)

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Pk_in_Dallas

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Mar 14, 2017
Messages
132
The bears are hitting the bait sites now in N. Alberta.

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fly1tie6

FNG
Joined
Apr 30, 2018
Messages
34
Location
South East Ohio
Weatherbow21 that is excellent news, just what I was hoping I would hear. This will be my first guided hunt and my first time out west, besides Vegas but that is a whole other beast. Lol. I’m hoping I can get a shot a little closer than 400 hundred yards as I’m not super proficient at those distances. Here where I hunt in Eastern Ohio and Westen West Virginia I don’t have the need to shoot that far and in Ohio you can’t use a high powered rifle. But I can’t wait to get out there and I will heed your advice and get the spray. Thanks for the tips.
 
OP
B
Joined
Jan 12, 2017
Messages
812
Location
Idaho Falls,ID
Great posts fellas. Love to see people getting after these spring bruins. Elk and deer get so much attention, but spring bear is one of my favorite hunts. Great pics too, Luke that is a fantastic pic of a successful hunt. Is that Kodiak? The Alberta bait pictures are good, those are big bears. Keep it up, I'm headed out in a few hours to check baits and hike some country for the next couple days. Hopefully I'll have a green rug in the cooler on my way home!
 
Joined
Sep 21, 2017
Messages
64
Slow here on the Kenai peninsula in AK. Seeing activity pick up more everyday though. Buddy and I checked bait yesterday and nothing yet. Really expecting it to turn on within the next week, the first week of May has been the historical turn on time.


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KJH

WKR
Joined
May 10, 2016
Messages
547
I'm told that the bears are not out and about yet in Central Manitoba and the snow is melting. The ice on the lakes should, all be gone in 2-3 week. Only 2 of 40 baits (over 130 miles of road) have been set, but neither have been hit and no tracks have been seen. The bulk of the baiting will begin later next week once the roads dry up a little.
 
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