How close to camp to hunting area

[kommj]

How far should someone try to make camp from the area that they're looking to glass? I have an area picked out to hunt this spring in MT. The area I am wanting to glass from is a saddle ridge at about 5400 feet which allows me to glass from the bottom of a drainage up into several opposing avalanche chutes with elevations from 4000 up to about 6000 ft. There are two places I've found that look good to camp in. The first is in the drainage I'm looking to hunt, near the base of the saddle ridge. Essentially the base of the slopes we'd be glassing are only 100 yards or so from where we'd be camping. I'm worried that this is too close and we risk blowing out bears. The other option is to camp on the opposite side of the saddle ridge and hike up (and over if we spot a bear) to our glassing area. Both have access to water it appears, so that will not be an issue. My only other thought is that we could potentially start at the further away camp and move in closer if we locate a known bear that we are trying to relocate the next day. Any thoughts would be appreciated. This Spring is going to be my first bear hunt. Thanks.

 

[Pony Soldier]

Check your prevailing wind and stay on the receiving end. Put camp in on the north side in the jungle- temp won't be so harsh. The bears are attracted to emerging vegetation on the south slopes and whatever they can find dead.

I'm prone to camping where it is warmer that is centrally located to a number of favorable environments. Most of the bears I have seen cover a lot of miles.

 

[GotDraw?]

Keep in mind that those saddles at ridges where you want to glass two valleys are often where the very game you are hunting will cross from valley to valley. Screw that up by putting your base camp tent there, then your movement in camp and prolonged scent could unintentionally and efficiently drive game away from both sides without you ever knowing it.

Been there, so sharing that lesson.

Camp where your game does NOT want to be and far enough way that you, your scent and movement in camp are not at cross-purposes with hunting your intended game. Even if this means you have to hike 400-800+ yds to get to your glassing area.

JL

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

Do wonder how much we mind f*ck ourselves.

Non-hunters camp and hike in the woods. Animals don’t leave the ZIP code for them. They may change up their routine a bit but bears will still tend to hang around if that’s where the food is.

I have had bears walk through camp, at night, while I’ve been hunting them. This is both remote and camping next to my vehicle. My presence didn’t send them to a different ZIP code.

With all that said, do try to camp away from their “honey holes”. Once in the field you still need to work the wind.

 

[S-3 ranch]

Do wonder how much we mind f*ck ourselves.

Non-hunters camp and hike in the woods. Animals don’t leave the ZIP code for them. They may change up their routine a bit but bears will still tend to hang around if that’s where the food is.

I have had bears walk through camp, at night, while I’ve been hunting them. This is both remote and camping next to my vehicle. My presence didn’t send them to a different ZIP code.

With all that said, do try to camp away from their “honey holes”. Once in the field you still need to work the wind.

I tend to agree, I made camp on back of a ridge and had 100-150 yard walk to our glassing point, we never spooked any game , and even had a bear and a moose walk around the camp a few days
@ my base camp cabin game is readily seen from the porches

 

[Wrench]

As a rule for myself, I try to stay 30 minutes away, downwind and not where the thermals will hose me.

I apply this to all game with noses.