I think I want to try bear hunting!!!

Greg Beck

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Sep 19, 2013
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Southwest Idaho
As the title states.....First time for me. Thinking ahead to next spring. Any tips? I will probably do spot and stalk. I don't live close enough to bear country to try baiting yet. South Central Idaho. I have my units I usually hunt and know the area's somewhat. I have seen bear sign while doing summer hiking with the family. Rifle hunting. Thanks.
 

kad11

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Jan 14, 2014
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Billings, MT
My first two seasons spring bear hunting I never saw a thing... was moving around way too much and not in the right places at the right time. Last spring I bought a tripod for binoculars and forced myself to sit and be patient. Saw at least one bear every time I went out. I'm a complete greenhorn so take that in to consideration, but by far the biggest help for me was getting something stable for my binos and sitting the last two to three hours of daylight. Good luck... stalking bears is a blast!
 

gwl79902

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Sep 30, 2013
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For me in Oregon I do best glassing grassy hill sides near dark timber the first two hours and last two hours of the day. Best wekk to hunt for us is last week of May. Becareful later in spring sows with cubs are more active. Earlier in spring boars will be more active. Or that seems to be the case. Most yaers I see more in the evenings but this year I did like crap in evenings but saw bears in the morining.
 

unm1136

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Aug 30, 2012
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Albuquerque NM
I will be following this one closely. My daughter has decided basketball and volley ball are her school year highlights, and that a week long deer tag ain't worth the time/money. Bear season is a month long, before school starts, and I was deer hunting this year in an area where I saw many sets of bear tracks near a water tank.

pat
 
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Mar 20, 2013
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Banks of the Red Deer River Alberta
Bowbeck spring bear hunting is one of my favourite hunts and spot and stalk is the way to go imho. In the spring when the bears are waking up they are looking for green grass to get their digestive systems working again. Look for south facing slopes or cut blocks, as the snow melts these tend to green up first and that's where you'll find bears. You'll see sows with cubs and smaller bears at any time of the day but the big bruins tend to come out at last light. Of the years I've been bear hunting 90% of the action has been in the last half hour of day light.
If you stay in one spot long enough they will come to you. Shot this one at five yards after he ripped through and sampled all our food😎. Really gets the blood flowing
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tater

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Dec 9, 2012
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BC
Mike has it covered above, but be really, really sure it isn't a bigger sow with cubs. Sometimes it takes a little bit of watching to be sure there are no little ones tagging along. Bears are also really bad for ground shrinkage, so spending some time watching and really analyzing a bear before committing is good. If you have the wind, and there is food, they don't wander too far and there is time to check it out thoroughly.

If your season runs into rut (June 10th(ish), boars will be active during the day and can be found working through cut blocks and avalanche chutes looking for sows.
 

Jon Boy

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May 25, 2012
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Paradise Valley, MT
Spring bear is slowly becoming one of my favorite hunts. Its such a nice time to be in the woods looking for sheds, scouting new areas for deer and elk, and looking for bruins! A good day bear hunting can be action packed. I will say over the last three springs, I have only seen one bear before the last week of May. I think I'm finally saying the heck with hunting for them before that. Having said, I'm sure cabin fever will kick in the last week of April and I'll be out looking haha
 
OP
Greg Beck

Greg Beck

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Sep 19, 2013
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Southwest Idaho
Spring bear is slowly becoming one of my favorite hunts. Its such a nice time to be in the woods looking for sheds, scouting new areas for deer and elk, and looking for bruins! A good day bear hunting can be action packed. I will say over the last three springs, I have only seen one bear before the last week of May. I think I'm finally saying the heck with hunting for them before that. Having said, I'm sure cabin fever will kick in the last week of April and I'll be out looking haha
Sounds like something I could get addicted to....;) Shed hunting and scouting would definitely be added benifits!
 
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