Looking for advice on a Spring Black Bear Hunit in Idaho Unit 1

SlibSlab

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Apr 25, 2017
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Florida
My buddy and I are looking to do an early June Spring 2017 Black Bear Hunt in Idaho. Based off our schedules we are going to only end up with about 6 days of hunting and are planning to spot and stalk, not bait. From our research online and talking to some of the regional offices we have settled on Unit 1, due to their lack of baiting and reported high density of bears. I've read other forums and am hearing the same things from people stay East of 2/95 to avoid Hunter pressure. Also a lot of people have been saying stay east of Priest Lake, but what I'm really looking for is if there is anybody out there with resident knowledge and can point me to a specific area that won't be crowded and has a high chance of bear contact. I know hunting spots are like gold, so I know I'm asking a lot but just didn't know if there was somebody out there who could point me in the right direction.

Separately, both of us are willing to hike as far as needed to get to a good spot and away from hunting pressure. Thoughts? Recommendations?

Thanks
SlibSlab
 
Joined
Mar 21, 2017
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North of 2 and east of 95 is less folks and good bear. If you can get into the area north of priest lake is good, but more people. Roads are all messed up now though. A lot of closed roads, that aren't going to be open anytime soon. Best to call ahead for road closures.
 
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The later you can come the better. There was/Is a lot of snow still this year. So if a road is open, chances are you still can't get up it. East of 95 is better than west in that regard.
 
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SlibSlab

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Apr 25, 2017
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Florida
Shooter thanks for the advice, we are starting the hunt on June 8 so I think we are good for timing. Any particular areas or Basins to look at? ON the map study basically looking for areas where we can get a good vantage point for glassing over multiple selection cuts or cleared areas.
 
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Mar 21, 2017
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Good luck. Most roads are to remained closed until memorial day weekend. Others are impassable. A lot of roads are washed out and just plain gone. Others are washed out over creeks where brush plugged culverts and the water took out a 15 x 15 foot swath of road. I was just out yesterday and truthfully it is pretty depressing. With the push to keep people off the land due to habitat restoration.....i don't see them fixing the roads anytime soon. The roads that were washed out last year still haven't been fixed. Once logging season opens maybe that will change and the loggers will fix the roads....we'll see. If somebody tells me how to post pics, I will post pics of the signs.
 

Jtay561

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Jan 21, 2017
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North Idaho
Shooter, were all those closures on the west side or east side of the selkirks. Im planning on going to a couple low land areas i know hold bears on the east side but do like going high often too
 
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Mar 21, 2017
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Both. Roads are closed all over here. The main road in town is down to one lane for months now due to a slide on 95 .
 
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Mar 21, 2017
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If you Google boundary county road closures or call idl you will see what I mean. I don't know what the snow situation is north of priest, but there are a lot of bears there.
 
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