Montana in Mid-April?

[wonderdavid]

So my plan was to head to Montana in mid-May but my boss changed my plans so I'll be in the Bering Sea in May. Is it worth going for the season opening on April 15th and hunting for a couple weeks or will there just be too much snow or no bears out? I know getting to places will definitely be harder and many more roads will be closed. I was planning on hitting units 200 and 123, are those no-go's that time of year?

 

[PablitoPescador]

I can’t speak to those units but April is a really tough month to find bears. If you’re coming out that time of year I’d look at the lowest elevation you can find

 

[beauhunter]

Mid April can be tough like @PablitoPescador said. If you're game for some highly questionable weather, a fairly tough hunt, and putting on a lot of miles without needing to punch a tag it could be great. Generally there's not "too many" people out that time of year. Being a resident I tend to reserve April for getting some turkeys for the wife and I, then switching over to bear come May. There's definitely worse things I could think of doing that time of year though...

 

[wonderdavid]

I'm going to be driving from Ohio so it's a long way to go for such a hard hunt.

 

[MT_Wyatt]

I'm going to be driving from Ohio so it's a long way to go for such a hard hunt.

For April bear, I’d honestly pass……snow pack is certainly lower this year, but it’s usually May before you can get vehicles in to approach better areas to hunt. Might be earlier this year? Still, that’s a lot drive for low odds…..

 

[WCB]

I'm heading out the first couple weeks...But I am also hunting very very low mid 3,000s for elevation. If you are hunting Forest Service mountain timber stuff later is a better option. There are areas where you can hunt sage country and be into bears. Even more so if you have ranchers lambing or calving in the area.

 

[wonderdavid]

Well I'm happy to hunt anywhere just don't know anything about how to find them that early. Everything I've been reading has been geared towards later hunts.

 

[snowduckin247]

I can keep you posted I'm not to far fr there it's been warming up a good bit. South/ west facing ranges are clearing up a bit up higher

 

[b.purcell]

Probably the most predictable time of year to find bears. Pretty limited country melted off, even less green. Pretty obvious where the bears are that time of year. Def less sightings early but I’ve seen some of the biggest bears in April. Downside is your gonna spend a fair bit of time post holing and sitting in the snow. Colder, overall shittier weather, and if you aren’t getting any sunshine and some kind of warmth it can def be tough haha. It’s def worth hunting if that’s the only time you got.

 

[wonderdavid]

I can keep you posted I'm not to far fr there it's been warming up a good bit. South/ west facing ranges are clearing up a bit up higher

That would be great, thanks you!

 

[wonderdavid]

Probably the most predictable time of year to find bears. Pretty limited country melted off, even less green. Pretty obvious where the bears are that time of year. Def less sightings early but I’ve seen some of the biggest bears in April. Downside is your gonna spend a fair bit of time post holing and sitting in the snow. Colder, overall shittier weather, and if you aren’t getting any sunshine and some kind of warmth it can def be tough haha. It’s def worth hunting if that’s the only time you got.

Yeah it would be the only time I would have in the spring, even turkey season is coming in so late back home I will miss most of that. So I might as well give it a try.

 

[snowduckin247]

On the plus side turkey Will be on here

 

[wonderdavid]

On the plus side turkey Will be on here

Yes I am planning on bringing my calls and a shotgun lol

 

[The Dude]

I have no idea what it will be like, but give it a shot. If nothing else you will learn some of the country. Good luck.

 

[Werty]

Based on the weather we are having here in MT. You might be in pretty good shape, depending where your hunting.