Olympic peninsula bear hunt

[bucksanducks12]

Was looking for some advice on hunting bears on the coast of the peninsula. Killed several in the cascades now, but will be my first time chasing them on the coast.

My father and brother are flying out for a family trip. While my brother and I both love the outdoors, we love them very differently. He’s big into snowboarding and surfing, while I prefer being in the mountains with a rifle in my hands. We will be over by La Push beach for my brother to surf, then hoping to try and get my dad a bear in the evenings or maybe get an overnight in.

Doing some e scouting, seems hard to get into higher elevations and berry chutes. Seems like it will be a lot of timber cuts, marked a bunch in 612, 602, and 615. Everything seems to be around 800ft elevation or less. Berries in the cascades this year seem to be a few weeks earlier than in years past. Slightly worried eurasian blackberries will be burnt out by end of August when we get over there.

Looking for any advice chasing bears in the area, or if I’m on the right track.

Much thanks!

Dylan

 

[Badger 5]

Somebody with some knowledge couldn’t help a better guy.

 

[LoggerDan]

I have hunted those units before, but not extensively. I was mostly a 601,602, 621 and 624 guy. But I have seen large boars around methany(618).

I’m not in that state anymore, so I can’t guess how the berry crop is, but late August, you should still have plenty of himalayan berries.

Ive killed many many bears, but none of any size right smack dab in the cuts. Seems like tney were never far from the cutlines. The thick stuff lends itself to calling. Dont get stuck with just the dying rabbit and distressed fawn. Ive used goat sounds, chicken sounds, kittens mewing. A feather duster of marabou or a big ducks wing makes a good visual to go with the sounds.. bears like constant sound. They forget about the call once its on pause. If you’re hunting around a river, like the south fork hoh, its not a bad idea to hunt the gravel bars and dry channels with pools of water. It is hard hunting down there.. You are likely to see some tribe out elk hunting. All those units get hammered compared to 601 and 602. Those units are ghost towns, but I like them.

 

[bucksanducks12]

I have hunted those units before, but not extensively. I was mostly a 601,602, 621 and 624 guy. But I have seen large boars around methany(618).

I’m not in that state anymore, so I can’t guess how the berry crop is, but late August, you should still have plenty of himalayan berries.

Ive killed many many bears, but none of any size right smack dab in the cuts. Seems like tney were never far from the cutlines. The thick stuff lends itself to calling. Dont get stuck with just the dying rabbit and distressed fawn. Ive used goat sounds, chicken sounds, kittens mewing. A feather duster of marabou or a big ducks wing makes a good visual to go with the sounds.. bears like constant sound. They forget about the call once its on pause. If you’re hunting around a river, like the south fork hoh, its not a bad idea to hunt the gravel bars and dry channels with pools of water. It is hard hunting down there.. You are likely to see some tribe out elk hunting. All those units get hammered compared to 601 and 602. Those units are ghost towns, but I like them.

Thank you sir! I have a feeling we will be spending most of our time in 602 and 612. I got a friend who recommended the south fork of the Hoh like you said, if we hit it I’ll be sure to hit the gravel bars. That sounds like a fun way of hunting them!
I’ll be bringing some calls for sure, and will keep it in mind. Might be getting a Rayonier pass if needed, seems like it would open up a lot of possibilities umber it’s in 602, but enough public in there to try out first!

Appreciate the heads up, headed out tomorrow evening after work and will make sure to follow up on the trip.

 

[LoggerDan]

@bucksanducks12 if you are going to 602, a good bet is down hoko ozette around mile points 15-17 are really really good.

 

[bucksanducks12]

@bucksanducks12 if you are going to 602, a good bet is down hoko ozette around mile points 15-17 are really really good.

Roger! Do you need a timber pass to get back there?

 

[bucksanducks12]

Well, back from the trip. Unfortunately for hunting, my wife and son decided to tag along so we just turned it into a camping trip. Had a great time, my brother got a lot of surfing in, and we got the toddler out camping so I can’t complain.

Thanks all for the knowledge, I dropped several pins while driving around out there and hope to go back some day to check them out. Blackberries were in, looked like the first crop was ripe with more coming in the next week or two. This surprised me, seeing that over in Everett area we are almost done with first crop and second crop is ripening up now.

If anyone ever needs any insight on Northern Cascade bears, please feel free to reach out! Good luck this year!

 

[LoggerDan]

Hey buddy upper, thems my old stomping grounds