2020 Spring Bears Thread

[Marshian]

We have seen 10 bears, one possible repehat. Hard to get close enough for a shot, but it seems to be getting good. Arrowleaf balsamroot is really popping and the bears have been loving it. Maybe tomorrow will be the lucky day.

I admit I had to google arrowleaf balsamroot. I always thought it was some kind of yellow daisy.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

I sure hoped so. I miss being able to pick up Salmon Fly, Bent Nail and Cold Smoke at any gas station. Here in town we have both kinds of beer, Busch light AND Bud light.

I’m pretty sure your town has the worst beer selection in the state, ha. I wasn’t gonna be picky, went looking for anything New Belgium, they hadn’t even heard of it at the liquor store. That was a few years back maybe it’s improved.

 

[MTLabrador]

I’m pretty sure your town has the worst beer selection in the state, ha. I wasn’t gonna be picky, went looking for anything New Belgium, they hadn’t even heard of it at the liquor store. That was a few years back maybe it’s improved.

It’s pretty rough. We have new ownership at the liquor store downtown and it’s getting a little better, still not like home. But then again, we can buy our elk tags over the counter and hunt wilderness, which doesn’t suck.

 

[Dunning Kruger]

We have seen 10 bears, one possible repeat. Hard to get close enough for a shot, but it seems to be getting good. Arrowleaf balsamroot is really popping and the bears have been loving it. Maybe tomorrow will be the lucky day.

Didnt know bears ate that stuff. All i know is that i hate it because when it dries out its LOUD.

 

[Sask hunter]

Think this is the same bear. He got my bait the fifth and then was back Friday and Saturday night at 1030. A few other bears hit by bait this weekend too. So maybe I am now past the slowest start ever phase. Now just need this guy to come in during daylight. I think he warrants a closer look

 

[Brian in Montana]

I'm jealous guys. I haven't even gotten out yet. Around this part of Montana, it's hard to actually get out into the mountains very far until about May 10. Next weekend.

 

[BackofBeyond]

My hunting partner and tried to hit it as hard as we could this weekend, both got the afternoon off on Friday, but both needed to be home for breakfast on Sunday. We drove separately with the plan of him glassing from one side of the canyon, while I glass from the other. Plan worked pretty good too, at about 6:30 I heard a shot from where he was sitting, and got a text "bear down." I hustled back out to my truck, drove around the canyon and back up to his side. I parked next to his jeep and called to ask if he was on the ridge to the north or south of the jeep. Now this was his first bear, first public land animal, and as a native Texan, first animal that wasn't 100 yards away at the corn feeder - so HE WAS JACKED! He got all cross ways and told me he was north of where he parked, so I started humping up there, the whole time looking to the south thinking "man, that area to the south is AWESOME, why wouldn't he go watch that?" Half a mile up the hill he called and confirmed that he was south of where he parked.

Ended up being a decent bear. We packed it out and got it hanging up Friday night. He took it to F&G this morning, they estimate it at ~ 6 years old, and went 5' 3". He's already dropped it off for a rug.

Ended up seeing 5 bears, 1 sow with 2 cubs, a big boar, and the one in the freezer. Just an all around good weekend in da woods. I'm down to next weekend to try and punch my tag... stay tuned!

 

[Irrelevant]

T'was a easy "hunt" if you want to call it that, I'm not sure I would. Friend of a friend had some food plots and open areas he maintains for whitetail that were getting hit by bears, so I just walked a little loop between a few likely places all day on Saturday. I passed up a smallish sow and two year old cub (maybe, honestly I have no idea, that was just my guess, but my trigger finger wasn't itching) early in the morning, then ran into a couple of small blackies doing the rounds. Came around a corner at 530pm and saw this guy, it was the fifth different bear of the day. Medium sized boar with what I felt like was a decent sized noggin'. First shot off hand 70 yards, dropped him and the success immediately went to my head so as I was walking over, he popped up and ran in the brush without a follow up shot. See as it was getting towards evening, I figured it was best to run into a wounded bear in the brush during daylight than in the dark, and with Mother's day on Sunday, I wasn't going to be able to come back in the morning, so I dove in after him. It was a good blood trail, easy to follow, but after a while he started to backtrack and weave around. Then and I coming up from my knees and there he was looking at me at about 20 feet. I pulled the gun up and shot and he dropped and died. I was super bummed that that last shot caught him in the lower jaw, there goes the euro I was hoping for... In terms of pics I have a decent one but it makes the head look pretty small, and another with a better head shot of the bear but a terrible one of me. I think they might both qualify for Jose's Grip and Grin thread.





Update: measured at 5'4" squared. Hide had already soured at the base of the head. I had it rolled up with the head (new reg from WDFW that the hide skull and evidence of sex must be presented to them... but apparently I didn't get the memo that they waived that due to Covid) all in a cooler with ice. Oh well I didn't want a rug anyway, but I was hoping to give it away.

 

[BackofBeyond]

and here's a photo, just to brag on my partner.

 

[MTPUBLICLAND]

 

[Marshian]

@neffa3 Your bears head is ridiculous! I’d be curious the skull measurements

 

[Sask hunter]

Seen this guy through the cross hairs tonight...

 

[Id-Dave]

Slow start for me. First test bait turned up nothing. Tried to get to my known spots but snow is still taking its time melting. Set up a new one yesterday.

 

[EYJONAS!]

View attachment 139847

Those look like some big feet. You gotta noggin pic.

 

[Deleted member 28227]

T'was a easy "hunt" if you want to call it that, I'm not sure I would. Friend of a friend had some food plots and open areas he maintains for whitetail that were getting hit by bears, so I just walked a little loop between a few likely places all day on Saturday. I passed up a smallish sow and two year old cub (maybe, honestly I have no idea, that was just my guess, but my trigger finger wasn't itching) early in the morning, then ran into a couple of small blackies doing the rounds. Came around a corner at 530pm and saw this guy, it was the fifth different bear of the day. Medium sized boar with what I felt like was a decent sized noggin'. First shot off hand 70 yards, dropped him and the success immediately went to my head so as I was walking over, he popped up and ran in the brush without a follow up shot. See as it was getting towards evening, I figured it was best to run into a wounded bear in the brush during daylight than in the dark, and with Mother's day on Sunday, I wasn't going to be able to come back in the morning, so I dove in after him. It was a good blood trail, easy to follow, but after a while he started to backtrack and weave around. Then and I coming up from my knees and there he was looking at me at about 20 feet. I pulled the gun up and shot and he dropped and died. I was super bummed that that last shot caught him in the lower jaw, there goes the euro I was hoping for... In terms of pics I have a decent one but it makes the head look pretty small, and another with a better head shot of the bear but a terrible one of me. I think they might both qualify for Jose's Grip and Grin thread.

View attachment 139820

View attachment 139821

Update: measured at 5'4" squared. Hide had already soured at the base of the head. I had it rolled up with the head (new reg from WDFW that the hide skull and evidence of sex must be presented to them... but apparently I didn't get the memo that they waived that due to Covid) all in a cooler with ice. Oh well I didn't want a rug anyway, but I was hoping to give it away.

Have you skinned out the skull yet, wondering what it looks like and if a euro is still possible.

 

[Irrelevant]

Have you skinned out the skull yet, wondering what it looks like and if a euro is still possible.

Lower jaw was mostly jelly, one side of the skull was pretty toast. I think some of the teeth and jaw shattered up into the skull. I saved enough pieces to make an attempt at a partial reconstruction, it'll look like it has a helluva story to it or it'll just end up in the trash.

 

[MTPUBLICLAND]

Here’s a couple pics of him alive

 

[EYJONAS!]

View attachment 139992View attachment 139993
Here’s a couple pics of him alive

Are you serious!?

 

[MTLabrador]

View attachment 139992View attachment 139993
Here’s a couple pics of him alive

That second photo.... Uffda....

 

[BackofBeyond]

View attachment 139992View attachment 139993
Here’s a couple pics of him alive

Ya, I think he'll do.