2022 Spring Bears

[Pucky Freak]

First night, no bears. 50 elk, 4 coyotes, 10 deer, and a moose. Before sunrise today, spotted a blackie at 1.5 miles. Looked BIG. Not Sask hunter big, but, respectable boar. Humped shoulder, Roman nose. I’m new at this, so, hard to tell. Found scat 200 yards from camp, but was a small pile. I left to go after the big one. Hiked down the mountain, crossed a river, and now up the other mountain. Once the thermals change I’ll set up for an evening ambush. Exciting!

 

[Pucky Freak]

Went to set up camp and came face-to-face with 2 wolves! Maybe 20 yards. So cool! I got a pic on my camera I’ll post when I get home.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

A real average size young boar, 5 1/4’- 5 1/2’ maybe. I have yet to see a bear I want to bring home, maybe can squeeze one or two more days in between work.

 

[Pucky Freak]

Sat a whole day on the boar, repositioning for the wind. Then scouted - saw that he was just passing through. I found a single-file path he took, and no other bear sign. It was a nice salad bowl, frequented many times daily by deer and elk, but no regular bears.

Headed back down the mountain, across the river, and up another mountain. Found some cool sheds; Pack is about 15 lbs heavier now, haha. Also came across a fresh grizzly boar track twice the size of my hand, and scat the size of a small dog.

Moved to a bald a few miles away that turned out to be bear city. Thousands of bear tracks covering the hilltop. Two small sets, a medium set, and a large set. I figured sow, 2 cubs, and a boar. I verified black bear on the medium set (nearly fatal error!).

No way to see much of the bald at once, so I still-hunted the evening. I set up just right, but wrong species. 2 griz cubs came out at 40 yards. I backed away but the wind shifted and they alarmed. I heard mama roar from inside the treeline.

As I skidattled out of there I found griz grass scat. I didn’t know griz ate grass…good to know! The medium tracks were BB, but the large tracks were mama griz.

Hailstorm blew over my tarp last night and all my stuff is wet. I’m now on a knife ridge overlooking some greenery for my last hunting day. Best grass is about 7600-7800’ now on south-facing slopes. Tomorrow is the hike out.

 

[BRI]

Not my pic but a friend sent this to me yesterday. Not a bear hunter but I think this is a big bear.

 

[Carl 9.3x62]

Sat a whole day on the boar, repositioning for the wind. Then scouted - saw that he was just passing through. I found a single-file path he took, and no other bear sign. It was a nice salad bowl, frequented many times daily by deer and elk, but no regular bears.

Headed back down the mountain, across the river, and up another mountain. Found some cool sheds; Pack is about 15 lbs heavier now, haha. Also came across a fresh grizzly boar track twice the size of my hand, and scat the size of a small dog.

Moved to a bald a few miles away that turned out to be bear city. Thousands of bear tracks covering the hilltop. Two small sets, a medium set, and a large set. I figured sow, 2 cubs, and a boar. I verified black bear on the medium set (nearly fatal error!).

No way to see much of the bald at once, so I still-hunted the evening. I set up just right, but wrong species. 2 griz cubs came out at 40 yards. I backed away but the wind shifted and they alarmed. I heard mama roar from inside the treeline.

As I skidattled out of there I found griz grass scat. I didn’t know griz ate grass…good to know! The medium tracks were BB, but the large tracks were mama griz.

Hailstorm blew over my tarp last night and all my stuff is wet. I’m now on a knife ridge overlooking some greenery for my last hunting day. Best grass is about 7600-7800’ now on south-facing slopes. Tomorrow is the hike out.
View attachment 225016

Let's see the sheds!

 

[Pucky Freak]

Let's see the sheds!

 

[PaulRevere]

Hell yeah, those are awesome @ElkFever2

 

[Coveyleader]

Right at the buzzer......... "Didn't go 20"

 

[Sask hunter]

All cleaned up. Now to degrease and whiten. 19 10/16” a tie for my second biggest bear with a big black I shot in 2020

 

[Sask hunter]

I wasn’t ready to be done bear hunting so Sunday night I set a bear bait on the farmland. Our second bear tag is only good for the farmland. Checked it last night and set some leech traps. Tuesday afternoon a couple yearlings hit and something else knocked the barrel down Tuesday night with no picture. Hopefully something big shows up.

Have some walleye bait now anyways

 

[ccc23454]

My buddy with his big black and my little red/blonde. Both boars, struggled with weather and snow is still blocking much of our usual area but we adjusted!

 

[Sask hunter]

Pulled barrels and bear hunting stuff today and found this. After my gf shot her bear the bullet exited and not sure if it bounced off the ground ir what but somehow it managed to hit the chain and wrap itself around the chain

 

[Nick87]

Pulled barrels and bear hunting stuff today and found this. After my gf shot her bear the bullet exited and not sure if it bounced off the ground ir what but somehow it managed to hit the chain and wrap itself around the chain
View attachment 225568

Buy a lottery ticket.

 

[BackofBeyond]

That’s bad ass. I’d cut the links out and keep it.

 

[Sask hunter]

I wish I would have thought that. It wasn’t in there very tight so I wiggled it out and put it in my pocket so I wouldn’t lose it

That’s bad ass. I’d cut the links out and keep it.

 

[Pucky Freak]

Anyone else already e-scouting for next year?? I can't wait to try and do this again. When I arrived in MT last month it became immediately apparent my planned hunt area was not going to work, d/t snowpack. I scrapped it entirely and spend about 90 mins on wifi scouting a new unit.

As my 6-day hunt unfolded, I found more and more bear scat and bear prints, and came to understand the habitat much better. It was a steep learning curve, but I feel I am starting to get a good handle on it. I realized in hindsight that I made a series of tactical errors that scrambled my opportunities of seeing more bears within shooting range. I heard at least one "huff" as a bear winded me, maybe 2. I am confident that if I return to the same location another year I can turn them up.

A few more pics from my trip:

Elk and deer within 20 yards


Kids, don't pet the woofs!


...and don't feed the bears!

 

[Sask hunter]

Yearlings had messed up my cell cam so just went there on lunch break to fox it nbd this nice boar was eating. Didn’t expect to see him at 230 in the afternoon. He stood up before running off he is taller then me. Looked to be about 7' tall. Wasn't too concerned about me and was looking like he wanted to come investigate me which was a bit concerning since I had no gun obviously. I would have shot him if I had a gun. As soon as I’m done work I’m going to sit. I hope he comes back tonight

 

[Sask hunter]

View for tonight. It’s only maybe ten minutes from town so I was able to eat supper then head to the bear stand. What a nice treat that was lol

 

[Sask hunter]

Just this little yearling tonight. Thought I wasn’t go to see anything then he showed up