Any advice for spot and stalk spring bear

[Buckbrush]

Well I finally drew a bear tag for the bitter creek south unit of the Book Cliffs.
Anybody have any advice on the road and snow conditions in that unit in early April?
Also any tips a newbie at spot and stock black bear would help a feller out. Thanks

 

[RobertD]

First you spot em
Then you stalk em

Haha. Just look in the Other Big Game section, there are lots of threads of guys asking for and receiving random bits of advice. There is also a thread with tons of people sharing photos and info of their own spring bear hunting from last year that is a good read.

 

[brymoore]

Early April you’ll be looking for boars eating up the mountains as the grass greens up. Glass the greenest spots on the mountain. In my experience, I’d glass the evenings but you can glass all day if staying in the area. I usually have access problems due to snow - I can see bears I can’t really access by road due to drifts. I see more bears the closer to May and June.

 

[Buckbrush]

First you spot em
Then you stalk em

Haha. Just look in the Other Big Game section, there are lots of threads of guys asking for and receiving random bits of advice. There is also a thread with tons of people sharing photos and info of their own spring bear hunting from last year that is a good read.

Yup thanks been doing that. Just wanted advice from people that hunted the book cliffs. I have hunted them for elk 3 or 4 times but not in the spring.

 

[Buckbrush]

Early April you’ll be looking for boars eating up the mountains as the grass greens up. Glass the greenest spots on the mountain. In my experience, I’d glass the evenings but you can glass all day if staying in the area. I usually have access problems due to snow - I can see bears I can’t really access by road due to drifts. I see more bears the closer to May and June.

Thanks that's what I was wondering. Muddy roads

 

[brymoore]

Thanks that's what I was wondering. Muddy roads

Snowy roads. I can’t drive through three foot drifts.

* I’m not taking about Books Cliffs specially but everywhere in Idaho.

 

[Buckbrush]

Yeah I'm just wondering when I should take a week off work for this hunt. Snow pack and when the bears start moving. More importantly I guess how wet of a spring or dry of one. I'm thinking of the 1st part of may and do a shorter trip in april. Tags good from April 2 till end of may.

 

[Idahoarcheryhunter]

I like mid May for road conditions and activity. You’re dealing with run off which can screw things, I seem to find more bears middle of the month anyways. April is for turkey hunting.