Moosie
Grand poopa
I have posted that I like to Hunt BEar.... I really do. I have yet to Take a big bear but have taken 5 in Idaho. I wrote this Out and Am edditing it but Wanted to post it again to Get The Rest of you Bear hunters Fired up... This Is What I do In Idaho. I am going to hunt Unit 39 and 34 again this year.
As of Any Game, The First thing to Hunting bear is there must be some in that location. We've gotten pretty good at knowing were bear are. Not like it's hard here, because Bear are everywere!!! If there isn't any in the Area then You are wasting your time. A good Way to find out is Look for random Overturned rocks, broken rotten logs and of course bear droppings (SCAT). Scat can look different at different times of the year but basically looks like Human Fesis but usually a bit smaller and if there diet has a bunch of grass/berries then it could be more of a "pile". Bear Scat around our Bait is Usually BLACK. Maybe we feed them weird stuff HUH?!?!?
That being said And you know Bear are in the AREA, I would also check out a couple of other things. There are rules in Idaho that state you have to be certain distances from roads and water and Have to use a ground pit or a 55 Gal drum (WE've been talking about this. Plasic is a NO-NO) chained to a tree.Here is one such drum :
Make Sure you Follow All rules. Idaho Change some this Year again and have in the last couple of years so I will have to Refresh Myself and get all caught back up AGAIN!!! But it's well worth it.
Just like Last year, I will be posting alot of pictures here hopefully and this season I hope to get my second bear with a bow. LAst year I took my First bear with a Bow and It was AWSOME to me !!
Here is the first bear I ever got '98.
We like to Bait Downhill from the road. Here's why. I only have to Carry ONE or TWO bears out from the bait site but have to bring in thousands of pounds of bait during the Season. I hoof it all on my own and don't use horses or 4-wheelers so that's my "DOWNHILL" theory. Also it is Easier to approach a bait site from the Top incase a bear happens to be already on that site. We have had bear slip in early and us SPOOK them off the site.
NOW, I look for thick places. Bears feel more comfortable if they can approach the bait site under "cover". You should be in an area that has plenty of cover yet able to see far enough to see a bear coming it. We found a Spot not to far from the road but it is in thicker area and it works well!! Some other Area's are Crossing rivers, Hiking in far or in an Area thats so close others drive right by it.
Are you Going to hunt w/ a bow or gun, Are you planning to dig a pit or use a tree stand? Are you going to try to Spot and stalk or use bait. Are you going to run them with dogs?!?!!? Personally I like to BAIT. I would use Hounds But I don't have any so I use bait.
We have in the Past used Stands and Ground blinds. This year will be a stand w/ the Bow again. I have taken my first 4 bears w/ a rifle and last year took one with a bow. I think it's time for the Bow again. this year I will hopefully catch iton tape !!
Here is Me in a STAND GOOFIN' :
Bait.....Is another key. There are several ways to do this. We use Barrels. We cut the lids off for an opening and Use hinges to put them back on. Then we have chains holding the Lids so they only open part way. We have used cheese and bread in the past. There was a cheese factory that we got cheese from but it has since closed down. We have also used cheap dog food. As you get rid of your elk/deer meat from the freezer this year replace the Space w/ old food scraps and old vegetables for the Spring bait.. But, In IDAHO NEVER use game meat. Even if it's OLD !!! IDFG states that NO PART of any game animal can be used for a bait site... that means Salmon guts too. Weird I think, But thats the law.
Ahhh Which reminds me THE BEST BY FAR..to use in the spring is APPLES!!!! The bear kind of need to "WAKE UP" their system after the long winter "NAP". They eat slowly at first. Apples, we have found, are the best for the bears to get their system going and is Easy on their stomach. After they start hanging around, They eat anything...except jalepeno, but that is another story. I will be heading down to the Orchards In a few months hopefully to Fill my truck with Apples....
Here is my 2nd BEar I got :
OK, What haven't I talked about?!?!?! OH Yahh Size...They say that Ears are truly one of the best ways to judge. I like to look at size of body and hoe they move. If he waddles or looks like he is rolling almost when you see him, you can bet he is a shooter. Also a big bear will look rounder in the body rather than sleek like a younger one! If I was hunting over bait, I would get a bench mark of the height on a tree of close to the bait site to use as a "benchmark". Put up a piece of cloth or something else next to the Barrel for Size judgement.
Be forwarned...Little Bears tend to come to the Bait site first. DON'T SHOOT THE FIRST BEAR YOU SEE 99% of the time it's a (What we call a little one) a BOO BOO They try to get in before the bigger bears do. I had a buddy shoot a little bear a few years ago w/ his bow. When he brought it into fish and game there was 7 bear brought in that day. 6 of the 7 were yearling bear. (HUH T-BONE
) Nothing wrong w/ bear management but if you are indeed looking for one to mount be careful. It takes a lot of practice. Bears ground shrink faster that any other species I know. I actually know 3 Guys getting SMALL bear a couple years ago year. Only one said they knew it was a Small bear. I have had the experience that Big bear will come into the site a little closer to dark.
The time of year in the Spring that we bait it gets dark around 9:10 PM. We are usually at out sites at about 6-6:30 and dumping goodies. Lemme tell you It is hard to sit in a friggin tree stand for 2 hours....(At least for this Western boy). Anyways, the earliest we've taken a bear I think Was like 8:25 PM. But we've seen bear in the bait as early as...7:00 PM I think.
Here is a Bear I spot/stalked 3 years ago:
Here is my 4th bear. 2002 Idaho bear. I took this bear on my first trip out on a solo hunt. It was actually a Spot and Stalk but a cool (SHORT) hunt. I was only 1 mile back in a canyon. Got the hunt on video:
This year We will have several sites and I strongly recommend this for you too. We have had up to 3 barrels to start then usually only keep one after the first 2 weeks. This year will be different I think!!! Anyways. If you are looking for a good spot and think you've found one, Dump some bait. Check it often and maintain it. If you have someone, baiting in the Next canyon or two and they maintain their site....Well need I say more?!?! Maintaining brings me to my next point....SCENT!!
I think Scent plays NO roll if you do it right. (All Personal Opinion here) We Dump our sent ALL over the site and do so all the time. We constantly Pee, hang sweaty shirts, Or whatever to leave or scent...Heres' why :
If there is NO scent around, and One day you are sitting on the stand and the wind isn't just right or anything. and the bear smells you, and lemme tell you he will!!!! Bears can Smell for Miles in the field, You think you can Hide your scent from them, Think again BUDDY!!! Bears can Smell for MILES. I really Believe that!! If the Scent is ALWAYS there, the bear will eventually come in late at night to check it out then start feeling more comfortable and Bombard it during the "WITCHING'" hours, Which is the last 2 hours of the day. So that's my Story and I'm sticking to it.....
I came across a Fish BAit GEL called "SMELLY JELLEY" and am going to use that this year again to Sent up the Place. There are different types but I think It ALL stinks!!!! Which is What you Need when You huntbear.
Here is last years Bear :
We also Do a Honey burn. We put about 1/2" honey in the bottom of a Old soup can and Put it on a Bunsen burner and Cook it slowly.. That sent smells the Air up real good. I will take some Pictures Of That on our hunt also!!!!!
Well...... Enuf typing for Me. Wait for some pics and Constant updates After APRIL 15TH!!! Thats when The season Opens up... And Lemme tall ya I CAN't WAIT!!!!!!!!
Any one else excited ?!?!!?!?
As of Any Game, The First thing to Hunting bear is there must be some in that location. We've gotten pretty good at knowing were bear are. Not like it's hard here, because Bear are everywere!!! If there isn't any in the Area then You are wasting your time. A good Way to find out is Look for random Overturned rocks, broken rotten logs and of course bear droppings (SCAT). Scat can look different at different times of the year but basically looks like Human Fesis but usually a bit smaller and if there diet has a bunch of grass/berries then it could be more of a "pile". Bear Scat around our Bait is Usually BLACK. Maybe we feed them weird stuff HUH?!?!?
That being said And you know Bear are in the AREA, I would also check out a couple of other things. There are rules in Idaho that state you have to be certain distances from roads and water and Have to use a ground pit or a 55 Gal drum (WE've been talking about this. Plasic is a NO-NO) chained to a tree.Here is one such drum :
![bait1.sized.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huntandlodge.com%2Falbums%2Fspringbear03%2Fbait1.sized.jpg&hash=6e63e221fb40a9fe68cb1658a634a961)
Make Sure you Follow All rules. Idaho Change some this Year again and have in the last couple of years so I will have to Refresh Myself and get all caught back up AGAIN!!! But it's well worth it.
Just like Last year, I will be posting alot of pictures here hopefully and this season I hope to get my second bear with a bow. LAst year I took my First bear with a Bow and It was AWSOME to me !!
Here is the first bear I ever got '98.
![Bear.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.elkaholic.com%2Fpics%2FBear.jpg&hash=280e316f36347ae35370c65a18a61482)
We like to Bait Downhill from the road. Here's why. I only have to Carry ONE or TWO bears out from the bait site but have to bring in thousands of pounds of bait during the Season. I hoof it all on my own and don't use horses or 4-wheelers so that's my "DOWNHILL" theory. Also it is Easier to approach a bait site from the Top incase a bear happens to be already on that site. We have had bear slip in early and us SPOOK them off the site.
NOW, I look for thick places. Bears feel more comfortable if they can approach the bait site under "cover". You should be in an area that has plenty of cover yet able to see far enough to see a bear coming it. We found a Spot not to far from the road but it is in thicker area and it works well!! Some other Area's are Crossing rivers, Hiking in far or in an Area thats so close others drive right by it.
Are you Going to hunt w/ a bow or gun, Are you planning to dig a pit or use a tree stand? Are you going to try to Spot and stalk or use bait. Are you going to run them with dogs?!?!!? Personally I like to BAIT. I would use Hounds But I don't have any so I use bait.
We have in the Past used Stands and Ground blinds. This year will be a stand w/ the Bow again. I have taken my first 4 bears w/ a rifle and last year took one with a bow. I think it's time for the Bow again. this year I will hopefully catch iton tape !!
Here is Me in a STAND GOOFIN' :
![treestand.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.elkaholic.com%2Fpics%2Ftreestand.jpg&hash=8f30913fce3d958b7fc9183ef309dab9)
Bait.....Is another key. There are several ways to do this. We use Barrels. We cut the lids off for an opening and Use hinges to put them back on. Then we have chains holding the Lids so they only open part way. We have used cheese and bread in the past. There was a cheese factory that we got cheese from but it has since closed down. We have also used cheap dog food. As you get rid of your elk/deer meat from the freezer this year replace the Space w/ old food scraps and old vegetables for the Spring bait.. But, In IDAHO NEVER use game meat. Even if it's OLD !!! IDFG states that NO PART of any game animal can be used for a bait site... that means Salmon guts too. Weird I think, But thats the law.
Ahhh Which reminds me THE BEST BY FAR..to use in the spring is APPLES!!!! The bear kind of need to "WAKE UP" their system after the long winter "NAP". They eat slowly at first. Apples, we have found, are the best for the bears to get their system going and is Easy on their stomach. After they start hanging around, They eat anything...except jalepeno, but that is another story. I will be heading down to the Orchards In a few months hopefully to Fill my truck with Apples....
Here is my 2nd BEar I got :
![bear1.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.elkaholic.com%2Fpics%2Fbear1.jpg&hash=65afc65d3c2ae7567690d324ba30e31e)
OK, What haven't I talked about?!?!?! OH Yahh Size...They say that Ears are truly one of the best ways to judge. I like to look at size of body and hoe they move. If he waddles or looks like he is rolling almost when you see him, you can bet he is a shooter. Also a big bear will look rounder in the body rather than sleek like a younger one! If I was hunting over bait, I would get a bench mark of the height on a tree of close to the bait site to use as a "benchmark". Put up a piece of cloth or something else next to the Barrel for Size judgement.
Be forwarned...Little Bears tend to come to the Bait site first. DON'T SHOOT THE FIRST BEAR YOU SEE 99% of the time it's a (What we call a little one) a BOO BOO They try to get in before the bigger bears do. I had a buddy shoot a little bear a few years ago w/ his bow. When he brought it into fish and game there was 7 bear brought in that day. 6 of the 7 were yearling bear. (HUH T-BONE
![wink.gif](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fsmilies%2Fwink.gif&hash=dd6ed8a3a837aa04f7a5c3b0fa02ac5c)
The time of year in the Spring that we bait it gets dark around 9:10 PM. We are usually at out sites at about 6-6:30 and dumping goodies. Lemme tell you It is hard to sit in a friggin tree stand for 2 hours....(At least for this Western boy). Anyways, the earliest we've taken a bear I think Was like 8:25 PM. But we've seen bear in the bait as early as...7:00 PM I think.
Here is a Bear I spot/stalked 3 years ago:
![beargrass.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.elkaholic.com%2Fpics%2F2000%2Fbeargrass.jpg&hash=de1a6121742e9779886928168f88b1ad)
Here is my 4th bear. 2002 Idaho bear. I took this bear on my first trip out on a solo hunt. It was actually a Spot and Stalk but a cool (SHORT) hunt. I was only 1 mile back in a canyon. Got the hunt on video:
![bear.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huntandlodge.com%2Falbums%2Falbum12%2Fbear.jpg&hash=cd8e57a365114d479a2b3cf69b3a4660)
This year We will have several sites and I strongly recommend this for you too. We have had up to 3 barrels to start then usually only keep one after the first 2 weeks. This year will be different I think!!! Anyways. If you are looking for a good spot and think you've found one, Dump some bait. Check it often and maintain it. If you have someone, baiting in the Next canyon or two and they maintain their site....Well need I say more?!?! Maintaining brings me to my next point....SCENT!!
I think Scent plays NO roll if you do it right. (All Personal Opinion here) We Dump our sent ALL over the site and do so all the time. We constantly Pee, hang sweaty shirts, Or whatever to leave or scent...Heres' why :
If there is NO scent around, and One day you are sitting on the stand and the wind isn't just right or anything. and the bear smells you, and lemme tell you he will!!!! Bears can Smell for Miles in the field, You think you can Hide your scent from them, Think again BUDDY!!! Bears can Smell for MILES. I really Believe that!! If the Scent is ALWAYS there, the bear will eventually come in late at night to check it out then start feeling more comfortable and Bombard it during the "WITCHING'" hours, Which is the last 2 hours of the day. So that's my Story and I'm sticking to it.....
I came across a Fish BAit GEL called "SMELLY JELLEY" and am going to use that this year again to Sent up the Place. There are different types but I think It ALL stinks!!!! Which is What you Need when You huntbear.
Here is last years Bear :
![bearpic1.sized.jpg](/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.huntandlodge.com%2Falbums%2Fspringbear03%2Fbearpic1.sized.jpg&hash=6b9ac9ca79811cc40d70b3026b309921)
We also Do a Honey burn. We put about 1/2" honey in the bottom of a Old soup can and Put it on a Bunsen burner and Cook it slowly.. That sent smells the Air up real good. I will take some Pictures Of That on our hunt also!!!!!
Well...... Enuf typing for Me. Wait for some pics and Constant updates After APRIL 15TH!!! Thats when The season Opens up... And Lemme tall ya I CAN't WAIT!!!!!!!!
Any one else excited ?!?!!?!?