No bears, anywheres!

[45/70]

Went driving yesterday, from the Tri-Cities up thru white pass, checked bunches of FS roads off the the south of the highway, not even one pile of scat. We were looking mostly for berries, and found NONE of them either.
So we packed up, drove back down to highway 12, and headed for 123, everyone said there'd be berries along 410. It was a perfect day to pick berry's, and we found some, total of 10 huckle berrys, 30 thimble berrys and not one pile of scat. We drove about 200 miles on the highway, round trip, and about the same number of miles on the FS roads. We hiked about 10 miles total and never found more than 10 huckle berrys. I believe anyone that says "you'll find the bears, in the berrys" the problem still lays in the "finding the berrys" part...
I may have to wait till our season opens up over here. Problem with that is, that the berrys are usually done for, by then. So it's back to the drawing board...

 

[GatoMan]

I hunt in Oregon and Idaho, and with are drought yr conditions the berry crops are not coming on like they usually do, you need to look for different sources, this time of yr I hunt the north facing slopes where theres good timber(shade), water, and a food source, you just need to pay attention to what the bears are feeding on, if the berrys have shribled up from a drought you need to look elsewhere, don't concentrate on one target. Yrs like this bears will be traveling even harder in search of food, in the late fall I will even find bear down in the lower sagebrush-juniper elevations eatting juniper berrys of the trees, eatting almost anything before they head into hibernation. Look for other sources besides just berrys exspecially like the last 2 yrs we have had down here in oregon and idaho, cause the berrys never even came on, like a normal yr you would see.

 

[45/70]

Over in the area I was scouting, there is supposed to be a bumper crop of berrys? Everyone's talking about it, I just can't seem to find them...I know that up in my normal hunting area, NE Washington, that the berrys are just outstanding this year. To go up there, you wouldn't know that there was a drought anywhere near. We're going picking this weekend. I'll see plenty of bears then too, but, when bear season opens up over here, the bears will be somewhere else, eating something else. There's so much brush around there that you just can't find them without the berrys. And the size of the bears over here leaves something to be desired, most are smaller than my dog. Colors are cool, but I just can't bring myself to kill one, unless it's bigger than the dog...

 

[Kraven]

Hey 45/70 the berrys on the west side havent come in yet either.We've got huckleberries but no blueberries yet.Hey have you tried maybe calling one in that has worked quite well from what I've heard.

 

[riverswild]

I shot one last night and it had larva, ants, dandelions and a weird looking berry I have never seen before in it's stomach...No black berries, huckle berries, blue berries or cascara berries which is the norm at this time of year.

On the Olympic Peninsula I have seen alot more ripped stumps and less berries...Just something to keep in mind.

I heard this bear (sounded light like a deer). I used my cow elk call and heard it whoof at us... I moved a few yards and called again. I could hear but not see, it move. I called again and I could see the brush moving at about 35 yards. Again I called and I could see about a 6x6 inch area of the shoulder. I raised my rifle, and trying to call it closer, I called again...Two quick, very horrible squeaks...I was worried it would spook so I shot...Didn't go 5 yards...

Oh yea, after a 2 hour drive, we were only in the woods for 20 minutes...

 

[Kraven]

Congrats to you riverswild.I might have to check some different areas for Bear then with that info.How big was he??

 

[Elkhunter]

Congrats to you riverswild. I have noticed several logs and stumps torn to pieces whil out riding. I think the bears will be low this fal due to the drought and lack of good food up high. I do not remember seeing as many logs and stumps shredded this early before.

 

[mtnboy]

Riverswild, congrats man!!! What was it - boar, lbs, etc.

45-70 - I've been out scouting bears in N. Idaho. I've found a ton o' huckleberries - mostly on south facing slopes. (came home with the kids looking like little purple clowns) I found some small bear piles, but didn't see any bruins. I haven't seen many this summer - they may still be lower than the 5000 ft that I was at. Good luck and keep lookin'!!

This spring I saw a ton, but no shooters. Here's a little guy that I shot with the lense instead of my arrow...

 

[californiacoyotes]

GREAT PICTURE MNTBOY!!! be sure to to keep us posted on your success!

p.s. welcome to moosie's!!

 

[riverswild]

It was a female that weighed 150 lbs...She had 3 inches of fat and very worn teeth..

I have some pics but can't find time to post them right now...With all these fires I have been working 16 hour days...7 days a week....

 

[Skeeter]

I saw a boar, sow and cub on the Elk Refuge today, none of the employees remember seeing any on the refuge in past years. They are definetly moving down to find food.