Spring bear 2023 - MT or ID??

[Doublegunner]

The best kept secret is Washington for spring bear. It’s loaded with bears. Seriously.

Also, I would be wary of anyone saying that there was a bear die off due to a rough winter.

Washington doesn't now have a spring bear hunt.

 

[Bill Zent]

Don't believe those who say there are no grizzly bear in Idaho!

 

[375H&H]

Washington doesn't now have a spring bear hunt.

Duh.

 

[ColtCRX16]

For anyone who's willing, I'm in need of a little advice before I finalize my spring black bear plans for this year. This will be my first time chasing bears and spot & stalk is the game plan, now on to the location. I was initially set on Idaho but after learning about some pretty heavy die-offs around '17/'18 and reviewing recent harvest reports, I'm reconsidering Montana as an option. I'm not worried about breaking any records, I'm just looking for a fair chance at a new rug and a full freezer.

Thanks in advance for any insight.

Hey DownHill This spring will make my second trip to NW MT Do some E scouting of the NW corner RT 90 East / West, 93 North / South. your south east facing slopes are going to be where you want to look for green on google earth, please note that any of your access rds that cut back around NW sides of the Mountains are probably still going to have several feet of snow still on them, bring or rent snowshoes (REI). Someone mentioned baiting, sticky hides, houndsman etc. all pretty much BS. I'm a houndsman and we've run, treed and freed 100's of bears and within day's the same bears is in front of our dogs once again so don't worry about hound hunters. Furthermore they can run anywhere, BUT!!! They are not suppose to be running "bears" in Grizzly designated habitat. Spots to start e-scoting North of Taft, Superior, North of Noxon Reservoir, anywhere along the Thompson River Flow, Pipe Creek rd.. Hope this helps. PS start training now plan for a lot of vertical, shot opportunity will be anywhere from 20 yards to as far as your comfortable, start shooting even if its a couple rounds a weekend at various distances shoot. Good luck glad to help anyway I can. See ya in the woods!

 

[MT.PERCHMAN]

Plan to hunt North Western Montana and bring a friend or two ..we need to take as many Bears as possible out of the Area . As with all the other Predators around .
Some of the guys will pull your Chain on here ..they are just boared and need excitment in there Life .
We all had to learn to hunt one time or two .
I have no experience in Idaho for Bears . I would recomend a visit to Montana! There is plenty enough Bears around if you hike , hunt hard and put time into your Hunt .
Best of Luck to all the get to Hunt this Spring !

MT.PERCHMAN

 

[theat]

Plan to hunt North Western Montana and bring a friend or two ..we need to take as many Bears as possible out of the Area . As with all the other Predators around .
Some of the guys will pull your Chain on here ..they are just boared and need excitment in there Life .
We all had to learn to hunt one time or two .
I have no experience in Idaho for Bears . I would recomend a visit to Montana! There is plenty enough Bears around if you hike , hunt hard and put time into your Hunt .
Best of Luck to all the get to Hunt this Spring !

MT.PERCHMAN

Interestingly enough, I have been taking to several biologist around here and they are starting to get pretty concerned with the amount of pressure and how many bears are getting killed in NW Montana the past few years. Sounds like the harvest has more than doubled and tripled in some areas. Doubt it will amount to anything, but there is talk of restricting the number of bears harvested or hunter numbers. Personally, in the areas I hunt it has become a zoo with spring bear hunters. The number of resident and non resident bear hunters has skyrocketed over the past few years. I never used to see guys hunting my favorite spots, but over the last couple seasons there is almost always someone at them, if not multiple groups.

 

[rogerthat]

Lots of beers to be had in both states. But Idaho would be my pick

 

[MT.PERCHMAN]

Interestingly enough, I have been taking to several biologist around here and they are starting to get pretty concerned with the amount of pressure and how many bears are getting killed in NW Montana the past few years. Sounds like the harvest has more than doubled and tripled in some areas. Doubt it will amount to anything, but there is talk of restricting the number of bears harvested or hunter numbers. Personally, in the areas I hunt it has become a zoo with spring bear hunters. The number of resident and non resident bear hunters has skyrocketed over the past few years. I never used to see guys hunting my favorite spots, but over the last couple seasons there is almost always someone at them, if not multiple groups.

The Wife and always hunted the Spring and I started the Montana Spring Bear hunt thread for a few years . We had to come back east to take care of Family so we havent hunted Spring bears for awhile.
If this info is true then things have changed .
Thank you for this info .

MT.PERCHMAN

 

[Dan O]

If you go to Montana the grizzlies will eat your bones. Hunt Idaho.

Last week there was a report a Grizzly near Ovando. This is the same area where a lady was mauled in the town park.

 

[jejack26]

Interestingly enough, I have been taking to several biologist around here and they are starting to get pretty concerned with the amount of pressure and how many bears are getting killed in NW Montana the past few years. Sounds like the harvest has more than doubled and tripled in some areas. Doubt it will amount to anything, but there is talk of restricting the number of bears harvested or hunter numbers. Personally, in the areas I hunt it has become a zoo with spring bear hunters. The number of resident and non resident bear hunters has skyrocketed over the past few years. I never used to see guys hunting my favorite spots, but over the last couple seasons there is almost always someone at them, if not multiple groups.

Yep, and it's only going to get worse

 

[HagenSurber]

How is the population of bears in Idaho this year? I am planning on doing a spring hunt next year and was wondering.

 

[INMT]

Interestingly enough, I have been taking to several biologist around here and they are starting to get pretty concerned with the amount of pressure and how many bears are getting killed in NW Montana the past few years. Sounds like the harvest has more than doubled and tripled in some areas. Doubt it will amount to anything, but there is talk of restricting the number of bears harvested or hunter numbers. Personally, in the areas I hunt it has become a zoo with spring bear hunters. The number of resident and non resident bear hunters has skyrocketed over the past few years. I never used to see guys hunting my favorite spots, but over the last couple seasons there is almost always someone at them, if not multiple groups.

The Wife and always hunted the Spring and I started the Montana Spring Bear hunt thread for a few years . We had to come back east to take care of Family so we havent hunted Spring bears for awhile.
If this info is true then things have changed .
Thank you for this info .

MT.PERCHMAN

FWP harvest statistics are definitely showing a big uptick in harvests from 2020 - present.

2017: Statewide (SW) - 1393, R1 - 507
2019: SW - 1457, R1 - 562
2020: SW - 1387, R1 - 504
2021: SW - 1974, R1 - 718
2022: SW - 2159, R1 - 749

FWP :: Harvest Estimates

That's 766 more bears harvested statewide and 242 more harvested in R1 since 2017. I too have noticed far more folks cruising in spots i used to rarely run into anyone.

 

[Elky Welky]

Lots of beers to be had in both states. But Idaho would be my pick

I like our beers better. But for bears, I'd also recommend Idaho.

Definitely avoid central and south central MT. The Snowies are losing more bears than they can sustain, and the quotas in the Beartooths fill very fast because of private land pressure.

 

[Sheltowee]

I call this "The Duality of Man":

 

[bigsky2]

FWP harvest statistics are definitely showing a big uptick in harvests from 2020 - present.

2017: Statewide (SW) - 1393, R1 - 507
2019: SW - 1457, R1 - 562
2020: SW - 1387, R1 - 504
2021: SW - 1974, R1 - 718
2022: SW - 2159, R1 - 749

FWP :: Harvest Estimates

That's 766 more bears harvested statewide and 242 more harvested in R1 since 2017. I too have noticed far more folks cruising in spots i used to rarely run into anyone.

And for some reason the commission felt it was necessary to extend the season to June 15th statewide...

 

[ColtCRX16]

Last year was my 3rd consecutive spring bear trip to NW MT, this May will be my fourth. I saw more bears this past year than the prior two combined. On one sit the evening after harvesting last years Chocolate I watched 3 bears at once all filter up out of this drainage to the same marking tree mark the tree and then head up over the ridge out of sight. I did see a lot of road hunters in one well know area, and wasn't much concerned.

Hunt hard, shoot straight, lend a hand to those in need, and lets support each other. Oh and dont forget to giv-m-a-lil-pill.

 

[cgasner1]

Last year was my 3rd consecutive spring bear trip to NW MT, this May will be my fourth. I saw more bears this past year than the prior two combined. On one sit the evening after harvesting last years Chocolate I watched 3 bears at once all filter up out of this drainage to the same marking tree mark the tree and then head up over the ridge out of sight. I did see a lot of road hunters in one well know area, and wasn't much concerned.

Hunt hard, shoot straight, lend a hand those in need, and lets support each other. Oh and dont forget to giv-m-a-lil-pill.

That’s awesome you saw a pack of bears. Usually in the spring I see a lot of animals in kinda bigger herds watching out for the young

 

[Deleted member 52098]

My vote would be CO... you can watch our overage of bears without having to carry a pesky rifle.

 

[BAKPAKR]

I call this "The Duality of Man":
View attachment 319764

The grass is always greener on the other side.

 

[BackofBeyond]

The grass is always greener on the other side.

Just trying to be helpful.

There’s no bears left in ID. The wooofes ate ‘em.