Spring bears

[Steve Petersen]

Who’s gonna be chasing and or baiting spring baits? Good luck to you if you are.

Snow in my area is still up to 3’ deep on the gravel roads with up to 15’ snow drifts blocking the main paved road in. It was an 18 mile ATV ride one way for me just to get 1 bait in this week. I still love spring bear season best.

 

[wyoboypt]

I will be going but not with bait. Spot and stock. Love spring in the mountains!

 

[Steve Petersen]

I will be going but not with bait. Spot and stock. Love spring in the mountains!

Good luck to you.

 

[Trap]

I’m out there one of my favorite times of the year

 

[Steve Petersen]

I’m out there one of my favorite times of the year

Good luck.
I wished the snow would stick around (except on the roads) but this warm front moving in will melt a lot of it off in a hurry.

 

[BrooksRanger]

Snow has been sticking around here in Southeast for quite awhile. This winter was pretty rough weather wise; however, we just had our longest stretch of sunshine in almost two years... so the grass is finally starting to get green around the edges of the shoreline. I head out tomorrow to one of the ABC islands on my first brown bear hunt with a friend of mine. Really looking forward to seeing some browns up close, but am a little nervous that we'll be too early. I'll find out soon!

 

[Greenwood]

Spring bear hunting isn't allowed in Minnesota. I'm thinking that hunting spring bears might be easier than it is in the fall. Springtime food sources are far less reliable and plentiful in the spring when compared to autumn, and I would have to believe that for hunters hunting spring bears over bait, success rates are possibly higher than fall harvest.

 

[Steve Petersen]

Snow has been sticking around here in Southeast for quite awhile. This winter was pretty rough weather wise; however, we just had our longest stretch of sunshine in almost two years... so the grass is finally starting to get green around the edges of the shoreline. I head out tomorrow to one of the ABC islands on my first brown bear hunt with a friend of mine. Really looking forward to seeing some browns up close, but am a little nervous that we'll be too early. I'll find out soon!

A brown bear would be a dream come true for me. Just can’t afford the high guide fees.

 

[Steve Petersen]

Spring bear hunting isn't allowed in Minnesota. I'm thinking that hunting spring bears might be easier than it is in the fall. Springtime food sources are far less reliable and plentiful in the spring when compared to autumn, and I would have to believe that for hunters hunting spring bears over bait, success rates are possibly higher than fall harvest.

Not a lot of people spring bait around here simply because of the snow pack. Many areas still have snow until June/ July and seasons over by mid June. Most every zone have a sow mortality rate for spring and for fall. Once met the seasons over in that zone. Some zones a season can last a week is all. I see far more bears on camera in the spring vs fall. With late May and early June being the breeding season the boars are on the move. Many bears or one time visitors to the bait. The biggest positive to the bait is allowing for sex identification. The elk and deer hunters in the fall push bears around a lot and far more sows get taken as many aren’t looking for sex identification. Targeting south facing slopes in the spring is the best bet. Same can be said for bait placement.

 

[Greenwood]

Very interesting. You're the first person I've ever talked to with experience in spring bear hunting. Here in Minnesota we're concerned about sow mortality. Sex identification is important here. Our data shows too many sows harvested, and as a result, reproductive rates have declined in some parts of the state, but not all. Does WY allow hunters to kill bears with young-of-the-year cubs?

 

[jejack26]

I was having this very discusion with a young hunter yesterday. The importance of watching a bear for a while to both rule out cubs and make an educated guess about sex. I'm looking for mature boar not just punching my tag

 

[Steve Petersen]

Very interesting. You're the first person I've ever talked to with experience in spring bear hunting. Here in Minnesota we're concerned about sow mortality. Sex identification is important here. Our data shows too many sows harvested, and as a result, reproductive rates have declined in some parts of the state, but not all. Does WY allow hunters to kill bears with young-of-the-year cubs?

You can not shoot a show with a cub. 98% of the bear zones in WY have both a spring and fall sow mortality rate. Most rates range from 1-10 in spring and in the fall. A couple zones do not as they encompass a large portion of the state with low bear numbers anyway. Of the zones with a mortality rate if the quota is exceeded in the spring then that excess number is taken away from the fall quota. Some quota encompass multiple zones as well. We have a mortality hotline we can call to get up to date mortality rates for the zones we plan to hunt. All bear must be checked at an office for the removal of a tooth for aging and sex verification.
The fall season can last only a week or two in many areas as tags are OTC and many non res get them just incase while deer or elk hunting.