SW Montana Bears

[DANGLER]

Here is the link to your video of last spring's bears............. I just watched it again and now I am definitley stoked to go chase bears!

http://www.youtube.com/user/LayinItDown100#p/u/10/SDqA_gSI62U

 

[ashersdad]

If that video doesn't get you excited, nothing will!! Love it.

 

[The Hedgehog]

This should ward off any excitement for a while..

 

[Drake4]

I'd post a cell phone pic. if I knew how. I was in snow up to my chest.

 

[Lawnboy]

This should ward off any excitement for a while..

So what's the verdict? Any tracks? I couldn't go yesterday and probably not today either. I finally get to work and so I better take advantage. Good luck to the rest you guys.

 

[The Hedgehog]

Nothing but snow, faceplants, and lack of grace while swearing and trying to maintain my footing in the steep and deep on the northfacing side of a drainage.

 

[drahthaar]

LOL. I was sweating off the winter fat crunching all over bare ground. Didn't even see a fresh pile in the usual spots. 70 degrees the next few days, the green stuff will start popping.

 

[----]

I love hunting three thousand feet lower than you guys. The worst drift I was in yesterday was maybe a mile to cross through and never more than crotch deep, or knee deep on a normal adult.

No grass yet in my normal spot, but didn't have to drop down much to find some.

This hill side is just starting to get some grass and flowers popping up.

 

[Lawnboy]

Nothing but snow, faceplants, and lack of grace while swearing and trying to maintain my footing in the steep and deep on the northfacing side of a drainage.

I can just picture that happening. Thanks for the info. Let me know when it gets good I think I'll try tomorrow night. I imagine it will be a goat show with guys walking around. I will have time mid week next week.

 

[drahthaar]

Oh boy, I screwed it up this morning. I stumbled into a bear in some timber. I am terrible, TERRIBLE, at judging them, unless they are obviously huge. So in all my moving around trying to keep up, keep quiet and get a good look at him while he was moving through the timber, I crunched a big stick and blew him out. He wasn't 70 yards away, but moving. I just couldn't get a good enough look. I am bummed, but its early.

 

[----]

Oh boy, I screwed it up this morning. I stumbled into a bear in some timber. I am terrible, TERRIBLE, and judging them. So in all my moving around trying to keep up, keep quiet and get a good look at him while he was moving through the timber, I crunched a big stick and blew him out. He wasn't 70 yards away, but moving. I just couldn't get a good enough look. I am bummed, but its early.

That sucks man. Get a chance to look at his track? pretty good one?

Mind sharing what elevation he was?

If he's got good feed in the spot, he should come back. Good luck catching back up to him.

 

[drahthaar]

He was at about 3300-3400 feet elevation. Down in the foothills. I walked a loop up higher and got into lots of snow really quick, melting fast, lots of overland flow of water, but no tracks of critters, other than hares, and 4 or 5 elk in a group. He was down in the dry forest, so I couldn't make out much of a track. He was actually sniffing around the area where some of the skin from by bull from last fall was thrown. I am sure he was just checking it out before I got there.

I would guess him to be a around 200 lbs. or a bit more. Wasn't a dink, but wasn't huge either.

The weather we are having will really get things greening up quickly.

 

[Grady]

Haven't seen any hero shots so far.....

Anyone doing any good?

 

[Breaks Runner]

April showers bring....bears out in May? I think thats how thats suppose to go. Relax, enjoy, then get serious about May 10th...

 

[Moe]

April showers bring....bears out in May? I think thats how thats suppose to go. Relax, enjoy, then get serious about May 10th...

Thats good advice and I'm taking it.

I've scanned hills for days now and haven't seen a one; so I'm waiting till May then give it a serious go?

Moe

 

[----]

Three long evenings glassing the piss out of some great looking real estate, and still nothing.

I didn't see my first one last spring til May either.

I've got a good feeling about this week though.

 

[Carl]

The hills are alive, but I think Breaks Runner knows what he's talking about.

From tonight:

 

[Big Fin]

Carl - That one looks like you might have one to investigate this evening. He looks pretty "rotund" in the pic.

Good luck on finding him or another.

 

[Drake4]

I shot a decent black last Sunday. Pics didn't turn out very well as I was by myself, it was raining, getting dark, and very steep. I've always wanted to tag out on opening weekend.

That looks like a good bear in Carl's pic

 

[Carl]

Bad pics are better than no pics Drake. Congrats on an early bear kill!

I'm not sure he's that large, fin, though he certainly isn't a juvi. I'm gonna keep looking this weekend, my brother-in-law might try to make a play on that one if he gets some time.