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Spring bear 2023

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Spring bear 2023

Postby wawhitey » 05 19, 2023 •  [Post 1]

Got to idaho this morning. Glassed up 2 bears this afternoon, but they didnt look too big, and for several reasons i decided not to make a move on them. Really, who wants to drive out of state, hunt a few hours, and drive back home without a single night camping anyway? Not this guy. Ive got plenty of time to kill.

Odd thing is, ive seen 2 bears and 4 moose today, but not a single deer or elk.

I dont intend to shoot a bear this weekend unless its a really nice one. Mistakes do happen though....

Anybody else doing the spring bear thing?
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Re: Spring bear 2023

Postby Swede » 05 20, 2023 •  [Post 2]

I have a bear tag but have no plans to go bear hunting. I have passed on many bears and have never pointed my gun or drawn my bow on one.

Warning to All Bears! I could change my mind. I have had bear jerky and it is good.
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Re: Spring bear 2023

Postby Jhg » 05 20, 2023 •  [Post 3]

Not spring but waiting to hear fall archery. I pass on the big eared ones but if that ol fatty waddles by then its definitely twang, hiss, thwap, growl,... cough.
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Re: Spring bear 2023

Postby wawhitey » 05 20, 2023 •  [Post 4]

Some big bears have big ears. Guy i know killed a monster on a wa spring bear permit, 20 & 10/16th skull, huge body, had big ol dumbo ears, looked like he could flap them and fly away.
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Re: Spring bear 2023

Postby Jhg » 05 20, 2023 •  [Post 5]

What was that joke about big hands....?
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Re: Spring bear 2023

Postby wawhitey » 05 20, 2023 •  [Post 6]

Slow day. Glassed pretty much nonstop from 6am to 8pm, not a bear in sight. A whole mess of moose and a few elk, but thats it. Whats really weird is i havent seen a single deer yet in 2 days. Last spring, and spring 2020, i saw several deer here every day.
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Re: Spring bear 2023

Postby wawhitey » 05 21, 2023 •  [Post 7]

First failed attempt of the season. Saw a good looking bear, took a long time to get over there. By the time i got there, he was apparently somewhere else. Waited for a bit, then a weird squall rolled in and started blowing every which way so i bailed. Now back at my vantage point, hoping he didnt get my wind, trying to relocate him.
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Re: Spring bear 2023

Postby wawhitey » 05 24, 2023 •  [Post 8]

Bears sure seem shy this year. Dont know whats going on, but almost 6 days of hunting and ive only seen a few. And some crazy spring storms happening. One minute its beautiful and sunny, the next its a wild mess of lightning and thunder and torrential downpours of rain and hail, followed shortly by a beautiful sunny spring day again. Wash, rinse, repeat.
Havent seen a single bear since my failed stalk sunday morning, but moose are sure selling cheap. Theyre everywhere i look. Woke up this morning, opened the hatch on my canopy, and a moose was 20 yards away staring at me.
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Re: Spring bear 2023

Postby Lefty » 05 24, 2023 •  [Post 9]

wawhitey wrote:Got to idaho this morning. Glassed up 2 bears this afternoon, but they didnt look too big, and for several reasons i decided not to make a move on them. Really, who wants to drive out of state, hunt a few hours, and drive back home without a single night camping anyway? Not this guy. Ive got plenty of time to kill.

Odd thing is, ive seen 2 bears and 4 moose today, but not a single deer or elk.

I dont intend to shoot a bear this weekend unless its a really nice one. Mistakes do happen though....

Anybody else doing the spring bear thing?


I wont say I regret it, but one time the minute rifle deer opened in Washington state a very narrow ( little ) funky 5x7 blacktail danced 25-75 yards in front of me for 30 minutes. It was 3 years before I had a chance at a big one.


I ran out today and put out over 300 lbs of beef bait no tallow, lots of red meat. I cant believe Im still awake and some sweet treats.
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Re: Spring bear 2023

Postby Lefty » 05 24, 2023 •  [Post 10]

wawhitey wrote: but moose are sure selling cheap.

Ive run across a few ornery moose, be careful.


Few things move the adrenaline more than spending time in a tree and sneaking out in the dark hoping jr moose isnt around and still curious again.
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Re: Spring bear 2023

Postby Jhg » 05 25, 2023 •  [Post 11]

Well, my theory has always been not to see much game, just the bigger versions when you do. So maybe that applies to bear too. I hope you see none. Then that big dude ambles along.

But I may not really know what I am talking about! Keep at it!
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Re: Spring bear 2023

Postby Tigger » 05 25, 2023 •  [Post 12]

I love how you said you have ample time. I just got a call from your boss. Figured I could get ahold of you. He said he wants you back tomorrow for a 3 month voyage. :o
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Re: Spring bear 2023

Postby wawhitey » 05 25, 2023 •  [Post 13]

Thinking i should head home tomorrow, get some stuff done so i can stop thinking about it, take a break, get back to hunting after my doctors appointment on the 2nd. Thatll still leave me 10 days to hunt. Just gettin flat out skunked here. Cant believe how little bear activity ive seen.
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Re: Spring bear 2023

Postby wawhitey » 05 25, 2023 •  [Post 14]

It aint all bad though. Ive made friends with a few whistle pigs. Turns out they like nuts about as much as tree squirrels. Kinda surprised about that.
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Re: Spring bear 2023

Postby wawhitey » 05 27, 2023 •  [Post 15]

In my back yard right now
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Re: Spring bear 2023

Postby Swede » 05 27, 2023 •  [Post 16]

Do you have a tag for that bear? He looks like a good one and considering the date/time the camera caught him, you must have been close by.
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Re: Spring bear 2023

Postby wawhitey » 05 28, 2023 •  [Post 17]

No spring bear season in washington, that bears safe.
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Re: Spring bear 2023

Postby Swede » 05 28, 2023 •  [Post 18]

wawhitey wrote:No spring bear season in washington


You are right. I forgot about that. Hopefully you get a chance at it this Fall. It will be bigger and fatter then anyway.
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