ID Spring bear

[Ben Nicholson]

A buddy and I are going to give spring bear a shot this year in Idaho. I've hunted bears quite a few times at our cabin in Northern MN, but it's always been over bait. I've never hunted them spot and stalk. I'm assuming getting ahold of the forestry department to find areas that have recently been logged or burned would be a good start. Any tips or tricks for a rookie spot and stalk bear hunter?

Thanks,
Ben

[Lefty]

We can bait in Idaho,.. Bring a few drums of granola, trail mix or gummi bears. not licorice . Hmmm you could maybe pay for your gas selling sweet bait
A buddy of mine baits near Roseau. a semi load of Fruit loops every year.
Fewer and smaller bears in Idaho, but we have color phases, blondes, browns, chocolates and griz

. Spot and stalk the more bare or more open slopes. or edges of meadows where the grass is 6 inches or so. Maybe your hunting areas closed to baiting,.. which generally means grizzlies.
Just drive (maybe ATv.s ) and walk in to glass.Look for sign in the snow with a spotting scope. Be careful in steep country with a truck and snow cover

[wawhitey]

We can bait in Idaho,.. Bring a few drums of granola, trail mix or gummi bears. not licorice . Hmmm you could maybe pay for your gas selling sweet bait
A buddy of mine baits near Roseau. a semi load of Fruit loops every year.
Fewer and smaller bears in Idaho, but we have color phases, blondes, browns, chocolates and griz

. Spot and stalk the more bare or more open slopes. or edges of meadows where the grass is 6 inches or so. Maybe your hunting areas closed to baiting,.. which generally means grizzlies.
Just drive (maybe ATv.s ) and walk in to glass.Look for sign in the snow with a spotting scope. Be careful in steep country with a truck and snow cover

Careful, bait is not allowed in all units

[Ben Nicholson]

Thanks guys! Baiting really won't be an option for me any way. We'll be flying out to see my in-laws in Olympia WA and while we're out there my buddy, who moved out to the Seattle area a few years ago, and I are going to drive over for a few days of hunting. So unless we just use dog food and molasses I probably won't have a chance to come up with a good bait source. Plus we'll only be hunting 3-4 days so there won't be enough time to get a bait established anyway. Should be a fun time regardless, and knowing there might be some color phase bears out there is an added plus.

Thanks,
Ben

[wawhitey]

Too bad the out of state apps are expensive in wa or you could have put in for a spring bear tag near olympia and if drawn saved a drive. Which unit are you planning on in idaho? If i dont get drawn for my wa spring bear tag (yet again) im heading to idaho myself. Unit 1 for me, no baiting.

[wawhitey]

Oh and depending on where youre going, i cant speak for more southern areas, but at least in the panhandle its not "might be some" color phase bears, its guaranteed. NE WA and idaho panhandle, color phase bears are the norm. Here in the ne portion of wa i see a lot of bears (mostly before the sept opener, when the berries dry up) and the various color phases, when taken as a whole, outnumber the blacks. We get some really weird multi colored bears in my area too.

[Garrett Drach]

Good thread Ben! I will be spring bear hunting in ID also, although in the South end of the state. I've never bear hunted and my hunt will also be spot and stalk.

A big question I have is timing of bears coming out of their dens. Does anybody know a generally time frame for southern Idaho? Also, the season starts April 15 and ends in June. What are the bears focusing on April 15 vs June 15?

[Lefty]

Ive seen plenty of sign April 6,7,8th,.. on the east side but not all bears will be out in the high elevation.
Last year on the Wyoming border way up high in May the grizzlies were just coming out. ( to not return) the 2nd week of May . I posted the grizzle poo storyhttp://www.elknutforums.com/Hunting/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=4483 Seen the same thin in high elevation on the Montana Idaho border

[wawhitey]

Well once again "not selected" on my spring bear tag here. Looks like my rifle and i are heading to boundary county in may

[Elkonthebrain]

I was lucky enough to finally get selected.

[wawhitey]

I was lucky enough to finally get selected.

Which unit?

[Elkonthebrain]

Wenaha. Was hoping for Sherman, but I'll take it.

[wawhitey]

Havent been down there since i was a kid. Good luck, i only put in for huckleberry, no luck, but with all the NE tags being doubled next year ill most likely draw. Seems lkke wdfw just gives the ne special permits to people who live west of i5 and have never been in the area. Lot of wasted tags cause people just put in for them to "win something" but they wont put in the time and effort to cross the state and utilize the tag. Oh well.

[Lefty]

Friday at the Sportsmans Expo a few fellows north of Jackson Wy. said black bears and grizzlies are out where they hunt.

[Indian Summer]

Idaho has excellent bear hunting. Find the berry patches and you'll find the bears it's that simple.