No help here for north.But south west(39,33,32a,24) is 'most always"good"!

 

I talked to an outfitter in unit 12 Sunday evening. He said the western part of the unit has already melted off but up the eastern part (around the divide) still has quite a bit of snow.

 

thanks.

I was hoping to go up mothers day weekend but i moved it back a week to be on the safe side. Have there been any bear sightings at all yet? (from anywhere)

 

I was hoping to go up mothers day weekend but i moved it back a week to be on the safe side. Have there been any bear sightings at all yet? (from anywhere)

I live in Spokane Valley, 1 mile from Idaho border. you should be fine depending on your elevation. I am unfamiliar with the units. Around priest lake is the best bear hunting in the northwest i am told. beware....there are numerous grizzlies in this area.

 

Oh Buddy

I went up to south end of unit 10 and north end of 12. SNOW SNOW SNOW. You can't get very far up the forrest roads so all the hunters concentrated on the few accesible roads. Saw 1 guy baiting an 2 guys from WA glassing all in the same area. Too crowded fro my taste. I'd say in a week or two those roads will open up. Problem is a few stubborn patches of snow any normal truck can't get thru.

Also hunted the Selway. Saw lots of everthing except bear.

Early may would be a good time. After mid may you see lots of patchy rubbed pelts. You got a spot and strategy?

 

Lolo pass elevation 5235...

 

Lookout Pass elevation 4540...

 

Its not as bad as those Pics make it look. The west end of units 10 & 12 are only patchy snow - just enough to keep your truck out

 

I was out scouting some spots in unit 3 and 4 a week or so ago and had to go way up to find any snow (along with some ****** in a 4 runner(I hade to save the day)).
heard some bears have already been sighted around there, but its a bit lower then 10 and 12. I thought about going down there last week because its open, but figured they wouldnt be out yet.

 

Thanks for the replys and the pics

What is the bear density in that unit? Would i be better off going somewhere else? Never done it before so any advice would be nice.

 

What is the bear density in that unit? Would i be better off going somewhere else? Never done it before so any advice would be nice.

Unit 10 and 12 both have very high concentration of bears, Please come shoot them.
Seriously certain parts of those units have had a 2 bear limit for like 4 years or more now. I heard of one study where biologists used game cameras and bait to see how many bears were concentrated in a 1 mile square area. They had numbers in the 30's..

Lots of bears but its thick so very few that I know of are successfull spot and stalking from drivable roads. Some get lucky.

Baits almost always get hit fast up in those units..

Good luck..

Top Pin

 

The pics were takin off of the web camera sites here is the link where you can veiw them at any time. They are live actual photos. just click on any purple camera and it will up load a photo.

http://www.mdt.mt.gov/travinfo/weather/rwis.shtml

 

I had hopes of using an outfitter in unit 12 this year but financially not going to be able to swing it. So we will be back up there DIY, probably last week of may. We went 2 for 4 last year, not bad for bear rookies. Unfortunately I never seen one but was glad my buddies scored.

 

Anyway Woodrow, Whats your plan? How long ya got? If you got a week get a bait permit, set out a stand or two and spot and stalk until the bait gets hit.[/QUOTE]

I am going up with my uncle, who has unlimited dog food. my father in law owns a resturaunt, so i will take a five gallon bucket of grease with me. Would like to do more spot and stock than tree stands, we'll just have to see. I'll be up there for five days, so the first day I'll set up my bait and do spot and stalk. We'll see what happens after that.

 

sorry, still new at this, my last post i was quoteing nogood rounder

 

What area of unit #10 are going to go hunt....south, west, north, east or a combination of those coordinates????

 

I live an hour from unit 10, the bears should be out I am going to look for elk horns on mon or tues and will get back to you about the snow and the bears, anywhere you put bait on the northfork it gets hit hard that place is loaded with bears, all of you should come shoot them please.

 

I haven't totaly decided what part to hunt yet. I have never been up there, although my uncle/hunting buddy has. I have only maps and refrences from other hunters to go off of, so any further advice and directions would be very useful. (strictly a diy hunter. although my uncle has been a guide for 20+ years)

 

Priest best in the NW,try North eastern Wa, the highest concentration of black bears in the lower 48, no bait no hounds.The snow in the lower portions are melted of in N ID up to 3500 ft

 

Good thread guys. I wish there were more like it.

I had never thought about Idaho for DIY bears. How competitive are tags for non residents? Is it draw or OTC?

Later

 

The tags are OTC for most of the units. We do have a few units that are draw only.

 

Another question. Who is the game warden for that unit, and what is his contact info? I tried calling the idaho fish and game, but they wouldn't give me his info becouse they thought i was going to "harass" him. Any outfitter info in that area would be nice to.....

 

Just call the Clearwater regional office, tell them what you're up to and ask if there's ANYONE that can help. I'm not supprised they didn't give you the CO's #. The CO for that region has whole hell of a lot of country to patrol, and is plenty busy. Some of the biologists in the office might help.

My experiance is that F&G people aren't always too helpful because most don't get into the field as much as they want to. Look up IOGA (idaho outdoor guides association) and call a few outfitters.

Bottom line is if you're gonna DIY, you just gotta go up there and try. Pick a spot that has a lot of variety in habitiat (clearcuts, heavy timber, brush, swaps ect), a wide range of elevations, and not too many roads. Once you pick a spot you're just going to have to see whats going on there for yourself.

I can tell you, and other people from the area will back me up on this I'm sure, that its not so much a matter of finding a god spot on the map, but a good spot in the woods.

Good Luck

 

thanks for all the tips, i'm sure i will have more questions when it gets a little closer. if anyone gets any pics of bears in the next couple of weeks, lets see them. I feel like a fourteen year old on his way to a ***** house!!!!!!!!!!

 

What percent are color phase in this area ?