Germansen landing and MU 7-38 help

[Joshua13]

So here's the deal first day we got up here and the lady managing the store told us tons of bear activity doe. By germansen lake and specifically past the lake by 20 mile Creek. We went there and found not a thing. We were then told by another miner fella that the park was our best bet. Maybe by germansen landing. So we had a look around there. Not really any way to get up into the park by germansen landing as it is all houses (yes houses in the park) so we paid a visit to Ron repko as was advice of someone here. He was a really good guy. Said mostly we were a bit too early but we might find something by one of the fields down near the river, but still in germansen landing. He also said that the best way to do it is to use a boat and go down the river where you can't drive and come out about halfway up the park where omincea river meets oslinka river. The fields looked like they would be good and we found a great spot overlooking a big area. (I'll post a picture) but still nothing.
Next day we went up to where the two Rivers meet and it was a much better looking area and had tons of access to higher ground. But still nothing.
Today we got gas at the store and was talking to the young lady pumping. She's lived here her whole life and you what she said? Never seen a grizz bear. In fact the only time she has heard of someone seeing one was last year and it was a big deal for everyone in Manson Creek. Hmmm
So today we just boots around in the morning looking close to Manson Creek as we decided to go visit Nevel who runs the store/post office in germansen Creek. It is only open a few hours on wed. The whole conversation with her, which was again very interesting, found out a few things grizzlys do show up by the river once in a while, all the people of germansen Creek banded together to create the park in 2001. A few years before that there was a grizzly population study an apparently there are tons in this area.
Between Manson Creek and the landing there is alot of active logging and usually that is not good hunting but we decided we would try in there. As we don't have much other ground to cover. We finally saw a bear track! It was black bear and it was only a few tracks but at least it was something. So at the end of four days we have decided to call the game and head home. So basically it seems like no grizzly really here so I do not understand why the government gave us this MU as a substitute draw. I feel like they just wanted our money.

The second issue is the massive amount of logging here, now maybe I have just always been naive but the amount of clear cut up here is huge. Now my father worked in the lumber industry and we have tons of logging around where I live but up here it is completely over the top. It's like strip mining. So much forest has been removed it's no wonder there is no animals here. Back in the south there are clear cuts in every stage: fresh cut, left one year, new trees and on and on and it is mostly all staggered and down there they clean up the cuts and slash burn. Up here it just seems like they shaves off all the mountains took the good stuff and left it a mess piles of lumber that looked good (not just skinny lumber but large timbers) left and turned grey. And nothing cleaned up just anything g they didn't need left where it fell.

Now maybe there's something I don't know but for a guy who has always supported the forestry industry I was shocked at what it really looked like and for someone who thought they were getting a grizzly I'm disappointed.

[Joshua13]

I should mention that the place I stayed was awesome and most of the landscape was incredible and even though we didn't find any grizz I still really enjoyed myself

[primmed99]

So here's the deal first day we got up here and the lady managing the store told us tons of bear activity doe. By germansen lake and specifically past the lake by 20 mile Creek. We went there and found not a thing. We were then told by another miner fella that the park was our best bet. Maybe by germansen landing. So we had a look around there. Not really any way to get up into the park by germansen landing as it is all houses (yes houses in the park) so we paid a visit to Ron repko as was advice of someone here. He was a really good guy. Said mostly we were a bit too early but we might find something by one of the fields down near the river, but still in germansen landing. He also said that the best way to do it is to use a boat and go down the river where you can't drive and come out about halfway up the park where omincea river meets oslinka river. The fields looked like they would be good and we found a great spot overlooking a big area. (I'll post a picture) but still nothing.
Next day we went up to where the two Rivers meet and it was a much better looking area and had tons of access to higher ground. But still nothing.
Today we got gas at the store and was talking to the young lady pumping. She's lived here her whole life and you what she said? Never seen a grizz bear. In fact the only time she has heard of someone seeing one was last year and it was a big deal for everyone in Manson Creek. Hmmm
So today we just boots around in the morning looking close to Manson Creek as we decided to go visit Nevel who runs the store/post office in germansen Creek. It is only open a few hours on wed. The whole conversation with her, which was again very interesting, found out a few things grizzlys do show up by the river once in a while, all the people of germansen Creek banded together to create the park in 2001. A few years before that there was a grizzly population study an apparently there are tons in this area.
Between Manson Creek and the landing there is alot of active logging and usually that is not good hunting but we decided we would try in there. As we don't have much other ground to cover. We finally saw a bear track! It was black bear and it was only a few tracks but at least it was something. So at the end of four days we have decided to call the game and head home. So basically it seems like no grizzly really here so I do not understand why the government gave us this MU as a substitute draw. I feel like they just wanted our money.

The second issue is the massive amount of logging here, now maybe I have just always been naive but the amount of clear cut up here is huge. Now my father worked in the lumber industry and we have tons of logging around where I live but up here it is completely over the top. It's like strip mining. So much forest has been removed it's no wonder there is no animals here. Back in the south there are clear cuts in every stage: fresh cut, left one year, new trees and on and on and it is mostly all staggered and down there they clean up the cuts and slash burn. Up here it just seems like they shaves off all the mountains took the good stuff and left it a mess piles of lumber that looked good (not just skinny lumber but large timbers) left and turned grey. And nothing cleaned up just anything g they didn't need left where it fell.

Now maybe there's something I don't know but for a guy who has always supported the forestry industry I was shocked at what it really looked like and for someone who thought they were getting a grizzly I'm disappointed.

No offence but 4 days on a grizzly hunt this time of year is def not a great kick at the can, You can't expect to go into a area you don't have dialed in, for a few days and expect to be successful........not trying to be harsh but its just reality, thats why its called hunting

[Joshua13]

I should mention that the place I stayed was awesome and most of the landscape was incredible and even though we didn't find any grizz I still really enjoyed myself.

Also is there any other animal that has a track that cod be confused with a horse track? Because we saw a number of those.

[swampthing]

7-38 is a huge unit that does hold many bears. Unlike people they don't really live near town but rather up in the mountains! How were snow levels in there? Are you going to be able to make another trip?

[swampthing]

A few years back I ran into a guide with a client in the eastern side of 7-38 near Williston lake. They hadn't seen a grizz in 7 days of hunting. The guide had a cabin at Germanson they were hunting out of. About a month later I ran into that guide at Nechako Outdoors. He said they shot a decent bear at the turnoff into his cabin while returning after the last day of the hunt!

[Fred1]

I should mention that the place I stayed was awesome and most of the landscape was incredible and even though we didn't find any grizz I still really enjoyed myself.

Also is there any other animal that has a track that cod be confused with a horse track? Because we saw a number of those.

I was up there about 10 years ago. There were horses moving around the area. I was told they were an outfitters horses. There were tracks all over that landscape. Could be you were seeing horse tracks.

[Sitkaspruce]

Lived in The Fort for a few years and saw our share of Grizz up that way. 7-38 is a huge area and has lots of bears, but you need to spend more than 4 days looking. They are spread out at that time of year and you need find a few southern facing slopes and really start to pick them apart. They are there, but patience is needed. It's not like they are running around every where.

As for the locals, they are funny bunch and most are family from draft dodgers and people mwho have or are running/hiding from something. They tend to be friendly, but not much on sharing or telling others of information.

Get back up there and find those bears!

Cheers

SS

[Joshua13]

I guess I need to clarify. We are too early and that is why we aren't seeing sign. We have seen old sign in a few spots but it's all definitely old. Another week would be better and another 2 would be perfect. We actually stayed up here last night as well. But we're just too early. No point in hanging around up here if we know that we are too early. Problem is we both have work duties. We have been talking and next earliest we could come back up is 1st week in June. So at least now we have a good lay of the land.

Seems to be two groups of people, the ones in Manson Creek are miners/loggers type people, and the ones in germansen landing seem to be draft dodger/environmentalist/ hippy type. All are friendly to us but you can tell they don't seem to interact with each other.

[josh_pattersin]

we are heading up to this area may 26. My father in law has hunted here many years ago and a few friends have taken grizz and black years ago. There is an area we intend to hunt that we can hike to from Germansen lake camp. Any advice for us going in? We have 4x4s, spare tires, chains, wall tent, lots of food and experience hunting multi week trips in the back country north of ft St. John. I think our timing will be good and we will be glass of south facing slopes. I already got one blackie this year and now I want a grizz and especially a black for my brother from Ontario who I am guiding