hparrott
05-25-2018, 08:12 AM
Last year I was on a quest for a big bear, passing on a number of bears I ended up learning the truth behind, "if you wouldn't pass it up on your last day don't pass it up on your first day." In the end, I felt like I blew it and didn't have a spring bear. This year I wasn't going to have that happen so I took a smaller color phase early on, and have since then set the second tag aside to hopefully find a brute of bear. I went out Monday and just came back yesterday and saw 6 shooters (2+ years), but nothing over 5 ft 5". I know there are some very good bear hunters on here who have no problems passing on smaller bears to find 6' bears, and other than "right place right time," I would love to hear some strategies. There is still time this season and I hope to find one! Also, I hunt region 2/3, mostly 3, and I know I could go to the coast or further north but that's besides the point. There are big bears everywhere, I put the miles on my boots and hike in scouting to some horrendous places and I'd like to learn to be better at hunting them and not just be lucky to come across one eventually or find myself driving hours on end just to bag a big bear.
Easier to find them early one when things are first greening up and they are starving? Or do you wait until later in the season for full rut?
Where do you focus on terms of altitude, where the grass greens up first or do you stay higher up until later spring? Or do you hunt at different altitudes depending on when the hunt is between May-June. I've read they drop towards lower altitude later on to be where the deer/moose are going to drop their calves/fawns but have also read they may be anywhere at any time during the rut in the wide open.
When I come across consistent sow/cub scat combo I usually move-on thinking she wouldn't keep her cubs around a big boar.
I usually have the best luck mid morning, not sure if this is the same for big boars.
Thoughts on big bears would be appreciated? Cheers
Easier to find them early one when things are first greening up and they are starving? Or do you wait until later in the season for full rut?
Where do you focus on terms of altitude, where the grass greens up first or do you stay higher up until later spring? Or do you hunt at different altitudes depending on when the hunt is between May-June. I've read they drop towards lower altitude later on to be where the deer/moose are going to drop their calves/fawns but have also read they may be anywhere at any time during the rut in the wide open.
When I come across consistent sow/cub scat combo I usually move-on thinking she wouldn't keep her cubs around a big boar.
I usually have the best luck mid morning, not sure if this is the same for big boars.
Thoughts on big bears would be appreciated? Cheers