okanagan bear

[adamgarbett]

Hey just wondering if anyone has seen any sign of bear anywhere around the okanagan??? i went out wednesday for 12 hours all over the place no sign of bear but i stopped counting at 70+ deer, 16 elk and 3 goat. anybody have any better luck???

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Weather is finally about to break. Personally, I'd give them about another 10 days to 2 weeks.

SSS

[adamgarbett]

ya its supposed to be 17 degrees this weekend that should help...i hope.

[Gunner]

Nothing in the north Okanagan yet, Gunner

[Stone Sheep Steve]

It might be starting to green up slighlty along the lakeshore of OMP. If you've got access to a boat it might be an idea to cruise the shorline in the afternoon. The park closes on Apr 15th. Long weekend might be worth a shot:-?.
SSS

[adamgarbett]

WOW i never even thought of that....how far off the shore do u have to be to shoot? Thanx SSS

[cuervosail]

Where were you seeing the elk?

[Stone Sheep Steve]

WOW i never even thought of that....how far off the shore do u have to be to shoot? Thanx SSS

I would not want to shoot from a boat just for stability reasons. Legal as long as the motor is tilted up.

I would cruize off shore far enough to get a good view and if you see a bear you want plan your stalk and hit the shore on the downwind side. There are some sweet grassy benches just above the lake level that should be some of the earlier spots to green up. Bears like burn too.:wink:

We did it one yr in early April but the waves got pretty crazy that day.

SSS

[doubled]

Been out a number of times recently and have not seen any or any sign yet. Should be soon though. There has been new grass coming up so that will help for sure.

[tracker]

Probally another 3 weeks before we see any bear around here,the snow is still hitting the ground and the temps are below average ... The green up time will be late ....:icon_frow

[mark]

[quote=Stone Sheep Steve;439432]I would not want to shoot from a boat just for stability reasons. Legal as long as the motor is tilted up.

My understanding is simply kill the engine??? Consider stern drives, and jets ect...
Havnt seen any bear sign yet myself.
Also curious as to where ya seen all the elk??? Any still packing tine???

[Stone Sheep Steve]

Also curious as to where ya seen all the elk??? Any still packing tine???

Saw (seen:wink:) elk packing while chasing bears in early April.....a few years ago.

You may be right with the motor regs. Never been an issue with me.

SSS

[adamgarbett]

south okanagan backside of princeton-pentictonish no tines but it was still a cool site to see :biggrin:. I figured id go far south for the early spring action but the ground was still solid as a rock in the riple lake area...

[ve7iuq]

Don't count on that bit about stopping the boat engine and shooting.
That rule has been around for a very long time and the basis of it was you could not shoot from a power boat.
Then controversy came up about a small boat with an outboard. It was established that a boat with the outboard laying in the boat, was not a power boat. If the outboard was attached to the sten in the usual manner, it was a power boat.
There was no doubt about inboards and jets, they were powere boats, no shooting.
I doubt if the regulations have changed. I haven't recently looked at the rules, but I imagine it still states, no shooting from power boats.

[bearhunter338-06]

I'd get out in a boat and troll along the shore line, and keep my fingers crossed i dont fall asleep lol

[DBM]

Quoted from the regs.


Power Boat - means a boat, canoe or yacht
powered by electric, gasoline, oil, steam or
other mechanical means, but does not include
a boat powered manually nor a boat with an
outboard motor provided the motor is tilted
or otherwise disengaged so as not to be ready
for immediate use.

[mark]

Quoted from the regs.


Power Boat

- means a boat, canoe or yacht
powered by electric, gasoline, oil, steam or
other mechanical means, but does not include
a boat powered manually nor a boat with an
outboard motor provided the motor is tilted
or otherwise disengaged so as not to be ready

for immediate use.



You should also know it’s unlawful:
1. to shoot wildlife from a motor vehicle or
a boat propelled by a motor.

As soon as you cut the key, the boat is not propelled by a motor. We had this thread a couple years ago, and that was the consensus!

[dave_fras]

i had one run right in front of my truck last night... near sun valley speedway... just a tiny guy tho

[boxhitch]

We had this thread a couple years ago, and that was the consensus!Then this interpretation must be true !! Power to the Interweb !

Really, if there were exceptions or allowances, wouldn't they be listed in the regs ?
Further, whats the definition of a motor vehicle ? Running or motor off and no key ?

[boxhitch]

Oh yea......about the bears, no tracks in the snow where I have been

[Fisher-Dude]

Quoted from the regs.


Power Boat

- means a boat, canoe or yacht

powered by electric, gasoline, oil, steam or
other mechanical means, but does not include
a boat powered manually nor a boat with an
outboard motor provided the motor is tilted
or otherwise disengaged so as not to be ready
for immediate use.



Tilt makes it legal. Simply tirned off just does not meet the regs.

[Gunner]

Just came down from a hike on the south faces behind my house(Hunter's range).Lots of snowmobilers but no bear sign yet.The snow is going,but no grass or clover sprouting yet.I'm guessing 2-3 weeks in this area. Gunner

[boxhitch]

Still lots of snow out at Kingfisher and Three Valley FSR too.

[GoatGuy]

What about the farmers fields near Enderby/Armstrong?

Know of a couple book bears that have been shot out of that country. Should be a few prowling around.

[Gunner]

You're right there's piles of bears in those fields,but nothing yet,just lots of geese(that didn't show up til the season was over).I drive the back road a lot,I'll keep you posted. Gunner

[Fisher-Dude]

I was up at my cabin today - 3 feet of snow and 2 1/2 feet of ice on the lake, at 4500 feet. The bears will be snoozin' for a while yet!

[PGK]

Well, if one looks back on things, Mark's definition of legal is usually on the dark grey side of the line, so use discretion. I have shot from a boat with motor tilted up, and consider that legal. I think you'd be in for it if a CO saw you shooting away from a boat with the motor down.

[180grainer]

Weather is finally about to break. Personally, I'd give them about another 10 days to 2 weeks.

SSS
Yea right and how far south are you....:)

[adamgarbett]

i was in osoyoos today and took the back roads out yonder back thru the hills and such to kelowna and saw another 160+ deer(30 mule and 130 whites) and 3 sheep but no bears still pretty snowy all over but hot and sunny.......

[Junorr500]

Seen fresh bear tracks in the snow today. Maby a early riser? They are stirring in the okanagan valley eitherway. 8-08

[GoatGuy]

Supposed to be 19 C today, bears should be out and about here pretty quick.
Can almost hear the grass starting to grow.

[Dirty]

Well, if one looks back on things, Mark's definition of legal is usually on the dark grey side of the line, so use discretion. I have shot from a boat with motor tilted up, and consider that legal. I think you'd be in for it if a CO saw you shooting away from a boat with the motor down.

What about in a jetboat? :lol:

[Phreddy]

I never get to excited about bear until the later part of this month. The odd one shows up in the lower areas, but they are often garbage bears. Things pick up as the month comes to a close. Keep in mind too, that the seasons seem to be changing later by about a week or two every year. I think global coolling is the cause. ;-)

[elktracker1975]

I saw a sow and two cubs 3 weeks ago near Midway. Earliest I've ever seen bears.

[GoatGuy]

I saw a sow and two cubs 3 weeks ago near Midway. Earliest I've ever seen bears.

Things seem to open up there early. Midway, Greenwood, Grand Forks.

[adamgarbett]

Im gunna go try again this saturday after fixing my truck from last weeks hunt :lol:. But where....................

[quackquackbang]

I went out with a friend on tuesday bear hunting manage to see one but it was on a farmers property and then it ran into the woods!!! Nice looking bear looked big from what we could tell threw the bino's and was chocolate color!!! OH well he will get to live another day!!