Spring Grizzly Monashee LEH 8-24

[bc_archer]

Hi folks, I got drawn this year for the spring grizzly hunt in 8-24/8-23 and I am wondering if other hunters have been successful in this hunt in past years. I have hunted moose, deer and black bear in the Wap, but I haven't hunted much in the Tsuius Mountain, Joss Mountain and Greenbush Lake areas, so a little help would be appreciated. The season runs from April 1-June 5 and I am guessing there won't be much opportunity for spotting & hunting much before the last week of May. What is the earliest time of year that anyone has spotted grizzlies in this zone?

Thanks

[RiverOtter]

First or second week of May could get you close enough to spot grizzlies. Didn't have quite as much snow this winter, which depending how spring goes, could work out quite favorably....

[Gunner]

River Otter is right,they could be early this year.I had the draw 2 years ago,too much snow on the East side of Mabel lake,we couldn't get high enough.The big boar we were looking for did not show up on his regular stomping grounds til after the season.Got some trail cam pics but no shot!.Keep an eye on the powerlines around Kidney lake,and watch for wolves.Good Luck Gunner

[GoatGuy]

Boars will be out in April.

One of the best draws in the province.

Start with green.

[sarnold]

X2 definitely one of the better grizz draws!!!
how for east does your area go?

[bc_archer]

Thanks everyone. Roughly the area goes East of Hunters Range from height of land to Mabel Lake and further Eastward through the Shuswap River headwaters and East to the height of land dividing 8-23 and 4-32

[GoatGuy]

Riparian first then roads and cutblocks there are some monsters in there

[scottwh]

Good job getting that draw! Lots of grizz in there. Mind you I have only been in that area late summer and fall hunting! Best of luck!

[lip_ripper00]

Hey good luck with your hunt, I see some members have stepped up to give you some great info. Your last post was April of 2011? If your are successful please share with the rest of the forum.

[6.5x55mm]

Congrats on the tag. Try Cottonwood crk when you can.

[bc_archer]

Thanks 6.5x55mm I will do that.

[bc_archer]

Went out today to check out access and sign on the North Fork Rd by Sugar Lake. 2-3 feet of snow, but road is plowed to 43.5 km. Needs another 2 weeks at least before this area will be good to hunt.

[RiverOtter]

You mean Sugar Lk FSR?

Only road I can think of in that area that'd be plowed, and it's for Monashee Powder Adventures.....

[Fred1]

You mean Sugar Lk FSR?

Only road I can think of in that area that'd be plowed, and it's for Monashee Powder Adventures.....

Yes thats the only one plowed... No harvesting out that way yet... Sleds... Fair amount of snow still. 21degrees in Lumby today. Thats a good sign!!

[bc_archer]

Yup, I meant to say Sugar Lake FSR...I had North Fork and South Fork on my list of roads to try, but didn't get to them yet.

[RiverOtter]

Won't be getting anywhere meaningful up South Fork for awhile, and North Fork will be later yet.....

[wrenchhead]

If your into hiking that powder cats operation is good place to start later in the spring.

[Amphibious]

Flew Mabel this Fall enroute to Golden. Powerlines as soon as they green looks like a good start. Didn't seen any Brown hair, but the area looks prime. good luck!

[bc_archer]

I checked out some studies done by provincial biologists around Prince George and the data shows that the radio collared Mountain Griz emerged from their dens around first or second week of May, so I'm guessing the ones further South might emerge a week or two earlier. Data indicates they den up on South facing slopes and hang around the den sites 3-6 days after emerging from the den. I will still get out in April though to keep checking for sign.

[RiverOtter]

I checked out some studies done by provincial biologists around Prince George and the data shows that the radio collared Mountain Griz emerged from their dens around first or second week of May, so I'm guessing the ones further South might emerge a week or two earlier. Data indicates they den up on South facing slopes and hang around the den sites 3-6 days after emerging from the den. I will still get out in April though to keep checking for sign.

Got a link to that data, I'd like to read it.....

I could see sows denning a little later, but I'd be a little suspect of a grizz boar hanging around a "South" slope den till mid may......

[wrenchhead]

They hang out where there's green, and those south slopes are green first. They are looking to load up on the easiest rich food source.

[bc_archer]

Probably correct, that's why I will need to check various locations regularly and since I am local that won't be too much problem.

[bc_archer]

Went out on Sun 21th, snow at 1200 meters still with lots on top, no slides clear yet and no sign of black bear or griz above Mabel Lake; however, I did see my first black bear of the season on hydro line in Scotch Creek area on the 24th.

[Deer_Slayer]

watch for dandelions starting to pop up on logging roads and the bears are out, No dandelions..no bears..works for me all the time .. good luck

[RiverOtter]

watch for dandelions starting to pop up on logging roads and the bears are out, No dandelions..no bears..works for me all the time .. good luck

While that is true, I've found the bigger boars have already hit those areas and have moved onto the newer stuff. My MO for early season is, find any hint of green, especially near a source of water and cover, then walk around and look for a good size pile(s) of fresh shit. Find the shit, find the bear, especially early season.

[GoatGuy]

While that is true, I've found the bigger boars have already hit those areas and have moved onto the newer stuff. My MO for early season is, find any hint of green, especially near a source of water and cover, then walk around and look for a good size pile(s) of fresh shit. Find the shit, find the bear, especially early season.

You're a sharp cookie, usually we're done by the time the dandelions hit. Anywhere you can find a patch of brown dirt in a slide area there will be bears early in the spring. A lot of areas you will only find a couple spots that have bare dirt in April and all the bears that are out will congregate there. Can think of a couple times where we've watched a lot of bears in one spot until things start to open up - they really don't have a choice.

If you have slide/high country it's all about hedysarum!!!!!!!!!!

[wrenchhead]

Could be the right weekend to start, temps in the mid 20s expected

[boxhitch]

If you have slide/high country it's all about hedysarum!!!!!!!!!!You did it again , got me reading $hit I didn't know that I didn't know.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Is_Brown_bear_root_poisonous

[GoatGuy]

You did it again , got me reading $hit I didn't know that I didn't know.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Is_Brown_bear_root_poisonous

Hahaha, this is good stuff - critical knowledge. It's the stuff that looks whiteish in their scat - most often early spring and fall (particularly where there aren't any berries), and switch off during the summer when protein content goes down. My hunting partner's good for learning a thing or two from.

Most of the researcher papers are pay only but here's a couple links if anyone cares.

http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z95-082

http://www.bearbiology.com/fileadmin/tpl/Downloads/URSUS/Vol_7/Hamer_Herrero_FOOD_Vol_7.pdf

[boxhitch]

Have seen signs of them rooting around lots in the late fall , have just passed it off as 'bears digging bear vine roots', seemed to satisfy the 'whats that ?'

[GoatGuy]

Have seen signs of them rooting around lots in the late fall , have just passed it off as 'bears digging bear vine roots', seemed to satisfy the 'whats that ?'

Hahaha, sounds like my friends in crazybrook.

"Gotta get rid of the any buck season, it's killing off all the mule deer. There's lots of food for mule deer."

"What do they eat?"

"Bushes and shrubs."

[bc_archer]

Saw my first one of the season last weekend, but couldn't get a shot before he turned and disappeared. Trying again Monday

[wrenchhead]

Right on they should be out in full force now.

[ElliotMoose]

There are some hogs in there, great draw to have. Keep us updated!

[Jtt]

How did the hunt go for ya? My cousin and his daughters all put in for that draw and lo and behold all 3 of them got the draw. They sow griazzmade it out for a few day hunts and a couple camping trips but seen nothing for grizzlies. I had the draw for 4-32 myself. Just got back from a 4 day hunt with my dad over there. First time in the area. Real nice area but very thick and steep. Lots and lots of sign (moose too) but not much luck on finding any. Seen a few blacks and couple browns, and one sow grizz but had a couple cubs with her. Maybe next year

[bc_archer]

Well my spring Griz hunt came to an end without the results I hoped for, even though I did see the one large Griz. I got out several times in April and early May and saw no sign whatsoever and the snow was all the way down the mountains...the avalanche chutes weren't even clear of snow yet. Twisted my ankle and couldn't get out again until last week of May and first week of June and that's when I saw lots of fresh sign that couldn't have been more than a few days old. I did see some sign that could have been from as early as the 3rd week of May, but it was very limited. From my experience with this hunt I would say hunting in April and early May for Grizzly in this LEH draw is a waste of time, save your efforts until mid-May through to the end of the draw time of June 5th and hunt this time hard. Also, don't twist your ankle, it's very frustrating when trying to hunt Grizzlies because you are now the slowest moving person in your group...the one he's going to catch :)

[GoatGuy]

Sorry to hear about the results on the draw. That and the elk valley/flathead are probably the best mountain grizz draws in the province.

The boars are out in that area in April - always. Just have to find them.

[Ray70]

Thanks for everyone's information, especially GoatGuy, on the morning of April 29th, I got my prey. A beautiful grizzly bear.

[charlie_horse]

Sweet ! You got pics and a story to go with it?

[monasheemountainman]

Thanks for everyone's information, especially GoatGuy, on the morning of April 29th, I got my prey. A beautiful grizzly bear.

nice work! lets see some pics

[Iltasyuko]

I've never seen pics of a bear taken from this hunt - hope you can post up!

[Ray70]

http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=6359&stc=1http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=6360&stc=1
I and my partner have incredible stories about this hunting Grizzlies. I gave up three chances to kill a Grizzlies because it was young, timid, very smart, like my dog. So, I decided to give up this area, leaving the sugar lake when the miracle appeared, and perhaps my mercy got the response of God, a beautiful Grizzlies in the middle of the road, gave me a very, very good chance that it had little pain. If my English is difficult to understand, then forgive me or blame Google, I have been as much as possible to express my understanding.I and my partner have incredible stories about this hunting Grizzlies. I gave up three chances to kill a Grizzlies because it was young, timid, very smart, like my dog. So, I decided to give up this area, leaving the sugar lake when the miracle appeared, and perhaps my mercy got the response of God, a beautiful Grizzlies in the middle of the road, gave me a very, very good chance that it had little pain. If my English is difficult to understand, then forgive me or blame Google, I have been as much as possible to express my understanding.

[tuner]

Congratulations, that's a beautiful bear, and good on you for being selective,
I have put in for this grizzly draw many times in years past without success, it's a great area.
Well done.

[Iltasyuko]

Thanks for the pics and story. Good work!

[monasheemountainman]

Nice bear congrats

[RadHimself]

I'll put in for this draw every spring till i get it

There is some incredible country out there that not alot of people take the time to figure out and access....

i sent u a pm, all i can say is if you see sumthing out there that takes your breathe away. Keep it to yourself.

The ones willing to explore, deserve it. The rest dont

[Ray70]

Good luck.