Well looks like I drew my Oregon spring bear tag. I did not draw last year so pretty happy to get one this year. I’m in St. Thomas right now but better get the rifle out and start shooting once I return. One step closer to some fresh sausage.

Here is St. Thomas

Sunny and warm today!

wws

Do the bears wake from they’re nap as soon as the snow melts ?

We don’t get much snow on the west side of the state. The bears are in a dormant type state, not really hibernating. The season opens April 1, runs thru May 31. The middle of April to the end of April first week of May are about the best. They like the sun and the fresh new grass. Best to hunt before the leaves are on the trees. It’s either a spot and stock or a still hunting logging roads game for the most part. They sell a bunch of tags and there are a lot of bears in this area.

wws

Find the clover find the bears. Good luck let's see pictures!

Same ! Excited for you and second the pictures.

The clear it’s here don’t have much clover. It’s just green grass and they tear up old logs for bugs after being out a while. I’m planning on taking my camp trailer and leaving it at a private camp ground for the season, less towing is good. Hoping to get some time to hunt in between trapping jobs. Should be good.

wws

Watch south facing slopes. Since bears don't drink water during hibernation they get plugged up. Bears will often walk along logging roads eating grass on south facing slopes. The grass comes up there first. Eating grass unplugs their digestive system. Good luck.

I have killed bears on the logging roads before, killed them with hounds back in the day when I had hounds, I sold my dogs in 92. Hoping to find them glassing this time, never really hunted that way before. I have a great selection of high quality optics, leupold gold ring Binoculars, vortex 18x56 Kiabab binoculars, two leupold spotting scopes. Also have several carbon fiber tripods, be fun finding them in the cut units and making a plan.

wws

I spent 35 years on the westside of Washington. I used to hunt high in the huckleberry fields in Sept. My best luck was canyons that cannot be seen by road or trail. Spring and fall for bear are definitely an optics game. You have to be prepared to bone them out. I always carried a freight pack with 6 pillow cases I got from the thrift store for 75 cents. They keep the meat clean, allow blood to drain, and the flies cannot spoil the meat. There is nothing to grab on a bear to assist in dragging. Boning reduces the animal to about 35% of live weight

If you walk in the gated roads you might want to consider pushing a wheelbarrow in. When you get one it's a lot easier to get it out.

Any beaver sign in St Thomas?

Spot and stalking clearcuts or burns in spring is the best way to hunt blackbears here.
In good bear country you can spot several every day and choose the one you want to stalk down.If you are a good stalker a kill is pretty much guaranteed.
Hides are prime in spring and are worth good money,and the big bearhides stay good longer than the smaller woolly bearhides.

Post some pics when you nail one.

Spring bear is not available in WA
Someone on facetrash posted a picture of a wet sow,,,,,by by…..