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Spring Bear in Northwestern Montana

ddriller1979

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Joined
Jul 19, 2017
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Hey everyone. I am planning a spring black bear hunt in Montana. I am looking at public land in NW Montana. Any idiot can probably figure out where I am talking about. Be my first bear camp. Probably going to be solo. Can anyone give some info on good places to camp in flathead? I am probably going to be there for 10 days so I can get plenty of scouting and see if Montana fly fishing is what they say it is. Any help would be greatly be appreciated. I am not looking to get in on a camp or impose. Just need some knowledge of the area.
 
Flathead National forest is about 2 million acres. Half of that is in the Bob Marshall Wilderness. I assume you are car camping? That still leaves a million acres, plus 2 million of the Kootenai Forest and a bunch of timber company land to choose from. Bears are pretty much anywhere on it. Are you interested in a campground or just camp any old place?
 
Fly fishing in NW Montana is not the same thing as fly fishing in SW MT, BTW. No harm in trying, but keep expectations realistic.
 
Throw a dart, find a camping spot.

There is some good fishing, but be warned it is not the prime fly fishing in MT. There is the Columbia Redband up there if you want to cross that one off your list. And during the spring bear hunt time frame it will be wildly hit or miss due to runoff.

I would also tell you two things in case you didn't know it:

1. There are a few grizzlies up there. Just a few...
2. You mention Flathead, and I just wanted to make sure that you know if you can't hunt the Flathead Reservation, unless you are a tribal member.
 
I appreciate the input. Some people have just been telling to go to Flathead NF if I want to get into bears on public land. I have hunted Colorado enough to know I don't need to be on th reservations. This is something different for me. In a state I have never hunted. Fishing I am not super concerned with. Like most of us I am going into it thinking I got a shot. If I don't I learn my lessons and come back next year. Just looking at about 10 days of hunting and take what I can get. Either a good bear or having a hell of a time trying to get one.
 

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