Leupold BX-4 Rangefinding Binoculars

Spring bear suggestions

SwampLander

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Not asking for someones honey hole just wondering what states would be a good idea for spot stalk maybe bait black bear hunt this spring. Im driving from MS so that is a consideration and price is a big consideration. Just asking for what states to look at. Low tag cost and good opportunity.
 
A nonresident Spring bear tag in Oregon is $15 and some are OTC. Most you have to pay $8 application fee and of those a decent percentage can be drawn with no points. You will not find a less expensive state to hunt Spring bear. No bait or hounds but a wide spectrum of spot and stock options. Some really big bears as well as all color phases........except white.
 
A nonresident Spring bear tag in Oregon is $15 and some are OTC. Most you have to pay $8 application fee and of those a decent percentage can be drawn with no points. You will not find a less expensive state to hunt Spring bear. No bait or hounds but a wide spectrum of spot and stock options. Some really big bears as well as all color phases........except white.

Joe, I've looked into that a little bit, since you're always posting nice bears you take out there. A NR must also buy a $160.50 hunting license in addition to that $15.50 tag. Still not a bad deal, but puts it in the same range as Idaho.

I need to visit Oregon at some point, so I may do either a bear or a blacktail hunt there one of these days. If you consider drive time and fuel from the east though, most folks would come out ahead to just go to Montana or Idaho for a spring hunt.
 
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Joe, I've looked into that a little bit, since you're always posting nice bears you take out there. A NR must also buy a $160.50 hunting license in addition to that $15.50 tag. Still not a bad deal, but puts it in the same range as Idaho.

I need to visit Oregon at some point, so I may do either a bear or a blacktail hunt there one of these days. If you consider drive time and fuel from the east though, most folks would come out ahead to just go to Montana or Idaho for a spring hunt.

Yep, if you figure fuel and drive time it would probably be less expensive to stop in Idaho even though the tag there is $186 and license is $150. I've never seen any really big bears in Idaho myself but plan to hunt up there in the Spring one of these years and see if I can change that.

I will say that due to the fact we have no hound or bait hunting in Oregon it makes for some great spot and stalk hunting. Unfortunately we are overrun with bears and they appear to be impacting deer and elk numbers a lot in some places so if anyone wants to come kill one it would be helpful.
 
Yep, if you figure fuel and drive time it would probably be less expensive to stop in Idaho even though the tag there is $186 and license is $150. I've never seen any really big bears in Idaho myself but plan to hunt up there in the Spring one of these years and see if I can change that.

I will say that due to the fact we have no hound or bait hunting in Oregon it makes for some great spot and stalk hunting. Unfortunately we are overrun with bears and they appear to be impacting deer and elk numbers a lot in some places so if anyone wants to come kill one it would be helpful.

You're making Oregon sound pretty good! I'm still trying to build back PTO after a job change last year, but I'd eventually like to start doing an annual spring bear hunt. It's tough going a year between trips out west.

Idaho does have some areas where a bear tag is $40, but I've never hunted them. I have done a couple Montana spring hunts and a California fall hunt.
 
Thanks guys awesome info so far. I have heard on pod casts that Idaho is a tough hunt and not a super target rich environment. Im out there for the fun and meat but like to see critters as well. Not looking for a booner, just good meat and good fun. Oregon is a poke from Mississippi but I graduated from OSU online and this may be a good excuse to actually see Oregon.
 
Not asking for someones honey hole just wondering what states would be a good idea for spot stalk maybe bait black bear hunt this spring. Im driving from MS so that is a consideration and price is a big consideration. Just asking for what states to look at. Low tag cost and good opportunity.

If you are interested in coming to Ontario i will help you out.
I will prebait for you,
I will have a place for you to stay
You will have bait for the week
Tag over Counter is 250$ CND
You only have to pay me for whatever time I put into it.
Season open May 1 until June 15
 
If you are interested in coming to Ontario i will help you out.
I will prebait for you,
I will have a place for you to stay
You will have bait for the week
Tag over Counter is 250$ CND
You only have to pay me for whatever time I put into it.
Season open May 1 until June 15

thats a pretty generous offer!
 
Just found out that I will be in Central Oregon (Williamette NF unit 19 (I think?)) for the summer working for the forest service as a hot springs caretaker. Already picked up my Non-res hunting tag on line but want to know a couple of things:
Can I buy a spring bear tag OTC when I get there 1 April?
Who is the Go-To guy or gal here in the forum for Central Oregon bear tips?
Thanks!
-Pilsner
 
Thanks guys awesome info so far. I have heard on pod casts that Idaho is a tough hunt and not a super target rich environment. Im out there for the fun and meat but like to see critters as well. Not looking for a booner, just good meat and good fun. Oregon is a poke from Mississippi but I graduated from OSU online and this may be a good excuse to actually see Oregon.

The extra days drive would put you in a much better bear area. You could spend 3 days just finding a bear in MT.
 
Not asking for someones honey hole just wondering what states would be a good idea for spot stalk maybe bait black bear hunt this spring. Im driving from MS so that is a consideration and price is a big consideration. Just asking for what states to look at. Low tag cost and good opportunity.

I'd consider hunting bears spot and stalk in the eastern Sierra Nevada of California. It would be a long drive for you, but the bear density is high. The country is gorgeous too. You can find bears as far and as close to the road as you would like. Hound hunting and baiting are prohibited. The nonresident license is $164.16 and the over the counter bear tag is $291.55. It's pricey but the opportunities are great. CA doesn't have a spring bear hunt though. The archery season begins the third Saturday in August. The general season starts concurrently with the deer seasons that bear hunting is permitted. The good zones I know most about are X12, X9A, D7, and D6. I'm the bear biologist for the area. Message me if you or anyone else is interested in good hunting spots.
 
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Where in Ontario are you? I heave 203 acres near Timmins, and Matheson I haven’t hunted yet but plan to in the near future.
 
I'm watching this too. I'm going to Alaska in May but we might try Pennsylvania in the Fall as I'm living in Ohio and my brother in Michigan this would be pretty cheap to do. I think they have a lot of bears, but probably also a lot of pressure so we might take crossbows if we do it to escape the rifle season. Anyone do anything in PA (just the state in general of course)? I'm also putting Oregon and Cali on my watch list since the air fare and tags are pretty cheap compared to Alaska. If I'm planning on accessing via roads and trails, I might just stick to the lower 48. I'm flying in for May. (Although, we did a roads and trails hunt in Alaska in the Fall and didn't see another hunter so maybe that's still a good option.)
 
Hear that we're over run with black bears in Ore. Lived here over 50yrs and have only seen two. Lived in Montana my last three years in the service, saw black bears every where! I should admit that out grouse hunting last year I found quite a bit of bear stool.
 
Hear that we're over run with black bears in Ore. Lived here over 50yrs and have only seen two. Lived in Montana my last three years in the service, saw black bears every where! I should admit that out grouse hunting last year I found quite a bit of bear stool.

I have no idea on this particular. I do know it can be a mistake to equate not seeing black bears with assuming they aren't there. They can be pretty elusive in areas where they have cover and a healthy fear of man. I was in the swamplands of eastern NC for two years in a large national forest all the time where there should have been a lot of bear. I think I might have caught a glimpse of one. I've also been in the UP of Michigan quite a bit. I've never seen a bear there. Yet people hunting over bait piles kill all kinds if big ones every year. Interestingly, you see deer in both these places all the time and yet nary a bear suggesting just how elusive they can be.
 
I see bear every few days I am out on the eastside of Oregon but on the coast although I see tracks every trip out I only see 5-15 a year. They hide very well in the dense jungle....
 
I woudnt count Idaho out on the big bear front. We have quite the population. This is just one coming into my bait: 31914015_1660566550659655_2721204245528313856_n.jpg Just have one bait up and not a lot invested. 4-5 coming in on the regular, Im sure if I spent more time it would be even better.
 

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