Back from Vacation and Need an Update.

[Moosie]

Who's baiting ar spot and Stalking and What 'cha seeing ?

I jsut talked to Deadeye270 and He said he has bears on one of our sites already. They are starting out slow like usual and are nit picky about the food. But we also have 9 different variety's for them to mess with I'll be hading up Tueday to get a Camera on it then Friday again to retreave the pictures..... I'm fired up !!!!!!

We haven't set up out Site "C" yet, but sounds Like site "F" is in Full swing.....

Whats everyone else doing ?!??!?

 

[Washington Hunter]

Well Moosie as you know I can't use bait here in Washington, so I've been attempting to spot and stalk, but then it's so thick where I'm hunting, spotting is very difficult if not impossible, and well, if a bear was spotted, most likely it wouldn't take a whole lot of stalking because it would already be within rifle range. Mostly what I've been up to so far I would have to call scouting more than anything, and just yesterday my brother and I found where many douglas fir trees had the bark peeled off by a feeding bear. The trees they like seem to be from about 6 inches to 10 inches in diameter. I'm curious...do the bears in your area feed on fir trees also? One of these days we're going to get set up in a likely spot and try to call a bear in with a fawn-in-distress call. That's the only way I can think of to have a chance of seeing a bear, rather than only seeing what it's been feeding on.

 

[Quiet_One]

moosie back, welomce back hope went well

 

[Moosie]

I don't notice alot of LIVE tree's being eaten. there are alot of Older logs, and down trees that have some action on them though. One night in Unit 39 (I say that unit because people know there terrain, It's WAY WAY open in alot of it and some hill sides are miles long with not many or no trees.) But I spoted a Bear on the other hillside just walking and Turning rocks as it walked. It was kind of cool to watch it. Although getting to it before it got dark was another story

Good luck on your hunt. I know Baiting is illegal but what if you were eating sardines and didn't want to finish them and Through them on the ground. Not like Baiting, but jsut because you were done with them

Good luck Mi Amigo !!

 

[Washington Hunter]

Sent you a PM Moosie

Next time I'm out I'll take some pictures of the trees with all the bark peeled off. The bears peel the bark off to get at the inner layer, cambium (I think it's called.) This is the reason for this spring hunt. The unit I'm hunting is about 95% state land, and the state is not allowed to use professional bear hunters to control the bears like the private timber companies do. So of course with no baiting or hound hunting allowed in Washington any more, the bear population is out of control in some areas. If it wasn't for all the tree damage, I wouldn't even know there are bears up there, as I have never seen one.

 

[Moosie]

If the bears were actually a REAL problem, You'd be seeing them. You are Remembering to leave the road and trail right

Sounds like you can use the trees for bait.... Go were the trees are

 

[Washington Hunter]

The state believes the bears are a problem. Here is a new release put out by Fish & Wildlife:

NEWS RELEASE
WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091

April 7, 2005
Contacts: Donny Martorello, (360) 902-2521
Craig Bartlett, (360) 902-2259



Black bear hunt in Capitol State Forest,
Kapowsin Tree Farm starts April 15
OLYMPIA - Permits have been issued to hunters selected to participate in a special black bear hunt designed to reduce bear damage to trees in two timberlands - one in Thurston and Grays Harbor counties and another in Pierce County.

The special hunt, scheduled April 15-June 15, was requested by the state Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which manages Capitol State Forest in Thurston County, and the Campbell Group, which manages Kapowsin Tree Farm in Pierce County.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) selected 100 applicants through a random drawing to hunt black bears in each of the two areas.

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission approved the special hunt last December after timber managers for those areas sought help in controlling damage caused by black bears. The bears strip the bark from young Douglas-fir trees to eat the sweet cambium layer that lies beneath it.

Brian Prater, area manager for the Campbell Group, estimates that black bears have damaged approximately 15 percent of the young conifer plantations at the Kapowsin Tree Farm over the past decade.

"Studies have shown that a single black bear can peel up to 70 trees a day in spring," Prater said. "Over time, that constitutes a considerable financial loss."

Patty Henson, communications director for DNR, said over the past five years black bears have killed or damaged trees, ranging from 12 to 20 years old, across more than 5,000 acres in Capitol State Forest. At a minimum, she said, that damage will cost state trust funds more than $500,000 in timber sales, which otherwise would support public services in Thurston and Grays Harbor counties, the state general fund and construction of public schools and universities statewide.

"In the stands we surveyed, bears had killed or damaged an average of 40 percent of the trees," Henson said. "In some stands, as many as 75 percent of the trees were affected."

State law authorizes the Fish and Wildlife Commission to approve special hunts to control property damage caused by wildlife, said Dave Ware, WDFW game manager. Similar special hunts - open to only a limited number of permit holders - are conducted each year throughout the state to control agricultural damage caused by deer and elk.

Black bears are abundant in western Washington, with an estimated population of 25,000 animals statewide, Ware said. WDFW plans to monitor the hunt to determine its effectiveness before deciding whether to continue it in future years.

"Based on previous experience, we would expect to see a maximum of a dozen bears taken in each of the two areas," Ware said. "The human activity associated with the hunt should also keep black bears away from choice stands of trees."

Ware noted that the black-bear hunt overlaps with an annual wild turkey hunt that runs from April 15 to May 15 in the Capitol State Forest and other areas throughout the state. Hunters with permits to hunt for bears in the Capitol State Forest have received maps showing areas with extensive tree damage, and both WDFW and DNR will have observers in the field to monitor the hunt, Ware said.

"The black bear hunt will focus in the areas with extensive tree damage," Ware said. "We want to make sure hikers and other users of these timberlands are aware that these hunts are under way."

 

[fairchase]

Nothin' happen at my new site...except a whole roll of Pine Martin photos
I Finally got to an old site of mine today, so we'll see. Both are high elevation so it's gonna be awhile.

Moosie, did you fish in Mex?

 

[BRD DAWG]

We just finally got our baits out on Saturday. We'll be back up there later this week to check on them.

 

[GatoMan]

its always known bears will peel saplings in the spring, getting that cambium layer, many of the big timber companys will permit houndsmen to come in and do depredation work for them. Few guys I know spend several months in the spring up in WA hunting on the timber companys ground. I think that JJHack that posts on here sometimes use to do peel depredation work on bears for timber companys up there in WA also.

 

[supersider34]

Oscar I just got to my bait site yesterday as the snow stopped me from getting in there. I didnt get all my bait in but enough to start it. I found 2 different sets of bear tracks on the bait site. They pulled bones out of the snow and chewed up some of the logs I use to cover the bait which have grease on the logs. I set out a cow head and about 30 gallons of meat scraps and a bucket of grease. Also got my tree stand up and camera out. I had 3' of snow to walk threw to get bait in and sank in a couple places. Was a very tiresome day packing that stuff in. Made 4 trips up to bait site. Will be going back up this weekend to put more bait out and pull the film. As long as nothing stops me.
Going to stick a bear this year.
The tracks on my bait where 5 1/2" and a 5" track.
Good luck to all baiters and hunters.

 

[Ten Bears]

I got my bait out the first day, but haven't had any hits as of last friday, but I'm gonna check it again today.