Author Topic: Anyone bear hunting in Washington this year? (Read 933 times)

R.Neumann · « **on:** July 14, 2005, 12:33:40 PM »

Season opens 1 Aug and I am planning on making a week of it on the peninsula. Does anyone know of some decent spots to try?

Alternately if anyone needs a hunting partner I have about 18 years of hunting experience but I dont know much about the NW.

Pm me or post here and we can talk

Dave H20 Fowl · « **Reply #1 on:** July 14, 2005, 04:15:17 PM »

Where in Whashington do you live? Do you plan on hunting anything else on any other dates?There are some good maps avaiable on the washington dept of fish and wildlife site. If you haven't contacted the timber companies yet, I'd do that too.

R.Neumann · « **Reply #2 on:** July 14, 2005, 08:38:32 PM »

I live in Seattle with all the hippies.

Unfortunately the GMU maps dont tell me where the bears are and that is why I was seeking local knowledge.

I will only be hunting bear this year I believe as I am leaving for florida in september.

Btw if I get a bear I will need some people to help take meat off my hands....free

dawei · « **Reply #3 on:** July 15, 2005, 04:19:38 AM »

Quote from: R.Neumann

I live in Seattle with all the hippies.

Unfortunately the GMU maps dont tell me where the bears are and that is why I was seeking local knowledge.

I will only be hunting bear this year I believe as I am leaving for florida in september.

Btw if I get a bear I will need some people to help take meat off my hands....free

http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/harvest/2004/bear.htm

salmonclubber · « **Reply #4 on:** July 17, 2005, 03:54:36 AM »

hi neumann
the matheny unit is a good unit to hunt bear i think your best bet would be to go to lake quinault set up camp there and hunt the area around it lots of good bear hunting there large clearcuts with lots of berrys

R.Neumann · « **Reply #5 on:** July 17, 2005, 02:29:06 PM »

Thank you both for the info. If anyone else has some ideas or feels like going for a hunt this august just drop me a PM

Braz475 · « **Reply #6 on:** August 04, 2005, 08:22:24 PM »

I have been hunting the Cedar Creek/Oakville area of Capital Forest and so far have seen quite a bit of sign and there are lots of berries around this area. I was told the other day that this small area is the most heavily bear populated area in washington, might be worth it for you to check it out...PM if you have any questions on where it is or if you wanna hook up and do some hunting with me and my buddies.

R.Neumann · « **Reply #7 on:** August 09, 2005, 11:11:59 AM »

braz, check your pm

billythekidrock · « **Reply #8 on:** August 16, 2005, 03:19:03 PM »

R.Neumann -

Any reports? How did your hunt go?

I spent a week in Matheny/Clearwater and it was dead. A few bears seen and not much sign. Those that drove the hills near the Q saw alot of sign, but it is tough hunting the timber.

Braz475 -

I too have hunted that area in the CF (even killed a large boar there this spring). There are a few bears there, but I beg to differ on the "is the most heavily bear populated area in washington" statement. The OP on the wetside and the Blues on the east have way more bears, and are alot easier to hunt then the ones near the Capitol. The N Cascades also has a ton of bears.

I have been in constant contact with both DNR & F&G bios since the spring season and I have learned alot about the local bear in the CF. Hunting them will only get harder as the second spring season in the CF will probably be broke down into two 30 day seasons with 100 hunters per season. This is not to up the harvest, but to up the human traffic in timber damage areas. They recorded 14 bears killed this spring (more were killed, believe me) and 10 were reported last season, so that is 24 bears (reported) in 12 months.

CF averages about 12 a year so now you double that one year and it will definately have an effect on the current (fall) season as well as the next spring.

Anyway, If you have any questions about the CF or some areas of the OP just ask.