Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Spring bear seasons coming up...

I am going to try and blood my Ruger hawkeye 7 rem mag on a bruin this spring season. Load will ether be 175 gr partition @2900 fps or a 160gr speer spitzer @3048. Got some new wide open areas after the fires last year so long shots might be in order.

Alot of spring bears I spy from afar, like 3/4 of a mile and farther and plan a stock on the bear. Most of the time when all works out, shots are not bad 100-200ish. Sometimes ya find it easier or just want to shoot than try to close the gap... its all fun

Last spring bear I kilt was with my iron sighted 1895 ss marlin 45-70 with handloaded 350gr horn round nose bullets at about 150 yards. One shot as it was feeding toward me centered on the top of his head as he lowered it to eat. Boom, dirt nap. Entered scull, exit right butt cheek

It was a beautiful fresh from hibernation, long clawed and long hair blond faze male black bear. Had to look it over for a bit with the binocs to make sure it was not the other kind of bear with REAL long claws 'griz' before I shot...

Been a couple years since I kilt a springy and looking towards hunt'n one.

So, who's using what and how for spring bears here on the 'fire??

Too bad that it ruined the skull- Would have made a nice mount

Boomwack, good luck on your hunt, the 7mm RM will do the job nicely of course

For me the hunt will be similar as you being a spot and stalk. I got a new 30-06 at Christmas time so that's what I'm going to use, haven't shot it yet but will see shortly what shoots better out of the 165 gr Hot Cor, 180 gr Sierra Pro Hunter or 180 gr Hornady BTSP.

Actually traded the scull and the gall bladder for part payment on the tanning.... The old fella that was doing the hide thought that big ol' bullet hole dead center in the bear skull was cool!!

Was not blown up too bad, the 45-70 don't really have the 'explosive' effect as quick calibers... Just a LARGE hole that you can eat right up too.

Thanks jerrygoat Good luck to you on load work and on the hunt

What powders do you have to try on the new '06 for the different bullets?

Thanks, spring bear is something I really look forward to each year. Hope you post some pictures of your hunt when you head out.

I'm going to try Big Game first for the 165 gr Hot Cor and H 4350 with the 180's, have some IMR 4451 to try if necessary. Got some 180 gr Accubonds and 220 gr Partition's waiting in the wings for bigger stuff

I usually use a 35 Whelen for spring bear with 200 gr Accubonds which works very well but need to get the '06 it's first animal

Would like to see a Pic of that bear or the tanned hide if you have one, iv kill 3 Black Black bears and would love to take a color phase one some day!

My wife and I are planning a combination black bear/turkey hunt this spring here in Montana. Plan to hunt with combination guns, me with a drilling 6.5x57R/161x16 and Eileen with a two-barrel 9x72R/16. Early May should be about right both for bears and gobblers gobbling.

Hard to top that! Cool guns, wish we had turkeys this far north that would be awfully fun to hunt both at the same time. They do have turkeys in the Kootenays though.

Here ya go saddlering

I have a HELL of a time with pictures and this sight... if the upload goes all the way.

He is missing his nose, its a 5 foot bear. Resizing photos suks

BW is that an OTC Idaho spring hunt?

Yep, otc.
I would have to double chech but I think wolf season is roll'n same time, april 15

Keep us posted brother! Hope the hunt goes well for you! Hope the snow cooperates!

Very nice color! I did get to see a big Blond bear, on a hunt up Sask. Ca. just as I was getting the sights of the Ballard on it, the dam Bear just steped backward and was gone! Ended up takeing a nice Black phase bear at the same spot a few days later tho!

I hope to hit them hard this spring. Last big spring bear I went after got shot out from under me. Still butthurt about that one.

I have some regulars I give a pass, always prefer to explore new ground. One of these days I should hunt the Volkswagen Bear with intent to actually shoot him! I keep hoping one of the guys I take in there will get lucky and tag him. The only guy besides me that's seen him had just filled his tag. He's a rare bird and smart as hell.

Whatever I do I'll hunt with a Savage 99. 250-3000, 270 Titus, .284, .338 Federal, .358, or .375 Winchester depending on my mood.

This Volkswagen bear you speek of, I know the kind. Large, wize, the agility of a ballerina and very sneeky, The kind of bear that one can re-carpet the living room with a rug his size would be.

Hunt well my friend, may you be graced by the Volkswagen.

It's fun getting to know a bear on his turf, over several years. Where he sleeps, feeds, waters, travels. How he uses the wind, what he capitalizes on, like deer season, berry crops, acorns. He likes to lay in the small pools of water each day in summer to cool off. The hard part is knowing which one to watch on a given day. We've seen many a bear at these little 4' round puddles, but have never caught him at one.

I actually thought I got him a 4 years ago. Was still hunting along and heard a bear ahead and across the draw. Sounded like he was tearing apart a log. Snuck in close and hit the fawn bleat. About 10 minutes later this dude came sauntering in all dominant, like a big boy does. Turns out there was two good ones in there and the Volkswagen Bear yet lived.

At this point he's earned the right to be there and be left alone by me. If I see him now I'll probably give him a pass. Who knows, maybe not. I like to go in there and hunt him every now and then.

It's all about the hunt, not the kill.

That is one beautiful bear hide.

Blonds have less fun.

Nice blond! One color I never got. Haven't hunted them seriously for several years. Have my tag for this year already. Good luck everyone!