Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Spring Bear in Idaho Questions

Hoping someone will steer me in the right direction...

A couple of buddies and I are heading up to the Selway about April 20th, we are planning to stay 10 days. None of us have hunted black bear before and are just looking for an adventure. We are planning to hunt units 16A 17, maybe 19 or 20. We will be taking supplies to bait, call, and stalk if need be. I am wondering is this feasible ?

Any iformation would be greatly appreciated, please feel free to pm me.

Dusty

The Selway is a big area but by your description,I assume your going in the Elk City way to get to all the units you mentioned.Snow is rough getting into most of those in April depending on the weather without snow machines.The Road is not plowed into Dixie(19)nor the Magruder into (17)but unit 20 runs from the Magruder road up to where they stop plowing just past the Red River Ranger Station.

Good luck and if you want anymore info on that area,just ask..When it quits snowing I am headed in that direction Stealhead fishing..Soon..The weather sucks now and the river is rising fast.My son just spent two days out at no-tellum creek.

Jayco

We do not have an exact location picked out to go yet. I spoke with a game warden in that area and I am currently thinking of camping on the selway road just down from lowell.

Right now I am just trying to gather up as much information as I can to see if this is something that is doable for a flatland Okie like me.

There are Idaho laws about baiting. Best check the regs. with Idaho Game and Fish before just throwing stuff out. It could be very costly.

Yep. Go the Idaho F&G site.

http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/

Good luck on your Black bear hunt.

L.W.

I have already spoke with a warden he pointed me in the right direction I was just hoping to get some further assistance being I have never bear hunted or been to Idaho.

April 20 seems a little early to me but some of the lower country will be open and some hungry bears may be out and about.

For starters, need a permit. Also, you have to have ID on your bait stations and they're very specific about containers.
The rules are quite easy to follow, but you must follow them.

Here's how to play: BEAR REGS

I would call up and check snow level 2 weeks before you head up.

Receiving late Spring snow in some areas of the NW this year.


beautiful country in the Selway.

you'll enjoy yourselves.

I live about 48 miles from where your headed and it snowed all night..yuck..But by April it should be spring bear time there.I think you chose about as good a spot anyone not from Idaho should,not knowing the area.Phone close by/wireless Internet and Kooskie just 22 miles down the road with good cell service/store etc..

Good luck on your hunt and keep up on that weekly link I sent you.

Jayco

I would bring up a set of chains for your truck.

If you have not yet hunted the mountains weather can change very quickly. Especially in Spring and Fall. Be aware and prepared forvweather changes.

Going in on hard packed snow in the morning can be interesting coming out in the afternoon when it's all mush.

R.C., you ain't kidding! Best to bring a good set of chains, long handled shovel, and a couple of good tow straps. You just never know ......

L.W.

Binoculars.

An outfit called ROW (Rivers Oddesey West) here in Coeur d'Alene, ID have some cabins right where you are going to hunt. You might give them a call. They have a web site. We have stayed and eaten at their place where you are going to hunt and it is very nice.

How long will it take to establish a good bait site and start getting bears to come in regularly?

This is the rule for placing bait for Black bears, from the 2011 Id. F&G regulation booklet.

"NO bait or bait containers may be placed for the purpose of attracting or taking of Black bears before the opening of Black bear take season, except in Units 10, 12, 16A, 17, 19, 20, 20A, 26, and 27, where bait may be placed up to 7 days before the take season."

The several hunters I know who "bait" for bears, put out their bait containers according to this regulation as soon as it is legal. Sometimes the bears will come in before the opener, other times, not until sometime in the season, and sometimes not at all.

I do know that they have trail cams up so they can determine if bears are "hitting" their bait stations. If not, generally they'll move the containers to another location.

L.W.

We always figured two weeks was a good minimum to get bears coming in regularly and this was in country with a good bear population and baits placed a bit further from the road than the "average joe". The longer a bait is out and as the spring warms more bears find it. All that said though, if the bears are active and you are in good area without too many others baiting, you might have bears hitting within a couple days.