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TJAY Offline OP
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Does a full moon keep bears feeding at night and holed up during the day? I am looking at spring bear hunt and this has been brought up as a factor in when to book the hunt. This would be an Idaho hunt.

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Are you talking baiting here?

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No, this would be spot and stalk.

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I'd worry more about picking the right week than being concerned about when the full moon hit. But, that's just me.

What does your outfitter have to say about this question.

Dober


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Mark has it right.

Snow level and picking right week is key. Some areas can be hunted in beginning of May one year and not accessible until last week of June another year. Let the outfitter know this and would be flexible if that is an option.

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Dober.

They are the ones who mentioned it. Hunting method will boat up river climb up and glass. Looking at mid April or late April.

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Spring bear come out with one objective. Eat, and they don't care what time of day it is or what the moon might be doing. Our most significant issue is having the needed equipment or animals to get into the proper country

Last edited by 1minute; 12/30/12.

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I'm not much of a bear hunter, but I hear the spring bears taste better.

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Originally Posted by TJAY
Looking at mid April or late April.


I'm not a bear expert by any means, but that seems kinda early to me, moon or no moon.

Unless it's a very mild winter with very little snow, I think they might still be sleeping.

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That's what I was thinking too.

Where's this hunt at? Oregon?? It sure as hell ain't in the Rockies anywhere.


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Sounds like a boat hunt up the Salmon along the Idaho-Oregon border, but who knows? Spring does come a little earlier there, especially on the lower river and west-facing slopes.

In western Montana I don't start hunting until May, and around Mother's Day is usually the magic time.


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If it were me, I'd go late April. An extra week or two for things to warm up and green up will only help. I've seen bears out in that country in mid-to late March at the lowest elevations, but sightings increase later on. Hope for lots of snow up high and a slow green as it will have the bears down lower and more concentrated on the open slopes that green up first.

You'll have a fun hunt. Be ready for a stiff hike up to your glassing points or being ready to hump it uphill in a hurry after a bear is spotted from the boat.

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Try to get a good look at the bear before you shoot, because it is a big disappointment to walk up to one that has badly rubbed his fur coat.


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Originally Posted by 1minute
Spring bear come out with one objective. Eat, and they don't care what time of day it is or what the moon might be doing. Our most significant issue is having the needed equipment or animals to get into the proper country
I strongly agree. Dont worry about the moon. Just identify the food source. Stalk the food source and you will find the bears. They move 24 hours a day. They eat when they are hungry and sleep when tired.

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Thanks for all the help.

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TJAY-this is just me but if the outfitter feels good about the timing I'd go with his word. But....and this is a big but if the outfitter isn't coming to you via a referral from a close friend that you trust I'd be for sure calling his reference list and asking them what they think about the dates for that area.

A call to the local bear biologist would be a good thing as well to see who he/she feels about the timing.

Now take this for what it's worth. IME more than likely you'll find see some bruins feeding early in the morning and if it's warm about the time the sun hits the slopes they'll move to the timber. Sure the bruins can feed any time of the day but I'm betting that 90% of the bears you see will be in the first two hours of the day and the last 3 hours of the day.

Now as the days get longer and hotter the bruins will be spending less and less time out feeding and more time at night.

In my country I rarely hunt more than first 2 hours and last 3 hours of the day in the early part of the year. In my part of the world April is quite early. But there are a couple of parts of the state where I know I can go and find bruins out.

Like JB and Lonny said in the country you're talking about the bruins will most likely be out earlier than most places others are used to.

I wrote several articles on bruin hunting if you like bounce me a pm and I'll get them to you.

Hunting bruins is one of my all time fav things to do. And I'm very glad to hear that you're doing a spot and stalk hunt.

Dober


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Originally Posted by Mule Deer
Sounds like a boat hunt up the Salmon along the Idaho-Oregon border, but who knows? Spring does come a little earlier there, especially on the lower river and west-facing slopes.

In western Montana I don't start hunting until May, and around Mother's Day is usually the magic time.


If it is, then those dates are good....I killed a nice bear in that country back in 1990 on April 4th....


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