Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game 76 dayz till....spring bruins in Big Sky country

Keeping up with Carl aka "The Billy Goat" isn't something I'd wish to try...unless he's carrying my gun/pack/lunch etc..grin

On the dates to hunt. 4 me, I've found that certain parts of the state are good right from Mid April on. But those parts are tough to find. Then there is parts of the state where you'll not be finding bruins till mid May.

And then there's the rest of the state. You'll see some bruins out on the opener. Area depending but many times these will be the juvi's that didn't go very high or far in to go to sleep. And or the mom's that didn't take the pups very far in to sleep either.

Many people say that the first bruins out are the big boars, to date and in watching them and being a student of them for 30+ years I've not found that to be true.

Generally I've found that for most of this state that may 13th is the magic time. That meaning that I feel that there's a vast majority of the bruins out at that time.

And in early to mid may things are just beginning to catch some green. So it tends to keep the bruins in smaller areas, IE you can limit your search areas a bit. As you push on towards late May you'll find that the green is about everywhere. And the bruins can begin to roam a lot more, hence once again making it a bit tougher.

Then in and around Mem day you'll find that the bruins are beginning to think about finding lady friends. The good and the bad to that time to me is such. You may well find a bruiser but if you don't get on him and kill him that night IME you may well not see him again.

Anyway you look at it getting out after spring bruins is an incredibly fun and enjoyable time. Plus it's a better place to work out than the gym.

Dober

Dober, you're as bad as the boys at the 'horn.

That is good to hear since in the NW part of MT, many of the bears may still be in the den when the season closes; like 2 yrs ago.

So are these bear hunts under bait or are they spot and stalk. Bear season sounds like a great time but I am not for the baiting bears hunting. Good luck too you Dober!!! HAPPY HUNTING

Killing bears if more fun that drowning kittens and I'll be doing it this spring for sure, maybe in a copule of states. I prefer to hunt April 15th through June 15th and have taken good bears on both those dates and many in between.. no magic numbers other than the right weather and good luck..

cant bait in Montana

Sorry fairchase, everything that could be extended is in region 2 and region 3, region 1 won't be affected.
I'm chomping at the bit though, can't wait to get out there and posthole in drifts and be covered in ticks.

Just out of curiousity, what kind of weather is the "right" kind for bears?

My wife will be due with our next baby about then so no it is hard to get excited about it, but ya never know.

That IMO would depend on the time of year.

Dober

Maybe someday Montana will get over the anti-baiting crap. mtmuley

I'm beyond excited for burrr season. Had a trip planned last year that was canceled due to my then wife coming to her senses and giving me the boot...


But this year it is on like donkey-kong my campfire friends. I'm going with that azzhat DanAdair. But don't tell him I referred to him as an azzhat until after the season closes.


Travis

Goin from an ex-wife to Adair....



Doooooood.... thats a toss-up....


Ingwe

Region 1 is where 3/4 of the bears are harvested so I can see why that area has the shortest season and would never consider a lengthened season. Live in Bozeman but the wife's parents live on Bull Lake and the amt of bears in region 1 can be crazy at times. This past fall while elk bow hunting, on ONE day I saw 6 different bears. Living in a state (MT) that does not allow baiting, I really do not feel that we are at a disadvantage; although I am sure that baiting would lead to more dead bears.

I personally sure hope it doesn't.

Mark, Post up a pic or two of some of those honkers you've taken....

I'm with you Carl, that's not something I'd care to see and I really don't think we need to worry about it much either.

Dober

A lot of Montana topography lends itself to spot and stalk bear hunting better than some other places. Where that's available, it's the most fun hunt IMO.

What's the problem with baiting? mtmuley

Bait hunting is for pussies and makes the bears hang where they won't naturally hang in the spring, on steep green up south facing hillsides and slides..