Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Eastern Oregon Spring Bear Progress Report

Our northeast high elevation season opened April 15 to a well advanced spring and no snow in areas we typically can't reach for another 3 weeks or so. Our party are carrying Minam/Imnaha tags.

I saw a single black bear the second morning at about 11:00 AM digging biscuit roots (Lomatium)about 1 mile out and 2,100 feet lower than my vantage point. I was rimmed out of that piece of country, so simply watched him work for about 20 minutes after which he wandered off into the timber.

I also saw around 50 to 60 elk each day typically in groups of 10 to 15. Amazingly, they bedded out on open grassland slopes for their midday naps even though we were blessed with blue sky sunny warm weather. There were a few shed antlers about, but also many bulls still packing hardware. No new calves yet.

I don't know if the bear respond to the advanced spring weather and snow melt or not. I would think cubs would be born and mobile around the same time each year regardless of weather, and that the breeding boars would be on the prowl regardless of the advanced plant phenology. If there any bear biologists around here, feel free to chime in please.

The season runs until the end of May, so we have plenty of time to get back at it and will probably get out again around the first of May. I'm hoping the weather cools, however, as climbing around in that steep canyon country can be a bit trying in warm weather. It's mostly downhill in the cool AM's and then an uphill drag in the PM's to get back to camp.

Have a good one,

Everything seems almost 3 weeks ahead in E WA. Cannot believe how dry it is hiking up in the mountains. And is hot hiking up and down

I was down at Brownlee Reservoir past Baker City last week and the crappie already hitting
There
Run into any mushrooms up in the Imnaha? That is some beautiful country up there.

Thanks for posting and good luck.

Ribka:
Only a single morel peeking through the litter. Reports of good success though down at about 4000 ft.

Thanks for the report 1minute.

The snow pack is for the most part gone here and has been for several weeks. I was cutting wood 3 weeks ago, that on a normal year would still be inaccessible. Saw a black bear at an elevation that normally they wouldn't be at until well into May.

Earliest spring I can remember and like already said, things are gonna dry out quick now unless we get some serious rain.

Genetic language and photo period is more key to the Bears standing up than the weather or lack of weather.

But once they stand up the lack of weather can affect their action.