Spring bear

[fishkiller]

Are any of you guys going after spring bear? If so what's the secret? I picked up a SW Oregon tag, hopefully I will fill it. What do you do with the meat steak or sausage?

 

[capblack]

I dont know any good spring techniques I hunt them in fall. As far as edibility goes, most people dont really like the steaks, but they make excellent jerky and summer sausage. (what doesn't) good luck, Brian

 

[halibuthitman]

you want to hunt them high.... glassing timberline and clearcuts, 10 a.m - 4 p.m are prime bear times, look very hard before you shoot... weining cubs are very small and hard to see, it is very dissapointing to pull the trigger and find out you killed 3 bears... unfortunately 2 of them get eaten by boars or starve to death. I like summer sausage the best.

 

[fishkiller]

I've also heard that you can reduce the fat and it makes killer boot grease.

 

[Chrome_Chaser]

I have never shot a bear before, maybe because I'm always chasing them with a bow and arrow. A lot of my friends have harvested many bears and turn them into jerky and lots of sausages. Sausages are really good. The secret to good sausages is to get the hide off as soon as you can.

 

[Kodiak]

Watch the timber lines up high. Look for younger green grass. The bigger boars will come out of hiber. first so hunt early. I look for south facing slopes with bigge benches. A wounded cotton tail call can do wonders for moving a bear into range if you are well hid. Ive used white tail fawn bleats a little later to get bears to move in closer for a better shot with some terrific results...usually someone else behind the trigger when it works (why is that???)...We called a 5ft bear from 300 yrds+ to 28 yrds before my bro's .06 bit him behind the shoulder. Be carefull when using predator calls when bear hunting.....Another boar you didn't see can come in behind you and make your trip exciting on a level you never wanted. I always pack a 12guage with slugs if I'm calling for someone else.

 

[fishnquest]

I've also heard that you can reduce the fat and it makes killer boot grease.

Thats pretty funny! I know some old timers around here that swear by bear fat for pie crusts.

 

[fishkiller]

Watch the timber lines up high. Look for younger green grass. The bigger boars will come out of hiber. first so hunt early. I look for south facing slopes with bigge benches. A wounded cotton tail call can do wonders for moving a bear into range if you are well hid. Ive used white tail fawn bleats a little later to get bears to move in closer for a better shot with some terrific results...usually someone else behind the trigger when it works (why is that???)...We called a 5ft bear from 300 yrds+ to 28 yrds before my bro's .06 bit him behind the shoulder. Be carefull when using predator calls when bear hunting.....Another boar you didn't see can come in behind you and make your trip exciting on a level you never wanted. I always pack a 12guage with slugs if I'm calling for someone else.

Thanks for the info Kodiak and Halibuthitman. When spring comes around turkeys are everywhere and I have even shot them in my back yard. I'm just looking for more of a challenge. It seems like bear might be the ticket til antelope, deer and elk seasons come around.

 

[Elkhntr]

Down here in AZ we hunt bear where ever we can find prickly pear that has a lot of fruit, They treat it like "candy".What is thier "candy" up there?

 

[Kodiak]

Down here in AZ we hunt bear where ever we can find prickly pear that has a lot of fruit, They treat it like "candy".What is thier "candy" up there?

Fresh grass sprinkled with Elk calves in the spring, huckleberries, blue berries, apples, pears, garbage, and gut piles in the fall.

 

[capblack]

Fresh grass sprinkled with Elk calves in the spring, huckleberries, blue berries, apples, pears, garbage, and gut piles in the fall.[/QUOTE :think:I wonder if they prefer apples from the tree, or from a pile:think::think:

 

[fishkiller]

Fresh grass sprinkled with Elk calves in the spring, huckleberries, blue berries, apples, pears, garbage, and gut piles in the fall.[/QUOTE :think:I wonder if they prefer apples from the tree, or from a pile:think::think:

I'm sure they would like the apples from the pile, too bad you can't do that anymore.