I've had lots of opportunities to shoot a bear, but they were either too small, to rubbed, or the playoffs were on and I didn't want to spoil the night by having to deal with a dead bear!

I've seen plenty of 51/2 footers, a few 6 footers, but no REALLY big guys, except one that was a little close to the road to shoot

How are you guys doing?

Why are Canadians talking about SPRING, WHEN IT IS SUMMER???? Summer is the nicest WEEKEND in Canada!

Just kidding you guys!

Hope you have a great bear season there Gatehouse!

Cheers and good shooting
seafire

During my short-week hunt for Turkey and Black Bears at the end of April, I did not see a single Yogi or gobbler; but, I was inundated with Mulies and Whitetails feeding on the powerline right-of-way where I expected to see bears. So, my spring bear season was not that great.



BUT, on my return to Vancouver, I noticed that the warm weather had brought out a fine flock of prime Canadian Beaver, something we produce here in great numbers.......

You guys should see Kelowna in the summer! Talk about beaver!! But seriously, we spent 7 days near Mica dam lokking for a griz for my buddy, and saw about 5 black bears a day, nothing over 5 feet though. We met the outfitter hunting in there and we figured that they must whack all the bears as soon as they hit 5 feet. We did have lots of fun with the all the bears we saw, stalking them with the crossbow and getting the dog to tree some for pictures. We had one little runt so close in a tree that my buddy was able to poke him with a stick! I did end up shooting a 5 footer on the last afternoon, much to the ribbing of my buddies! I swear he was bigger when i first saw him

Yukoner

I sent you a PM

click on the little blinky letter thingy at the left top of the screen

Didn't do much. Went out a time or two, seems like the rest of the time was just used up by work. Never saw as much as a track (of bear). Spent more time on developing a load than on bear hunting. Must do better this fall! I'd better start marking off a week in next year's spring and take some time off to camp out in the North of the province a bit.

Frans

Got a spring grizzly draw and spent 14 days on the Muskwa with no luck. That's hunting, I guess.
Saw wolves, lynx, wolverines, though. That was cool. Lots of moose, elk and rabbits, too.

Hello;
Well I made two trips to Swan Hills to try and bag my bear. The first time was short and not so sweet. It started to rain right after I got there and I barely made it back to the highway. The good roads up there are pure clay and the slightest rain makes driving impossible. I tried walking, but my boots quickly became size 24 and it was a chore just getting back to the truck. Signs of wildlife? somebody's garbage and a used condom.
The second trip was a little better, but still no bear, not even at the local dump, where there were better than a dozen Grizzlies after the forest fire a couple of years ago. I saw two small Blacks and the tracks of a big one but no Grizzly sign. My biggest handicap was not knowing the area and both topographic maps and aerial photos proved unreliable.
Never having been there before, It was hard for me to believe just how far behind us Spring comes up there, and it ain't that much further north. On my first trip, May 7, the ice was just starting to come off Chrystina lake and the leaves weren't even close to coming out. I met a local trapper , who told me Spring was unusually late this year and the bears were not moving around much yet.
Then being me, I had to sabotage the public image of the local major industry. I had some time to kill, so I wanted to take a tour of Bovar, new name for the hazzardous waste treatment plant. No problem, they said. We've got a whole bus load of politicians coming and you can go with them. Bad Mistake. The tour consisted of a drive through the plant, with lectures at various points. Our jovial guide informed us they put out less polution in an entire year, than you do starting a car. Next stop, the landfill, it has a liner that the manufacturer claims has a life of 3 million [that's what he said] years. After a few questions, I asked him, You guys had some kind of event a few years ago and the government claims it is unsafe to eat the moose from around here> Is that true? His demeanor changed instantly and I was practically hustled off the bus.
Grizz

Hows gatehouse's beer season going? Oh, bear.

I only got a two day hunt in the first week of June. I was hunting the Horsefly/Likely area and believe it or not, except for the valley bottoms, it was a tad early.

We seen 11 bears the first day and 4 the second. On the second day we had to wait for the gas station to open before we headed way the hell back towards Wells Grey. Our second day was short but we did see one big brown fase that was up for debate. We only got a brief glimpse and it may very well been a griz. It went into the thickets and we waited til we statrted to cook in the sun.

We also seen a decent sized 3 legged blackie. My friend considered taking him for a conversation piece but decided against it. He seemed to do fairly well considering he ran like Terry Fox(the bear). I think he was mean enough to survive and grow to a good size. Not bad genes to have despite his injury.

The biggest bear two springs in a row is at the end of my road on Hwy 97. Exact same spot too. If he's there next year, I'm going to sneak up on him withy my bow(said that last year).

My beer season is going fine!

Well, I never tagged a bear this year. Just didn't see one that I wanted to shoot...

I ran into some work/personal problems during the last part of the season, so I never went out...

I'll still have a tag in case i find the one I want in the fall

next year, I'm going to head back to the Island, to find another really big one. I'll get Mr. D.P. to 'guide' me, although just talking to him on the phone resulted int he biggest bear I've taken to date, anyway He doesn't give out hunting info anymore, so don't bother trying to contact him...

Actually, he's going to be my 'guide' for Rosevelt Elk this fall when I get my LEH...Of course, he doesn't know about this stuff yet!

I do now!
Dave

I have seen more black bears this year then ever before. Didn't shoot any though. Some where huge but I was working as a prospector most of the time so did not want the extra work. Plus I don't eat bear meat. Married a vegetarian girl 2 years ago! Now I hunt for rocks! I'm never skunked!!!
Cam

For me its easier to go north for the big bears. In the amount of time it takes me to get to the island from 100 Mile, I could be deep in Skeena country. I think I'll have to maybe put my griz draw in there next spring. If I get the draw, its a good combo hunt. I doubt I'd ever be able to afford the taxidermy bill for two bears, but I'll figure something out.



There is always big bears here in the Cariboo if I don't get my draw for griz. Weather is what pisses me off here in the spring. Its either snowing or to hot. Not much inbetween.