Idaho Bear Hunt

Jq23 · May 16, 2016

Hey, Just looking for a little help. I'm going up bear hunting this weekend and was planning on going over in Units 67 and 66 by palisades. Is there a good bear population over there? Are most bears out by now? any canyons to check out?
I have hunted in Idaho for bear the last 2 years and have yet to see one or much sign. I hunted down by prairie in units 39 and 43. I'm hoping to find one this year so any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

andrew12gauge · May 16, 2016

Seems like everybody else on the site is headed over that way. I'd head up to unit 39 find a brushy north facing slope with a good vantage point to glass it from and sit on it until dark. If you don't find a bear move to a new spot the next day and rinse and repeat

UGAhunter · May 16, 2016

I hunt that area. Of all the units in Idaho, these hold the fewest bears...look at the harvest stats. I have never spotted a bear over there without use of bait, but I suppose it is possible. Further north, the more bears. 12gage made a good suggestion. I'd be hunting over there if it wasn't so dang far for me.

Jq23 · May 17, 2016

I know someone who hunted that unit last year for deer and said he saw 4 or 5 bears in a couple days so I thought I would give it a try. They killed 32 bears in there in 2014, Not sure about 2015 I cant find the statistics for last year. Anyone have some positive information about that unit?

Thanks

andrew12gauge · May 17, 2016

Sorry if I was discouraging in my post, I just don't know anything about that side of the state but I do know there are good numbers of bears in unit 39. Let us know how you do either way, make sure you are out in the last 4 hrs of the day and also in the morning between about 8-11. Those are the hours I've found most of the bears I have seen. My bear literally dissapeared on me for 4 hrs into a creek bottom, napping I assume from about noon until 4 o clock this year. Good luck and I hope this info helps you out

7mmgilbert · May 18, 2016

I bumped into a sow and cub while hunting turkeys in 67 on the 1st of May. Baiting is the best way to get bears in these units.

idahoforkhorn · May 18, 2016

sorry I posted on the bears forum for this but thought since everybody is replying to this one I would share on this one also.. I agree with the baiting they are hard to find seem mostly nocturnal I would guess because of the hounds and the hunting pressure. I have only ever seen 1-2 bears out in the open the rest seem to stay in the trees. I bait in unit 76 though. I wish it was a little easier to hunt. good luck let us know how it goes.

idahoforkhorn · May 23, 2016

how did the hunt go? did you find any bears?

Jq23 · May 23, 2016

I made it up there and hunted Friday and Saturday. Got rained on most of the time and pretty cold. I'm going to head back in a couple weeks. Not sure if I'll go back up there or try somewhere else