Bear hunting

[spottedhawk36]

I still have an unused fall black bear tag buring a hole in my pocket, i thought about hiting the hills with the 7mm mag one of these days maybe up the clackamas out of estacada or molalla area. Any tips on places to concentrate on this time of year, things that may stand out that there may be bears in the area as far as clear cuts, timber, creek bottoms? any help appreciated.

Tony

[SImudBogger]

make sure you have a deer or elk tag also. You can't hunt bear without an unused tag for the area you're hunting if there is a deer or elk hunt going on.

[spottedhawk36]

If i head up the upper clackamas ill probably go around the ripplebrook area, i can kill two birds with one stone, hunting for bear and scouting for late season archery blacktails.

[spottedhawk36]

I think the deal with the unused tag for elk or deer only applies for controlled hunt units on the east side doesnt it? ill look at my synopsis and make sure thanks for the heads up.

[SImudBogger]

Originally Posted by spottedhawk36

I think the deal with the unused tag for elk or deer only applies for controlled hunt units on the east side doesnt it? ill look at my synopsis and make sure thanks for the heads up.

You know i think thats right. The only reason i brought it up was because we got stopped and checked by osp one year while deer hunting. While talking to the trooper my buddy who didn't have a deer tag or rifle mentioned he had his bear and cougar tag, the trooper told us he couldn't shoot either without a deer tag. THis was in the ochoco unit.

[spottedhawk36]

i just looked and it says:


You can not hunt any spieces with a centerfire or muzzloading rifle without a valid, unused deer or elk tag for that time period and area on your person during: eastern oregon controlled buck deer centerfire firearm season, cascade bull elk centerfire firearm season, coast bull elk centerfire firearm seasons, rocky mountain elk centerfire bull or either sex seasons, or standard rocky mountain antlerless elk centerfire firearm seasons (nov 22- nov 30) this does not include controlled west high cascade(119a) or hood-white rvr (141a) centerfire firearm hunts, you may use a shotgun, handgun, or bow during bear and cougar seasons.


So i asume you can hunt bear or cougar at any time the tag is valid for even over east during other seasons as long as you use a bow, handgun or shotgun.


It dont say you cant use a rifle during general western rifle seasons for deer in oreder to hunt bear or anything about having to have a used or unused western general deer or elk tag, so i think id be good, except when the cascade elk rifle hunts are going on.

[Old Goat]

You dont need a deer tag to hunt bear or cougar during the western Oregon deer season.

[spottedhawk36]

Thats what i gathered from what i read thanks for letting me know for sure. anyone here done much hunting for bear up ripplebrook area?

[Old Goat]

I have not looked up there much. No logging going on so it is hard to find a place to concentrate anything. Earlier in the year I would have said to look for good huckleberry spots, but they are now getting sparse. I am going to hunt my huckleberry patch this weekend, just because I dont know where else to look for him. Should still be close by. I hate hunting in the Mt Hood National Forest because there is so much brush and very few clear cuts anymore that are the right age. Might look around Hood River.

[nwsalmonslayer]

Lots of bear sine east of Molalla Try the Table Rock area or beter yet find the power line trails east of TR. Lots of Black Bear in that area. I just hicked there 2 weekends ago. Good luck

[StinkyFish]

Originally Posted by spottedhawk36

I still have an unused fall black bear tag buring a hole in my pocket, i thought about hiting the hills with the 7mm mag one of these days maybe up the clackamas out of estacada or molalla area. Any tips on places to concentrate on this time of year, things that may stand out that there may be bears in the area as far as clear cuts, timber, creek bottoms? any help appreciated.

Tony

Tony I took my son up past ripplebrook around the intersection of the 57 and 58 roads looking for his first deer last weekend. I wasent able to find any deer but i did locate a very nice black bear. If you would like some more specifics send me a PM or e-mail and we will chat..

Jeff

[spottedhawk36]

Do black bear this time of year wander alot or are they home bodies and pretty much have a home range they live in?

[blacktail hunter]

this time of year they willl be on the move finding food.

[No Fences]

they should be feeding 15-18 hrs a day right now.

[oregoncritters12]

Hit areas with Oak patches..They are hammering the acorns right now...