Spring Bear Idaho - Please help

[tuckatucker]

I am planning a 4 man spring bear trip to Idaho. None of us have much money, all have lots of energy and hunting experience. This is our first trip for bear out west. All have elk hunted the rockies before. I work with maps and air photos so I have a lot of resources to plan the trip.
I see a lot of historic posts from Idaho hunters and I could sure use some help with units and timming.

Unit 12 looks like the easiest to access with lots of logging roads to get around. This unit also has an abundance of marshy areas, lakes and creeks. Is hunting pressure going to be a problem?

Unit 16 North of the Selway is very steep but has some roads. Harvest stats look ok.

Unit 17 is massive and very remote - My guess is not accessible until late June but I dont know?

My biggest question is when to hunt. My first guess was Mid June because snow and run off would be less of an issue. Then more research showed that guides seem to like May 1 - 20th. I have a 9 day block. Right now I am planning on May 12-20th. But I can switch for the 3rd week in June - which is best?

We plan on trying to start some bait sites but dont expect much to happen in such a short amount of time. Mostly spot and stalk hunting with use of predator calls along ridges, creek bottoms and south slopes.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Mason_Jarr]

Consider around the Elk City area. They get a good bit of snowfall, but take alot of bears from there. I would say mid to late May would be a good timeframe. There's a road called the MacGruder Cutoff that should put you into some good country.

 

[Lonny]

Access to 12 is easy since U.S. Highway twelve runs right thru it. Its steep right off the river, with parts of this unit old burns that have grown up thick with heavy brush. In many cases you can see bears a mile away across canyons but close sightings and stalks because of the brush are difficult. Big country, so if you climb and get away from the road aways you won't run into many people. The easy access areas will get hunted though.

16 looks good because access is easy and lots of people hunt it with hounds and bait. Snow leaves here early also letting hunters in sooner.

17 may be difficult if not impossible to get into with a vehicle in mid-May.

I'd probably shoot for the 12-20th depending on snow conditions. Either way the bears will be out and active and hopefully the brush isn't to leafed out and bears are still spending time in the openings feeding. These areas have been two bear units for a number of years and the numbers and larger bears aren't as common as they used to be. Still though, its big country and if you want to hike and do lots of glassing you should see some bears. Weather can seem more like winter at times during mid-May or it can be downright nice. Dress for all conditions. Bait would be your best bet for success, but since you have only nine days spotting will probably be the best.

The MacGruder Road will not likely be open by the end of May unless we have a record hot spring.

 

[IDBob]

I've always had good luck hunting along the upper end of Northfork River above Dwarshak Lake. Black canyon is good, but there's lots of open sidehills that seem to attract spring bears looking for a meal. This is unit 10 I believe. Lots of bears taken out of there and 10A around Dwarshak lake.

There are plenty of good camping spots along the river and not a bunch of folks in there for the spring hunts. It's also darned pretty country.

From the top of French Mountian.

French Mountian clear cut

Dwarshak Lake