Unit 22 Bears

Peakbagger · Aug 18, 2009

Hi guys my 13 year old drew a bear tag in unit 22 this year. (Has better luck than his old man). I was just hoping someone could tell me a little bit on the access in the unit, how the fall hunting is and how much archery hunting goes on in the unit. I have access to hounds but wouldn't mind just taking him on a spot and stalk hunt if it has a high population of bears. A guy I knew told me the spring hunt was a great one but he has since passed away. Anyways I am not looking for someones honeyhole just trying to get a little info on what to plan for. My boys have football so we will probably only make a couple of weekends throughout the hunt. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks--R.J.

OLDHORNHUNTER · Aug 21, 2009

congrads to your kid good hunt big unit..I used to deer hunt that back in the 80s & 90s now its a forkie unit so I dont waste my time lots of big bears I would suggest u look in the bear/cuprum area lots of old logging roads I know guys that have drawn that hunt over the last 3 or 4 years & they have killed some nice bears & than there is the flip side I talked to a kid last year in weiser that ran his dogs damn near to death & treed 3 small bears finally shot a 265 # cinnamon 2nd to last day of the hunt..that hunt also includes all of unit 31 & the north side of that unit has some good bears & is way closer try off the brownlee hwy {71} either pine creek or mil creek roads again lots of logging roads alot of them are closed off good luck

Peakbagger · Aug 22, 2009

Thanks for the reply OLDHORNHUNTER, we will probably be heading up the second weekend of September. I will make sure we post some pics of the hunt and let you know how we do. Is an ATV worth bringing over to access some of these areas or will a 4 wheel drive be enough? If most of the old logging roads are closed to vehicles I will just leave it home and we can walk the old roads. Hopefully people follow the ATV plan better there than they do around my usual hunting areas. Thanks again for the info

backcountryID · Aug 22, 2009

I would consider hunting Andrus if you're interested in a spot and stalk type hunt. Plenty of access roads if you get a key from the headquarters cabin, and that country is definitely conducive to glassing, with plenty of bears running around.

Peakbagger · Aug 23, 2009

Thanks, I will look into that area for sure. I think that spot and stalk hunting for bear is just about as fun as it gets if there is a good population of bears around. Do they give keys to anyone that wants access or is there some sort of protocol for getting the key? I have maps of the area that should arrive any day so I will start making plans. Again thanks for the help!

OLDHORNHUNTER · Aug 24, 2009

welcome hope u smoke a big old bear...there are alot of roads that u can ride on & would sure make packing a huge boar alot easier!!!

backcountryID · Aug 25, 2009

It wouldn't hurt at all to call the headquarters cabin and reserve a key for the particular road you want during the time you'll be over there.

OLDHORNHUNTER · Aug 25, 2009

the andrus land is good for chukar a few small bucks & the occasional elk but the bear population isnt that good over there & that is some really steep ass country there are a few big bears in there but all the ones I have ever seen are all the way down in the bottoms of some of those nasty thick ass creek bottoms & not very many roads that u can access to get them out!!

Peakbagger · Aug 27, 2009

Well it sounds like it will be alot of fun. I might have some time off during the week so I may do a little scouting here pretty soon. I will keep you guys updated on what we find. Thanks--R.J.

YMIINIDAHO · Aug 27, 2009

I have hunted that quite a bit, and later on around deer season there are a lot of bears down in the creek bottoms. I have seen some nice ones down low in the wide open steep crap.

Peakbagger · Aug 28, 2009

LAST EDITED ON Aug-28-09 AT 06:16PM (MST)[p]Are most of the roads on the ridge lines and very few roads down in those deep canyons? Not a bad thing just gonna have to work a little harder packing him out if that is the case.