I need a Bear

I've been trying to get a bear for a couple years now and have come up empty handed. I'm going to try REALLY hard this year, but I could use some advice as to some better places to go. I've tried, Packwood GMU516, Rimrock GMU364, Selkirk GMU113 and 49 deg. GMU117. I've seen poop but no bears yet. Most of the places I've been haven't been condusive to spot & stock, especially the NE GMU's...the best looking place I've been so far has been Packwood, just south of Mt Rainer. It had all the classic stuff...berries all over, cover, not a bit of pressure and water (lots of that). We glassed for hours and could see miles of clearcuts, but never saw a bear close or far.

Any suggestions at all would be more than wecome!

Thanks

dc_mcfall@msn.com (take out the underscore)

are you willing to hunt any were? if so e mail me will talk.
cut em'

You were close when you were in Packwood. I would go back there next year and glass the berryfields like you were. That's where I got my first bear. Other side of highway 12 is good too. Post again around July and we can hook up and I'll show ya a few spots to concentrate yours efforts on.
Glow

Glowball,
I actually did hunt North of Packwood. North up the 52 road to the end of 5260. Then hiked to the other side and glassed for hours, well after dark. I could see for miles and miles of clearcuts and didn't see one bear come out. Every place I looked there were berries and VERY little sign. Loads of deer though...I got within 50 yards of several nice bucks, in different locations.
The area looks perfect, rock out cropings, cover, water...loads of berries...just no bears. I've found the same condition everywhere I go.

Assalyanizim,
Thanks for responding, you have mail...I hope!

45/70-
If I could advise you in any way for bear hunting, and I'm no expert but I have harvested a couple at my ripe old age of 20. I just say patience. If you seeing crap, you know there around. Try a spot over and over, and I have a couple of friends that are hired to feed bear for the timber companies. They set up action cameras and find that many bears are active in midday. I've shot all of mine in the evening but have seen some in the morning and midday. Just don't get frustrated. I have one area I hunt and I'll walk three miles to various clearcuts every night for a week. One night, nothing, the next night I might see more than one. They are a weird animal, and they can hide very well, something you wouldn't think from a 200-300 pound jet black animal. I'll be honest, I hear more bears before I see them. Just stay patient, Randle/Packwood areas have plenty of feed and bears. No worries.

chromeslayer

chromeslayer,
Thanks for the encouraging words. I feel that the areas that I spent time in last year were void of bears. Based on the lack of sign, I think I picked bad spots. I just couldn't believe all the other wonderfull attributes of the areas though...like all the berries, water, cover, lack of pressure..........According to all the WestSiders that I've talked to, There should have been bears there, or at least sign. This is precisely why I've posted here looking for advice. At the rate I'm going, I'm not going to live long enough to collect even one bear...

BUT! I've recieved some of the best advice, on this, and another, forum and I can head out this fall with hope and ambition.

Thanks all,
45/70

45/70,
Well, if there is plenty of berries and feed for the bears, I'll guarantee there are bears in the area. Look for torn up stumps, look for dead trees in the near by timber patches. When you look into a patch of timber and see scattered trees that are for some reason, dead, 9 times out of 10 it will be from bear damage. Just stay patient and listen very carefully. Bears are very sneaky, but make plenty of noise. Keep me posted with any success stories or questions. Good luck to ya.

chromeslayer