Hey Len it’s good to hear from you. Wish you hadn’t stoped posting on here. You’re a big part of the early success of this site and your sharing of info and videos educated a lot of us. Come on back buddy. As for bears there’s a big difference between grizzlies and black bears. You never hear of a black bear exploding out of a winter den but around here boar grizzlies are known to come out any month of the year. Few years ago a pine beetle logging crew stopped to rest right on top of a den and the bear came out and grabbed a guy. They used saws to drive it off.

I'm working on him Bushman. He is showing himself here and there. But he's a busy guy, and he ain't trapping - so that doesn't help. But I sure do notice that he is well connected, and loves talking with the fellow trappers in person.

I'm from MN originally. And I'm a biologist/naturalist as that was my first degree. Having said that, I will tell you that I have learned far more from "just being out there" hunting, fishing, trapping, exploring. Contrary to what most people think, bears don't truly hibernate. They get up and mill around throughout the winter - especially during warm spells. I have seen their tracks about every month of the winter. And, especially if they are disturbed. I've stumbled across black bears denned up on the coldest days a Minnesota December can offer (usually while hunting ruffed grouse). Some stay put. Others get up and run. Snowmachines and loggers will tell you the same. The thing with Blacks is they almost always run away. Brown bears, from what I understand, are much more unpredictable.

I tend to agree with AV - that I have become complacent not going more heavily armed on my trapline. Especially when I am dealing with some larger quantities of bait and these 30 and 40 degree days. It is extra weight, but I'm going to start carrying some firepower. You just never know.

I would like to hear more about this, and perhaps see some pics. I imagine this should hit the Homer news?

This is my NEXT bucket list thing - after I catch my wolf, of course!

HFK - When I got there, I could see that a lone wolf had come in. My excitement level went way up - but I was trying to remain level-headed, and minimize my impact while I checked all my sets. I kept imagining that he would be in the next set. But alas, he snuck in and snuck out and got away with it. Coyotes had been there a lot before him, and probably polished off much of the bait. Not as much to keep him around. Pretty tough with just one wolf, and it sure seemed to be wise one. I think I stand a better chance when that pack comes back through. They canvased the entire area with tracks, and looked like they spent a good amount of time. I left them LOTS of bait. And I triple wired it to a tree so they can't steal it. And, I left lots and lots of sets on sign - exactly where they trod. Here's hoping...

Weather permitting, I'm pulling wolverine sets on Thursday. Then I'm just gonna have a wolf line that I check once a week or so throughout March.

I need more snares! Len helped me make some the other day, but my "loading technique" really needs work. Otherwise, I think I got it.

If you can get your hands on bones, like moose and caribou, spines, legs, etc. A big pile of those will hold up well, and get scattered around. And the bulk of them will keep "fishing" for quite a while.

In 40+ years of bushwhacking I’ve never seen a black bear out of a den in the dead of a Canadian northern winter. It makes no sense unless they can consume more calories then they burn. I’m sure the odd starving bear or a family run out by a grizzly might be out, just never seen it personally. Grizzlies however it’s all bets off. Two types of bears emerge during winter. Dominant experienced boars who know of traditional high protein sources. Winter ungulate habitat, high avalanche areas, sloppy work camps etc., or starving bears of either sex Both these types are serious trouble. And yes I do have some stories around that!

FWIW I am more looking out for moose than bears in the winter. I have seen a sow with two cubs out at the ending of January, but have run into moose at all months of trapping.

WH- a hint for those slippery beaches https://kahtoola.com/product/microspikes/. I bail over the side of the boat with them on. Wear them until I get back on board, as needed. Slippery beaches and gravity hurts!

Thanks for the tip. I have a pair. Not the same brand but something similar. I should wear them more. Gosh I'm beat up right now. And at 53, with an artificial knee and fused back and more, I need to work to minimize this crap!

Some of the time it is just because I am unconsciously just pushing too hard. I'm pretty driven that way...

Any idea where I can find a bear like that this spring ?

53?!!! Good grief! You're a spring chicken!

Yep. Learning is hard, and painful, for some.

Maybe so, at heart. But if you knew my story, you'd think it a miracle that i'm trapping at all. I'm a young man at heart, with a middle aged mind, and an old old mans body. But desire trumps, and then I play catch up, and then I do it again. Here's hoping I can keep this thing going for years to come.

Well, we should meet. War stories, and all.

I vaguely remember 53


X2 on Bushman's comments on bears

and my 2 cents worth. Black bears out in winter only mean one thing = RABIES
Know your zone in what is HOT lately around you.

W17 " I vaguely remember 53 " Now that's funny! But if it's any consolation I'm 59 and I barely remember 53 too.

WH - Just keep going until you can't. I've always been drawn to old bush guys ever since I was a kid, and luckily grew up in a northern town where I could watch them. What I saw time over time is they'd keep going strong until quite old and then one long enforced stay in a hospital sucked the life out of them. I guess every dog does have its day. But there was always that exception. The guy who wouldn't quit and gets lucky with their health and ends up croaking in the outhouse at 95. That's my exit plan.

Thanks Brian. Those days of sharing are some of my fondest memories. Back then I had lots to share and it was easy to fill up pages. haha. I am in somewhat of a slump right now. Regrouping a bit. Financially trapping just isn't in the cards for me. But have to say WH has my interest peaked and it fun to be able to share what I know. Wish I had more big canine advice. Most of what I do know has been gleaned from here. I do miss sharing adventures. Hopefully I will get to share a few more here. Tim the Wolverine Hunter has been pretty inspiring. I am sure we will have some adventures to share with TMan down the road. Were cooking up some ideas. Being a nomad I never really had anyone but my kids to do things with here in Homer. With them mostly out on their own now I have to come up with an adventurouse sole that dreams big. Might just have found the guy that likes crazy adventure as much as me.

Good to see you back Len.

I have a BF back in MN. He is ten years older than me, like a big brother, only even closer. We have a pact, and a saying: "As long as we never stop, we will never stop." We kind of hold each other accountable to that. We walk ourselves into the ground back home, hunting grouse and deer day after day.

I know, it sounds silly - but that motto echoes in my head when I slide off a slippery bank and fall on my face in the boulders - and just want to keep laying there. Then, when I get back home and take a couple days to recoup, and wonder what the heck I'm doing?

Guys retire all the time, and then they die in a myriad of ways. Guys with chronic pain hang it up, and then they lose their desire. I never wanna be that guy.

If you’re interested in getting one over bait, I could probably hook you up with one this spring. I prefer blackies for spring meat, and browns just get in the way on a bait.