2025 Bear Hunting

I expected more posts about '25 spring bear hunting by now. I truly miss spring bear hunting in southeast Alaska. May was a favorite time for me. Chasing browns and blacks, checking crab and shrimp pots, and trolling for kings while glassing the beaches.
Come on, folks....share your adventures!

So far my bear hunting has consisted of taking a rifle along with me to work, and driving a little slower than normal on logging roads so I can glance around. Just haven’t had the time to devote

My son and I went back East to hunt turkey. In 2 weeks of hunting, we inadvertently called in 7 black bears!

Of course there is no spring bear season there!

Pete

Are you saying you didn't hear those bears gobble ?

Had this guy show up on bait but he didn't stick around. Hoping he comes back through pretty coat on him!







Dont mind the time stamp, still trying to figure this new camera out

Looks delicious!

"Garbled and broken!"

pb

I went bare hunting one day. All i got was a citation.

Golf Oscar Bravo Bravo Lima Echo

OUT

After a few hunts . Son got his 1st bear 6’ colored boar. 1 shot with his 270 win. We case skinned it and replenished the breakfast sausage stock.

Very nice bear! Please tell your son congratulations!

Moosetrot

Fantastic! Well done, young man. Beautiful bear.

Nice shooting!
How many of you send your hides to FHA? There was a dozen or so in March but only one in June which fetched $4500IIRC. The ones at the march sale were mostly damaged, but this last one was a 2X SELECT HVY XPL.

Excellent bear and congratulations. 6' ? or were you just counting feet in the photo?

Can’t sell bears from the US in Canada. Cites complications.

I guy can’t import a raw grizzly hide from Alaska into Canada with an export, cites and import permit and sell it once he’s in possession? I love this permit stuff. People at the permit desk know me by name already…..lol
https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=hunting.shipping

I am hoping to see this guy some time!

That is a cool looking bear!! Hope you get him!

What is the issue with Cites?

Had lots of bears hitting this year took 1 but was trying to get the big griz but a no go me and trapping partner would take turns for 4 day straight so stand was not empty any time . On first trip in walk in on sow griz with 3 Cubs . Was 25 yard from them before I know they were there sleeping under barrel . Still puckered a little. Smack a stick on tree and they took off but came right back in very upset. Took some video so her is some screen shots. The date on trail camera is wrong I never change them .

Pretty sure black bears aren't on the cities list. Likely paperwork BS to get one into Canada.
Not knowledgeable on Brown bears. Could be on the look alike list so need a tag, like lynx or otter.
Must be Canadians who come to Alaska for Kodiak hunts.

I haven’t had the department apply a cities tag to any bear that I have sealed, brown or black.

Nice bears everyone. I was not successful, this spring on bear.

As a international wild game expeditor for many years. I assure you, Black Bears are on the CITES list. Oddly though. There is no CITES tag that has to be attached to the bear hide or skull. Never did get a good answer why this adnominally exists, but it does.

Don't know if everyone knows this. Canada eh, does not have CITES locking tags like Alaska eh. The just use paperwork. I don't know how many counties associated with CITES actually use plastic locking tags like the United States does. CITES paper work is fairly uniformed. FAIRLY.

Black bears are indeed listed on CITES.

A hunting client wanted me to have his black bear tanned and then shipped to his home in Australia.

I had to go to USFWS-Enforcement and go through a ridiculous paperwork drill before it could be shipped.

Pete

Team V, that cinnamon bear looks like a great bear!
Of the thirty-something bears I had sealed in Alaska, browns and blacks, (only a couple browns), like mad-mike, I don't recall any CITES tags. However, the ones I sold were all to locals. Shipped quite a few to Moyles, and a few to New Method, but don't recall ever filling out CITIES paperwork

CITES is not for shipping within the US. It for when wildlife or parts wildlife are shipped international.

The department does not apply for CITES. You have to go to USFW and apply or fill out a CITES permit, if your wildlife product is leavening the country, or some cases is just going in and out of Canada.

They "seal" our hides here. Used to be a little metal tag they put through the hide, but a few years ago they switched to a plastic tag like the CITES tags we get on cats and otter. They do the same for cougars and switched from metal to plastic on them also. I've no idea if it is an actual CITES though. I've heard that Montana is the only lower 48 state that does wolves so you can ship them international but I don't know if that is true or not. I know you can send Idaho wolves wherever in the US with the tag and paperwork the state provides. Never tried to ship anything CITES except cats and otter international

The plastic tags used for CITES will have CITES inside and oval on the tag. CITES Law does not require CITES wildlife to be sealed as along as it stays in country. The feds have created a program. That if the states are willing to collect data on CITES wildlife. the feds would supply CITES tags. Most state joined on because the got TAXPAYERS money if they (states) agreed to collect data and give it to USFW (so they could use it against the states). I don't know of a state which decline to except other peoples money, so they could be funded, and participate in the CITES sealing/tagging system. If there is a state that does not seal CITES wildlife. No worries the federal law dose not require it as long as it stays in the united states. If you belong to one of those states. That does not participate in the federal CITES program. No worries, if you want to ship your hide to an international auction house. Just bring you fur to a USFW office and they can seal.