Just booked a spring bear hunt!!!! Did i screw up?

[longrange7mm]

Just got off the phone with the outfitter, i gave him our security deposit. Know its time for anticipating . It should be a great hunt, my granddad has been battling cancer for years and wanted to go on a hunt with my step dad and I, In Oct we went deer hunting in WY but we just couldn't get him on the buck he had been scouting. Last week i was talking to my grandma and she mentioned that that is all he has been talking about since i left in nov. A couple days ago my step dad mentioned an outfitter he was looking into for a bear hunt in Saskatchewan, as all kids do i said well i wanna go !  I called the outfitter and asked him his accommodations, Its a 7 day hunt, we well get a private 3 bedroom cabin, 2 meals a day, first class guided pike and walleye fishing in the morning, afternoon bait site hunting, they can take my grandpa into the stand via four wheeler, there are two up stands so we can hunt together, they skin, flesh and salt hides, they cut and freeze your meat, over 40 active bait sites, they only hunt 6 people a week, and they have a 100% opportunity 90% success the only hunters that don't harvest a bear are the color phase hunters they have 30% color phase bear ratio. i was thinking this hunt was gunna run some were around 5k-6k, when i asked his rates he was less than 2k and that includes license and taxes. So me being impulsive like i am pulled out my visa! they have been outfitting this area for 13 years and there hunts include black bear, whitetail, and moose. They have a really nice website and gallerys. Did i make a good or bad decision? know that i have thought about it i dunno if it was a little to impulsive guess im just hoping that he isnt sitting in his chair thinking "SUCKER"

[wrangler]

do they have a name?

[Ridgerunner]

probably wouldn'te have hurt to get some references before giving him the visa card.  Sounds like a great deal though.  Those canadian bear hunts over bait are generally pretty much slam dunk hunts though.   Whats the name of the outfit?

[longrange7mm]

flotten lake here is a hyperlink http://www.flottenlake.com/

[rasbo]

hunting over bait is cool wish we could here.Much better way to pick and choose

[Alan K]

Maybe they've been hit hard with the economy and just reduced prices.  Combine that with them desperate to fill the last few slots during one of their hunting weeks, and you've got a pretty cheap hunt.

Hope that's whats going on anyways.

[Austrian Hunter]

Below $2K, I that is almost to low, whats his name?

[longrange7mm]

Maybe they've been hit hard with the economy and just reduced prices.  Combine that with them desperate to fill the last few slots during one of their hunting weeks, and you've got a pretty cheap hunt.

Hope that's whats going on anyways.

I hope that as well but for the price i was willing to gamble on some of there video footage and pictures

[Shootmoore]

I think I would have checked them out a bit more first.

As far as impulsive did you think out the total cost and not just the cost for accomidations and the hunt?  Three of you going right?

So 2000 x 3 is 6000
airfare x 3 at what about 3-500 a piece?  up to 1500
rental car to get from the airport to the location 500?
food for lunches (I need more than 2 meals a day) 300?
Passports if you dont already have them 100 x 3 300
permits to transport firearms into Canada (cost?)
Unkown hidden costs etc etc..

Probably looking at about 10k for 7 days.
Shootmoore

[longrange7mm]

I think I would have checked them out a bit more first.

As far as impulsive did you think out the total cost and not just the cost for accomidations and the hunt?  Three of you going right?

So 2000 x 3 is 6000
airfare x 3 at what about 3-500 a piece?  up to 1500
rental car to get from the airport to the location 500?
food for lunches (I need more than 2 meals a day) 300?
Passports if you dont already have them 100 x 3 300
permits to transport firearms into Canada (cost?)
Unkown hidden costs etc etc..

Probably looking at about 10k for 7 days.
Shootmoore

Thanks shootmoore for your  , i have been on a couple guided hunts, we all have passports, we will be driving. the cabin has a kitchen as well and the store is about an hour away for extra food we may want. the outfitter told us about transporting firearms and has sent me an email with the laws included. my granddad will be the only one shooting a rifle my step dad and i are going archery. also the exchange rate he is doing american dollar

[longrange7mm]

Below $2K, I that is almost to low, whats his name?

flotten lake the outfitter is derrek rempel

[Shootmoore]

I think I would have checked them out a bit more first.

As far as impulsive did you think out the total cost and not just the cost for accomidations and the hunt?  Three of you going right?

So 2000 x 3 is 6000
airfare x 3 at what about 3-500 a piece?  up to 1500
rental car to get from the airport to the location 500?
food for lunches (I need more than 2 meals a day) 300?
Passports if you dont already have them 100 x 3 300
permits to transport firearms into Canada (cost?)
Unkown hidden costs etc etc..

Probably looking at about 10k for 7 days.
Shootmoore

Thanks shootmoore for your  , i have been on a couple guided hunts, we all have passports, we will be driving. the cabin has a kitchen as well and the store is about an hour away for extra food we may want. the outfitter told us about transporting firearms and has sent me an email with the laws included. my granddad will be the only one shooting a rifle my step dad and i are going archery. also the exchange rate he is doing american dollar

Sounds like a good deal to me then.  I have never done a guided hunt before so your 2 up on me there.  My friends call me a cheap arse, I prefer frugal   Hell even if the hunting is not good, looking at motel prices online the price is not bad even if its for a nice camping trip out in the woods with family.

Shootmoore

[longrange7mm]

I think I would have checked them out a bit more first.

As far as impulsive did you think out the total cost and not just the cost for accomidations and the hunt?  Three of you going right?

So 2000 x 3 is 6000
airfare x 3 at what about 3-500 a piece?  up to 1500
rental car to get from the airport to the location 500?
food for lunches (I need more than 2 meals a day) 300?
Passports if you dont already have them 100 x 3 300
permits to transport firearms into Canada (cost?)
Unkown hidden costs etc etc..

Probably looking at about 10k for 7 days.
Shootmoore

Thanks shootmoore for your  , i have been on a couple guided hunts, we all have passports, we will be driving. the cabin has a kitchen as well and the store is about an hour away for extra food we may want. the outfitter told us about transporting firearms and has sent me an email with the laws included. my granddad will be the only one shooting a rifle my step dad and i are going archery. also the exchange rate he is doing american dollar

Sounds like a good deal to me then.  I have never done a guided hunt before so your 2 up on me there.  My friends call me a cheap arse, I prefer frugal   Hell even if the hunting is not good, looking at motel prices online the price is not bad even if its for a nice camping trip out in the woods with family.

Shootmoore

well that makes two of us im a lil to tight with my money. except for some reason hunting brings impulsive spending habits out in me. although this is the first one i have paid for, the taxidermist i used to work for would always trade hunts for work and he would take me along sometimes, if they wanted alot of work done. It should b a good time with my granddad any way.

[JackOfAllTrades]

I wouldn't say that you screwed up at all. I think I would have shopped a little more. A lot of guides and outfitters are hurtin right now. I think I would have looked hard at some of the opportunities to hunt big Blackies on Vancouver Island. -Only because it's a bit closer.

we will be driving.

Blackbear are U.S. Federally protected/managed. Yup! So, before you go, get with the U.S. Customs office in Blaine or Sumas to get the required forms to 'import' your Bear meat. It's a simple process. Pain in the arse if you don't do the paperwork and get questioned at the border.

-Steve

[SkookumHntr]

-Hell no, have a hoot and take lots of pics!

[boneaddict]

They've been at it awhile.  I knew a guy that got a huge color phase with them quite a few years ago.  He was on the front of their brochure for years.  He was a hardcore hunter and was happy..... 

[Phantom Gobbler]

Sask is a good place to head.  Did some fishing south of Saskatoon last summer and it was world class.

[longrange7mm]

I wouldn't say that you screwed up at all. I think I would have shopped a little more. A lot of guides and outfitters are hurtin right now. I think I would have looked hard at some of the opportunities to hunt big Blackies on Vancouver Island. -Only because it's a bit closer.

we will be driving.

Blackbear are U.S. Federally protected/managed. Yup! So, before you go, get with the U.S. Customs office in Blaine or Sumas to get the required forms to 'import' your Bear meat. It's a simple process. Pain in the arse if you don't do the paperwork and get questioned at the border.

-Steve

thanks i was gunna look at b.c but my granddad is not as mobile as he would like to be. i think his best chance would be to hunt over a bait and i will diffently look into that info on bring the meat in. my fam lives in north wyoming so its shorter to Saskatchewan for them and i go between here and pa so it will all be good.

[longrange7mm]

They've been at it awhile.  I knew a guy that got a huge color phase with them quite a few years ago.  He was on the front of their brochure for years.  He was a hardcore hunter and was happy..... 

sweet thanks boneaddicts thats what i have been waiting to hear

[boneaddict]

I used to save EVERYTHING related to hunting, and probably have a picture of that bear or brochure.  I'll see if I can find it this winter to give you some eye candy to what you might get.  The bear was unreal big.  You'd never find anything like it here in this state or any of the lower 48.  Then to top it off the color phase.

[longrange7mm]

heck yea i welcome any  pictures . i have an account on there website do remember about what year it was.

[boneaddict]

93-95 probably.  I taught his wife in school.  We ended up hiring her and then she moved to SE montana.   She had her school paid for by the Crow tribe so went to help satisfy a personal debt with them.  He was hardcore hunting machine.  I'm guessing it was probably 93ish.

[longrange7mm]

oic yea they only have pics from like 99 on there website, cant wait to see the pic. i know alot of crow, before it really got monitored some of the guys that were on my dads hot shot crew used to take us hunting on crow land u could go as long as u were hunting with a native. but know you cant do that. my dad has killed some monster muleys with them about that time maybe a lil before that probably around 90 i was really young but i remeber driven over there and hunting

[JackOfAllTrades]

You'd never find anything like it here in this state or any of the lower 48.  Then to top it off the color phase.

I'm dunno about that...

STRUTNRUT1984 got a report of a 568 pounder killed in Pennsylvania this fall. And.. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/outposts/2009/12/bear-illegally-killed-over-bait-pile-of-pastries.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Outposts+%28Outposts%29

Still, we do know that they grow'm big up north.

-Steve

[NWBREW]

Good luck and post some pics after the hunt................and a story PLEEEEEEEEZE.

[longrange7mm]

i have heard rumors about big black bear out here before i moved out here i also heard that wa has the largest population in the lower 48. it doesnt surprise me that big bears would get so big in coastal areas look at the vegetation and the climate. they can eat all year around on the coasal sides

[longrange7mm]

Good luck and post some pics after the hunt................and a story PLEEEEEEEEZE.

thanks and i will most defiantly

[JackOfAllTrades]

i have heard rumors about big black bear out here before i moved out here i also heard that wa has the largest population in the lower 48. it doesnt surprise me that big bears would get so big in coastal areas look at the vegetation and the climate. they can eat all year around on the coasal sides

I highly doubt that Washington has the largest population of Bears in the lower 48. Certainly not the largest average size either.

-Steve

[longrange7mm]

I highly doubt that Washington has the largest population of Bears in the lower 48. Certainly not the largest average size either.

-Steve
[/quote]

sure seems like there is high success rate out here? i would say that there is a fair amount of bears. in wa but no one can say for sure how many there are out here

[croix]

I highly doubt that Washington has the largest population of Bears in the lower 48. Certainly not the largest average size either.

-Steve

I can't believe how hard it is to find out which state has the most bears, but it seems that Washington is right up there. WDFW estimates 25,000-35,000 bears in the state. I haven't checked all 50 states (yet) but I haven't found one with a higher estimate.

The outfit in sask that this thread is about sure has some hogs on their web site though. I hope it all works out and you guys have the hunt of lifetime.

[longrange7mm]

i heard the bear pop from a gamey in wy. that grew up in Oregon. thanks im sure we are going to have a great hunt high hopes

[JackOfAllTrades]

Frick.. WDFW biologists brought many of the Wolves into this state, and yet they don't know how many are here. You think they know how many Bears are here?

You gotta be kiddin me!

Maybe I should rephrase my statement.. We might have more Bears than any other in the lower 48, but certainly not per square mile of forested/mountainous lands as other smaller states do.

I've been wrong before. (once or twice..  ), so.. Someone come up with the numbers please.

-Steve

[longrange7mm]

jack of all trades.  i have yet to find a damn thread that doesnt involve someone bringing up wolves. i agree they are a pain in the a$$ but this is the bear hunting forum if you want to talk about wolves i will cuss them all day long with you in the wolf forum WE SHOULD START