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Bear hunt

I sent in for a kill permit in zone D. Just to find out the land I was going to hunt on has just been sold and new owner said no to bear hunting. So, what I'm wondering if any of you guys have any ideas on a guide service I could try to contact? Seems like to get in with a guide you need to have made contact a year or so in advance.

Northern Wisconsin Outfitters, You will be very happy with the hunt and complete experience. Contact Robert Haas. Rob and Mike Foss do a great job for all their hunters!

I went with NWO in 2016 and had a great experience and shot a nice bear.

I have heard that Jim Leahy and NBC Guide Service are also good guides in Zone D.

There are some great Bear Guide services out there Robert Haas (Northern Wisconsin Outfitters) Art Hyde (NBC Guide Service) Jim Leahy (Hayward Guide Service). As long as my name has been brought up on this thread, I want to make it clear, I myself personally do not guide hunters anymore for money or any monetary value. Robert Haas purchased my NWO bear guide service and I do advise and assist him when I can.

We (NBC Guide Service) are booked for 2018 & 2019, but have a few openings left for 2020. Bill Schutte out of Ashland is an excellent guide and caters to bowhunters too.

Thanks for the help guys. Going to make some calls this week.

I used Jim Leahy this year and have only good things to say about him and his operation.

So do people book a guide years in advance and then hope that they draw that year?

I hate the whole bear system,,,,, You should have to actually have a hunting license paid for, to apply period,,,,, I mean opening it up to anyone, is what clogs the system, but again, it probably brings in more money............. now the diaper brigade can apply, what stupidity.....................................

Reg, seems like you need to book in advance. I haven't called anyone yet, but from internet searchs websites are all saying booked 2018 and 2019. I'm just in a bad spot. Kill was already applied for. Guess worse case I'll do it myself or donate my tag.

So if you get chosen, you don’t necessarily have to hunt that year? You can defer and keep points until you have a guide? I guess I should read the regs. I only have 2 points anyway hahahahhaa

Regglezpop - I mentioned we are booked for the 2018 & 2019 and a few for the 2020 season. The way we work it is ask how many preference points they have to possibly assure they'll draw for that year. They send a deposit and if they don't draw that deposit will apply for the following year. We are afforded the luxury of a lengthly waiting list if they don't draw.

Pretty sure if you apply, get drawn, and do not buy the license you still loose all your points. I think that the guides that are already booked will only book hunters that have plenty of points to draw. I suppose once in a great while they might end up with a last minute opening where someone dies or is ill, work gets in the way, forgets to apply, whatever.

When I owned Northern Wisconsin Outfitters I didn't really like holding deposits until they drew there tag, lots of things can happen in a year for that hunter. Most of the time if a hunter had 9 plus points he was going to draw a tag, the ones that were on the fence I didn't accept the deposit until they drew but I always put them on a list. I always filled up and unfortunately had to turn down hunters but always found other bear guide service for them.

My son and I went with Northern Wisconsin Outfitters in 2010. Seen multiple bears and each shot one. A really good run operation. We'll be going back again when I get to old to backpack hunt the mountains.

I did not book with Jim Leahy until I knew I had earned a kill tag. It is interesting that people are pre-booking with the "hopes" they get a tag. That is good for the outfitters.

From what I have been told, there are some fly-by-night outfitters out there. Asking here is a good idea.

Now I understand. Thanks for clarifying everyone. I have a ways to go!

Please take care to research your guide. I booked a zone C guide out of Antigo for a bowhunt. I saw 2 small bears the first night, and passed on them ( too small ). I helped another client drag a bear out across the highway that night. Guide talked me into getting a hotel room in Antigo for a morning hunt on a "hot" stand. I complied, rather than driving to family cabin in Shawano Co. and returning for evening hunt. Saw guide with successful rifle clients at quick mart getting beer that night. Drunk guide does not meet me at 4:30 am for hunt, but rather calls me for breakfast at 9 am. I eat $1000 and don't hunt with drunken bear guide again.

Swampthing ---- Please take care to research your guide. We cater to mostly bowhunters and tell all our prospective clients to be very careful and research your guides. There are too many fly-by-night guides out there that are just in it for the money and could give a crap if you receive a quality hunt. I hear this from hunters at shows and from callers that got screwed big time on their last hunt. It's really pathetic to hear the recounts of these hunts they paid good money for. We invite clients up during the summer to fill bait buckets, run baits, check stands, etc. with us just to see what we go through to give a quality hunt.

Like Hoot said....Do your homework. NWO also gets calls every year. I believe someone posted on here in a different thread this past season on how the guide didn't even bring bait for some of the hunters.

That's why I started here, all of you have been very helpful and it is greatly appreciated. Even internet searches you still don't know what your going to get. Thanks to all of you for the help. I'll be making phone calls next week, I'll let you know how it goes.

When would you find out if you had drawn a bear tag?

Usually the first week in Feb.

Wish Wisconsin would set a fairly early date for people to buy their bear license. Minnesota does that and the tags not purchased get sold to the first people that get through to buy them on the day they go on sale. I wonder how many tags end up not being purchased in Wisconsin.

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