Sitka Gear
Best bear hunt you have ever been on.
Bears
Contributors to this thread:
Mcadam17 25-Feb-19
Jason Stafford 25-Feb-19
Nick Muche 25-Feb-19
yeager 25-Feb-19
HUNT MAN 25-Feb-19
Kurt 25-Feb-19
TEmbry 25-Feb-19
bb 25-Feb-19
lawdy 25-Feb-19
ground hunter 25-Feb-19
rattling_junkie 25-Feb-19
SBH 25-Feb-19
SteveB 25-Feb-19
ground hunter 25-Feb-19
Big D 25-Feb-19
Shiras42 26-Feb-19
Shiras42 26-Feb-19
Brotsky 26-Feb-19
JL 26-Feb-19
pav 26-Feb-19
Mule Power 26-Feb-19
grape 26-Feb-19
Bou'bound 26-Feb-19
Rancher 26-Feb-19
hdaman 26-Feb-19
tundrajumper 26-Feb-19
crowe 26-Feb-19
Rob Nye 26-Feb-19
Ibow 27-Feb-19
Zebrakiller 27-Feb-19
Zebrakiller 27-Feb-19
Alexis Desjardins 27-Feb-19
Highlife 27-Feb-19
CaptMike 27-Feb-19
Tlhbow 27-Feb-19
Wv hillbilly 27-Feb-19
keepemsharp 27-Feb-19
Matt 27-Feb-19
Owl 27-Feb-19
Rock 28-Feb-19
Windwalker 28-Feb-19
From: Mcadam17
25-Feb-19
My best bear hunt would probably be one where I didnt even harvest a bear. Up in new Brunswick with Dave at TSI. It was my first time on a baited bear hunt. The action all week was unbelievable. First night I passed on a bear that turned out to be much bigger then I thought. Overall I think I saw 18 bears that i thought were different. The big boy did come back but was chasing other small boars off and never got a shot. Sometimes it's just great to see these animals in action.

25-Feb-19
In my opinion I can't imagine a better place to hunt bears than Southeast Alaska. Lots of nice bears, great fishing, amazing scenery and all the cool marine animals make it an amazing adventure.

From: Nick Muche
25-Feb-19
Can't wait for it to be spring again, something about climbing into a bear stand that I really enjoy.

From: yeager
25-Feb-19
Have been bear hunting 4 times, all with Alexis Desjardins who is a sponsor on this site. All four have been great experiences. He works hard to ensure you have a great hunt. And best of all, his wife April, is a fantastic cook!

From: HUNT MAN
25-Feb-19

HUNT MAN's embedded Photo
HUNT MAN's embedded Photo
There’s something about the smell of rotting meat fryer grease on a warm summer evening. Hurry up spring!

From: Kurt
25-Feb-19
A yr ago on the ice a 100 km out of Resolute, Nunavut.

From: TEmbry
25-Feb-19
I have enjoyed the entire process of bear season. Every year brings different bears, different challenges, different spring patterns. It's a fun game of cat and mouse trying to time out the big brown bear boars. I am already counting down the days until we set bear camp again this spring! If I had to choose, Spring 2018 was hard to top. I finally took my first archery brown bear and a good friend took his biggest black bear two nights prior. Just an awesome week of good food, lousy beer, and great stories around the fire.

From: bb
25-Feb-19

bb's embedded Photo
bb's embedded Photo
bb's embedded Photo
bb's embedded Photo
Best bear hunt I've been on. Humphreys peak, Northern AZ. Best had nothing to do with the fact that we killed a bear. Still remember Otis Baker driving around in Jim Bedlions truck with my claws sunk into the dash holding on for all I had with my eyes bugging out and Otis at 83 telling me" hell young feller...I still have it on two wheels. I still remember that weekend like it was yesterday. Two of the guys in the photos are gone.

From: lawdy
25-Feb-19
Stalked two bear on a beechnut ridge as they were eating nuts. I had been hunting near an old apple tree. A guy had seen my pickup parked a couple evenings down on the road and followed me in. I went there the next afternoon and he was in my brush blind. Told me “first come, first served.” I said “it’s all yours,” hiked up on the ridge, arrowed the bigger bear, gutted it and dragged it out right in front of him. He was not happy.

25-Feb-19
My best bear hunt was 1979, killed a P Y qualified bear, first time out,,, shot 5 bears after that, before I killed my first good buck,,,, Ontario, annual spring hunt and fish trips,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, man we had fun

25-Feb-19
It will be the one this spring with my 12 year old son who will be the shooter for the first time!

From: SBH
25-Feb-19

SBH's embedded Photo
SBH's embedded Photo
The next one will be my favorite! Agreed with what others have said, something about being in a tree with a chance. The time of year, the smells, baiting, camping, man.......let’s go!!

From: SteveB
25-Feb-19
Skinner Creek (sponsor) in BC over hounds. Spectacular hunt in all regards with world class hounds in amazing country! If you haven’t done this you need to!

25-Feb-19
hardest bear hunt I was on, was with dogs, in NW Wisconsin, worked my ass off for that bear, trying to keep up with those dogs, was a workout 2008

From: Big D
25-Feb-19
I've been on several bear hunts but have to agree with "Yeager" I went to Alexis Desjardins last spring for the first time !! And even though I didn't harvest a bear I saw 15 in a week and Alexis is the most Hard Working down to earth honest outfitter you will find !! And his and April's accommodation's and meals were absolutely fantastic !!

From: Shiras42
26-Feb-19
Thanks to a Bowsite PM from a few years ago I found a little outfit in Ontario that does not advertise and out of respect for the guy that PM'ed me I won't name them on the forum, but I will say that it was a great hunt. The best part is the outfitter showed us the baits and after that it was up to us. The days consisted of getting up and fishing, preparing bait for the sites, baiting, fishing some more and then going out for the hunt. Loved the fact that it was all up to us as the hunters and that included setting up our own stands. The bears were thick! One of us always had to stand guard as we baited since there was usually a bear trying to come in to the bait as we put it out. After I shot my bear, that died right on a trail we could drive into, I came around the corner of my truck to find a smallish bear standing at the back door of my pickup. Ended up having to spray him twice to get him out of there. So not a total DIY, but as close as I could get for a U.S. guy in Canada. Looking forward to going back.

From: Shiras42
26-Feb-19

Shiras42's Link
I should have waited for a bigger bear. Saw a much bigger one but he never gave me a shot.

From: Brotsky
26-Feb-19
I just love sitting up in a tree in the Canadian bush and watching everything around me. Fortunately for me I guess the two bear hunts I've done I had lots of uninterrupted time in the tree to enjoy it! Ha! My favorite bear hunt will always be my first, seeing the sheer joy on my better half's face after shooting her PY boar was priceless. Great guides have also made more great trips. If I could shake this elk and mule deer addiction we'd be going back!

From: JL
26-Feb-19
IMO the DIY hunts are the best.

From: pav
26-Feb-19
Looking forward to my first (and favorite by default) bear hunt later this year. Headed to Alaska in mid-August for spot and stalk black bear on the salmon streams. First bear hunt and first boat based hunt. Hopefully, the fishing is as good as advertised as well!

From: Mule Power
26-Feb-19
I hunted New Brunswick twice. Saw 10 bears every day but never shot one. It was a blast with non stop action but I only plan on shooting ine bear and didn’t see anything over 225 pounds. I booked my next hunt with TSOV and I’m pretty sure I’ll see what I’m looking for up there.

From: grape
26-Feb-19
I've been on about forty Bear hunts. My favorite one will always be my next one. When people ask what I like about Bear Hunting, My answer is always the same....."Everything". Manitoba and Saskatchewan May and June here we go again!

From: Bou'bound
26-Feb-19
Grizzly hunt in 2010 and 2012 with Stan Parkerson in AK. I am in a slump at 0-5 on my last 5 black bear hunts but will change that with TSI in June.

From: Rancher
26-Feb-19
Best bear hunt for me was last May with Kyle Mudge from Eagle Eye Outfitters.Seen 11 bears from 6 yds -17 yds,didn't shoot as I was looking for something in the 20 inch range.Great camp,great food is the reason I will be back with Kyle in May at Grande Prairie,Alberta.

From: hdaman
26-Feb-19
Mike's Outfitting-Alberta. A dozen hunts in other places but none were like his.

From: tundrajumper
26-Feb-19
When my wife shot her bear and mine, 28 years ago, in Minn. A 4-blade zwickey hole in both hearts. Both on vidio.

From: crowe
26-Feb-19
My best bear hunt was my first, set stand two weeks before season (sept 1st opener). loaded up the bait site. I returned two weeks later to hunt, It was 32 degrees celcius (90 f. ). I was so excited to hunt that I went to my stand at noon, and by 2 I fully realized that my stand was in direct sunlight and that I had only 1 bottle of water. I was out of water by 3:30 and almost packed it in but made myself stay. At 4:45 a bear that I could have sworn weighed 500 pounds walked in and s if on cue it stopped at 18 yards and took a 3 blade broadhead to the heart. It jumped and ran maybe 20 yard and fell over dead. Actual weight was 260 lbs. I to this day don't even remember drawing back on that bear, I just remember seeing my pin on the sweet spot and seeing the arrow disappear into black fur. Ive killed 14 bears since then and every one has been special, my favorite hunt of the year.

From: Rob Nye
26-Feb-19
Did a September hunt on Selwyn Lake SK, camp was 100 yards south of NWT border. Fishing was great; Lakers were spawning and big pike were hungry for large trolled spoons. Bruins never saw a hunter before and pummeled the baits. All the hunters shot excellent bears and some beauty colors. They were totally fearless and several tried to get in the boats when we parked em at bait sites. It was also common at our northern hunts in Spring but in September they are a heckuva lot bigger and don’t back down as easily. We all decided wild blueberry pancakes and fried pike caught off the dock was the real breakfast of champions. Also saw an astoundingly gigantic bear on the last day of the hunt 5 minutes after my last client shot a 20 incher on the ground when he strolled in 2 minutes after we parked the boat. Still kick myself for not going back to hunt that bear but it was sure cool to see. Weather was great and northern light shows were spectacular. Have put bear camps on a bunch of virgin lakes and rivers all over northern SK but that one stands out.

From: Ibow
27-Feb-19
It’s so hard to pick a favorite...

One would have to be taking my first color phase in Alberta. Had the pleasure of not only taking the bear but also spending the week with Russell Thornberry who’s bowhunting books and videos I couldn’t get enough of when I was younger. Russ & I were sitting together when I shot the bear. Hard to top that.

Another would be when I wasn’t even hunting - just spending a few weeks helping a friend prepare his camp the week before his hunters arrived up in Swan River, MB. So much fun. Did that for a few years.

I guess if I had to pick one it would have to be Desjardins. Both when I hunted and was just there as a guest with friends. Everything about it - the bears, the camp are amazing but Alexis & April truly do make you feel like a part of their family.

From: Zebrakiller
27-Feb-19

Zebrakiller's embedded Photo
Zebrakiller's embedded Photo
My sons first Bear with Plum lake will go down as the best, that year the baits were so active it was crazy we had a few 10 bear nights

From: Zebrakiller
27-Feb-19

Zebrakiller's embedded Photo
Zebrakiller's embedded Photo
My sons first Bear with Plum lake will go down as the best, that year the baits were so active it was crazy we had a few 10 bear nights

27-Feb-19
The best bear hunt for me is the next hunter I put out in the stand that comes out with a big smile u know he had a good night watching bears, anxious to see that smile again it’s getting closer.

From: Highlife
27-Feb-19
Still waiting for one .

From: CaptMike
27-Feb-19
I've only hunted black bears but hands down, the best ones were with Wekusko Falls Lodge in Manitoba. We have taken color phase bears as well as I have watched one daughter kill a nice P&Y and the other a B&C. Great people, nice guides, accommodations and food. Oh, and the fishing is unbeatable!

From: Tlhbow
27-Feb-19
My one and only hunt. After twenty plus years elk hunting I've never wanted to hunt bear , mainly because I was /am intimated or nervous around them. After one of the guys I hunt with killed a couple and we all shared the excitement of his bears and they ate good also I thought I mite give it a try if things worked out. What needed to work was I needed to kill a elk mid week before the bear season opener on Saturday . Sure enough I got lucky and when I took c the elk in for processing I was able to still by a leftover bear tag for the unit I was hunting . Now this state allows hunting over your kill site but no alterations , moving, adding to the kill , ( no baiting ) so I went in and picked out a tree for my lone tree hang on and waited for the opener . I was pretty much scared sh#t less walking in that morning knowing it's not very smart going to a gut pile with bears in there. I got me a good size stick and beat on trees while talking to myself out loud getting up in the stand. Just after first light it felt like I was not alone but couldn't see anything . I must of moved because a bear was right behind my tree and run off about 15 yards , turned broadside and started posturing . It looked like it would weight around 125 pounds or so and I intended shooting him his nose stuck out on one side of a tree and about mid body on the other not allowing a shot. It finally stood up looking at me out of one eye behind the trees still no shot. When it dropped down and walked away keeping the tree between us and left, it circled me abut 60 yards away finally leaving I think. I relocated the stand eight yards and left for mid day . Got back in there around 4:00 that evening and set down for the wait. About a hour later I see a bear passing by about sixty yards down where I walked in and new I was busted. He hit my trail and run back a little ways , looking around . I stood up to lean up against the tree to watch him better . He walked back to my trail sniffing around then turned to me looking . Wow . Wouldn't expecting this. Here he came sniffing me out and I'm getting plum awake and on point . At about 30 yards he is getting a whiff and sneaking on in. At 11 yards I take a shot and can see him run around fifty yards then dissipate from view . I couldn't help but to get down and check the sign and go after him. It was one of the most exciting hunting things I've done . I did not get a arrow out and load up and wouldn't packing a gun but felt safe going after him. My shot was not perfect and he looked at me about 25 yards away so I backed out and waited a while before returning . He tipped the scales at 290# field dressed . Two of us got him out with a one wheel cart then th two days later my bud killed his about three miles from this one , basically the same way . Pretty happy for a dyi hunt . May try it again sometime . Hats off to you all that hunt bears . The end ,

27-Feb-19
Last year at pine acres. My dad killed his first one. Was a great trip with great company. Lot of good memories. Can’t wait for my daughters to be old enough to go.

From: keepemsharp
27-Feb-19
Best one was fall of 06, POW island. No bait, no stands just wading cricks with a recurve. Killed a nice one at 8 yards. If you ever get a chance to go to POW at any time just go.

From: Matt
27-Feb-19
We receive notice of Tuttulik's demise the day before we were to head north. Instead, my buddy and I made a bomber run to a NorCal bear spot he knew and doubled within 30 minutes on the first afternoon. That is a hunt I will never forget.

From: Owl
27-Feb-19
I've been lucky with bears but the best was probably a hunt where I didn't tag one. First time up with Mighty Peace Outfitters in AB. Trying to accommodate an odd number of hunters (5), Derrel, the outfitter wound up driving me 4 hours round trip everyday to my stand. We hit it off so it was like road tripping with an old friend. Great conversations, first encounter with the Northern Lights (faint as they were), my party saw lots of bears and we all laughed to the point of tears. Great camp. One of many but that first one was the catalyst.

From: Rock
28-Feb-19
2012 Alaskan Brown Bear spot and stalk (actually ambushed it somewhere between 3 and 10 yards), shot my Bear on the 4th day after seeing it and not being able to get to it on Day 3.

From: Windwalker
28-Feb-19

Windwalker's embedded Photo
Windwalker's embedded Photo
I took this bear on the 1st day of a 6 day hunt with Lone Wolf bear camp in NW SK after being on stand for 3 hours. I always wanted a 20 incher but never thought in a lifetime I would take a 20 inch color phase. He was judged to be 17 years old and over 400 lbs. That was the luckiest day of my hunting life which has span over 50 years. I was 72 at the time.

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