Black Bear Hunting

Winchester

Veteran member
Mar 27, 2014
2,464
1,821
Woodland Park, Colorado
Hey guys,
My wife wants me to get a Black Bear rug ... lucky me!
I usually get a bear tag when I hunt deer or elk but I've never hunted specifically for a bear ... and I've never gotten one. Since I live in Colorado there's no baiting etc. I was thinking about maybe hiring a guide.
Do you guys have any thoughts/opinions on how to go about this...
Spring vs fall bear hunting?
Colorado vs Wyoming, Montana, etc?
Anyone ever use a good guide they'd recommend?
Thx for any ideas you care to share.
 

ScottR

Eastmans' Staff / Moderator
Staff member
Feb 3, 2014
7,679
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www.eastmans.com
Hey guys,
My wife wants me to get a Black Bear rug ... lucky me!
I usually get a bear tag when I hunt deer or elk but I've never hunted specifically for a bear ... and I've never gotten one. Since I live in Colorado there's no baiting etc. I was thinking about maybe hiring a guide.
Do you guys have any thoughts/opinions on how to go about this...
Spring vs fall bear hunting?
Colorado vs Wyoming, Montana, etc?
Anyone ever use a good guide they'd recommend?
Thx for any ideas you care to share.
Look at last year's regs for each state. The higher the quota, the higher the chance of good populations to hunt. Outfit search from there.
 

Winchester

Veteran member
Mar 27, 2014
2,464
1,821
Woodland Park, Colorado
Yes sir. I have saved some Bear Pref Points in Colorado ... but I'm kinda in that middle ground where I don't have enough for a really good unit but too many to "throw away" (bad term I know) on a zero point area.
I was looking for some ideas on ways to go without using my points.
I'll PM you some details.
 

JimP

Administrator
Mar 28, 2016
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Gypsum, Co
Your problem is going to be what size rug your wife would like.

I went to British Colombia on a grizzly hunt which also included a black bear. I got the black bear but he was smaller than what I and the guided figured that he was. There were two bears in the area and the larger one spooked the smaller one out into the open and I really didn't have very much time to decide so I shot.

But to get a bear without using your points you'll have to start hunting deer and elk in a area that is known for a lot of bears and purchase a bear tag to go along with your deer or elk tag or go out of state. Other than that you are going to have to put in for the September draw which will use your points as you know.

If you want to start building points with a chance to draw a tag Utah would be one to look at. They use a bonus point system where everyone has a chance however slim. They also have some big bears and can be hunting in the spring over bait and with dogs. But you would have a chore if you wanted to hunt them over bait since bait stations need to be maintained which is a lot of work and time. I'm not sure on Wyoming and Montana.
 

Winchester

Veteran member
Mar 27, 2014
2,464
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Woodland Park, Colorado
Thanks JimP.
Yes sir, I'm saving my Colorado bear points but won't be able to draw the area I'd like for a few years ... so I'm looking for an alternate way to hunt bears in the mean time. I have been getting a bear tag for my deer/elk areas each fall but haven't seen a bear yet.
I have also put in for both deer and elk points in Utah (3 each so far) but not bear ... stupid me.
I agree trying to bait in another state would be "a chore" ... probably not practical.
Maybe I do need to consider using a guide.

Anyone have any suggestions on that?
 

JimP

Administrator
Mar 28, 2016
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Gypsum, Co
The question is how much do you want to spend for a black bear hunt along with what kind of experience would you like to have on the hunt?

My outfitter in British Colombia offers either a 1 or a 2 black bear hunt in a wilderness area with horses. I had a great time in a area where you saw zero airlines crossing overhead along with very few modern conveniences.
 

highplainsdrifter

Very Active Member
May 4, 2011
703
127
Wyoming
I bait bears in Wyoming only a few miles from Colorado. There are a lot of bears in my hunt area...I've gotten one the past two years.

I don't know how far you live from the Wyoming border, but if you are within reasonable driving distance for tending baits I'd be happy to give you (or others on this forum) some pointers on where to start. It will take a lot of work and probably a couple years to get things figured out, but getting a DIY bear is very special.

Here is a video of our hunt:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSxuHtwR5bA
 
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Winchester

Veteran member
Mar 27, 2014
2,464
1,821
Woodland Park, Colorado
I guess I'm open to just about anything right now ... just looking for options.
I would think a guided black bear hunt would be a few thousand ... $4K - $5K. Does that seem about right?
Your outfitter in B.C. sounds great ... going on horseback into a wilderness area sounds awesome.
From what you said I assume you'd recommend him. How much did he charge?

The question is how much do you want to spend for a black bear hunt along with what kind of experience would you like to have on the hunt?

My outfitter in British Colombia offers either a 1 or a 2 black bear hunt in a wilderness area with horses. I had a great time in a area where you saw zero airlines crossing overhead along with very few modern conveniences.
 

Winchester

Veteran member
Mar 27, 2014
2,464
1,821
Woodland Park, Colorado
I bait bears in Wyoming only a few miles from Colorado. There are a lot of bears in my hunt area...I've gotten one the past two years.

I don't know how far you live from the Wyoming border, but if you are within reasonable driving distance for tending baits I'd be happy to give you (or others on this forum) some pointers on where to start. It will take a lot of work and probably a couple years to get things figured out, but getting a DIY bear is very special.

Here is a video of our hunt:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DSxuHtwR5bA

Awesome video!!
Thank you so much for your offer, guys like you make this forum so great !!
Unfortunately I live about 3 hours south of Cheyenne and I doubt if that's close enough to make it work.
Dang Colorado and our no baiting laws ...
 

JimP

Administrator
Mar 28, 2016
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You hit the price right on the money. If you would like here is his web site.

http://www.abarzoutfitters.com./index.php

The top cabin with the hunters and elk is at the jumping off location on Whitetail Lake which has some great fishing. The cabin in the lower picture is inside of the wilderness that you would ride horses to. The person that took the picture is standing on the bank of the river that they follow to the cabin.
 

highplainsdrifter

Very Active Member
May 4, 2011
703
127
Wyoming
Awesome video!!
Thank you so much for your offer, guys like you make this forum so great !!
Unfortunately I live about 3 hours south of Cheyenne and I doubt if that's close enough to make it work.
Dang Colorado and our no baiting laws ...
There is "fair" bear hunting in the Snowy Range and "good" bear hunting in the Sierra Madres...these would be your closest locations.
 

Buckbob

Member
Jan 22, 2018
67
126
Michigan
You hit the price right on the money. If you would like here is his web site.

http://www.abarzoutfitters.com./index.php

The top cabin with the hunters and elk is at the jumping off location on Whitetail Lake which has some great fishing. The cabin in the lower picture is inside of the wilderness that you would ride horses to. The person that took the picture is standing on the bank of the river that they follow to the cabin.
I see some color phase bears on their website, did you have a good opportunity for one when you hunted with them?
 

NEWHunter

Member
Jun 11, 2016
91
22
Brookfield, WI
You could think about Wisconsin. Right now preference points cost about $5 and the non resident tag will run about $250. Assuming a little point creep, the three most viable units will take 6-17 years to draw. You can hunt over bait, with hounds, or both The key is finding a good guide, which will run you around $1,000 for a week give or take. That $1,000 won't include food or lodging, but you can generally find lodging pretty cheap in northern Wisconsin. Wisconsin has taken about as many boone and crockett bears as anyone. Shoot me a PM if you want a little more direction.