Looking for a quality outfitter for two hunters to hunt Black Bear. Would like high opportunity for color phase and good size bears. Any suggestions?

Have been looking at Russell Pond Outfitters.

I can't recommend an outfitter in particular but color phases seem much more prevelent in the Rocky Mountain states and Great Basin area than other ranges of the bears. Color phase can be found anywhere Black Bear live but they are more prevelent where I mentioned. Picture an area from Alberta to Mexico and from eastern Oregon and Washington to the Rocky Mountain side of the edge of the Great Plains.

I also know that if you have your heart set on a Cinnamon Bear you will see a huge Black one or vice versa, thats just the way it works!
Good luck with the Bears.

Anywhere in the Peace River area Alberta. I hunted with Gene Plihal for a few years. My bro took a very nice red cinamon.

Check with Roy Pattison of Sentinel Mountain Safaris in BC at 250-642-4130. Lots of BIG bears and color phases, all spot and stalk.No endless hours sitting over baits. Many of the black ones have white blazes on their chest. See the Bear hunt in BC thread here for a few photos of bears I've killed there in the past. -TONY

I also hunted with Roy in BC. I recommend him as well. We didn't see any color phase bears on our trip, however. All solid black. My guide did spot a small chocolate the day before we arrived.

If you stay in the states, probably Idaho is your best shot.


Mad Dog

Although there are color phase bears throughout Idaho the best odds are anywhere from the middle part of the state north to the border. Some parts of Idaho are 2 bear areas & have high success rates.
My son's & I took 3 bears last year & should have had a 4th one. Had several sightings.
Here's last years bears by 3 of my boys.







We've taken a lot of nice bears over the years.

I would say over the years the ratio has been about 50/50 on color phase bears.



A nice cinammon phase bear, I called in 2 at the same time.



My 6' 9" cinammon phase bear.



Shane's chocolate phase bear & my cinammon.





A very nice chocolate phase bear. All of these bears were spot & stalk except for 2 that were called in.





Shane's 7' 9" chocolate phase bear.



Six foot bear taken by Shane when he was 13 yrs old.



Dick

Great photos Dick!

I assume you were hunting on your own, no guide. Since I am a flatlander, I think I will need a guide, and place to stay.

Poochuss, we've never used a guide, we've lived here all our lives & have hunted throughout the state. There are several places you can drive to & have a good chance at getting a bear. Start by checking with the biologist in the area you are interested in, they can be very helpful & save you a lot of scouting time.
Bears are like me...fat & lazy & don't move around much in the spring. Bears den high, usually on the shady side of the mountains where the temperture is constant, when they first come out they clean out their rectal plug & drop down where they can feed on fresh green grass at lower elevations, as spring progresses they start following the snowline back up the mountain.
A bear can eat about anything, grass, winter killed game, insects, certain wild flowers, wild onions, dandelions, etc. They normally feed on the south facing & west facing slopes, this is where the best feed is in the spring. At the same time they usually bed down on the north facing & east facing side but anything is possible, this is normal but isn't written in stone.
If you are willing to do your homework you can get back quite well without a guide, if you are limited on time & can't afford to spend a couple of days scouting then hire a good one, they all charge about the same, might as well get one with good references & a high success rate.

Dick

Dick, Those are some REAL nice bears. 7' 9"---You are pushing grizzly size. Rough rule of thumb I've heard----6' good black bear---8' for grizzly----10' for Brown. CB

I run 2 remote fly in camps for black bear that I hunt only one week each camp/lake in spring then again in fall.
I supply float plane flights, guides, cook & meals & will personally be in camp guiding.
Harvested bears average over 6 feet from nose to tail & have taken 7 footers.
If you are looking for a chocolate brown or cinnamon bear rug our clients have harvested 28.5% color phase.
The fall hunt also offers a chance at harvesting a wolf.
That far back in, the fishing is superb for Northern Pike, Walleye, Lake trout.
I can arrange shuttle from Winnipeg to float plane or you can drive to the float plane base.
Drop me a note or look at the option on www.mckenzieoutfitters.ca
I tried posting pictures of some trial camera picture but I only got 1 to load properly
you can view more on my web page.
this past spring every hunter harvested or had numerous opportunities
send me a email or phone call if you want more info.
thanks
Mont

here is a little guy grabing a snack

i think i got this picture thing figured out now......black laying down behind stump with his shoulder & head sticking out & choc. in back ground. any how let me know if you want more info & good luck on your hunt where ever you go.

I have had good luck with www.bouldercreekoutfitters.com my group has taken about 50% color phase with them.

BigB

I'm with the Idaho boys. My last spring trip put eyes on 25 bears in 5 days. 20 were color bears of all colors. A few were unlike any I'd ever seen, and I've seen a lot. I shot a light chocolate but both of my friends shot black, their choice. The panhandle is excellent.
LDK

Thanks for the info BigB.

L. If I dont find an outfitter I feel comfortable with, I will look into DIY hunt.

Idaho is definitely a good bet. I hunted with Richie Outfitters (http://www.richieoutfitters.com) this spring in the Selway and took two nice bears including a nice chocolate bear. Here's a report: http://forums.accuratereloadin...8321043/m/6581039231

Their hunts are very reasonably priced, camps are great and they know their stuff. Feel free to PM me with any questions.

Pete

quote:

I also hunted with Roy in BC. I recommend him as well. We didn't see any color phase bears on our trip, however. All solid black. My guide did spot a small chocolate the day before we arrived.

I can vouch for Roy's area, that there are a lot of color phase running around. Last year I seen a really nice pure blonde bear running around. I spend a lot of time in this area and it is indeed a good black bear area.

I believe Oregon has more color phased bear then anyplace in USA. Just head to eastern Oregon and hunt the Snake river, Imnaha, Wenaha and Pine creek unit. This only applies to spring bear hunting. It would be in your best interest to hire a guide due to the fact that it is very easy to get lost and fatigue if you are not in shape or know the area. Guiding service prices has gone down quite quite a bit since the liberal Oregon voted down Bear and cougar hunting with hounds as well as baiting over 10 or more year's ago. When I hunted the Snake River, I would pass up 5 to 8 bear's a day by using binocular and spotting scope in a weekend hunt. There are too many bear's here in certain part's of northeastern Oregon.
Check out WWW.IFISH.NET
The weather is sometimes nice or naughty cold and windy in the spring. There used to be guides that would charge like $75.00 a day or $50.00 a day if you paid for breakfest, lunch and sometime dinner if there's a bear down and would advertised on craiglist. Beaware, this is wicked country and not a place to fool around such as being unprepared. Another thing, be prepared for 300 to 700 yard shots in 20 mph wind if it's past noon, since the wind start's picking up 12:00 till about 3:30 to 4:00 P.M. then you have about 1 to 2 hour of glassing/hunting before heading back to camp by sunset. By the way, motels are pretty cheap, figure 40 to $60.00 a day but they are now getting book up.
Good luck

In northwest Montana from the Idaho Border to the Glacier National Park boundry above Troy over to Libby you will see a lot of color phase bears.

However, you must be VERY CAREFUL as there are a LOT of Grizzly bears there.

I love to hunt Black Bears.
I have hunted them in Montana, Idaho, Alaska, and Canada.

If you want a color phase you need to pick an area that is high in color phase bears.

With me it was just the opposite, the wife and I had shot only color phase black bears, I went to Idaho and Canada in picked areas to shoot "black" black bears.

I have hunted Idaho several times, Canada only once. I had a great tri to Canada and would not hesitate to hunt there again. All the Canuks I met were good peole.

I have a buddy that has now has cabin in Idaho so I can hunt there for little $$$, but there is a great outfitter there I have hunted with several times, Elk City Adventures.

www.elkcityadventures.com.

Several of my buddies have hunted with them and killed color phase bears.

It is run by a man and his wife, "Stitch" and Joannie Kaech. They are very good people and run a great camp. She is a great cook, I have threatened to kidnap her several times and bring her back to Texas.

They hunt in some 2 bear areas, meaning you can buy 2 tags, at a reduced price, and kill 2 bears.

There is good trout fishing in their areas, and in the fall season you can shoot grouse.

N E 450 No2,

"If you want a color phase you need to pick an area that is high in color phase bears."
Really? Where would that might that be?

"Several of my buddies have hunted with them and killed color phase bears."
Who's them?

Let's help Poochuss instead of making it harder for him to harvest a color phase bear. Life is too short.

Thanks everyone! I appreciate the help and the advice! I dont mind a more physical hunt but the wife has MS and cant do the hills like I can.

quote:

Originally posted by Poochuss:
Thanks everyone! I appreciate the help and the advice! I dont mind a more physical hunt but the wife has MS and cant do the hills like I can.

The Elk City Adventure hunt in Idaho is over bait.

They also have some double tree stands if a fella wanted to hunt with his wife or child.

They have great food and good tents with wood stoves in them.

Thanks,

Has anyone else used Elk City Adventures?

Went with a local, low-profile guide here in Washington who put my youngest son on this beauty:



PM me for contact info on the guide if you'd like. Three of us took good bears in two days.

Guy

What is a "color phase" bear. I assume they molt and you get them between light and dark coats??? Summer to Fall hides??

Perry

I would look at the Selway Bitteroots, Plenty of them in there seen some in the Nez as well
but you dont need an outfitter to find them
not a bad hunt at all and very easy area to get in and out.

quote:

Originally posted by perry:
What is a "color phase" bear. I assume they molt and you get them between light and dark coats??? Summer to Fall hides??

Perry

color phase bears an black bears that are not "black." they run the gamut from brown to blonde to red to silver. they will never, nor have they ever been "black," so it's not a molting/seasonal thing.

Thx sir. So not really a phase.

Perry

Thanks for the info, and the explaination of what a color phase bear is.

quote:

Originally posted by GuyM:
Went with a local, low-profile guide here in Washington who put my youngest son on this beauty:



PM me for contact info on the guide if you'd like. Three of us took good bears in two days.

Guy

Congrats to your boy and you, Dad! What a beauty of a bruin. Actually, it could be the twin of mine that I took in SE AK some years ago. Any taxidermy planned?