I'm married to a Newfoundlander and consequently I spend a fair bit of time there (for the last year I've spent a week out of every month in St. John's).

I'm curious about black bear hunts. As a non resident do I have to go through an outfitter to hunt one?

All my inlaws are moose hunters and don't seem real interested in bears. They seem to consider them somewhat the way we look at pigs here in Texas. Sure they're fun to shoot but you don't really hunt for them, kinda thing.

Since all the bears in Texas have been gone for a long time they seem pretty exotic to me.

If anybody could shed some light on whether I could do a self guided hunt legally I'd appreciate it.


Thanks,

I live not too far from St John's. I am a avid moose/caribou /bird hunter but am not too keen on hunting bears.

Are you in the oil industry?

You need an outfitter to hunt big game here on the rock
regards
Dan

Dan,
Thanks for the info. That is what I was looking for.

My wife is the one in the oil biz. We live in Houston mostly. She grew up around between the Goulds and Bay Bulls (Middle Pond).

She's been up working on Hebron.


Thanks,

John, I live up the shore in a place called Tors Cove. The reason I asked if you worked in the patch is that I work at the center here that does survival training for the offshore so I thought our paths might have crossed.
Lots of big black bears here if you are interested

Dan

Tors Cove...is that just past Burnt Cove near Brown Rabbit Cabins? We used to rent a spot up that way for a few nights each summer. Stopped when our boy was born but now that he is getting older we'll probably start again. Actually, looked at a couple spots up that way that were for sale.

If we live long enough to retire we envision Newf summers and Texas winters being a good plan.

You might have crossed paths with my wife. She first went offshore 12-15 years ago on Hibernia. She worked on Terra Nova and White Rose but mostly from Houston. I pretty sure she had to re-certify on this project even though all her days are spent at Atlantic Place. She was a Kavanagh before we met.

I'm definitely gonna hunt a bear up there. I've just not put it high on the priority list because I'm pretty sure I'll be back up there off & on for the rest of my life.

If you have any suggestions on where to go or who to talk to I'm all ears.

Tors Cove is just before Burnt Cove. I worked foreign cargo vessels for years but the past ten years have been working at the OSSC (Offshore Safety and Survival Center) I don't hunt bears much myself mostly moose and caribou and I am currently looking at Africa. I used to run dogs with the guy that runs Owls Nest Lodge in central Newfoundland they have a pretty good reputation. Our black bears are among the biggest in North America. I know some Kavanaghs that lived in Middle Pond.Went to school with a Bill Kavanagh

regards
Dan

Bill's her brother. It doesn't surprise me anymore when i talk to someone from Newfoundland and we know somebody in common. Seems like it happens everytime.

I'll look into Owl's Nest. How far is that from the Avalon? I got to spend a few hours in Deer Lake last month thanks to that famous St. John's fog, but I know that's all the way on the West Coast.

I leave for Africa in about 12 hours. 9 days in the Eastern Cape. I'll let you know how it goes. It will probably be a couple years before I can get back so maybe I can get one of those bears in between.

Small world hey. Have a great hunt in Africa. I am looking at going in 2012 or 2013. Owls Nest is about 350 miles from St John's.

regards
Dan

The heck with the bears; get her to bring me a case of Screech back next trip and sing me the "Rubber Boot" song at SCI 2012...

Rich

Have hunted here with Maurice and Sharon!

Great food, great camp and nice bears!

http://www.nfbiggame.com/

Nils-Ole

Stubberud,
Thanks for the info.

ISS,
The screech can be handled if you were at DSC instead of SCI...Singing is not likely unless we drink the screech and I don't go there.