Any Sask bear hunters out there I need ur help. 3 buddies and I want to go for bear, we have 5 days off at Easter- opening weekend April 16. Is this to early or should we wait a cpl weeks? We have a place to go up around Meadow Lake area.. When do the bigger guys come out 1st or later? Any advice would be help full
Sask bears
- Thread starter TinMan123
- Start date
- Location
- Saskatchewan coastline
I think that is too early.....we always waited for the dandylions to be out in full bloom. It was usually mid June.
I guess it depends on your type of hunt but we found that the bears would eat greens for a while before they would hit the meat baits.
I was told they need to get their stomach working after hibernation before they could handle digesting the meat. Therefore it you set up your baits too early the meat just rots with no action.
Having said this if you go too late the hides can be rubbed bad and that makes for poor rugs.
I guess it depends on your type of hunt but we found that the bears would eat greens for a while before they would hit the meat baits.
I was told they need to get their stomach working after hibernation before they could handle digesting the meat. Therefore it you set up your baits too early the meat just rots with no action.
Having said this if you go too late the hides can be rubbed bad and that makes for poor rugs.
TinMan123...............the boars are out early, but they don't bait well until things warm up a bit. Cool weather slows things down. I would aim for about May10th, expecially given the Meadow lake area.
I've guided for bear for many years...........location of your bait is very important if your baiting. If spot and stalk then you have to try concentrate your hunting around the new green growth and as Hornhunter said dandelions are good..hunt the pipelines and gaslines.
Mid June however is usually leaving things a bit late...you can run into problems with the bears rubbing and ruining their hides by then. If you know someone in the area you can get them to call you when things are starting to green up.
I've guided for bear for many years...........location of your bait is very important if your baiting. If spot and stalk then you have to try concentrate your hunting around the new green growth and as Hornhunter said dandelions are good..hunt the pipelines and gaslines.
Mid June however is usually leaving things a bit late...you can run into problems with the bears rubbing and ruining their hides by then. If you know someone in the area you can get them to call you when things are starting to green up.
I have guided in Saskatchewan....but I guide in Manitoba and elsewhere. There are some good outfitters in Saskatchewan. Contact the outfitters association for a current list.
A word of caution............you will find that most outfitters are not keen on taking out residents. I live in Manitoba now and I have actually enquired about going on a hunt in SK and rarely do I get a response when they see I am a Canadian.....worse yet .....right next door.
A word of caution............you will find that most outfitters are not keen on taking out residents. I live in Manitoba now and I have actually enquired about going on a hunt in SK and rarely do I get a response when they see I am a Canadian.....worse yet .....right next door.
They will guide u for the same price they charge Americans in American dollars around $3000.
Check out Makwa River Outfitters about 50 % colour phase with lots of blonde bears. try and find 3 buddies take turns going up to a cpl spots and refresh bait to cut down cost. then take a weeks holidays and go up. Use a Honey burn to attract them and lots of grease , molasses. oats and beaver.
Check out Makwa River Outfitters about 50 % colour phase with lots of blonde bears. try and find 3 buddies take turns going up to a cpl spots and refresh bait to cut down cost. then take a weeks holidays and go up. Use a Honey burn to attract them and lots of grease , molasses. oats and beaver.Ya.....maybe. Tinman123.............I did not mean to offend. Most of the outfitters do not take residents as they can come back and hunt , set baits, and guess where........pretty close to where they were.
Makwa has a good rep..That aside I have contacted at least a dozen outfitters in Sask., as a non-resident Canadian,..........I have yet to hear from any of them.
Why?
Sorry I have been in the business too long.
Makwa has a good rep..That aside I have contacted at least a dozen outfitters in Sask., as a non-resident Canadian,..........I have yet to hear from any of them.
Why?
Sorry I have been in the business too long.
No offense taken. I just assumed they would if u had the cash. It seems its very hard for a guy from the city to go bear hunting unless u now someone from an area an they are willing to bait for u which is how we are going to do it. I wonder if a guy was able to pick up a camp with bear rights and just cater to Canadians if it would b profitable vs bringing up Americans. I know u could make more money on Americans but kinda of taking back whats ours and giving the avg Joe a chance at a bear cuz most guys only want one maybe 2. I mean how may rugs and skulls could a guy want and most dont have the means to get it done. Kinda like me always wanted to go but never had the know how,or opportunity. Anyway only a pipe dream the mighty American dollar always speaks louder
From what I've seen, outfitters tend to deal only with out of country hunters to avoid giving the location of their "prime" spots to resident hunters. A group from Montreal went to an outfitter in Hudson Bay one year...now they are back with a big group every year, without going thru the outfitter.
That is what happens......hence why they don't like to take us locals .......in general.
Fly-ins are better as they have less reason to fear you will come back and hunt in the areas you learned while on your hunt with them.
As for price......most of the good outfitters I know charge Canadians the same price, but in Canadian dollars, which gives you a bit of a break.
If you want to start a guiding business, depending on Canadians to be your clients, you will not be in business for very long. There are not many that will pay for a guided hunt and when you do get enquiries most of them expect you to do it for nothing. To get a decent area and a sufficient number of tags to make a business you will pay a $100,000 and up, depending on equipment, cabins, number of allocations etc.
In Manitoba right now the bear businesses are selling for about $5000 to $7000 per bear allocation, plus the value of the rest of the business, cabins, ATV's boats etc. It ain't cheap....but it is one of the cheapest things to get into. The better guiding areas in BC, Yukon etc routinely sell for BIG dollars....ie in excess of a million.
Remember, it is a business.....their occupation, and at the end of the year after all the expenses, they still have to make a living. No one does it to break even.
As for bear hunters....you are right, for most hunters one or two bears is all they do, but there are hard core bear hunters that do it year after year. I know guys that routinely hunt bears in three provinces ever year.
Fly-ins are better as they have less reason to fear you will come back and hunt in the areas you learned while on your hunt with them.
As for price......most of the good outfitters I know charge Canadians the same price, but in Canadian dollars, which gives you a bit of a break.
If you want to start a guiding business, depending on Canadians to be your clients, you will not be in business for very long. There are not many that will pay for a guided hunt and when you do get enquiries most of them expect you to do it for nothing. To get a decent area and a sufficient number of tags to make a business you will pay a $100,000 and up, depending on equipment, cabins, number of allocations etc.
In Manitoba right now the bear businesses are selling for about $5000 to $7000 per bear allocation, plus the value of the rest of the business, cabins, ATV's boats etc. It ain't cheap....but it is one of the cheapest things to get into. The better guiding areas in BC, Yukon etc routinely sell for BIG dollars....ie in excess of a million.
Remember, it is a business.....their occupation, and at the end of the year after all the expenses, they still have to make a living. No one does it to break even.
As for bear hunters....you are right, for most hunters one or two bears is all they do, but there are hard core bear hunters that do it year after year. I know guys that routinely hunt bears in three provinces ever year.
Boer seun said:I am gonna shoot my first bear in 2007!!!!!!!!!!!!
You better do a search on Bear defence
Kidding aside, Where do you plan on hunting ? We got bears everywhere here but I never seem to find the time in spring...............maybe 2006 will be my year.
