Canadian bear hunt info

[RobinHood1389]

Big brother, uncle, and myself are looking a guided hunt via Bear Haven Canada guide services. Anybody have experience with this company? Their website claims 100% success rates.

[Shane H]

Don't know anything about that outfit, but I know we have a couple excellent outfitters with us here. I went with Jerry Russell year before last and had a wonderful trip as well as success.

[BowMIke]

It would be hard to beat Ryan Derlago at Stickflingers in Manitoba.

[Bow man]

If interested in a Ontario hunt at all, look at Bear Creek outfitters. Dusty runs a great camp and is a supporter of Compton Traditional Bowhunters. He has Trad guys in camp every year.
www.bearcreekoutfitters.com

[Jbseitz]

What Shane H said!

[MnFn]

I have hunted twice with Ryan Derlago at Manitoba Stickflingers  and once with Dusty at Bear Creek Outfitters, (Ontario).

I had a great time at each camp. I had very good shooting opportunities at each place. Both are great guys. But if I wanted a chance at a monster bear, I'd go with Ryan.

You should communicate with both before you decide as there are considerable differences in how their camps work.

You can pm me, and we can talk about it if you want to.

[Flingblade]

I don't know anything about the guide service you mentioned but anytime I see 100% success rate it is my cue to look elsewhere.  There's no such thing as 100% success in fair chase hunting.  Just my thoughts but I would look into some of the outfitters the other posters have listed.

[Bowguy67]

Dale McKinnon in Alberta was real good though it's been a couple years. It was well worth it though and almost everyone for 2 big bears with couple color phases shot. If I knew how to post pics I would. I skinned for multiple outfits in Maine and Canada and Dale was the best I've seen far as producing big ones constantly

[Bowguy67]

If you go to Dales website and go into photos the bottom right two are from the week we were there. My brother and a fellow w us. Everyone got at least one, most guys two and we had bad weather part of trip. Bear in mind I did taxidermy and mounted tons of bears and heard lots of stories. That's why I'd gone there. So there is a little history, not to step on anyone else recommendations though

[Cyclic-Rivers]

I am not familiar with any guide services except the sponsors here.

What are you guys all hunting with?  all 3 trad or are you each using different weapons?  

The best thing to do is talk with the service and ask as many questions as you can.  as said before I usually geta little skeptical about people whopost 100% success.  You cannot stand behind a person and make him be a  good shot.  Also how do you count the guys looking for a Big bear and pass up lil ones?

If everyone goes home with a bear, my guess a lot of 100-150 lb bears are being killed which is fine if its more important to kill a bear than have a quality experience.

Again talk with th service.  write your questions down and ask as many as you can. expectations? stand sets (trad friendly?) how many baits? yada yada yada

[Bowguy67]

Cyclic rivers I'm only going to address Dales operation since that's the one I've talked about. For starters he's 14,000 sq miles. Many bears have see no one and actually come up to the quads as you bait stands to steal more bait. These are small.
Sales operation allows lots of stands and many are like 10 yards. The furthest one I ever sat in was maybe 15.
You'll see multiple bears a day and it seems the bigger ones come in later. The bigger, more dominant ones chase the smaller ones up trees. Lots of aggression so it's pretty fun.
The Bears seem to walk in too.
I recommend all look at bears a few days before they even shoot. This way a small one isn't taken. No barrels were used, they were all ridge poles.
Big meaning altering mannikins up, 11-3/4" between ears, 8' truck bed and the feet were propped up to fit inside.
Big bears, no question.
Guess size is relative. I prepped my brother on big bears a bit. They saw one going in on a bait. The guide told him to shoot it. He passed remembering my words. The guide told him if the bear came back to "shoot it, it's a jumbo eh".
He did, thing was huge. Can't believe he initially passed it.
Bears are though, notoriously hard to judge.

[MnFn]

I think 100% means everyone has a quality shot at a bear. Usually around twelve yards.  As you said you can't make  a poor shot good, and some guys are looking for a big bear.

I have hunted with Ryan twice, and in eleven days of hunting I only had one night when I could not have taken a shot. In eleven days I had over 40 bears come to the bait. Its unbelievably good.

I waited until the night before the last day to take a shot on both trips.

[Todd Traube]

I went a few years ago with Hastings in Manitoba, there were a mix of gun and bow hunters, but the operation is very good and some large bears in that area

[Todd Greenwald]

We are looking for a few more guys to fill camp at Bear Creek Outfitters in Armstrong Ontario for a beginning of September Hunt.

[huntingarcher]

I hunted with Bear Haven 4 or 5 years ago.I went with my brother in law and 2 of his buddies from his hunting lease.One trad shooter (me) 2 wheelbow shooters and a rifle guy.We killed 3 bears ranging from about 225lb to 320lbs.I shot the smallest and a wheelbow guy shot the largest.There was one other hunter in camp from Indiana with a rifle,he also killed an average bear.My brother in law did not kill cause he shot his shooter bear in the leg with his wheelbow.We all saw several bears with no giants seen.

We hunted woodlots between farm fields and the bears did not seam spooky at all.
I can't remember the guys name but he really seamed to care about our hunt.He and his son was guiding and his wife and daughter handled the lodge and the meals.It was a great laid back hunt.I would go back again if I was looking for an easy laid back hunt.If I was really looking for giant 400lb bear I would look else where.I am sure they are around there but we did not see them.He told me I was the first trad bow guy that he has had in camp and was impressed that I actually killed a bear.He and his wife are both bowhunters so they know how to setup the bow stands up.I told him earlier when I signed up, my wheelhouse range was 10 to 18 yards and he said no problem and he did have stands prepped for my ranges.

We drove there from south east Tx and back.4 guys in a 4 door truck.42 hours one way,rotating drivers every fill up.I am still not over that! and will never do that again....ever!

[Sockrsblur]

I would give another whole hearted suggestion to consider Ryan and Manitoba Stickflingers. I was there last spring and was impressed. Really great guys, clean bait sites, lots of bears... Everyone rotated spots and we all had big bears at all the spots, covering an impressively large area, as I remember it. Not everyone took a bear home but everyone was well satisfied with the opportunities and sightings.

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