Mark Erskine: British Columbia Black Bear Hunt Report

HUNT: British Columbia Black Bear Hunt
CONSULTANT: Russ Meyer, Outdoors International

May, 2018

We went on a spot and stalk black bear hunt in northern BC. The outfitter,  his wife Lana and their team of guides set up a great camp for us. Lana’s cooking was top notch and she created great meals daily. There is a lot of downtime in camp which we spent shooting arrows, working out at “Primitive CrossFit”, napping and building friendships with the other guys in camp (7 total).

A British Columbia black bear hunt typically starts around 5pm and goes until dark (about 10:00 pm) The weather we had was a bit fickle and it threw the bear activity off but you should typically see 3-6 bears a day. Sometimes more, sometimes less. We ran into a few grizzly bears as well which was really cool, when they were at a distance! The hunt consists of driving logging roads, glassing clear cuts and meadows looking for feeding bears.

Recommended Gear

Here’s some gear to bring on your black bear hunt: I’d recommend bringing books, downloading movies, buying your own snacks to help pass the downtime. Also, bring a 75-100 qt cooler for cape and meat if your black bear hunt is successful. The weather can change quickly so be prepared for hot, cool and rain. This isn’t a strenuous hunt by any means and is more of a road hunt. I’d recommend comfort over backcountry gear.

The mosquitoes get nasty but if you spray all your clothes/backpack in advance with Sawyer Products Premium Permethrin Clothing Insect Repellent as well as pack the Picaridin Lotion and a Thermacell your trip will be much more comfortable.

Hunt Report

• Russ is a trusted resource and a friend. What more could you ask for in a consultant?!
• Overall, my trip was good. Hunting was slower than normal the week were were there, which obviously nobody can control. Some adjustment to the daily routine would have gone a long way to overcome the mental frustration of a slow hunt.  Jeff and his crew are seasoned professionals and know the area and it’s bears well. They will get you onto bears, you gotta do the rest!
• My outfitter’s communication before, during and after the trip was good.
• My guide was good.
• Physically, the trip was easy.
• Food and accommodations should be rated separately. The food provided was really good and well prepared. The accommodations are primitive but got the job done. A few upgrades to the accommodations would go a long way.  We did have to provide our own snacks for the downtime so bring anything you might typically want outside of normal meals. As expected in the bush there is no cell or internet but Jeff provides a house phone to call loved ones at no expense, a really nice feature.
• Would you book another trip with us in the future? Yes.
• Can we use your stories and/or photos on our website? Yes.
• Can we use this in social media? Yes.

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