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Black Bear

Atchesons offer a multitude of some of the finest black bear hunting in North America.  We arrange trips for black bear in Montana, Idaho, Alberta, British Columbia and Alaska.  Generally speaking, spring is always the best time period to go after bears specifically.  Some areas offer up to two bears per hunter and the terrain and hunting methods can vary greatly.

Black Bear Hunting in Coastal Alaska and British Columbia

Hunting bears by boat is an incredible adventure.  Not only is hunting for bears extremely productive, there is also a variety of activities available during and after you have taken your bear.  Hunting black bear by boat is the ultimate adventure.

Getting large bears on these hunts is the norm as they are fish fed and achieve great size.  In many cases, hunters take bears that are 6 ½ to 7 feet in length.  Hunting is conducted in southeast Alaska along the mainland, as well as remote islands such as Kuiu and Kupreanof, and Prince of Wales.  I have done this trip a couple of times and can hardly wait to go back.  People pay a fortune to be crowded onto cruise ships to see this country and very rarely do they get close enough to appreciate the beauty of coastal North America.  Hunters can do it from the comfort of their own private or semi-private boat and hunt, fish, and sightsee more than you would ever get from a cruise ship experience.

During the spring hunts, April and May, fishing can be excellent for big halibut as well as king salmon, silver salmon, steelhead, rainbow, Dolly Varden, etc.  During the fall in late August and early September, silver salmon runs are in full swing.  This is the type of trip where you can bring home a nice bear and a lot of fresh fish. No boat hunt in southeast Alaska is complete without hooking into a huge halibut.  Try hooking into one of these odd looking, plywood shaped creatures.  Our clients have taken halibut in excess of 250 to 300 pounds.  Add Sitka blacktail, brown bear and mountain goat on fall hunts.  Note: A wounded Black or Brown Bear is considered taken by Alaskan Fish and Game in South East Alaska.  Shoot Straight!Inquire!

All of the bears from this particular area are jet black in color.  Many record book bears are taken each year.  These hunts are usually about seven days in length.  Cost will run $5,500 to $6,000 depending on the number of hunters and guides required.  Observers are about $250 per day.  Besides fishing, you can put out crab pots daily, and catch Alaskan king crab, dungeness crab, etc. or go clamming.

The marine life in the area is fantastic.  You will see whales, seals, sea birds, etc., along with fantastic cascading waterfalls spiraling down high mountains.  A lot of glaciers too.  Watching a glacier spawn icebergs is also an unforgettable sight.  To top it all off, let your skipper grab a chunk of ice for you and serve you a cocktail with 10,000-year-old ice cubes.

ALBERTA

Alberta is bear heaven if ever there was one.  Both black and brown color phases are available at about a 75/25 ratio.  The hunts are physically easy and what success!  It is usually 100% kill on one black bear and 75% on the second bear.  Hunt by bait or by spot-and- stalk, from very comfortable mobile tent camps or deluxe fly-in lodges.  Great pike and lake trout fishing.  All hunters are privately guided.  Hunts begin on Monday and run through Saturday – six days of hunting.  Hunts take place from May through mid June.  In addition to high success, the size of the bears is impressive.  It is common to take bears over six feet in these areas.  The cost is $3,500 to $4,000 per hunter, depending on the number of bears hunted and the outfitter.

BRITISH COLUMBIA

This is a classic spot-and-stalk area.  Typically hunts are based out of comfortable lodges utilizing four-wheel drives and horses to access prime hunting country.  You are hunting mountainous terrain and it is a tougher hunt.  You will spot bears, evaluate their size, examine the color of the bear, and then make the stalk.  Very challenging and very successful.

Spring in southeast British Columbia is a magic time.  You will see incredible amounts of game – moose, elk, mule deer, whitetail deer, goat, bighorn sheep, grizzly, and, of course, plenty of black bear.   It is some of the most scenic country in the world.  Several nearby parks make great game viewing.  It is a good hunt for the whole family.  Hunters are allowed two bears per person.