Quebec Bear Hunting...

[shreffler]

For those of you who live in Quebec or have been there to hunt I have some questions for you guys...

Through some connections I have gotten an offer to hunt Black Bear in Quebec from June 7th-12th. The area is near Fort-Coulonge, Quebec, and apparently hasn't been hunted in 12 years (there will be hunts scheduled for a few weeks prior to our arrival, so no hunting for 12 years previously except for that). Also it's an archery only zone and always has been.

This is going to be a sort of DIY hunt - wall tents, bring your own food, however there is a guy who is running camp will be setting our baits and picking sites, doing all of the tracking, skinning, and quartering.

Price for me (to hunt and for my license) is right around $1,100 (I get 50% off the normal price). This does not include food and travel, which will be split among a few other guys. Fortunately I'm only about 8 hours away so we will be saving a lot by driving.

Is this a good area? Is this a good time of the year to hunt black bears in Canada? Is this a relatively good price for Quebec bear hunting? Any idea what success rates could be like?

Obviously a lot of these questions depend on me as well as the area, but any insight at all is appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Alex

[BowMIke]

Great time to be out there hunting bears! The boars should be scouting for sows to breed and will be more active than usual. The $1100 sounds all right, but I think twice that for a tent camp would be too high. I would try to insist on fresh baits that haven't been hunted. I've had poor luck following other groups.
The bears are much more relaxed around hunters if they haven't been pressured.
It's lots of fun hunting bears!
Enjoy your trip!

[BowMIke]

Don't forget your Thermacell!!!  (you'll be sorry!)

[Whip]

Can I come?  That is a heck of a deal and you should be jumping all over it!

[Wiley Coyote]

I hunted near that area in 2012 with Ron Henry. One guy got a bear from our group of five but I think we were in a hard hunted area. Some other guys from WV were hunting to the north of us and got 5 bears with 10 hunters the same week we were there. The week you are going is in the bear rut for sure. Good luck!!!  

[Bowwild]

Sounds like a good deal.  However, I thought I had a great deal for myself, brother, best friend, and BF's son last June in New Brunswick. We paid $1,300 each.  If we got what we paid for that was one person of the 4 seeing bears (2) that were cub size and even though this friend had never shot a bear he passed.

Terrible hunt. Whenever I read "great food" again every red flag in my brain will go off. I'd rather eat a licorice sandwich every day than be concerned about the meals on a hunt.

I'm trying again in Idaho this year.

[Jayrod]

Originally posted by BowMIke:
Don't forget your Thermacell!!!  (you'll be sorry!)

That's a definate there  :mad:

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Do you know anything about the guy setting the baits?

It could be a good deal but if the guy is just randomly dumping food and placing stands 20 yards from the pile.

its called hunting and not killing. If it were me, I would go, have a  great time with friends and learn what you can about bear hunting. With any luck, you may even kill a bear.

Let us know how it goes if you decide to go.

[shreffler]

Thanks for the info guys. I'm a little on the fence still.

I have that internal struggle between "you get what you pay for" and "go and enjoy the bush with your buddies". Although it's relatively cheap for a bear hunt and sounds like we'll be on some bears, that's a lot of money for me right now.

I really appreciate all you guys' input. Thanks again.

Alex

[dino]

You going with Ron Henry guide service?  He is up in that area.