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"Snookered" on my Bear Hunt

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    "Snookered" on my Bear Hunt

    Well, we returned late Sat. nite from a week long bear hunt about 120 miles North of Winnipeg, Canada with not one out of 6 getting a bear. Mother Nature was a part of the problem and our outfitter didn't help matters either. Out of 6 hunters in our camp, only 3 of us saw a bear at all and I was the only one to shoot but my shot was high and only a flesh wound. Temps were in the low-mid 20's and the bears just did not come out. Some bait sites were hit regularly and some not at all.

    Originally, we were to be the only ones in this Outfitter's camp but we found out less than a week before leaving, he overbooked with an additional 12 hunters from Sweden. They relocated us to a further camp (an additional 70 miles North) and as a result we did not see much game at all. We found out upon our return, the Swede's shot 9 bears out of 11 hunters. Sounds to me like the bait sites from our Northern camp were not started until a few days before we arrived.

    This hunt was by far the most grueling I have done...Sitting in a very unfomfortable steel lock-on stand in below freezing temps for 8-10 hours at a time and being picked up well after dark. Legal shooting light ended at about 9:30 PM and we were picked up as late as midnight with a 1 1/2 hour return trip to the lodge. Since the Outfitter overbooked, we were short handed with guides and this made for a very long afternoon of hunting.

    All-in-all it was a fun experience but very disappointing. I'd like to try it again sometime but definately with a different outfitter. The highlight of my trip was having 6 Timber Wolf sightings during my hunt. No one else saw 1 and I was honored with 6 sightings to within 20 yards of my stand site.

    Doug Key

    #2
    Sorry to hear that. Who was the outfitter? Never hunted around Winnipeg but have been to Saskatchewan (think that is spelled correctly) twice and have had multiple opportunities both times and have taken a great bears on both trips.

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      #3
      Complain to the Manitoba Outfitters Assoc. Maybe they can help out! This type of thing is frowned upon and the camp you used can be blacklisted.

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        #4
        Glad you got to go on the hunt. Hate you didn't get a wolf.

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          #5
          man that stinks, but atleast you got to go see some incredible country!! hey look at it this way, a bad day of hunting/fishing is better than a good day in the office!! still stinks though!!!

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            #6
            Man I would have been PO'd if the guide didnt pick me up within a hour after shooting time after sitting for that long in cold weather.

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              #7
              The outfitter was Big Antler Outfitters of Manitoba. When we got there, the Outfitter, Ron Chikowski (sp?) indicated we should "see many bears as they were hitting the baits regularly". I know with his oversite and overbooking, the best sites were close to his home lodge. We really only had one full time guide and his brother-in-law helped out on the weekend. They had one other "temporary" guide and he didn't even know where the baits were until we were in camp. A real "Bummer" of a hunt and a waste of $2,500+ plus air fare.

              Ole Man: I'll look into that. From my earlier conversations, I was told the Outfitter would offer a "free" hunt to anyone that did not have a shot opportunity. Since I shot at one, this would not include me but I sure hate that the rest of my group were not offered a return trip. The guy that booked us said the Outfitter told him that they would "talk" soon, so maybe this meant a negotiation for a return trip could be in the works. I hope so.

              Buff: Yea, I was really bummed about the Wolf sightings and no shot opportunity. I had one Wolf under 20 yds. but on the wrong side. Any movement (from me) they picked up on and just to see one was a real rush. I even saw one (the biggest) that only had 3 legs. His right front leg was missing from the elbow down and I assume he was caught in a trap and chewed it off. These guys are huge with the biggest easily topping 150 lbs. Made me want to stay in the stand...day or night.

              Thanks for the comments.

              Doug

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                #8
                Sure sorry to hear this, it sounds a little like Buff and my hunt to mooseless Canada.

                I don't know if I would go back even if it was free. Did you not have anything in writing about the number of people in camp and the number of guides per hunter? That is almost always included in the hunt information. I would definiatly make a complaint.

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                  #9
                  Hate to hear about your hunt .....
                  If I had a outfitter leave me in a tree in that cold weather for 2 1/2 hours after dark with an additional 1 1/2 drive to a warm bed I would "IT" would not be very pleasant for him!!! That is totally un-called for and un-professional, let alone dangerous!
                  The over booking is right in line with them leaving you in the tree that long.
                  I think you hit the nail on the head about y'all hunting VERY new bait sites.
                  I would have the largest part of my money back, and would not even consider hunting with him again even if it was "free".

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                    #10
                    Sorry to hear that. The weather has played a big part in this years bear season, colder than normal. Seeing that many Timber Wolf's had to be a thrill, a real killing machine.
                    I agree with Chunky I would complain if you had something in writting about the hunter to guide ratio.

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