Some Advice would be nice!

[Heavy Metal]

Hi there , looking into putting in for a grizzly draw for the spring of 2011 . I have never hunted grizzly, or for that matter even hunted in Grizzly territory. Ive been advised by some people to look into region 7. I dont want to fly in, Im willing to drive and hike. Just wondering If anyone would be willing to share some information of areas that would be accesible by truck or quad that are worth putting in a draw for. Any help or feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Ohh yah also I did go looking for blackbears in region 2 on saturday. Did find a little bit of fresh bear activity but no bears. Hopefully soon


Thanks Alot

[Bear Chaser]

Get a copy of the Northern BC Backroad Mapbook. Study that. Study the LEH synopsis for this year. It will have the the odds of getting drawn for all of the various areas as well as the number of tags available. Lots of places where you can drive and glass the slopes in 7A and southern parts of 7B.

Assuming you live somewhere south of Hope you will have a long & expensive drive to get up here. Before you apply you should think long & hard about it and give an honest appraisal of whether or not you will make the hunt if drawn. My advise would be to try for a northern moose or elk hunt with some friends this fall before you put in for next years spring draw. This will give you some indication of the distances involved and the topography as it is an extremely varied region.

[srupp]

hmmmm been hunting these wonderful animals for over 30 years, seen more grizzly bears last year than I ever did in one season 30 years ago.

Been privileged to get paid to take folks grizzly hunting..guiding..still cant believe they did that...never failed at getting a client a bear..although once it took a couple extra days .

I have tried to help folks , on this site and those that wandered here from other places give them some ideas of where , when, why....some needed a little help, others significantly more.

Have 21 grizzly hunters this spring who have sought me out..I gladly have volinteered...and on some of those days that my health wasnt so hot..I always felt the better for stepping up.

Have met so many great people...I have had 4 Grizzly hunters to my residence in the past 36 hours..the last 2 leaving for the land of the giants @ 10:30 last night...

Send me a PM and a phone # and I will make contact with you..there are much closer areas than region 7..some with a LOT more bears per kilometer..some require atv's, some snowmobiles, some boats..others just a good pair of boots..thers something for everyone..

I suspect that 'eventually" and unfortunatley the government will cave into the relentless BS and pressure of the anti bear hunters granola munching BMW driving know it alls..and shut downcoastal Grizzly hunting, then coastal Kermode..aka Spirit bear locations even for "black kermodes" = black bears...then interior grizzlies, then interior black bears before setting their sights on Stone sheep and then..well it will never end untill the hunting does..but the writing is there... horrible and obscene..but its there..

I appreciate the fact you realize you have a learning curve and have allowed plenty of time...and not expecting to be out next week..lol

Yup..Ill help..

cheers

Steven Rupp

[moosinaround]

7b has some good bear numbers. It is a long ways to go, but it is a trip you will not regret. There is lots to see, and if you are adventuresome, northern BC is a place you will love to visit again and again. The grizz tag is a good reason to venture out, but the adventure itself should be the reason you are going. If you do put in, make sure there is ATV usage allowed in your MU. Some MU's in 7a donot allow an ATV to be used, but the tags are plentiful, as plentiful as grizz tags could be. The reason being it is difficult isolated terrain with many other resource pressures.

Good luck, ask lots of questions to supplement your own research, and head on up! There are lots of HBCer's on the way up and down from the coast to stop along and visit with, you would probably not have to pay for many coffees, or you will have to pay for quite a few??:wink: Dont be intimidated about bears, if you prepare yourself well it will be a successful trip, dead grizz or not!

Good luck, Moosinaround

[ve7iuq]

Get a copy of the Northern BC Backroad Mapbook. Study that. Study the LEH synopsis for this year. It will have the the odds of getting drawn for all of the various areas as well as the number of tags available. Lots of places where you can drive and glass the slopes in 7A and southern parts of 7B.

Assuming you live somewhere south of Hope you will have a long & expensive drive to get up here. Before you apply you should think long & hard about it and give an honest appraisal of whether or not you will make the hunt if drawn. My advise would be to try for a northern moose or elk hunt with some friends this fall before you put in for next years spring draw. This will give you some indication of the distances involved and the topography as it is an extremely varied region.

You gave him great advice!
I hope many others take heed, also.

[dutchie]

Get a big bore rifle... I like leavers because it is easy to cycle and unload on a charging bear. I know that if a Grizz were to charge me at a close distance I would have a little stink in my pants. Well I lied... alot!

Myself personally, I would not even think about a grizzly without a bigger gun.

I have a 45/70 that I would use but my 300wsm will do the job, I would just want more knockdown power and that comes with a bigger heavier bullet and put in the right spot.

I am not saying that a boiler room or a shoulder shot will not work with a 30cal, but I like the idea of 400gr flying at 2000fps rather then 168 at 3000fps.

I know that some if not most GO's will not let you go with anything less then a 338wm.

I think that one of my buddies is spending just over $5K for 2 weeks for everything from fuel to tags... this is non-guided, and sleeping in their boat.

Dutchie

[srupp]

Ya ..that $5k include sleeping in the Grady white outside Hanceville?LOL

Dave et all should be in Bella Coola and ready to launch in the wee hours of the AM..

STEVEN

[Bear Chaser]

You gave him great advice!
I hope many others take heed, also.

It wasn't meant to be discouraging in any way. On the contrary we should all be trying to encourage new hunters to take up bear hunting. Perhaps we could all be as accomadating as SRUPP and the world would be a better place.
The simple fact is Region 7 is huge. I live in FSJ. I put in for spring grizzly for an area just north of town thinking it would be great for some easy evening and weekend hunts. I wound up being drawn for 7-51 which is about 6 hours up the Alaska Highway and will require a considerable investment in time & fuel just to get there. I'm going for a week because I feel if I didn't I would be taking the opportunity from somebody else. It wasn't my plan but we'll make the best of it.
I am glad that the hunter who started this thread thought enough to ask for advise before blindly putting in for an area that he has no knowledge of. It's also nice to see there wasn't the usual barrage of abuse from the NIMBY types looking to protect their own honeyholes. And as SRUPP astutely mentioned there are plenty of other closer areas where the bear concentrations are much higher.
Good luck and have fun researching your hunt.

[Heavy Metal]

Thanks for all the feedback, hopefully everything pans out !