cheap outfitter prices

[chilcotin hillbilly]

An advertisement at the bottom of the page. It was a website for a Main bear guide. I was shocked to see the prices he had listed for his bears. $100/day for baited and $200/ day for hounds. How is it possible to make a living at those prices.
$1000 for a five day bear hunt. Fuel and wear and tear on you vehicles alone leaves you with less then wages in your pocket. Then add a vet bill or two. A major vet bill would clean out any money you made throughout the season.
I always wondered the difference in cost of living, it really can't be that different can it??

[Lil Joes BigGame hounds]

That seems to be real low! But it is hard to compete with some of Canada. 2,500 for two bears over bait. What do you think would be the right price for an outfitter in the first few years of outfitting? I have been wondering about that for a while.

[Spanky]

My only answer to that is they are booking for quantity of hunters not quality of hunt. How many bait sites will be reserved per hunter? Chances are there will only be one. Bait sites cost average about $50 per site to the paper companies not to mention all the bait and the gas to get those sites going.

We were just having this discussion this past weekend. When I left Maine back in the early 90's we were at $750 for a 6 day hunt. We now see guys advertising as little as $600 for the week. More power to the guy that can sell the hunt that cheap, I would say buyer beware and do your homework before booking.

Call referances and ask about quantity and quality of bears in the area. Ask about your meals and living accomodations or if you have to grab a motel and all your own meals, that does make a differance. Call Fish and Game to find out about bears per square mile for area. Hunters have a responsibility to do there homework before booking, if you dont then shame on you.

[chilcotin hillbilly]

I guess it the quality must really suck and lots of guys in camp. I charge $4000 for a black bear, and get another $1500 for a second bear. I only take two guys at a time, hound all day and spot and stalk in the evening. I only take mature boars and I feel the hunt is of the highest quality with first class accomodations and food. I let the hunters hang around for the duration of their hunt , fishing and site seeing can fill up their day, I don't send them home when the bears drop.
It amazes me the lack of value some people put on wildlife. From what I have seen alot of these baited bears would not even make a bathroom mat.

[Lil Joes BigGame hounds]

I almost want to kill a little one so I can have a bathroom mat.

[Bearkiller]

If you can get 4K for a bear hunt then good for you. What purpose does getting on the internet and bashing some guy for his prices do? He is on the other side of the continent and in another country................


Scott, there isn't a whole lot of difference between 600 and 750. With the economy the way it is, prices on lots of things have dropped. You assumed alot with your post and everyone knows assumption is the mother of all F-UP's. Funny how easy it is for people to criticize other people........... If he was in your neck of the woods and breaking the law, then you have a right to bitch. If not, leave people alone. You outfitters don't own the bears anymore than that guy does.

[Spanky]

Actually there is a big differance. Fuel prices were not close to $4.00 a gallon back in the late 80's and early 90's. Cost of groceries to feed a hunter back in the day you can buy a whole shopping cart of groceries compared to one to two bags today. Bait sites from Boise
Cascade and others did not cost $50 apiece either.

Unlike you now I'm not bashing the outfitter who charges $600, thats his right andif he can make it work thats great. I am clearly telling the hunter to do there homework if he wishes to be successful.

[chilcotin hillbilly]

No Bashing here, I wanted to know how a guy could make these prices work?? Double that amount would make more sense even for a bath mat.

[chad85]

thats about the right price i was in maine bear hunting on bait and it was 850 for the week in a nice cabin with a cook. i think his hound hunts were 1400 or so. it was about 6 years ago.