Vancouver Island Black Bear
|
Island Bear (black bear living on Vancouver Island). Background
Clients booking to photograph bears, must maintain a respectful silence and not disrupt the bear's daily routine. Female bears with cubs, while beautiful, are susceptible to stress and are to be given a wide berth. Hunting clients must do so in an ethical manner and must adhere to Pacific Rim's biologically based management strategy. Our experienced guides try to only take the oldest male bears. The First Nations people understand the complicated spiritual relationship between these bears, humans and the environment. Pacific Rim clients will continue to respect the ecologically sound black bear management strategy implemented many centuries ago by the First Nations people. Conservation of this unique and wondrous natural resource is, and always will be, Pacific Rim Guide Outfitters’ primary objective. Lodging and Food The lodging is modern cabins with ocean front views, electricity, private bathrooms, etc. Guests will be served excellent breakfasts and dinners each night with our other clients and guides and will take a field lunch to eat during the day while out hunting.
Terrain and Hunting Style Pacific Rim's exclusive guiding area encompasses the entire northern end of the "Island." It takes five hours to drive from one end of the territory to the other! Much of the area is untouched wilderness. Baiting is not legal in British Columbia so all hunts are of the thrilling "spot-and-stalk" style. In the spring we use boats or trucks and glass logging "slashes" and ocean beaches for bears. We can tailor the search for bears to match the physical ability of the client. Your experienced guide will be with you at all times, both to ensure your safety, and to inform and advise you on the habits, age, size and sex of each of the many black bears you will see. Your professional guide will also provide a wealth of information about the other wildlife you may see including eagles, Roosevelt elk, Columbia black-tailed deer, wolves and, if you are lucky, cougar. Clothing Weather on northern Vancouver Island tends to be cool and wet in the spring when we hunt bears. Bring layered clothes that you can adjust for temperatures ranging from the mid 40’s to low 70’s. A good pair of waterproof boots with strong ankle support are a must. Once you send us your deposit, a complete list of recommended gear will be sent to you. Travel Hunters have two options for arriving at our bear camp. The first is to fly into Vancouver, rent a vehicle, take a ferry across the straits of Georgia and drive roughly 4 hours north to our cabins. Alternatively, you can fly directly into Port Hardy (typically after connecting through Vancouver) and one of our guides will pick you up at the airport. Once you book a trip with us we will get you all the details required for either option. In all cases, clients are responsible for all travel costs of getting to our main camp (outside of our guides picking you up at the Port Hardy airport). Everyone entering Canada by sea or air, beginning Jan. 8, 2007, including US Citizens, will need a passport. All American hunters, planning to hunt in Canada or elsewhere in the future, should apply for a passport right away if you don’t already possess one.
Guns .30 caliber and larger are ideal for our big bears, although smaller hunters can get by with a .270 caliber rifle. We strongly recommend premium, bonded bullets as bear are strong, heavily muscled animals. Gun hunters should be prepared to take shots from 25 to 200 yards. Archers should use a premium fixed blade broadhead and be practice shots out to 40 yards. Gun Importation To bring your gun into Canada you will want to get a US 4457 form filled out in advance (this is available at any airport which has US Customs offices and can be stamped for approval by a customs agent when you bring them your rifle to verify the serial number). Once you arrive in Canada you will need to fill out a firearms declaration form and pay $25 CDN to temporarily register your firearm for your trip. Please note that handguns are not legal in Canada and cannot be brought in. Dates Hunting begins in mid-April and runs until mid June. Choice of dates is determined by the date your deposit is received. Getting your trophies home Your trophy will be skinned in the field, have the skull removed and the skin frozen. We can have your trophy taken care of on the island by a taxidermist we recommend and shipped to you upon completion or you can bring an extra duffle bag and take the frozen hide home with you. If you choose to take the hide home with you, all risks and additional luggage costs are your responsibility. Cost (all prices in CDN) $7,700 CDN plus 12% HST (five-day hunt). Price includes food and lodging and all transportation while searching for bears. Normal hunting is 2x1 (2 clients, one guide), however 1x1 hunts are available for $11,000 CDN plus 12% HST and include the price of a second bear as part of the package. All bow hunts are 1x1 for $11,000 CDN plus 12% HST and include a second bear. Hunters who are on 2x1 hunts may take a second black bear for an additional $3,300 CDN (to be paid before 2nd bear hunt starts). Not included are $850 CDN for the first license, tag and royalties plus 12% HST. Hunters who are on 1x1 hunts or going for a second must also buy a second species tag for $150 plus 12% HST. Observers are welcome, at a cost of $1500 CDN plus 12% HST. Please note that if you shoot at and wound an animal efforts will be made to recover the animal, but the hunt is considered to be over. Deposit A $3,500 CDN deposit is required to hold dates. The remaining 50% is due January 1st on the year of your hunt. All deposits are non-refundable for any reason. Requests for date changes once deposits have been paid will only be honored solely at our discretion and are subject to a 10% processing fee. Although we have never exercised it, we reserve to right to add a “fuel surcharge” to cover extreme rises in fuel prices between the time you book and the hunt date. Refunds All deposits and balances paid are completely non-refundable in whole or in part for any reason including but not limited to: illness, injury, flight delays, unforeseen loss of income, early departure, late arrival, business emergencies, family emergencies, etc. Please also be aware that any animal that is injured in any way is considered fatal and will be charged at full price. Included All lodging, food and beverages while hunting (including alcohol in moderation), transportation from Port Hardy airport to the cabins if required, professional hunting guides, and field preparation of animals. Not included Commercial flights to Port Hardy or Vancouver, ferry fees (if any), hotel rooms before or after hunt, licenses, tips, trophy shipment or taxidermy. Licenses The following licenses are required for this hunt location:
Testimonial "...the pursuit of such magnificent animals in a beautiful land of towering mountains, thick forests, long beaches, pristine streams and jagged fjords is one of the most enjoyable sporting trips in North America. Most days, Mr. Shockey's Pacific Rim Guide Outfitter Ltd. guides and clients will see more than 10 of the ebony bruins. Sighting 20 to 30 bears per day isn't uncommon."—The Wall Street Journal To Book a Hunt or for More Information Contact: Fred Lackie |
JSHA HuntsSignature HuntsProfessional Hunts |
Species
Biologists say that there are 12,000 black bears on Vancouver Island with the majority residing on the north end of the island. This means Pacific Rim's territory has the highest black bear density in all of North America! Our clients, whether photographers or hunters, routinely see 10 to 20 bears per day, with the high reaching 30-plus! The record is 88 different bear sightings in one day! During the past 15 years, Pacific Rim Guide Outfitters has become a leading force in black bear conservation on Vancouver Island. The result of this eco-responsibility? Our photographic clients go home with incredible memories, outstanding photographs and breathtaking video footage. Our hunter success has been nearly 100% for several years now—80% of the bears taken by our clients over the last eight years officially qualified for the Safari Club International (SCI) record book. More importantly, nearly half the bears our clients take home, square over 7 feet! The average age of the bears harvested, has been 9 1/2 years!
Guns and Ammunition
