Lions and Bears on a Budget

Vitalwave · Dec 13, 2021

Hi Everyone,

I have been building points for both bears and lions usually doing points only because I know it can be quite expensive to hire someone with dogs and I haven't had the cash to do it yet. Looking on the internet it seems like an outfit with dogs start out around $3,000-$4,000 before tips. My question is there a more budget friendly way of hunting these animals with or without dogs that provides a good success rate? I think depending on the unit and season sometimes you can bait bears. Not sure how successful that is? I know there are hounds people who have dogs that just like to run them. It would be neat if you could hunt with them legally but I have heard the state doesn't like you doing that unless they are a licensed guide. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

TheOneRidgeRunner · Dec 13, 2021

What state are you wanting to hunt?

JPickett · Dec 13, 2021

I’ve killed plenty of bears with out dogs or bait (killed them with bait too) want to kill a bear, get up high in the beginning of September and glass berry patches. Couldn’t be more budget friendly

treedagain · Dec 13, 2021

Do not do a budget lion hunt with hounds. You will pay for what you get

Zeke · Dec 13, 2021

Cats are totally different than bears.

I’ve hunted lots of bears for the price of the tag and fuel. It’s all been spot and stalk. Historically Idaho, Wyoming and Montana have been NR friendly with their tags.

To actually GET a lion, you’ll probably want a great outfitter with excellent hounds. Like treed said, don’t scrimp here.

Zeke

30Hart · Dec 14, 2021

I believe the key for cheap bears is putting in the time in a state you can get a tag every year. Learn an area and where to look and you'll be successful. Choose an area where bear densities are higher. For example in nortwestern Montana during an early spring hunt you can eliminate 75% of any given area to focus your glassing on. Call the biologists. Now in the matter of taking truly monster bears consistently its just like cats...hire an outfitter that hunts in one of the few areas that constantly take big bears.

Vitalwave · Dec 14, 2021

TheOneRidgeRunner said:
What state are you wanting to hunt?

I have the most points for both bear and lions in my home state of Utah. I have bear points also in NV, AZ, CO.

Vitalwave · Dec 14, 2021

Thanks everyone for the great info. Looks like there are some options out there I haven't considered and states I haven't hit very hard. Seems like anything else in life you either pay with your time and learned knowledge or you pay someone else who has put in the time and spent the money/time training dogs.

Zeke · Dec 14, 2021

I agree with my friend 30 Hart.
If you want to way increase your chance at a BIG bear, you have to hunt a place with restricted hunting with a knowledgeable guide (who happens to be a friend to me also).

Zeke

Vitalwave · Dec 14, 2021

Zeke said:
I agree with my friend 30 Hart.
If you want to way increase your chance at a BIG bear, you have to hunt a place with restricted hunting with a knowledgeable guide (who happens to be a friend to me also).

Zeke

View attachment 62486

Thats a neat picture and a good looking bear!

Hackleback · Dec 14, 2021

Oregon has bear and cat tags for $16.50 including NR's. Yes, you do have to buy a NR hunting license for $172. You can get 2 spring and two fall bear tags, not sure if you can get multiple cat tags. In the big picture, seems quite reasonable.

Vitalwave · Dec 14, 2021

Hackleback said:
Oregon has bear and cat tags for $16.50 including NR's. Yes, you do have to buy a NR hunting license for $172. You can get 2 spring and two fall bear tags, not sure if you can get multiple cat tags. In the big picture, seems quite reasonable.

Thats not a bad deal for NR.

Hackleback · Dec 14, 2021

Vitalwave said:
Thats not a bad deal for NR.

The down side is no use of dogs. Calling/spot & stalk. I did a spring bear hunt a couple years ago. Went in mostly cold, we did see bears but didn't take one. We didn't hunt that hard either as the trip was as much to see family as hunt. Plenty of bears in the coast range and SW.

Vitalwave · Dec 14, 2021

Hackleback said:
The down side is no use of dogs. Calling/spot & stalk. I did a spring bear hunt a couple years ago. Went in mostly cold, we did see bears but didn't take one. We didn't hunt that hard either as the trip was as much to see family as hunt. Plenty of bears in the coast range and SW.

Great info. You made me also think of another option which would be a turf and surf Alaskan bear and fishing combo. That probably wouldn't be budget friendly but it would be fun

Hackleback · Dec 15, 2021

S

Vitalwave said:
Great info. You made me also think of another option which would be a turf and surf Alaskan bear and fishing combo. That probably wouldn't be budget friendly but it would be fun

Sounds fun. Could do the same in CA, OR or WA. Plenty of salmon/bottom fishing charter boats-halibut might be a bit more challenging.

JPickett · Dec 15, 2021

cast an blast in those states would be a lot of moving parts. you really want to do that Prince of whales is the place. you can get some really reasonable deals on self guided stuff where they give you a skif,crab pots and a camp to set up. i think my buddy did one a few years ago for a little more then 2k a person. some nice bears on that island too

JB1975 · Dec 15, 2021

This is from Angel Fire area in NM on Saturday. Met the outfitter at a gas station the day before. Not sure what he charges, but can DM you his contact info.

Muleman1 · Dec 19, 2021

JB1975 said:
This is from Angel Fire area in NM on Saturday. Met the outfitter at a gas station the day before. Not sure what he charges, but can DM you his contact info.

View attachment 62564

That’s a big gawd damn cat !!

JB1975 · Dec 23, 2021

Probably not cheap, but reportedly killed outside Van Horn Tx recently by High West Outfitters. Big damn cat.

Vitalwave · Dec 26, 2021

JB1975 said:
Probably not cheap, but reportedly killed outside Van Horn Tx recently by High West Outfitters. Big damn cat.

View attachment 63173

That thing is HUGE!!!

skull · Dec 26, 2021

If you can travel to Ontario Canada you can do a guided bear hunt for $1000.

OldMan2 · Jan 1, 2022

Vitalwave said:
I have the most points for both bear and lions in my home state of Utah. I have bear points also in NV, AZ, CO.

Call JT @ Allout Outfitters for a price. They hunt lions in eastern Utah. Hunted elk with them 2021. ?

Pody · Feb 21, 2022

OldMan2 said:
Call JT @ Allout Outfitters for a price. They hunt lions in eastern Utah. Hunted elk with them 2021. ?
View attachment 63870

Nice Bull

WhiskeyDog · Feb 25, 2022

I would recommend looking outside of Utah for a cat. Especially Eastern Utah. Unless you have 0 standards. Eastern Utah has been wiped out and it's getting very tough to find mature cats. You will occasionally see a good cat from some of these outfitters, but what you aren't seeing or hearing about is the majority of hunters that are going home without, or killing small females. For some reason those trophy 80 pound females don't get posted by those guys.....