My brother and I would like to take a bear w/ flint as a graduation gift to ourselves for getting a Masters degree with our sanity intact (which has been questioned a few times). AMOF my bro and i have been looking for an outfitter, and they all pretty much laugh and tell us we are crazy when we tell them we want to use trad gear w/ flint arrowheads. I am not a "people person" fewer people in camp the better, 3-4 tops. The fishing while at camp is just a bonus

I myself have known Ryan for many years, and ANY hunter who hunts with Ryan is in the best of hands.This is a guy who knows how to hunt bear's and whitetail, better than anyone I know. Good Luck RY

I hunted a trad only outfitter for black bears in British Columbia. What a pleasure it was to see only stick bows in camp. By FAR the most fun bowhunt I've ever been on.

He is full of traditional bowhunters every spring for bears and fall for moose.

All that really ever matters about a camp for me is a dry place to sleep and plenty of good food. I want to bowhunt and if the game is there a great camp is just gravy.

Five or six days is plenty long hunting bears.

John III

Make sure you offer a 1x1 option esp. if this is spot n stalk bear bowhunting.

I always listen to my guides but I do hunt hard and another hunter or two just get in the way. Paying a premium for 1x1 is money well spent. I would not spend the money to get to Canada without a 1x1 option.  Over bait its no issue, at least for me.

For sure have targets in camp. Get trad guys together and in a heartbeat everyone is wanting to shoot each others bows.. Fun and more fun.

Ryan where can I get on that list.  

I went to Maine on a bear hunt spent good money but they allowes to many guys and couldn't keep up with everything. I was the only bowhunter there so my needs was of no concern of the outfitters. So I say yes on a trad only just to see how works. I think that you should as some have already have said start out with 1 week and if works add another until you feel confident and then go on.

Best of luck!
Possum

The couple times I hunted bear up there, I for one really appreciated a nice cabin and good hot meals.  I have no desire to come back to camp & crawl in my teepee or yurt...

Bear hunting only takes up so many hours of a day (normally in the evening) so a guy needs to do something during the day.  I'm not into fishing, but last hunt I was on that's what I did because I don't think there was a bear within 100 miles of that camp.  The hunt before that there was a golf course fairly near by, and some of the guys brought clubs and golfed (no I don't golf).

Neither camp had anything for practice but a well shot up foam block target.  I for one would have appreciated a couple 3D targets and an elevated stand to shoot from before going out in the afternoon...

Hey Ryan;

If your interested in names put me on it...tents are fine, showers and fresh bait a must.  As for the number of guys 6-8 would make interesting fireside chats.

I get the trad-only thing but...all of my hunting buddies shoot compound bows except me.  Frankly it is a non-issue as we go places to hunt and hunt hard.  Weapon choice is just that, each person's choice.

So I think trade only is interesting, but I would prioritize things in this order:

1.) Great place to hunt various color phase black bears that accommodates bowhunters
2.) A place I can go with my friends
3.) Go back to item 1
4.) Ok accommodations - dry place to sleep, ok food.
5.) Go back to item 1 :-)
6.) Bow only
7.) trade only (this is likely further down the list than 7 for me)


I have bear hunted in a shared camp with all weapons and I didn't care.   The outfitter knew bears and had bowhunting stands and gun stands.  The folks we met in camp were nice and I got to go hunting with my compound bow carry best friend.

Also, the hunting is what matters to me most and like most bowhunting, I do this alone so I don't care what you are doing (carrying), I care what I am doing.

So since you are asking, I would not limit the camp.  

I would also guess that trad bow shooters are just like any cross section of people in this world, most are nice, some or ok, and a few will be arses top to bottom.  :-)

I think you should have a bear camp that caters to trad hunting but not limit it to.  No real reason to shut out other business but if you have areas and blind/stand set-ups that make it easier to shoot with trad gear that would help.

Maybe you should advertise a trad only week and then let things grow so you are not hard up in the end.

I would love to shoot a bear with my longbow!

Thank you to everyone here...all these opinions and ideas are being considered....all of them! Like I said earlier...this is just a vision I have and it's nice to know what guys like and dislike in a camp. Bears...Food...Hot showers....we certainly are a basic bunch aren't we? Thanks again....Ryan

I personally would love something like that. Please keep us informed on this one.

The knowledge that you will have trad hunters and set blinds/stands for them is a big part.

If Steve O. needs help with shows I would help also.

I think this would be a great idea.

Manitoba, This is already going on each spring in Quebec 10 to 20 Hunters each week...Search Bearquest.....Bobby

I echo Darren's comments. I have known Ryan for about 4 years and he is an awesome bow hunter (you should see his trophy room; white tail, elk, moose and bear) and he's a great guy.  Ryan has been mentoring me as I was a very green bow hunter.  My success with my bow has gone up exponentially since spending time with him in the woods. He helped me get my first black bear and my first white tail. To those considering hunting with Ryan, have no fear he will do it right.

If this does come to fruition, I am very interested! Please keep me informed! Thanks!

Ryan, I've never hunted bears, but I would love something like that.  I would not need much as far as lodging or anything.  But with the number of big bucks you have killed...you might want to consider a deer camp too!

If you are making any sort of list of fellas interested in hunting put me on it.

I am interested as well for 2011.

I'm in.