# Good Ga bear outfitters or guides to hunt with



## austin.herron (Jan 3, 2015)

Looking for a good first time bear hunting experience. Will hunt with a bow just looking for somewhere to be put on something. Have my own climber and open to any prices. Have hunted private land but never had any experience on wma's so not sure what to look for or do. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks and God bless.


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## Hammer Spank (Jan 4, 2015)

If I was looking to kill a bear, I would search out an outfitter that has access to early season corn fields. Ive met two "outfitters" on public land in GA and I wouldnt trust them to put me on a squirrel, let alone a bear.


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## Rich Kaminski (Jan 4, 2015)

Always hunt bear in the fall because their fur coats are really good then. In the spring the coats can be ratty, missing hair, etc. Now for hunting bear I would recommend going someplace where bear are plentiful, where they can be baited legally allowing you to judge several or many bear before shooting one. Just ask yourself one question: Would you like to hunt for 10 years and never get a bear or hunt one time and get a nice trophy? I know an outfitter in Minnesota who's prices are very low, his success rates are extremely high, you can fish in the afternoons and Danny's pet beaver is something you will only see once in a lifetime.


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## Benjamin1977 (Jan 7, 2015)

Bear run hunts.  I want to go.


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## 500 S&W (Jan 8, 2015)

Save time and money. No sense in spending money with an outfitter that has a sub-par success record. I suggest Table Mountain Outfitters and their spring bear hunt. Tags are purchased over the counter and you'll have a great time. Scott and Angie will do everything to put you on a bear. I got mine (in my avatar) with a pistol. Everyone in camp, except Dave Watson, connected. Usually we hunted with dogs in the mornings and over bait in the evening. Price was very reasonable and everyone made sure we enjoyed our hunt. We had bowhunters, rifle hunters and one "crazy guy" (me ) that hunted with a pistol. On the first morning my wife and I were discussing the coffee with the camp cook and mentioned that we liked to drink coffee in the evening. We would get back to camp around 10:30pm and the cook had already gone to bed. However, he always made sure we had a pot of coffee waiting for us.


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## Benjamin1977 (Jan 9, 2015)

Subpar? they had two consecutive state records in Georgia around 600 pounds. They won't tie it to a tree for you.


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## 500 S&W (Jan 9, 2015)

Benjamin1977 said:


> Bear run hunts.  I want to go.



I had no idea you were referring to an outfitter in you post. Personally, it didn't make any sense. Anyway, I wasn't say that any particular outfitter was sub-par, just stating the obvious that if you want to increase your odds of harvesting an animal, you choose a guide with a high rate of success. I've hunted with the bear guide I mentioned, have you hunted with "bear run hunts" and if so, did you have a memorable experience?


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## dgmeadows (Jan 9, 2015)

Guys - The OP asked for GEORGIA bear outfitters...

I assume from the posts above that Bear Run is in GA, but the others aren't (better not be if they are hunting over bait)

Personally I would rather hunt years without seeing one than shoot one with its head in a bait barrel, but that is just my preference. It is legal elsewhere, so sign the check and go have fun if that's what you want to do.


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## j_seph (Jan 9, 2015)

dgmeadows said:


> Guys - The OP asked for GEORGIA bear outfitters...
> 
> I assume from the posts above that Bear Run is in GA, but the others aren't (better not be if they are hunting over bait)
> 
> Personally I would rather hunt years without seeing one than shoot one with its head in a bait barrel, but that is just my preference. It is legal elsewhere, so sign the check and go have fun if that's what you want to do.


That would to me be part of the experience and memory, the work you had to put in to get you a bear not he amount of doughnuts you had to put out. The dog hunt would be good as well.


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## Benjamin1977 (Jan 9, 2015)

I sit on WMAs in north ga waiting on bear but would love to go to Bear Run Hunts in South Georgia by the swamp!


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## Benjamin1977 (Jan 9, 2015)

I don't know much about these but you could check them out http://www.gon.com/article.php?id=2169&show=articleimages&imageindex=2 Noontootla Creek Farms and Country Boy outfitters in Helen I think they hunt wmas


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## Joe Brandon (Jan 10, 2015)

Well since you ask I'll give you some personal experence. I went down to Bear Run Hunts two years ago with 7 guys. We each paid 1,500$ for 3 days. No body went home with a bear or hog I shot a yote just because if I see them I shoot them. Again that's just my personal experence. This past year was my second year hunting mountain WMA's in search of bear and that is what I will continue to do because really nothing beats a few days in the mountains.


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## Benjamin1977 (Jan 10, 2015)

I still go to bear run. I saw a bunch bear killed on their facebook every year including this one.


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## Unicoidawg (Jan 10, 2015)

You don't need a outfitter in the mountains. Just get out in August and look at the food plots and look for white oak acorns. Bears are EVERYWHERE up here you just gotta get out and look. When you do find them shoot your limit please......


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## Rich Kaminski (Jan 10, 2015)

Hey dgmeadows, just because bait is put out legally on an out of state bear hunt site does not mean that a bear is being shot with it's head in a barrel. Actually a hole is dug, bait is put into the hole everyday  and the bait is covered with logs. The bear can approach from any direction (half the time the come from behind you and you cannot hear them approaching and you should be sitting on the ground in a little seat surrounded by bushes - this adds to the fun). By the way, the Brown Bear and I in my avatar were taken on a fair chase hunt in Siberia, Russia.


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## Hammer Spank (Jan 11, 2015)

If you want to kill a bear, you need to go to canada.  There are very affordable baited hunts all over that country.  If you want a western experience, I can recommend Korell Outfitters in Idaho as a great hound hunt and awesome place.  If you're set on killing one in ga, you are just going to have to burn boot leather.  This year it was nearly impossible to pattern a bear with the amount of early dropping acorns, but next year should be real good.  It takes A LOT of work though.  I doubt there are any fat, successful bear hunters in the mtns.

Me, I love the work and the hiking it requires.  I scout all summer and love it as much as the hunting.  I killed one last year with my recurve and after figuring it out, I decided I had hiked over 100 miles to kill that bear.  It's all in the journey.  I put three other people on bears that season as well.  It was unreal hunting.  This year, I saw most of my bears while hiking.


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## AMBWANA (Jan 11, 2015)

*georgia bear hunts*

If you want to take a Georgia bear with hounds we have a opening for one hunter the third weekend of the south Georgia season. We take two hunters per hunt which is Thursday to Saturday. All our hunters took their bears on the first day of the hunt. We took three bears over 500lbs the biggest 524lbs this is a all inclusive hunt if interested pm and I'll get in touch and give you more details.


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## Benjamin1977 (Jan 11, 2015)

I shot a bear and missed it on Chestatee this year.  Game Wardon was sitting there waiting on me at my Jeep.  Kind of glad I missed it now.  It was no wall hanger. He sniffed my barrel and felt it on my gun. Then he wanted to look through my Jeep. I asked him if he wanted to go look where I missed and he decided that was too much work I guess.


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## dgmeadows (Jan 12, 2015)

Rich Kaminski said:


> Hey dgmeadows, just because bait is put out legally on an out of state bear hunt site does not mean that a bear is being shot with it's head in a barrel. Actually a hole is dug, bait is put into the hole everyday  and the bait is covered with logs. The bear can approach from any direction (half the time the come from behind you and you cannot hear them approaching and you should be sitting on the ground in a little seat surrounded by bushes - this adds to the fun). By the way, the Brown Bear and I in my avatar were taken on a fair chase hunt in Siberia, Russia.



Bait in a barrel or bait in a hole under logs doesn't really make a whole lot of difference to me.  I have seen enough videos and spoken face to face with enough guys who have been there to know and understand that it is really fun and exciting to them, and certainly in such a hunt you are potentially exposing yourself to many of the same elements of danger that are involved in a "fair chase" hunt.  I don't condemn those that choose to spend their time and money in that way, I just simply choose not to do so at this time in my life.  I am also cautious enough to never say never and know that perspectives can change.  As I get older and less mobile, I might go on a baited hunt for deer or bear (or maybe use a crossbow, for another example), I just don't feel like that is what I want to do at this time.  I will shoot a hog over bait, as it is legal in GA and I want to get as many of the vermin off my property as quickly as I can, but shooting a bear over bait I do not see as fitting in my present perspective of "hunting"  as I want to pursue it.  I will defend the right of any hunter to do it, where the regulations say it is legal, but if asked would I support baiting bear in Georgia, I would say "No."  I have not hunted bear a long time, but have shot a smallish one and had a larger one in range, just not the right shot angle for a bow.  If a novice like me, on public land can get to that success level in a few years time with only map review and hiking, I do not buy the theory that "you'll never kill one without baiting."  Does baiting help increase the success rate, increase the number of bears seen, and offer better control of the shot opportunity and angle? I am sure it does, but so does hunting with a gun from a vantage point where I can see lots of ground, but instead I mostly hunt with a bow, in thick brush. Just personal preference.


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## swwifty (Jan 20, 2015)

Hammer Spank said:


> If you want to kill a bear, you need to go to canada.  There are very affordable baited hunts all over that country.  If you want a western experience, I can recommend Korell Outfitters in Idaho as a great hound hunt and awesome place.  If you're set on killing one in ga, you are just going to have to burn boot leather.  This year it was nearly impossible to pattern a bear with the amount of early dropping acorns, but next year should be real good.  It takes A LOT of work though.  I doubt there are any fat, successful bear hunters in the mtns.
> 
> Me, I love the work and the hiking it requires.  I scout all summer and love it as much as the hunting.  I killed one last year with my recurve and after figuring it out, I decided I had hiked over 100 miles to kill that bear.  It's all in the journey.  I put three other people on bears that season as well.  It was unreal hunting.  This year, I saw most of my bears while hiking.



Nice job.

I'd love to hear this story!


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## Barebowyer (Mar 1, 2015)

Just an FYI, I went on my first bear hunt this past June, 2014 in New Brunswick Canada.  I toted only my recurve bow with me although it is legal to hunt with a rifle.  The camp does run baits and yes, doughnuts are used.  In six days, I put about 54 hours on stand with approximately 20 of those hours being in pouring rain, not to mention the quarts of blood I donated!!!  On my second evening, I harvested a black bear weighing 430 lbs at 8 yards, with only a 25 yard recovery, including a very intense death moan.  That was after watching the bear circle my stand for almost two hours.  I continued to hunt and film others while they were bowhunting the rest of the week.  On the second to last day, I filmed a buddy take a 280 lber. with his bow.  That bear sat at approximately 60 yards in the brush for almost two hours simply watching the bait barrel before ever coming near at all.  My point is, not all bears run in and stick their heads in a barrel as if it is a food trough.  Mostly, only smaller bears ever even attempt to come to the barrels in daylight due to the fear of bigger bears working the baits at dark.  Four of us had approximately 35 bear sightings throughout the week and I bet less than eight of them ever came to the barrel.  I personally only seen 1 bear in all those hours make it to a barrel and it was after dark while I was still in the stand.  It's easy to speak on when you have not done it.  Bears are very slick and very easily educated, just as deer are, esp when you consider a trophy could be 15-18 years old, versus maybe a 5-6 year old trophy deer.  Rug was just finished and waiting on the arrival from Nova Scotia.  If anyone wants to share a camp in the future, I will be back.  I DO NOT feel as if I cheated in any way.  PM if interested


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## dgmeadows (Mar 1, 2015)

Barebowyer said:


> Just an FYI, I went on my first bear hunt this past June, 2014 in New Brunswick Canada.  I toted only my recurve bow with me although it is legal to hunt with a rifle.  The camp does run baits and yes, doughnuts are used.  In six days, I put about 54 hours on stand with approximately 20 of those hours being in pouring rain, not to mention the quarts of blood I donated!!!  On my second evening, I harvested a black bear weighing 430 lbs at 8 yards, with only a 25 yard recovery, including a very intense death moan.  That was after watching the bear circle my stand for almost two hours.  I continued to hunt and film others while they were bowhunting the rest of the week.  On the second to last day, I filmed a buddy take a 280 lber. with his bow.  That bear sat at approximately 60 yards in the brush for almost two hours simply watching the bait barrel before ever coming near at all.  My point is, not all bears run in and stick their heads in a barrel as if it is a food trough.  Mostly, only smaller bears ever even attempt to come to the barrels in daylight due to the fear of bigger bears working the baits at dark.  Four of us had approximately 35 bear sightings throughout the week and I bet less than eight of them ever came to the barrel.  I personally only seen 1 bear in all those hours make it to a barrel and it was after dark while I was still in the stand.  It's easy to speak on when you have not done it.  Bears are very slick and very easily educated, just as deer are, esp when you consider a trophy could be 15-18 years old, versus maybe a 5-6 year old trophy deer.  Rug was just finished and waiting on the arrival from Nova Scotia.  If anyone wants to share a camp in the future, I will be back.  I DO NOT feel as if I cheated in any way.  PM if interested



Congrats on a successful hunt. It sounds like it was both fun and difficult.  Certainly, taking a bear with a traditional bow is an achievement most will never reach, likely including me as I have never developed the confidence with the stick bow that I have with my compounds.  I am glad you enjoyed your experience and were able to see so many bears.  If that is the priority for someone, then going the baited route is the way.  As I said above, it is just not for me at this stage of my life.  I must respond to the one comment that is easy to speak on it if you haven't done it.  There are some things that a guy doesn't have to try first to know he doesn't want to do it.  I have never tried being gay, but I know I don't want to, just like I've never tried hunting bear over bait 'cause I know I don't want to. While these are obviously very different things, trying either "just to see what it is like" would involve a personal moral compromise.  On the positive side, I won't say I will never hunt bear over bait, but the other, well, never.


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