Are you looking for that black bear hunt of a lifetime? At Infinity Hunts, we specialize in helping you find the type of hunt and experience you want. Through our extensive research and boots-on-the-ground approach, we work with the best black bear guides and outfitters in North America’s top areas. Throughout your entire adventure, we will be there for you – from choosing the perfect hunt with the right outfitter to personal support before, during, and after the hunt. So let us put our experience and proven outfitters to work for you on your black bear hunting adventures!
While we offer many types of black bear hunts, we love finding those incredible locations throughout North America for world-class trophy black bears and putting our hunters in those camps! Our top outfitters have an excellent track record of taking 18-20 inch skulls, with several topping 20+ inches each year. Of course, finding a true 21-inch Boone and Crockett record book bear is always challenging, but we know the areas that can produce bears like this. With our extensive research and outfitter connections, we can help you find that trophy black bear you have always wanted.
Black bear hunts take place using three primary methods – baited, hounds, and spot and stalk. Baited hunts, commonly done in several Canadian provinces and a few US states, can occur in the spring or fall and allow the hunter to look over and evaluate bears. It’s also fun to watch bears at close-range doing bear things. These hunts are typically conducted with excellent accommodations and are generally not physical. Baited hunts are great for new and experienced hunters alike.
Hunts using hounds occur in some western US states, generally in the fall. These are exciting, active hunts, usually in some great mountainous, rugged terrain. You will spend your day with a pack of hounds covering the country until you locate a track or they hit the scent of a bear. Then the chase is on!
And spot and stalk hunts are done in Canada and several western US states. Spring hunts occur when bears come out of hibernation and are feeding on new grasses, while fall hunts usually target bears feeding on berries or fish.
We often get asked about bear sizes and coloration. Contrary to popular belief, finding and taking 400 pounds plus bears is not easy. You have to hunt where they live, and old bears are smart. You will have to hunt hard to take a bear like this. Spring bears are lighter than fall bears. In reality, you score trophy bears by their skull measurements. The sum of the skull length and width most accurately represents a bear’s age and trophy class. Most trophy boars will run in the 18-20 inch class; bears over 20 inches are record-class bears.
Another popular indicator of a bear’s size is the hide measurements. You do this by taking the entire fleshed, but unsalted skin laid out flat and measuring from tail tip to nose tip and again from front claw to front claw. Add the two together and divide by two, and that’s what you get. Generally, 6 feet and larger bears are considered trophy class, and some areas can even produce 7-foot plus bears.
In most cases, the coat quality makes the trophy – in many areas where we hunt black bears, there are color phases – some will be chocolate, cinnamon, or even blonde, making for a unique and beautiful trophy.
From horseback hunts in the mountains to coastal boat-based hunts to baited hunts and running hounds in the mountains, we have numerous hunts for all weapons, many different lodging choices, and different levels of physicality. And black bear hunts are the most affordable bear hunt in North America.
We offer black bear hunts in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, New Mexico, Newfoundland, British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan. Our locations and outfitters are carefully selected based on the quality and quantity of animals and the outfitters’ track record of putting our hunters on good bears. We are passionate bear hunters here at Infinity Hunts and understand what it takes to get a big bear on the ground.
New Mexico has some fantastic black bear hunting in the fall. We hunt scenic mountain ranges in the Carson and Santa Fe National Forests in north-central New Mexico, the Lincoln National Forest in southeast New Mexico, and the Gila National Forest in the southwest part of the state. We have some hunts that start in August; more areas open up in September and typically go through October. We offer a few spot and stalk hunts, but most are with our top-notch houndsmen over hounds. If you have never tried hunting with hounds, you are in for a treat. Most bears in New Mexico will be in the 200-300 pound class, and we take some monsters yearly. And it’s rare to harvest a bear with a jet black coat – most will be color phase bears with varying degrees of brown colorations. Hunts are lodge or hotel based usually and very affordable. Success rates run near 100% – it is customary to run bears daily on these hunts, sometimes multiple bears!
Saskatchewan is hard to beat if you have dreamed of a baited black bear hunt. Spring hunts occur in May and June, and you will typically see multiple bears every evening. Often you can do some fishing for pike, walleye, or lake trout in the mornings. Fall hunts usually take place in September over bait, and sometimes you can fish or grouse hunt. There is a one bear limit in Saskatchewan, but we have some outfitters who also operate on native lands, allowing you to take a second bear. Most bears will be in the 200-350 pound class with some true 400+ pounders taken yearly. Some areas have as high as 25% color phase bears. Success rates will approach 100% on these very affordable hunts. These are also great hunts for a group of friends or a large group. Accommodations are usually comfortable lodges with great food.
Alaska has many areas with excellent black bear hunting, and some hunts around the coast produce monster 7-foot plus trophy bears yearly. Boat-based hunts will find you cruising the coastline looking for boars cruising for sows during the rut in the spring, or fishing in creeks loaded with spawning salmon in the fall. In the state’s interior, you can do spot and stalk hunts in the spring and fall and baited hunts in the spring. Often you can fish or hunt other species on these trips.
Newfoundland has lots of bears and some giants, and most years, we take bears in the 400-600 pound range. In the spring, we have baited hunts and some spot and stalk hunts on the woodland caribou calving grounds. Fall hunts are all spot and stalk methods primarily by glassing berry patches in somewhat open ridge country. And it’s easy to add moose or woodland caribou to the fall hunts. There are no color phase bears in Newfoundland. Newfoundland has a two-bear limit, and you can do archery, crossbow, muzzleloader, and rifle hunts.
Northern Idaho has many bears, and our outfitters use all methods to get them in front of our hunters. Spring hunts occur from late April to late June, and fall hunts in September. We will often run hounds or do spot and stalk hunting in the mornings and sit baits in the afternoon, but we can customize these hunts for you. The areas we hunt have a very high percentage of color phase bears, often approaching 70%. These hunts usually run near 100% opportunity for bears, typically in the 200-pound class, with some 300-400 pounders taken annually. These are lodge-based hunts, and we can accommodate anyone on these adventures.
British Columbia is known for big bears. Spring spot and stalk hunts typically produce 6-foot plus bears, with some going over 7 feet with 20-plus inch skulls. And fall hunts can have some of the best mixed-bag hunting to be found anywhere in North America. Moose, mountain goat, mountain caribou, elk, black bear, wolf, and stone sheep are all in good numbers in the areas we hunt. Several regions have two bear limits, and with good age class, genetics, and food sources, a black bear hunt in British Columbia will be an incredible experience.
Southwest Montana, near Yellowstone National Park, has a solid concentration of bears. We offer a very affordable spring hunt in May and June off horseback. This area works well to bring a spouse to, do touring in the morning, and head out on horseback in the afternoon for a classic spot and stalk hunt in the mountains, glassing for bears feeding on open hillsides. Bears usually are in the 5.5 to 6.5-foot class, with larger bears taken. This area also has some color phase bears, and the hunts are generally very successful.
We hunt the boreal forest region of Alberta. These are all baited hunts in the spring during May and June and the fall in September. Alberta allows you to harvest two bears. The average bear will be in the 200-350 pound class, with bears in the 350-500 pound class taken every year. About 30% of the bears will be color-phase, and there is some excellent fishing. Comfortable accommodations and near 100% success makes Alberta a great place to hunt black bear.
Oregon has a spring and a fall season and is spot and stalk only. Spring hunts require you to obtain a very easy-to-draw tag. We will help you with this. You will spend your mornings relaxing or hunting Rio grande turkeys on some private lands we can access. Then head out for an afternoon spot and stalk hunt targeting bears feeding on new grass as it emerges. Fall hunts, with over-the-counter tags, start in early August as fresh berries become ripe and continue through the fall. It is often possible on fall hunts to hunt Columbia blacktail or even Roosevelt elk with some planning. Most bears will be in the 200-pound class, with a few giants harvested each season.
We are constantly in the field seeking additional great outfitters and world-class trophy black bear hunts. So if you are looking for an excellent black bear hunt and outfitter, please contact us so we can start putting together the perfect black bear hunt for you.
Want to learn more about a hunt or just have some questions? Please contact us. We would love to hear from you!
Phone: 570-660-9465
Address: PO Box 444
Lock Haven, PA 17745
