SakoBavarian

Gday all,
I didnt see an intro thread so I thought I'd just post my hello to everyone through here. I'm 22 and from Australia and have hunted all my life. Grew up with a rifle in one hand and a knife in the other but about a year ago got into bow hunting with a Bear Mauler and just recently took my first deer with it.

My brother and I hunt mostly red deer and fallow deer here in Australia but chase a few sambar as well a couple of times a year. I just finished uni about 12 months ago and am by no means rich and I work hard for every cent I have as much as the next bloke. When I can manage to save a little coin though I like to go hunting, I went to northern Australia chasing chital a couple of years back, went for a sika in NZ last year and this week am heading to NZ again to do a self guided tahr hunt with my brother (the whole trip is gunna set us back about $1500 so I'm stoked!).
One thing that is right on the top of our lists though is American whitetail, black bear, elk (called wapiti in Aus) and mule deer.
I've done hours and hours of research trying to find a good place to go but I just dont know how well some outfitters/guides cater for internationals and as I've never been over the the US before I'd want it to be as smooth a trip as possible.
We'd like to kill to birds with one stone figuratively and go for whitetail and blackbear on the same trip and possibly try for the others another trip. As I said I'm by no means rolling in money and with flights around $3000 return to US from Aus that hits the budget pretty hard straight up.
I see places like kansas and illinois have heads up around 170" P&Y and although they're great I'd be absolutely stoked with a 130" head and to be honest a 4x4 of anything would have me smiling ear to ear. So I guess my question is does anyone know a place where my brother and I would be likely to get a crack at a decent head around that mark each and a shot at a bear for a reasonable price?

As you probably figured out I'd rather take the bow but would be happy to take my rifle if need be.

Couple of other questions too; I wouldnt obviously be able to take the meat back to Aus with me but is there some way of doing something with it because its pretty offputting if it just goes to waste personally.

As i said we have a hunt coming up and next year I'm looking to save or maybe go on a rusa hunt so this trip is looking like 2015 I'm just trying to find the right guide early as possible to start planning it out in advance.

Lastly, I we only hunt free range so we're not really keen on high fence places.

Appreciate any help and any further advice.

Cheers,

SB

redgreen

Welcome aboard. There are plenty of outfitters in Canada that do deer, elk , moose and bear. I know that you would have any problem getting someone to take the meat. The bear, you can take, or leave, but the hide, you must take. I have personally taken a few out for whitetail and antelope. I hunt elk 30 miles from my place. There are lots of good folks on here that will give you advice.

NebBuckHunter

Research research research. Even those of us who live here need to do a ton of research when using outfitters/guides. Ask for references, search out reviews online, etc. plan on spending a ton of money, especially coming from Aus with those airline prices. The 170" deer you speak of usually have price tags hanging out of their ears that read around $5000.

w123t

You may have a tough time coming up with a place
that has a reasonable chance at both a deer and a
bear at the same time. In Maine there is an early
bear over bait season where success rates are
typically around 50 %---but the deer season isn't
open at the same time in the area where the best
bear hunting occurs. Latter when the deer season
is open and bear baiting isn't legal any more but
stalking is , success rates on bear is extremely low.
Your best bet might be looking at Penn. or Virginia,
if you could find an outfitter there with both
deer and bear hunting you might have a better chance.

Good Luck

SakoBavarian

Thanks guys,
RG I would love to go to Canada but airfares are ridiculous from here. Its on my bucket list though!

Nebbuck - I'm expecting a bit of price but I wouldbt be up for something like that ha to be honest I'm not interested in those huge whitetail or the massive nontypicals that you guys get. To me nothing looks better than a tight four by four or five by five rack with just a nice neat look about it.

W123t - it wasn't crucial to hunt whitetail and bear in the same trip I mean more that is like to make it worth while and go for a couple. I personally wanted a whitetail mule combo hunt and the bro wanted whitetail antelope combo so we met in the middle with the bear idea haha ill check out those states though thanks mate

nchawkeye

Eastern North Carolina...We have plenty of bears and deer and the seasons are in at the same time...We have a split bear seanson, usually the second week of November and the second or third week of December..

Only problem...While we have some nice deer, anything over 130 or so is a true trophy down here...

Try this site... http://www.nchuntandfish.com/forums/index.php

There is a member called Conman that outfits in the eastern section of the state that should be able to fit your needs...

MZS

The two ways of hunting black bear are over a bait pile or via dogs, chasing the dogs around in the night with radio equipment until the bear is treed. Black bears are nocturnal, so other methods of hunting them do not fare too well. You would want to hunt black bear with an outfitter. If the bait method is OK, I know of an outfitter that has nearly 100% success up in N.WI - but the season is early Sept, a week or two before deer hunting. If interested send me a personal message. This outfitter also runs dogs, or at least he used to.

Here is an idea for you: If you have some land of your own in Australia and some hunter in N. America has his own good chunk of good deer hunting land, perhaps arrange to host each other at no cost. A trade.

NebBuckHunter

I was looking at guided blackbear hunts in Idaho. Typical price was $3,000-$4,000 before tags. Same as guided deer hunts. May enough could find some combos someplace, but still expect to pay $5,000 or more when you are all said and done.

Murdy

Wisconsin archery deer opens in mid-September, and black bear is open at the same time.

Wilcam47

Give me $2000 I'll put you on a deer in Idaho...lol