My 12 year old son wants to go big game hunting. Any idea how much a guided bear hunt would cost?

In the western U.S. or Alaska? I would plan on waiting a few years until he gets bigger and more experienced (he fired a firearm and went hunting...duck...for the first time this year), just wondering if anyone has experience with big game hunting. I am a former U.S. Marine scout sniper and hunted non stop as a kid but just took it back up with my boy this year.|||Hunts of these kinds are usually very physically demanding and because of the nature of the game have a certain level of danger. I would not take a very young teen on one. Let him stick to deer for awhile. If you like, once he is good at that take him wild hog hunting. If he can handle that then think about something bigger and more dangerous.|||In the lower 48, the guide fees for most black bear guide range from about $1K to $2K. What is included in that varies widely. On the upper end of the scale, you will get a nice tent or cabin to sleep in, active bait (guided use of dogs, or guided spot and stalk, depending on the norms of the area), meals, preset stands, transportation within the hunting area, skinning of your kill, and transporting your kill to a butcher. The lower end of the fees tend not to include stands, lodging, food, or anything. Those usually will provide a truck ride to a hunting area, baiting (or again, whatever is normal for your area), and pick up you and your animal.



What is usually not included is licensing fees, airfare or transportation to the area, butcher fees, trophy fees (if applicable), guide tip, and taxidermy.



In Alaska, expect to double the prices. Possibly triple the price + if you are hunting in a remote area or an area prized for huge bears.|||If you use a gun then your not a real hunter, your just a barbarian. Hunting use to be a skill. now its just aim down the barrel and that's all you got a 300$ elk. If you go hunting in my land you be using a bow and arrow like I do. Give the animal a chance, if it has skills in dodging an arrow. Can not dodge a bulett though. It's silent ancient and takes real skill. It will show your child patients in hunting.








Nome ak has tours of that. You can get musk ox, elk, caribou, bears. etc.|||just my opinion but i would say wait and let him get more experience before doing a bear hunt. quite a bit of difference duck hunting to bear hunting. i'd say go deer hunting several times first. quite extreme- the bear hunting, a lot of stress,reaction and life threatening situations for an experienced hunter even more so for a beginner.|||Take him deer hunting first. Save the bear hunting for later.





Thought that would have been common sense for a avid hunter.|||i've looked into packages that cost around $1500 a person (w/o airfair)|||Wait for the guy from Alaska, he will be on here.|||Prices range from $3000 to $4500 for a 5 day hunt with most guide services. Here is one with a father son package for $3100;

http://www.apgs.com/Alaska_Black_Bear_Hu鈥?/a>



I do not know this outfit so I am not recommending them. This is just and example.



In Alaska baiting is allowed for black bears as long as the regulations are followed. For brown bear and grizzly you must have a guide but not for black bear. Some areas are very rugged others not bad at all. Also some areas have a high population of black bears and you will see many each day.

A metal barrel chained to a tree with holes punched in is the usual baiting technique. From a stand you can view the bears that come to check out the bait and determine if the pelt is free of rub spots and if it鈥檚 a female with cubs.



I agree that a deer hunt would be best to start out just because of the cash involed. But even a 12 year old should be able to place a shot on a black bear from a tree stand at 20 to 30 yards. Its not a difficult hunt with a guide. Going on your own is a completely different matter. Also our brown bears love to eat black bears. So once you shoot one you have to be prepared for the real possibility of a brown bear trying to take your kill.|||Hall of Fame Most Suspensions Well most guides charge by the day and game that you take. In Alaska, the going price right about $2600 for a 10 day trip. Most of the time you will have restrictions such as how much weight your allowed to bring especially on a fly in trip, with that being said, you'll have to often bring several items yourself. Such as Food, hunting and camping gear, personal items Hunting license and game tags River rafts and accessories if your hunt involves a float. There is usually places you can rent things from such as the rafts too. It will cost you all in all about $10,000. You can get packages that allow you to take more than just one game species too. Most outfitters do that these days.








Since your son is still so young. I recommend you get out there with him and start by teaching him what the difference is between a good bear, a small bear, and a boy bear and a girl bear. Most guides will tell you what they want you to shoot, and won't allow you to take any undesired animals. However if you happen to find one that uses a semi-guided hunt then its up to you to decide what you want.





Personally, with big game, I wouldn't throw him right into bear hunting either. I would start off taking him deer hunting. Deer are a rewarding big game animal to hunt, and bear sometimes go for several days without seeing one. This could dissuade your son from hunting, and no one wants that.|||Not likely that any responsible "guided ... hunt" operator would allow a minor to join the hunt - too much liability.