DIY Consulting

[Gooden123]

Has anyone used a service for a DIY spring bear hunt strategy? I'll link a service as an example of what I mean, but looking for recommendations.

Let me explain so I don't get flamed. First I've been planning a spot and stalk spring bear hunt in Idaho for quite a while. Hells Canyon/Seven Devils and McCall areas. 5/15-5/25... I am doing a ton of research with 5 months to go. I have every tool at my disposal. OnX Elite, Spartan, Google Earth, Rokslide and Roksliders (that I don't want to keep bothering), the interwebs etc. I read Idahohikkers (where is he) 64 page thread numerous times along with everything else. Thought I was good to go if solo as planned, except I'm not going solo anymore....

My brother's wife decided she wants to surprise him with this trip for his 50th birthday in January instead of a surprise party, which he'd hate. Long story short he's a football coach so any fall trips aren't an option, although more guaranteed accessibility wise. This is it.

I'm just looking for a backup plan ironed out by a professional to fall back on so it's not a waste of his time especially since a 50th birthday is a big one and we'll be traveling ~2,600 miles. Biggest concerns are crowds and glassing opportunities. You can only tell so much on maps/imagery/e-scouting. Also accessibility. But I've chosen areas <5k feet so probably fine that way.

I cannot stress enough this would be a backup plan and it flirts with the gray area of my own rule of another human's influence effecting my outcome. I don't want to be led by the hand in order to kill an animal. That's not why I hunt. But this particular trip is too important and I'll use every resource possible to help put us in an area we can access and hike and glass without swarms of hunters and hikers around.

About us. We're in excellent shape and well equipped/experienced in the backcountry. As such, we're looking for a backcountry experience even if it's better odds to base camp and be mobile. Road hunting is a last resort and what I'm attempting to avoid.

Looking for options along the lines of 'The Complete Hunt Plan', which I just noticed went from $550 to $1,097 in 7 days lol. The site said it would be going up!

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[jdmaxwell]

Pmd

 

[Poser]

So, looking at this, I could see potential value for the following:

1. Inexperienced client who doesn't have the time, know-how or desire to research.

2. If #1 doesn't apply to you and you are fully DIY capable, then the service would be of value if and only if there were actually scouting involved -either you are communicating with someone who has A. spent an exhaustive amount of time in this unit and/or B. is actively scouting the unit for you and, presumably, other clients. Hopefully A more than B because Spring bear season happens kind of fast and its difficult to scout much in advanced in the Spring. I'd also want the perspective of someone who has observed this area through multiple seasons. I don't think you are receiving that perspective based on the vagueness of the description. If you were, I'd think that level of detail would be provided as a selling point. So, you are effectively paying for an e-scouting analysis. Granted, e-scouting is a skill and the more you do it, the better you get, but, for example, I'd put my deep knowledge of my local 3 units up against the best e-scouter in the world and I'd surely rip their analysis apart. I get asked questions about local units all of the time and 99% of the analysis hone in on the same 3 or 4 locations and likewise immediately dismiss the same 2-3 areas. I don't care how good at e-scouting you are, it only goes so far compared to boots on the ground knowledge, even for the most highly skilled.

So, from my perspective, its #1, or its a pass.

-----

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[Gooden123]

@Poser

I think it's mostly #1 with the relevance to me being 'know how' and inexperience. I absolutely have a desire to learn and the time/tools. I hunt solo largely because I don't want the added pressure of a buddy especially in this case where it's my big brother and likely a once in a lifetime trip for his birthday.

But as you pointed out, for all I know the person running the service doesn't live and like me, has never been to Idaho. And is just going to ask ChatGPT lol.

Anyway thank you and your opinion lines up with mine as far as that particular service. I mostly posted here in the unliklihood there is a local outfitter or someone offering a similar service. Like how some guides offer drop camps. Unlikely they'll put you in their best spots when they have high paying clients, but hopefully will put hunters in decent areas that avoid others. No promises of course, but an added effort to not butt heads.

 

[BRTreedogs]

I think you are already making concessions in your e scouting.

What leads you to believe bears will be at less then 5k feet?
IMO it sounds like you are scouting access in this instance and not bears.

The bears will be wherever they are weather you can access them or not.

You already need to widen what you’re looking at.


Yes you need to be realistic on what an e scouting service could provide, whether he has first hand knowledge of the area is unknown.
Certainly there would be some value in having someone that’s e scouting on a daily basis help.
But the monetary value of what it’s worth is a personal question.

Do you consider yourself an effective e scouter?
Have you e scouted before and had it come to fruition by finding target animals.

Have you hunted bears before?

Have you hunted this type of terrain before and can you realistically judge what is possible for you to traverse in that type of terrain before?

 

[Gooden123]

@BRTreedogs

I'm pretty focused on access but I know there's no telling where bears will be on May 15th. But if I can't get to them, then it doesn't matter. I'm just using that rough elevation as a limitation of where I might be able to park. I agree that I need to get past that point though. As far as e-scouting where bears might be, I'm mostly hitting a wall with the time of year satellite imagery was taken. For example, the slopes look burned up and I have no idea if there ever was forage on them. In other cases it's green but I don't know if it's 4" tall or 5 feet. I'm trying other imagery with historic date ranges but not finding much during spring.

 

[Coveyleader]

I'd really have to question if his 50th is such a big deal/important, why Idaho?

 

[Gooden123]

I'd really have to question if his 50th is such a big deal/important, why Idaho?

I guess my response would be, why not Idaho? I'm already going. He mentioned to his wife that he wants to go. He's now coming. What do you suggest for spring bear in the Northwest?

 

[TheMcRazor]

I think it would be really hard to justify paying for something like that. Whether you come out with a bear or not, it’ll be a memory of a lifetime if you work hard and give it your all. Don’t need to taint your experience if the service does not prove to be worth it.

 

[Gooden123]

I think it would be really hard to justify paying for something like that. Whether you come out with a bear or not, it’ll be a memory of a lifetime if you work hard and give it your all. Don’t need to taint your experience if the service does not prove to be worth it.

Thanks I appreciate that and you're right. My brother's and I have done any trips together (just us 3) in over 25 years and I hope to make spring hunts a tradition since they have busy fall sports schedules. Being together in one of the coolest places is what matters.

I still plan to follow through with what I had in mind first, just wish I've seen the country before so I can visualize what I'm looking at on satellite maps. Especially when slopes all looked burned up, hopefully due to timing of imagery. But Google images and hiking pages are kind of helping with that and I'll jump on the phone with biologists, forest service, etc after the holiday to hopefully tie everything together. Along with the locals on here willing to let me bounce ideas off of them which I'll do when I'm confident and exhausted all other avenues.

E-scouting is a skill and one I'm determined to get good at. There's endless info out there especially when you think outside the box. Thanks again and happy holidays!