Black Bear in Coastal North Carolina

[PHOENIX PHIL]

So @AZ KJ, my long term elk hunting buddy and I won't be applying for our archery elk hunt in AZ this year. KJ has a conflict in his schedule and wouldn't be available in September.

So on to something else. That something else may be a black bear hunt that we've talked about for a few years now. Unfortunately at this point in time due to Covid, Canada is closed to visitors from any foreign country from what I'm reading. So no on Canada.

How about North Carolina? The coastal area in the NE part of the state is well known for being packed with BIG black bears. Some of you may remember Eva Shockey killing a 500lb plus bear there a few years ago. Does anyone have any recommendations for bear hunting outfitters in that area?

One outfitter I found online is Buffalo Creek Guide Service, http://www.buffalocreekguideservice.com. Anyone with any information on them?

 

[Corey0372]

Don't know about that particular outfitter, but I lived in Eastern NC for a long time and I can tell you there is no shortage of big Black Bears around especially up in the Northeast corner as you said.

 

[curtism1234]

How about Arizona black bear? Close to home, cost is fair, lots of season choices, no bugs, and probably color phase if you are into that (though I am partial to black)

 

[cpr0312]

The outfits that have the giant bears know it and charge for it.

Dare to Hyde is the one the shockeys hunted with.

Bears can get over 700lbs in eastern NC. When I was in school out there, a friend of mine shot one that went 692, that was on private land though a hunt club!

 

[Stephen Ausband]

You might try "Conman's Hunting and Fishing Guide Service" in Washington County. They do only still hunts (no dogs). I know they have taken some very big bears. "Dare to Hyde" also gets huge bears. They're a bit pricey, but have a great reputation, including with the Shockeys. There's a 5-county area on the "Pamlico Peninsula" (Dare, Hyde, Tyrrell, Washington, and Beaufort counties) where the bears have lots of swamps and thickets for escape cover, lots of crops and natural forage, and they apparently eat all year long. Some folks there consider anything under about 400 to be too small.

 

[MikeNC]

Lux is another outfit in eastern North Carolina you might want to check out!

Home - Lux Farms

Lux Farms provides a world-class black bear experence. Located in Eastern North Carolina, LUX is a preeminent black bear hunting outfitter.

luxhunting.com

 

[dobber]

"Conman's Hunting and Fishing Guide Service"

Couldn't agree more with Mike, i have met Mike numerous times, spent time with his great family, an amazing place down there. Covid prevented my trip last year and hope the borders open up so i can be back down there.

Conman's Guide Service

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

How about Arizona black bear? Close to home, cost is fair, lots of season choices, no bugs, and probably color phase if you are into that (though I am partial to black)

All true, but guess I'm just looking for a bit of an adventure.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

You might try "Conman's Hunting and Fishing Guide Service" in Washington County. They do only still hunts (no dogs). I know they have taken some very big bears. "Dare to Hyde" also gets huge bears. They're a bit pricey, but have a great reputation, including with the Shockeys. There's a 5-county area on the "Pamlico Peninsula" (Dare, Hyde, Tyrrell, Washington, and Beaufort counties) where the bears have lots of swamps and thickets for escape cover, lots of crops and natural forage, and they apparently eat all year long. Some folks there consider anything under about 400 to be too small.

I'll check them out, thanks for the recommendation.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

Lux is another outfit in eastern North Carolina you might want to check out!

Home - Lux Farms

Lux Farms provides a world-class black bear experence. Located in Eastern North Carolina, LUX is a preeminent black bear hunting outfitter.

luxhunting.com

I'll check them out too, thanks!

 

[CoElkHunter]

One of my wife’s Uncles killed a 600lb black bear in Pencilneckvania a few years ago on public land.

 

[Big2Na]

I live in eastern NC .. Know a few guys ... Conmans is probably the most noted outfitter in the area because of how he advertises . Washington, Tyrrell , Hyde and Dare counties have the greatest concentration of black bears.. I don't care about hunting them you can have my tag (jK)

I know most of the smaller guys who don't advertise but kill lots of bears. Typical is 400+
You can still hunt them or hunt with dogs here .. Dog hunting is fun but once the dogs tree or bay the bear it's pretty much over and depending on where you kill it. That's when the WORK begins because chances are you'll be in a thicket 2 miles from the truck. If you're really interested I'll check and see if these guys have openings. I'm usuallly on Hatteras Island that time of year fishing ..

Bear season and deer season are during the same periods. Might as well use your tags that you will get with your big Game license if you want some meat. My part of NC has a six deer (2 Buck) per year limit@2 per day.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

I talked with Dare to Hyde a few years ago at the Houston SC expo. Expensive!

 

[Big2Na]

nI talked with Dare to Hyde a few years ago at the Houston SC expo. Expensive!

Dare and

I talked with Dare to Hyde a few years ago at the Houston SC expo. Expensive!

Dare and Hyde are Couties that encompass a huge area. .. So you talked to one outfitter ... I live here and know quite a few

 

[curtism1234]

I'd also recommend paying attention to the wound policy as at least one mentioned here says your hunt is over.

If an animal is owned by the state and the state allows you to keep hunting if you wound one (as most states do), you won't find me at a place with a strict blood policy. I take 100% of the risk and the outfitter takes zero? No way

 

[accipiter]

Phil - I highly recommend Clark Purvis at Roanoke River Waterfowl in Hobgood, NC. Here is his web site:

http://www.roanokeriverwaterfowl.com/big-game.html

Clark does hound hunts and stand hunts over peanuts. I believe that 500+ pounds may be realistic. He could give you more details about that but I know he takes large bears each year.

Clark has taken many trips to Africa and at one time was a part-owner of a hunting operation (I believe in Zimbabwe). When I hunted with him, we spent the nights around the fire swapping tales about safari hunting in Africa. He is top notch and depending on the timing, he may be able to offer quail or other ancillary game.

 

[Nevada Mike]

If I wanted a black bear, I would hunt the Snake River (Hell's Canyon) and adjoining drainages. I have seen a lot of black (yellow, cinnamon) bears in the area. On one elk hunt there I saw seven bears in one day.

 

[calling4life]

North Carolina has massive black bears though, this is like 1300lb coastal brown vs 800lb griz talk.

I live in N. MN, DNR talks about live trapping 800lb bears here, North Carolina is still North Carolina though.

I'd never go, but if the guided thing for a trophy is your thing, that's some tanker territory and seems to be the location.

I'd actually love to do the Idaho hunt noted above, something I'm seriously looking at, but that's more my thing, backpack in, tent camp, glass and call bears myself alone, hopefully cheap, great scenery, don't care about bear size, though I'm sure the lucky few get some decent bears.

Given what the OP noted, seems he's looking exactly where he should be.

 

[jdemocko]

My neighbor owns the Lux farm. If you want a luxurious, 5 Star hunt with massive bears then that is your hunt. 2 years ago I stand hunted and killed a 520 pounder the first day. I saw them bring in a 708 and several 600+ bears. The average that season was 528 pounds.

 

[MarkB]

I live on Vancouver Island so bears are seen daily or when required and hunted annually. BUT those monster SC bears are things dreams are made off and a bucket list item. Only imagine a life-size 600lb blackie standing beside my 500 lb life-size grizz.

Phil knows what he wants, I envy you, that will be an exciting planning time and even more fun hunt I am sure. Please post a hunt report on here for us no travel Canadians to view and dream of.

MB