Black Bear- where to hunt for large ones?

[phil mcwilliam]

I live in Australia & am contemplating a 10 to 14 day hunting trip for Black Bear in a couple of years time. I am interested in only hunting for large mature males & was wondering what area of North America would best serve my purpose.
I realize that as a non-resident on a specific time frame, that I would be hunting with a guide. If there was a chance of fishing or maybe to take a deer during the same trip even better, but I don't know if the seasons overlap.
I prefer to spot & stalk, rather than hunting over baits.
Initially I have researched British Columbia & Manitoba regions, but am open to suggestions, the more remote the better.
I'm kind of figuring on about a $5,000 budget for the hunt once on the ground, give or take.
I've got .308's & 30/06 to take, but if these were not suitable or international travel with a firearm was too much of a hassle, Id probably just go with borrowing/renting a rifle from the guide.
What areas do you recommend & am I being realistic?

 

[Alaska444]

Quebec seems to have a lot of large black bears as well from the hunting videos I have watched.

 

[JACK308]

I never went for black bear but if you want big ones how about Alaska you could go for black or brown there or Canada would be a good bet also.

 

[Countertop]

North Carolina

They generally have the largest bears around and you hunt them with dogs. If im not mistaken, the current record is an almost 900 lb bear that was taken a couple of years ago out of the swamps of Carolina. Plenty of deer too.

http://www.americanbear.org/Size.htm

 

[buck460XVR]

I prefer to spot & stalk, rather than hunting over baits.

check out these folks.........Smoky River Outfitting

 

[Thump]

Vancouver Island, BC... Supposedly home to some of the largest black bear.

 

[Jack O'Conner]

British Columbia, Canada is where I'd go if flying in from Australia.

I took this bear's photo in the Pocono Mts of eastern Pennsylvania, USA. Nope, I was not armed at the time.

Jack

 

[aaalaska]

The coastal areas of BC and Alaska, they have the best number of large black bears. You will have to use a guide but the odds of taking a good bear are very high, but the best spot and stalk hunting will be in the spring when they come out of the dens and move down to the grass flats to feed on grass and sedges.

 

[b12alex]

Im in Ontario Canada and the past few years have taken a couple large bears last years was 500lbs. I have one on my property that it much larger though. Hoping it will be a record if I can get him. But if I was flying somewhere it would be northern British Columbia for sure.