The Options
Selway Idaho Spring Black Bear
$6,000 per Person
April 22nd-27th, April 29th-4th
6 Hrs. Online Prep (Live Streams and Zoom)
Colorado Fall Black Bear
$5,500 per Person
August 31st-6th, September 8th-13th *Note: First and last day of trip are pack-in/pack-out days. First hunt includes one day of scouting on 9/1, before season starts.
6 Hrs. Online Prep (Live Streams and Zoom)
*All Dates are 2025
All training hunts include a hunt and online preparation sessions via Live Stream and Zoom Calls. All online sessions will be recorded and replays will be available.
Standalone preparation sessions are available through the Membership Group.
Each offering is slightly different in terms of what is included on the hunt (lodging, tags, transportation, meals, etc…) and the focus of the online sessions varies. Please refer to the details for each trip below.
Cliff is the instructor for all of the online sessions and is present on all the trips. However, he does not guide all the hunts.
Prerequisites
- All participants must be capable of hiking 2-3 miles at elevation. We view hunting as an active activity and each day will contain physical activity.
- Students must take a hunter’s safety course in their state of residence before attending. You can’t purchase hunting tags without a hunter’s safety certification. The majority of the course can usually be taken online through Hunter-ed.com. All states vary but most also require a “field course” that is 4-6 hours.
- Firearm and archery marksmanship is only touched on during these trips. To become proficient in these fields, we suggest self study/practice before the course dates.
- Gun Werks rifles and ammo will be provided for hunters needing to borrow a rifle. Please let us know if you need to use our rifles.
Topics Covered
Most topics will be covered during online prep sessions. Topics covered in the field will be integrated into the hunt.
Rifle Shooting Positions and Rests
Identifying Glassing Locations
Common Game Violation Mishaps and How to Avoid Them
Winds, Thermals, and Scent
Hunting Gear
Rifle Setup, Zeroing, and Basic Ballistics
Glassing – Optics and Glassing Setups
Planning Stalks
Tracking/Game Behavior
Fire Building, Navigation, Wilderness Survival/First-Aid
Meal Planning for Hunts
Vegetation, What Does Each Species Eat
If Animal Harvested:
Skinning, Quartering and Packing Meat
Alaska Black Bear
This is an incredible experience that I have teamed up with Bushwhack Alaska on.
We will cover the primary skillsets used on all Western big game hunts, but the hunting component of this option is serious business and an incredible value. The vast majority of clients will have the opportunity to harvest a black bear and will see coastal brown bears (grizzly bears).
If you have ever dreamed of hunting Alaska, this is the trip to go on. Online sessions will be geared towards those wanting to do guided and DIY (moose/black bear) hunts in Alaska in the future.
Unlike a guided hunt where you may feel awkward about asking detailed questions or stopping your guide for an explanation – we are seeking to foster the opposite! Ask questions… let’s get into the details, so you can leave feeling much better equipped on the skillset front.
The other instructor/guides on this trip are Alaskan guides with vast amounts of experience hunting moose, black bears, caribou, dall sheep and grizzlies.
For an Alaskan adventure, this trip is easy logistics. Flight into Anchorage followed by a air-taxi over to the lodge in Iliamna, AK. Full lodge accommodations and meals. (Flights, transportation, tags, licenses, baggage fees, and gratuities not included.)
California Free-Range, Spot and Stalk Wild Boar
This hunt includes free-range wild hog hunting that covers all the primary skillsets used on all Western big game hunts. These are not baited, high-fence or stand-based hunts. They are hike, glass, spot and stalk hunts in real terrain.
On average, 50-70% of students will have an opportunity to harvest an animal.
Unlike a guided hunt where you may feel awkward about asking detailed questions or stopping your guide for an explanation – we are seeking to foster the opposite! Ask questions… let’s get into the details, so you can leave feeling much better equipped on the skillset front.
These hunts are easy logistics, locations vary but all are within 2-4hrs of an airport. Ranch house or wall-tent style accommodations and meals included. (Flights, transportation, tags, licenses, baggage fees, and gratuities not included.)
Spring Bear Idaho Wilderness
I have teamed up with Jordan Jonas to operate several hunting courses in his Idaho Selway outfitting area.
Although these April/May classes will take place during Spring bear season, we will cover the primary skillsets used on all Western big game hunts.
This hunt is an incredible learning opportunity if you are looking to go on your own future wilderness backpack hunts for bears, mule deer or elk. These are physical backpack hunts. Harvesting animals should be considered a bonus, not an expectation.
Unlike a guided hunt where you may feel awkward about asking detailed questions or stopping your guide for an explanation – we are seeking to foster the opposite! Ask questions… let’s get into the details, so you can leave feeling much better equipped on the skillset front.
The other instructor/guide on these trips will be experienced guide and hunter Cade Cole.
This hunt will start with a remote fly-in (from Hamilton, MT into the Selway Wilderness) followed by a progressive backpack hunt. Meals will be provided, but guests are responsible for all of their own sleeping gear. Gear will be discussed in detail during the online sessions. Backcountry flights are included in the price. (Other transportation, tags, licenses, baggage fees, and gratuities not included.)
Colorado Fall Bear
These early September hunts are operated in the Flat Tops Wilderness area. It does not get better in terms of a training ground for future wilderness hunts for bears, mule deer, or elk. The pack-in and pack-out is by horses and mules.
These hunts and the online seminar material will be heavy on the glassing front. We will study feed sources, identify glassing points, and plan stalks on bears in big mountain country. Success rate is variable year-to-year based on acorn and berry crops. Some years all hunters will have opportunities to harvest bears, other years only a portion of the group will kill bears.
Unlike a guided hunt where you may feel awkward about asking detailed questions or stopping your guide for an explanation – we are seeking to foster the opposite! Ask questions… let’s get into the details, so you can leave feeling much better equipped on the skillset front.
This hunt will start with a remote pack-in via horses and mules, followed by day hunts out of a wall-tent camp. Meals, tents and cots will be provided, but guests are responsible for all of their own sleeping gear. Gear will be discussed in detail during the online sessions. (Flights, transportation, tags, licenses, baggage fees, and gratuities not included.)
Colorado Cow Elk
I have teamed up with Infinite Outdoors to host two cow elk hunts in Colorado.
This high success rate hunt is a perfect introduction to elk hunting, field dressing game, and Western big game hunting tactics. The majority of hunters will have the opportunity to harvest an animal.
Unlike a guided hunt where you may feel awkward about asking detailed questions or stopping your guide for an explanation – we are seeking to foster the opposite! Ask questions… let’s get into the details, so you can leave feeling much better equipped on the skillset front.
This hunt is easy logistics, within a couple hours of Denver, CO. Rustic cabin and/or wall-tent camp lodging is provided. Gear and meal planning will be discussed in detail during the online sessions. (Flights, transportation, tags, licenses, baggage fees, and gratuities not included.)
New Mexico Cow Elk
The highest success rate training hunt that we host. Hunters will typically have multiple opportunities to harvest a cow elk.
This high success rate hunt is a perfect introduction to elk hunting, field dressing game, and Western big game hunting tactics. One day will be dedicated to teaching the methods of boning out meat and preparing hides for transportation via vehicle or checked luggage.
Unlike a guided hunt where you may feel awkward about asking detailed questions or stopping your guide for an explanation – we are seeking to foster the opposite! Ask questions… let’s get into the details, so you can leave feeling much better equipped on the skillset front.
This hunt is easy logistics, within a couple hours of Durango, CO or Albuquerque, NM. Beautiful accommodations and Meals included. (Flights, transportation, tags, licenses, baggage fees, and gratuities not included.)