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About Us:
My name is John Manss and I am here to offer you another great hunt. Here we strive to outfit the best, most exhilarating wilderness trophy hunts in North America. We provide you with an enormous and pristine area of wilderness; a large, diverse and high-quality population of 12 different game animals to hunt; and the highest quality professional guides to help ensure your success. Hunt with us, and you'll experience the East Kootenay region of British Columbia, one of the most beautiful and productive hunting areas in the world. Conveniently located, yet remote from civilization, our guiding area has produced trophies for many years. In fact, the East Kootenay region is famous worldwide — considered by many to have a concentration and diversity of game surpassed only by the plains of Africa. We have exclusive guiding and outfitting rights for over 300,000 acres of pristine wilderness encompassing 3 major river systems, over 70 lakes, and countless streams and mountains. 22,000 acres of our territory is a remote alpine wilderness park where we are allowed to hunt. The rest of our territory is adjacent to a nature conservancy. We hunt primarily by horseback, but we can accommodate you if you prefer other modes such as ATV, hiking, or truck. Perhaps most important of all, we are — by choice — not a high-volume operation. There's no bigger letdown than competing with 10 other hunters out of a single camp. With Sawtooth Outfitters Ltd., you will enjoy the trophy hunting experience of a lifetime. The Hunt: Our hunting territory in the famed East Kootenay region of British Columbia is world-renowned for its quantity and diversity of game. We offer hunts for 6 trophy game animals: Contact us for open dates during the 2008 spring season.
Click on any animal to be taken to their hunt information Elk Hunting is our specialty. Our outfitting territory is located in the Purcell Mountains, which are particularly renowned for heavy antlered Elk. Unlike the nearby Rockies, which are more open, our area has thicker, lush undergrowth, which provides an abundance of food and cover for the big bulls. Our guides are skilled at coaxing these bulls out into the open. British Columbia is one of the few areas in North America where you can hunt Elk with a rifle during the rut. In 1998, the East Kootenay region was designated a 6 point or better Elk region. This fact, combined with proactive habitat restoration efforts, has resulted in our Elk populations reaching an all-time high, with many mature bulls available. The year 2003 was one of the best years on record for trophy Elk hunting in the East Kootenays, and we expect 2004 to be the same or better. Nonetheless, we take only 6-8 Elk hunters per week to ensure a healthy population of mature bulls. And with over 300,000 acres in our territory, we have plenty of area to move around in search of your trophy bull. We generally use horses to get close, and then hike to access the back end of isolated river valleys that hold the big bulls. Our area has over 30 such drainages (anywhere from 3 to 14 miles long). Most of our hunters combine their Elk hunt with the pursuit of black bear, mule deer and whitetail. »»»» Click here for Rocky Mountain Elk hunt pricing. «««« The grizzly is one of the most majestic game animals in North America, and our hunting territory has them — in excellent numbers. Our area supports a very healthy grizzly population. Based on a 1999 government study of British Columbia' bear habitats, several parts of our territory received the highest rating for its ability to support grizzly bears. In fact, despite abundant berries and breathtaking vistas, there are certain areas in our territory that local hikers and huckleberry pickers avoid altogether - simply because grizzlies are so prevalent. Since they are interior mountain grizzlies, they have silvertip fur with color variations from dark to light brown. Ornery and with thick fur and long claws, they are a formidable, yet beautiful animal. They make a spectacular trophy! In the spring, the Grizzlies emerge from their winter dens and immediately move to the avalanche chutes to feed on the tender new sprouts of grass. The big boars are the first to emerge from their dens, and we try to coordinate the hunt to this time. We hunt these trophies by glassing the grassy basins and then undertaking a carefully planned stalk to get within range. Depending on the weather, we hunt grizzly primarily by horseback. Early in the season, we will also use snowshoe to access some of the basins that still have deep snow at lower, shaded elevations. »»»» Click here for Mountain Grizzly hunt pricing. «««« Our hunting territory affords outstanding opportunities for Mule deer and whitetail hunting. With a number of rather mild recent winters, the deer populations are thriving. We hunt whitetail deer at lower elevations where we know they reside. Mule deer are hunted in old-growth burn areas and some of our more open drainages. We use horses and 4X4s to access the productive deer hunting areas. Many of our hunters bag a mule deer or whitetail while Elk, Goat or Moose hunting. However, we also hold a special deer hunt, which typically coincides with the peak rut (early to mid November). Our late mule deer hunt targets the migrating bucks as they move to lower elevations from their high mountain lairs. »»»» Click here for White-tailed Deer, Mule Deer hunt pricing. «««« In 1999, the BC government commissioned a study to identify the location of high quality habitats that are rich in bear food and other ecological requirements. Several parts of our territory received the highest rating for its ability to support black and grizzly bears. We consistently achieve 90+% success rate on these bruins, with a good percentage of cinnamon and other color phase bears. You are allowed to take 2 bears on this hunt. We hunt by spot and stalk method and occasionally use predator calls. We use horses and ATVs to access a number of drainages and avalanche areas. In the spring, we hunt alpine grass slides that have been cleared by avalanches in the winter and sprout tender grass in the spring. The bears, fresh out of their winter dens, aggressively seek out this nutrient rich food. Some days, you can view up to 10 bears per day! Stalking a big black bear makes for a very exciting hunt. With moderate weather, snowcapped mountains and sounds of spring, this is a beautiful time to be in the mountains — and a great cure-all for the pangs of withdrawal suffered at the end of the previous year's fall's hunt. And with long days, our clients generally like to hunt early morning and evening, and rest or go fishing during the day. In the fall, you can hunt bear by itself, or in combination with Elk, Moose, Deer, or Mountain Goat. »»»» Click here for Black Bear hunt pricing. «««« Subspecies of the Moose family. Our territory includes over 70 lakes, 3 major river systems, and countless tributaries. When combined with several old-growth burn areas, this makes for excellent moose habitat. We have historically had 100% success in our moose hunts, with many bulls sporting 40-50 inch antler spreads. Archery hunting takes place during the peak rutting period, and we use calling techniques to find and get close to the big bulls. There's little to match the exhilaration of an angry Bull Moose harging into your ambush after a challenge call! The rifle hunt takes place by accessing moose areas by horseback or on old logging trails with a 4X4 truck or ATV, and then glassing for trophy bulls. We have a limited number of tags per year, so it is advisable to book your moose hunt early. You can combine your moose hunt with the pursuit of black bear, mule deer and whitetail, which are included (apart from the tags) in the base price of the package. »»»» Click here for Shiras Moose hunt pricing. «««« Our hunting territory boasts a very healthy population of Rocky Mountain Goat. You should have numerous billies to choose from, and may include Boone and Crockett class goats. Many sport horns over 10 inches. The big billies reside high up on the mountains in remote drainages. The high reaches of St. Mary's Alpine Park (a part of our territory) also have excellent goat habitat. Stalking a Mountain Goat takes skill. Mountain Goats survive based on their ability to traverse high rocky crags. They have very keen eyesight and are constantly scanning for predators. Patience, cunning, and experienced guides are key ingredients in a successful hunt. Generally, we use horses to ride up canyons. We then glass the mountains until we find the trophy Mountain Goat we are looking for. Then the stalk (invariably uphill) begins. We have a limited number of tags available, so it is advisable to book early. »»»» Click here for Rocky Mountain Goat hunt pricing. «««« Please inquire if you are interested in designing your own customized hunting package. References available on request ALL PRICES IN U.S. DOLLARS, ADD 3.5% GST (GOODS AND SERVICES TAX) DEPOSIT AND PAYMENT: We require a 50% deposit at the time of booking with the remainder, including all taxes, licenses and other fees due 2 months prior to arrival. We take MasterCard and Visa for the deposit. All hunt deposits are non-refundable, but you may send a replacement. INDEMNITY: All hunters are required to sign an assumption of risk and indemnity waiver prior to the hunt. THE COST OF YOUR HUNT INCLUDES: All meals and lodging while you are in camp, riding and pack horses, field preparation of your meat and trophies, transportation from Cranbrook/Kimberley to base camp and return, pre-hunt acquiring of (not cost of) all licenses and tags, all necessary export permits, and assistance around Cranbrook/Kimberley, if necessary, to see butcher, taxidermist and/or Ministry of Environment for compulsory inspections. THE COST OF YOUR HUNT EXCLUDES: Fees for hunting licenses and tags, Non-Resident Hunting Preservation Fund (NRHPF) of CND$100.00, gratuities to guides, meat butchering, taxidermy, shipping of meat and trophies, alcoholic beverages, the Canadian Goods and Services Tax (GST) and all travel, accommodation and meals prior to Day 1 of hunt and after arriving in Cranbrook/Kimberley on the last day of hunt.
What to Bring:
The hunter is responsible for the final care and arrangements for antlers, meat, capes, etc. There is a royalty fee for each animal harvested. Final payment in Travellers Cheques or cash only. 7% Goods and Services Tax (G.S.T) to be remitted at the beginning of each hunt. Discounts can be negotiated for groups of 4 or more (2 on 1 hunts). Non-hunter in main camp $200.00 per day. Non-hunter in Spike Camp $250.00 per day. Most of these animals are generally found in the same area so little to no time is spent moving from area to area.
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NON-RESIDENTIAL
