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First day of hunt taken to bait at 10:00 A.M. hour and a half drive. Hunted from 12 noon to 7:30 P.M. At my request and after having to first check with other hunter/s, taken out at 12 noon the rest of week hunting by 1:30. Ground blind had the front torn out and I needed to repair it with camo tape. The entry zipper/s would not work, forced to lift the blind up to get in and out.

Required to exit blind, carry out equipment and meet guide 50 or so yards up the logging road. Had "trophy bear" on bait early in week but due to guide not picking me up at blind or trail head, I bumped the bear off the bait by exiting blind, gathering equipment, then walking down the trail out to logging road. Bear remained in cover at bait and saw and heard me leaving the blind. Guide should have been picking me up at bait site thereby causing the bear/s to leave area upon approach of vehicle as opposed to me scaring him off getting out of the "blind" and carrying out gear.

Bear was now hitting at dark or later. While attempting to maintain overall scent reduction, my back pack and gear was placed in a confined area of the pick up vehicle next to gas cans which of course the odor migrated to.

I advised guide and outfitter of the quality bear that I had coming to bait at dark. In fact I had video tape of the bear taken after too late/dark to attmept a ethical shot.

Late in week of hunt, another hunter requested to be moved as he was not seeing bear at his site. He was moved to a bait that was a mile or less from the site that I was hunting which previously had no hunter there. There was very little doubt that the bear that I was hunting was the dominate bear in that area and most certainly would be hitting the other previously unhunted bait. My educated guess is earlier in the evening then working down to my site at/after dark.

The hunter placed on said bait killed what I believe to have been the same bear I'd been hunting all week. I never saw any subordinate bears on my bait or in the area. Although I did not do a DNA match, based upon visual observation and video tape, I believe the bear taken was the same that had been visiting my site.

I was told that the reason that they moved the other hunter into my baited area was to "pinch the bear between us, so that one of us would take him" WTH ?? The outfitter was aware of the fact that the other bait was close to me and that it was getting hit every night and made the decesion to place another hunter there per the above.

I feel that if anybody was going to hunt the other bait, I should have been given first choice of moving there or at the very least, ask me how I felt about them moving another hunter into the area. I discussed this with both my guide and the outfitter. The outfitters initial response was that which I would have expected from a business owner. He apologized and advised me that if I'd stay over Saturday, that he would take me on a hound hunt and "get me a bear". I respectfully declined as I did not want to hound hunt, and had to leave camp on Saturday to attend to business matters at home.

The outfitter then advised me that if I couldn't hound hunt Saturday, that he would "do something for me on price for a hunt next Fall". Although I was still not happy with what had occured, I advised him that was a fair solution and the best that could be done taking all matters into consideration.

Upon my checking out of camp at 12:00 P.M. Saturday the outfitter seemed to have had a change of heart concerning the matter. I left camp, drove two days to get home, and then contacted Sun Rise Ridge to book the hunt for next Fall and requested info as to what it would cost me and/or what was he willing to do for me as he indicated. I was advised that they were totally booked for next Fall and would only have an opening if somebody backed out of a 2013 hunt.

I questioned how it was that 51 weeks prior to next seasons Fall hunt they could possibly be booked solid. I was advised that a groupe of three (Father and two adult Sons) that had tagged out and left before me, booked a fourth hunter to come back with them next year thereby eliminating the spot that they would have booked me into.

Under the circumstances I think any reasonable person would have offered that "one remainging spot" to me since it was their suggestion that I come back so they could "do something for me on a 2013 hunt". Had I declined for any reason....... no problem.... book the other hunter.

I feel as though extremely poor judgement was used on this entire matter and after initally agreeing with me and suggesting working something out for next year, they booked the hunts solid and as a result do not need to honor their suggested method of corrective action.

In my previous extensive bear hunting, I have never had an outfitter knowingly move another hunter in my assigned area in hopes of "one of us getting the bear" !? Well, one of us did, it just wasn't this hunter! I did not expect nor want a guaranteed hunt and I can easily do without another bear on the wall, but.... I did expect to be treated fairly and provided with a resonable opportunity at a average or better bear.

I payed for the experience not the kill but I still expected the outfitter (or his guide upon his instructions) to do everything in his power to provide me with a quality hunt. Stationing another hunter where he did accomplished exactly the opposite!

On a positive note: my guide "Art" was a decent enough man with the ability to communicate well with the outfitter's clients. He of course was bound to follow his bosses directives. Also..... the cabin that I was assigned was top notch A+. It's just too bad the hunt didn't match it.

I have been searching for a place to return to year after year and initally thought that I had found it. Even though things "went South" I thought that it was still salvageable but in light of recent occurances......... obviously not.

Was the outfitter notified of problems? - YES