We've worked with this outfitting family for many years. They are well-known for their high-success woodland caribou and Eastern Canada moose hunts, but they also conduct a highly successful black bear hunt. And it's not very expensive even though their hunters typically kill two bears apiece, including some 400- and 500-pounders.

In 2007 they took seven bear hunters, who took seven bears. One man took two, including a 500-pounder, and a bowhunter had a couple of chances but did not score. In 2006 they accommodated three hunters, who killed five bears. Two fellows killed two apiece, while the third hunter killed one and missed another one. Two of those bears weighed around 500 pounds each, while the others were in the 300 to 350-pound class. Last year all the hunters came in early June. All were black, which is typical in eastern Canada.

One reason the outfit is so successful is that the guides rebait 12 to 16 stands every day even though they usually have only three hunters at a time. They can handle a larger group if you book well in advance so that they can bait more areas.

"Last year we had bears coming into the stands pretty well every night," the outfitter said. "We use stink bait early in the season from the butcher. Then each day we put out on each stand five gallons of chicken fat or oil from restaurants. Then we switch to donuts and pancakes and syrup."

Hunters fly into Deer Lake, where you'll meet the outfitter.

"We try to do all our hunting in late May and June," the outfitter said. "We hunted in July a couple of years ago, but we got one bear that was rubbed, and so we decided to stick with June. The season opens May 27. We usually take three hunters at a time. That way we can use up all the stands in a week and switch stands often if you want to do that."

In this part of Newfoundland temperatures in June are typically in the 50s and 60s, rising to the 70s in the last week or so. Uusally there's a breeze, so wear warm clothes. The outfit employs tree stands, including some that are big enough to accommodate two persons. You'll be hunting an area crosscrossed by logging roads. The outfitter has never seen a resident bear hunter and is the only outfitter authorized to take customers in his ara.

"Three years ago we had one slow week with really warm weather early in July," the outfitter said, "but other than that we've 100 percent the past six years and now we don't do the July hunt."

You'll be hunting remote country southeast of Gros Morne National Park. Camp is a 90-minute drive from Deer Lake, where you'll be picked up on a Saturday. You can fly out on a Monday at 6 or 6:20 a.m. or possibly Sunday evening on a new 7 p.m. evening flight. You don't need to rent a vehicle for this hunt, and there is no extra charge for transportation between the airport and the hunting area, making this a truly economical hunt. Note that the airport abbreviation is YDF, useful when booking flights or online or even with an agent.

You'll sleep in one of the family's moose hunting lodges, which have hot and cold running water. Meals are prepared by a cook.

Fishing for brook trout and Atlantic salmon is available during your trip. "We have access to two of the most productive rivers for salmon," the outfitter said. "The waters we fish have produced brook trout over four pounds."