Sawtooth Outfitters
Sawtooth Outfitters
Rated 3.75 out of 5.0 based on 8 Outfitter reviews.
Contact: Ryan Berard
Location: Sparwood, British Columbia
Species Hunted: Elk, Mule Deer, Black Bear, Grizzly Bear, Rocky Mountain Goat, Shiras Moose, Bobcat, Mountain Lion, Lynx, Wolf, Whitetail Deer
State(s) Hunted: BC
< Back
Submitted by: Ryan F
Review Submitted: Oct 12, 2023
Hunt Date: Oct 1, 2023
Species Hunted: Shiras Moose
Days Hunted: 7
Hunt Type: Guided
Primary Terrain: Mountain
Method: Bow
Price Range: 11K-15K
Number of animals seen, met expectations?
Size of animals seen, met expections?
Hunting pressure in the guides area, met expectations?
Would you hunt with this Guide again?
report this review
Submitted by: Josh Yoder
Review Submitted: Aug 25, 2023
Hunt Date: Oct 25, 2022
Species Hunted: Shiras Moose
Days Hunted: 8
Hunt Type: Guided
Primary Terrain: Mountain
Method: Rifle
Price Range: 11K-15K
Number of animals seen, met expectations?
Size of animals seen, met expections?
Hunting pressure in the guides area, met expectations?
Would you hunt with this Guide again?
Submitted by: Thomas Ayers
Review Submitted: Dec 26, 2018
Hunt Date: Sep 18, 2018
Species Hunted:
Days Hunted: 7
Hunt Type: Guided
Primary Terrain: Mountain
Method: Rifle
Price Range: 5000-6999
Number of animals seen, met expectations?
Size of animals seen, met expections?
Hunting pressure in the guides area, met expectations?
Would you hunt with this Guide again?
Not the Hunt Advertised
Submitted by: Thomas Ayers
Review Submitted: Dec 19, 2018
Hunt Date: Sep 18, 2018
Species Hunted: Elk, Mule Deer
Days Hunted: 7
Hunt Type: Guided
Primary Terrain: Mountain
Method: Rifle
Price Range: 5000-6999
Number of animals seen, met expectations?
Size of animals seen, met expections?
Hunting pressure in the guides area, met expectations?
Would you hunt with this Guide again?
2018 Elk Hunt
We were the second group of four hunters (in each group) to hunt with Sawtooth in 2018, and all of the eight hunters never saw a legal bull in two hard weeks of hunting. One hunter in our group saw only one cow elk in a clear cut frequented by local road hunters at a distance of 1/2 mile the entire trip. Combined, all four hunters in our group saw less than a dozen elk. “Abundant game” as advertised on Sawtooth’s website is unfortunately far from reality, at least on this portion of the East Kootenays, which has a documented 50 percent decline in the elk herd over the last decade according to a 2018 BC census. In our party, we had elk, whitetail and mule deer permits. Not a single legal species was sighted by any of us the entire week. These realities, combined with poor communication and very loose leadership from the owners, resulted in poor experience across the board. Do your research before you book with any outfitter. We understand that Sawtooth has a good track record on bear and cat hunts, but you can likely do much better for your money on elk/deer.
Submitted by: Lloyd Taylor
Review Submitted: Sep 4, 2013
Hunt Date: May 23, 2013
Species Hunted: Black Bear
Days Hunted: 3
Hunt Type: Guided
Primary Terrain: Mountain
Method: Rifle
Price Range: 4000-4999
Number of animals seen, met expectations?
Size of animals seen, met expections?
Hunting pressure in the guides area, met expectations?
Would you hunt with this Guide again?
Another great black bear hunt with Ryan Berard and
Another great black bear hunt with Ryan Berard and Sawtooth Outfitters out of Cranbrook, BC. This was the 5th time that I have been guided on a bear hunt with Ryan and his dogs and my second hunt on the Sawtooth Outfitters concession. Every time that I hunt with Ryan and his hounds I have had the pleasure of seeing what has to be one of Canada's best houndsman working with some of the top hounds in North America. The log cabin accommodations we stayed in this year was one that could have been used for wilderness movie setting. Secluded in the tall pines of the East Kootenay region of British Columbia, we were but just a few steps away from a major tributary of the St. Mary's River. While the log cabin was very warm and dry, Ryan's culinary abilities only top off an unbelievable wilderness experience. Unlike with Ryan, I have hunted with other outfitters that spend very little time with their clients. Ryan takes care of his clients with his many years of experience and knowledge of the region and you will rarely ever see him slacking off. He is always trying to make the best for all. While I was very limited from a time standpoint to actually hunt this year, (3 days which included travel time to camp and back from Cranbrook) Ryan still got the job done. First afternoon out we spotted two black bears and a big grizzly sow with two cubs. One of the bears was a little small while the second deserved a stalk. We were unsuccessful in making a stalk on the second bear so we took it back to the cabin. After breakfast the next morning we loaded the dogs and went for a run. About 10:00 AM we crossed a sent trail, the dogs made a hard strike, and the hunt was on. About 45 minutes into the hunt the dogs had the bear treed so we moved in to take a look. After a 500 yard hike we found the dogs and a very nice mature chocolate brown bear. After several minutes of careful consideration and discussion on the bear's size, color, and hide condition, I dispatched the burin. Ryan estimated that the bear was over 20 years old. He squared out at 6’-4” – my largest bear to date. My next hunt with Ryan will be for a big tom cat. If you are seriously considering a big game hunt in Canada, DO NOT look any further than Ryan Berard and his Sawtooth Outfitters. You will be glad you made the choice. PS: Brad Park and Calamity Creek Outfitters still suck….
Submitted by: Lloyd Taylor
Review Submitted: Jun 9, 2011
Hunt Date: May 22, 2011
Species Hunted: Black Bear
Days Hunted: 5
Hunt Type: Guided
Primary Terrain: Mountain
Method: Rifle
Price Range: 4000-4999
Number of animals seen, met expectations?
Size of animals seen, met expections?
Hunting pressure in the guides area, met expectations?
Would you hunt with this Guide again?
Big Black Bear
This was my 4th bear hunt in BC Canada and the 3rd time that I have hunted with Ryan Berard of Cranbrook BC. The country is just absolutely breath taking and the weather has always been mostly great with an occasional days of light rain. Ryan hunts with hounds and I might as well tell you that his hounds are flat unbelievable. While some might say that hunting with hounds is not as sporting, I am here to tell you that it is an all together different and very exciting way to hunt. There are some major advantages in hunting with hounds. When the bush is as thick, both uphill and downhill as it is in his area, it really helps to get the game pushed out to a point that you have plenty of time to check the animal out and pass on it if it is not what you are looking for. Ryan really knows just were to cross paths with the bear. We would start out every morning driving the logging roads with the hounds in the back of the truck. As we would drive down the road, Ryan would have two of his strike dogs on top of the dog box with the rest of them inside the box. As soon as we would drive over the scent trail of a bear that had crossed the road, the hounds would just absolutely cut loose with their very distinctive bellow. Ryan has worked with and trained his dogs so well, he can actually tell the difference from a scent drifting in the air current and a hard hit. When a hard hit is evident, he releases his strike dogs to pick up the scent trail. As soon as they hit the trail they make an immediate turn for the bear. When that happens he releases the rest of the dogs and the hunt is on. Soon after the release Ryan gets out his GPS unit and starts to track the hounds. Each dog has its own GPS collar and their location is continually being monitored by Ryan. He knows all of the logging roads in the area and can position and reposition the truck to follow the dogs, sometimes putting the truck in position to actually see the bear and the dogs in tow cross the road. It is really something to see when the chase happens right before your eyes. We found bear each day and on the third day the hounds treed a great bear about 350 yards off the main road. We had seen the bear cross the road and felt like it was a shooter. We parked as close as we could to the dogs’ position and took off walking into the bush, all the while getting closes and closer to the dogs. When the dogs came in sight we moved in closer to the tree. The tree was flat enormous and the bear was about 80 ft up into the tree. We could tell that the bear was in fact a shooter, so I dispatched the bear with a single shot from my 300 WSM. The bear actually measured out to be about a 6 ft – 2in bruin; my largest to date. All I can tell you is that the trip was unforgettable and I will return someday to hunt with Ryan again. I don’t care where you go or on what type of hunt, you will never come across a guide that works as hard and long as Ryan will. The man is part mountain goat – part pack mule. You cannot or will not go wrong with him and Sawtooth/Grizzly Basin Outfitters.
Submitted by: Doug Rowell
Review Submitted: Mar 7, 2011
Hunt Date: Feb 27, 2011
Species Hunted: Mountain Lion
Days Hunted: 6
Hunt Type: Guided
Primary Terrain: Mountain
Method: Rifle
Price Range: 5000-6999
Number of animals seen, met expectations?
Size of animals seen, met expections?
Hunting pressure in the guides area, met expectations?
Would you hunt with this Guide again?
Great Hunt
This was my third trip with sawtooth outfitters (bear and mtn.goat before). I really enjoy hunting with Ryan. He is not just a great houndsman he is also a great guide. Even when the temperature was -15 Fahrenheit and blowing winds he was out on the snowmobile looking for tracks. The conditions weren't perfect for hunting (when are they ever?) but Ryan and Kyle kept trying and eventually found a track with quite a bit of snow in it. It took the dogs quite a while to sort out the track but eventually got on the cougar and got him treed. Hope to get back up there again some day.
Submitted by: Joel McDaniel
Review Submitted: Sep 9, 2010
Hunt Date: Sep 1, 2010
Species Hunted: Elk
Days Hunted: 6
Hunt Type: Guided
Primary Terrain: Mountain
Method: Bow
Price Range: 4000-4999
Number of animals seen, met expectations?
Size of animals seen, met expections?
Hunting pressure in the guides area, met expectations?
Would you hunt with this Guide again?
Hunting with Sawtooth Outfitters will now be on my
Having just returned from a very succesful Elk hunt with Sawtooth Outfitters, I decided to write this review. This was my second hunt with this outfit, the first being a succesful cougar hunt last year. Firstly the Elk were abundant and 4 out of the 6 days we called in mature bulls (one within 3 yards!). My guide, Ryan Berard was very experienced and knowledgable and in my opinion did everything he could to make this a great experience for me. The main camps, spike camps and tent camps where well equiped. Good meals, quads and pack horses were included. The hunting area is huge, I completely felt like the only hunter in the area. The terrain tested my endurance but at my own request, easier terrain was available. I highly recommend Craig and Ryan at Sawtooth Outfitters, they take this very seriously and are operating a professional guiding service in a region that is an incredible place to hunt.
Contact: Reece Bergeron
Location: Brashear, Missouri
Species Hunted: Whitetail Deer, Turkey
State(s) Hunted: MO
Utah Hunting Information
Utah has recently been outstanding for trophy elk, but the best tags take many years to draw. Utah does have conservation tags available for purchase that allow hunters to bypass the drawing. Given the high demand for these premium tags prices can be high. In the past Utah has been a top trophy mule deer state but recently only a handful of units consistently produce B&C caliber deer.
Iowa Hunting Information
Iowa is one of the best Midwestern states for monster whitetail bucks. Non-residents must apply for a tag in their annual drawing. Archery tags are the most sought after and depending on what units you apply for generally take 2-4 years to draw.
British Columbia Hunting Information
British Columbia is an excellent hunting destination that offers a wide variety of game species. Vast wilderness areas and pristine coastlines provide world class adventure hunting for those seeking that trip of a lifetime. BC is arguably best known for big coastal black bears, Canada moose, grizzly bear, mountain lion, Dall sheep and Stone sheep. Hunters can book a hunt with an outfitter and avoid the license drawing process common in most U.S. states.
