Hunting Bear in Ontario for the first time.

[Lambo119]

My three hunting buddies and I have booked a black bear hunt with fishing included in lower central Ontario for fall. August 18-25 to be exact. This is opening weekend for black bear in Ontario. We will be hunting mostly bait that will be started in mid June. The locals call this area sun set country if that rings a bell with anyone if not the closest town is Vermilion Bay. I am wondering if anyone has been hunting in or close to the area and if so share the pros and cons. I have hunted bear in Idaho before but I just really do not know what to expect. Any input on weather, bear population or advise would be helpful.

I have been told that the bears will not be large in the area and a five foot bear seems to be about what to expect.

 

[Sunray]

Vermilion Bay is not in lower central Ontario. It's between Kenora and Dryden, Ontario. That's Northwest Ontario. North of Duluth, Minnesota.
Be prepared for any weather. Not likely much cold or any snow though. Mosquitoes and black flies the size of B-52's. No snakes to worry about up that way. They can't compete with the mossies and black flies.
Hunter orange vest/jacket and a hat is required. Minimum of 400 Sq In. above the waist. No orange camouflage is allowed.
A male can run between 250 and 600 lbs. A sow, 100 to 400lbs.
Don't forget to deal with our firearms importation laws. (Don't even think about bringing ANY handguns.) Go here for what you MUST do to bring firearms/ammo into Canada. It'll cost you $85 for the firearm paperwork. Don't do it and you'll be turned back at the border. If you intend taking any part of any bear you kill home, you'll need an Ontario export permit($35) and likely a USDA import permit as well.
The non-resident bear hunting licence is $180 if your outfitter's fees don't cover it(most do not). There's a bear licence validation certificate too, but that comes from your outfitter. All figures are in Canadian dollars.
http://www.cfc-cafc.gc.ca/factsheets/visitin_e.asp
You might find this site useful too. http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/mnr/fwmenu.html
While your outfitter will likely deal with it, but just having a bear's gallbladder in your possession is illegal.

 

[Grumulkin]

You also need to go to U.S. Customs and complete the form they have to prove that the rifle(s) you take are really yours or they won't let them back in.

Ontario black flies and mosquitos are incredible. I used a head net and DEET and I still had crusts of blood on my face when I came in from the stand. Have fun...

 

[Liberty1776]

I go fishing in that area a lot... bugs, bugs, bugs, bugs, bugs, bugs, bugs... and don't expect a long shot. A Win 94, 30-30 with regualr open sights will be perfect. in my humble opinion, of course.

 

[Lambo119]

Thanks!

Thanks for the info. I was aware of the CAFC 909 form to import firearms into Canada for sporting use but never thought about paperwork for return to the U.S.!!! I have already been warned that the bugs would be horrible but am willing to risk it to hunt opening weekend. Don't know it this is a good or bad decision on my part. Thanks Sunray I did error in the description of location now that I have looked on my atlas. As you seem to be familiar with the location do they have a good bear population in the area? THANKS AGAIN FOR THE INFO!!! Lambo

 

[Sunray]

"...seem to be familiar with the location..." I'm not even close to there. I'm in London, Ont. About an hour East of Port Huron, MI. Just did some on line research for you. However, Yogi is rather plentiful all over Ontario. Some people blame the closing of the Spring Bear season. Our Natural Resources types estimate that there are 75,000 to 100,000 black bears up here.
Taking 500 mcg of B12 every day for a week or so before you come and while you're here, will help keep the mossies away from you. And if you get bit by one, the itch goes away in a few minutes. Helps a bit with the black flies too, but they actually take a chunk out of your hide.

 

[Lambo119]

Sunray, Thanks again for the info. I will take your advise on the B12. I will post some pictures if successfull. Lambo...

 

[Aries-]

thats WAY WAY up north. id say thats a 2 hour beaver airlines trip. or a 8+ hour car ride there from toronto.(probably 3 hours from sudbury aswell)

your gonna want some good mosquitoe repelent otherwise your gonna get carried away by skeeters. oh and blackflies .

hope you have fun. never been bear hunting. id LOVE to try it. but no money for one. and where i live there are no blackbears.

if you dont get bit by skeeters much. you will want to bring something to try and soothe the itch. ive gt relatives from england that come visit. they dont have them there. so when they get bit here. they swell up like a baloon.

lots of different things keep skeeters away. some say banana's (i think they have b12 in them) others say garlic and such. i dont each much of eather and they hate me lol. hope this all helps. seems to be info that others have posted already but it may reinforce stuff

 

[Lambo119]

I am starting to get worried about the bugs. Sounds like they have skeeters the size of bald eagles up there! lol... I was recomended to purchase a thermo cell? Unsure of the spelling but has anyone used one and if so are they worth it?

 

[Sunray]

"...skeeters the size of bald eagles..." Hi. Our mossies and black flies kick bald eagles outta their nests and fight over who gets the eaglets.
Depending on how wet the spring will be and how dry the summer, you may or may not need to worry about them. If there's standing water in the bush in May, June and July, there'll be lots of 'em. Dry bush means fewer. Keep an eye on the weather around Thunder Bay, Ont. http://weatheroffice.gc.ca/canada_e.html
I'd be buying one of those bug jackets and a hat with the netting. Cabela's sells them but I suspect there are better prices elsewhere.
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...76&parentType=category&cmCat=MainCatcat470076
Even in the worst years, the mossies, usually, only show themselves in the bush and for about two hours at dusk.
Aries, where are you that you have no black bears? Just curious.

 

[Oohrah]

Spent a lot of time in the late 50's in the southern part from
International Falls east to where the tip on Minnesota ends.
Bugs the biggest peast. Take clothes for cold even if ya don't use
them. Most of the land there is flat and shots short. I would be
first concerned having all firearms matters taken care of well before,
and dot your i and cross the ts. If it were me, I would leave the
handgun home. It maybe that each Providence has their own laws
and I'm not certain what each entails, but your guides will. Might
want to throw in a fishing pole with your gear!

 

[Lambo119]

Thanks again for all the info. Sunray would a 12ga with # 2's be enough to bring down one of your skeeters? Or should I take the 10?

 

[eidsvolling]

I was born in Duluth and grew up canoeing and camping in the Boundary Waters area that straddles the MN-ON border near your hunt.

Blackflies and mosquitoes will be the least of your worries at that time of year. The blackflies will have diminished some by then, and the mosquitoes can be dealt with fairly easily.

It's the deerflies and horseflies that you will long remember. How can you tell the difference between deerflies and horseflies? Horseflies can bite through denim. You may think I'm kidding -- you'll know I'm not in August.

Bring tightly-knit, long sleeved shirts that you can close at the neck and sit in comfortably in mid-August heat. A good example of the fabric is a Filson Safari cloth shirt. Bring pants that are tightly-knit. Bring a bug headnet. Bring a hat that will keep the headnet off your ears and off your face. Bring gloves.

Your biggest problem on this hunt is coping with the heat while keeping the bugs off your skin.