Are their any reasonably decent self guided outfits for bears or moose in Ontario that are driveable from the border?

I certainly wouldn't narrow your focus to Ontario unless you are forced to be there for other reasons.

Western and Northern Canada will offer a better experience, and much nicer scenery. It's a long ways from where you're talking, a couple thousand miles, but I offer junior guide hunts here on the North Coast BC near the Alaska border. Basically it's a hunt I've cut my profit margin out of to develop junior guides, and test new spots. Black bears and wolves we have, where the brown / grizzly bears haven't chased them out. Best spot for wolves in Canada is Northern Alberta, and Northeastern BC, if those are the focus.

Proximity is the only reason.

I have driven through your neck of the woods lots of times in my many moves to and from Alaska.

If I could find a way to make life work, I'd have stopped in the Yukon before I hit the Alaska border and put up roots.

Makes sense on the being in Ontario on other business, good luck in the search. Bear in mind, pun intended, guys like Chilcotin Hillbilly on here and Skyline run western Canadian bear hunts at rates I wouldn't be able to cover just the transport to my area for. That's no reflection on the quality of their hunts, but rather the value. I'd save the few grand you'd drop in Ontario semi guided and take a poke West personally on a trip of its own. Ontario is a pretty beaten down place, in most of the accessible areas. Your odds at a wolf will be exponentially higher out west, too. Ontario odds are slim to none, and most are genetically blended with coyote so it's not a terribly impressive trophy.

Total BS on ontario
the bear season has been closed for 15 odd years, so how has it been beten down.
truth is, the population and opportunities have nevrr been better.
and the wolves are also very very plentiful at the moment.

Many good hunts for under 2000 canadian, which the exchange rate at the moment, this is a steal.not sure if he 2 bear limit has been reinstated.

quote:

Originally posted by kuduman:
Total BS on ontario
the bear season has been closed for 15 odd years, so how has it been beten down.
truth is, the population and opportunities have nevrr been better.
and the wolves are also very very plentiful at the moment.

The spring bear season was closed not the fall one.

I agree their are a lot of bears in ONT. I visit it a couple times a year and always see bear.

The wolf population is growing they are lowing the lic fee for non resident hunters and raising the limit in some areas.

If you go to ONT. for bear you should get one wolves are bit more iffy.

Semi-guided wolf? Not likely. Semi=guided bear, keeps me in business by those who have done it. Big difference between just getting a bear and getting a really good bear.

Having said that, there are some good bear in Ontario and some good outfitters. Just make sure you stay away from the elcheapo operators who run lots of hunters and do little.

The fall and spring hunts ere closed to nonresidents.

quote:

Originally posted by kuduman:
The fall and spring hunts ere closed to nonresidents.

Can you clarify what it is you are saying here?

Looks like you are saying fall and spring hunts were closed to nonresidents.

Last I read the spring season was finally reopening after over a decade and outfitter websites do not suggest a closure to nonresidents.

It is not clear what you are getting at.

I was stating that thre was no nonresident hunting for well over a decade in ontario.
As well as residents.
the bear populaion has really exploded.
many good outfittes and success is very close to 100 percent.
again, anyone saying ontario is played out is really blowing smoke.
and with the seadon being closed or well over a decade, how cant there be older bigger bears

quote:

I was stating that thre was no nonresident hunting for well over a decade in ontario.As well as residents

I sure don't know where you are getting your information but it is not from the ONT MNR,

I shot a bear there in 98 and know several residents that have shot bears there for sure what years are you talking about.

I think you confusing the spring bear hunt shut down with the bear hunt in total.

Maybe you should take time and read the ONT GAME REGULATIONS

They show Black bear hunting for non residents and residents.

Here's a link for you.

http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Bu...on/MNR_E001275P.html

Just checked, the. Spring hunt was closed for 18 years

The Spring Bear Hunt is back
Expansion of spring pilot project brings bear hunting opportunities to 88 WMUs

A generation of hunters will soon experience something they’ve never had the opportunity to do in Ontario.

The Spring Bear Hunt is back.

The Province of Ontario announced the official expansion of the Spring Bear Hunt pilot project on Feb. 19, 2016. The expansion provides hunting opportunities in 88 Wildlife Management Units and includes the participation of non-resident hunters effective May 1.

This return of a lost opportunity serves as a reminder that things that are easily lost are not always easily returned.

The provincial government, amid pressure and propaganda from animal rights activists, originally canceled the Spring Bear Hunt in 1999. A three-year court battle ensued and the OFAH was the only group left defending the rights of black bear hunters across Ontario.

For 17 years the fight continued to have the hunt reinstated and no one worked harder in that timeframe to bring back the Spring Bear Hunt than the OFAH. Years of advocacy on this file resulted in the introduction of a pilot project two years ago and the five-year expansion of the pilot, which was initially announced in the fall of 2015 and finalized last week.

While the expansion of the Spring Bear Hunt pilot project is a huge step in the right direction, the OFAH will always push for sustainable bear management to include a spring hunt.

“We’re pleased that Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry Bill Mauro and the provincial government have recognized the value of a Spring Bear Hunt in Ontario by expanding the pilot project for another five years,” says OFAH Executive Director Angelo Lombardo. “The OFAH remains committed to ensuring that Ontario always has spring bear hunting.”

Baiting regulations announced as part of the expansion will apply to both the spring and fall seasons and will be set by distance. Bait cannot be placed within 500 metres of a residence unless written permission from the owner is obtained, while bait cannot be placed within 500 metres of a public building. Additionally, bait cannot be placed within 200 metres of a right of way for public vehicle traffic or a marked recreational trail.

“We will monitor the impact of those restrictions to ensure that they are having the desired effect without unnecessarily limiting bear hunting opportunities,” says OFAH Senior Wildlife Biologist Mark Ryckman. “We will also do our part to educate and inform hunters on these regulations.”

The Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters is Ontario’s largest, non-profit, fish and wildlife conservation-based organization, representing 100,000 members, subscribers and supporters and 725 member clubs. For more information visit www.ofah.org/springbearhunt and follow us on Facebook (ofah.org/facebook) and Twitter (@ofah).

quote:

Originally posted by kuduman:
Total BS on ontario
the bear season has been closed for 15 odd years, so how has it been beten down.
truth is, the population and opportunities have nevrr been better.
and the wolves are also very very plentiful at the moment.

Fair enough, perhaps "beaten down" was harsh, but you have to understand the angle I'm viewing Ontario from. Have you hunted BC in either season for bears? Also, the Ontario spring hunt closure was politically motivated, and black bear hunting in Ontario has been going steady in the fall nonetheless.

Now given I recommended the West over Ontario and you called BS, here's why. BC is home to fully a quarter of all Canada's black bears ( http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/wld/documents/blackbear.pdf ) and well over half its grizzlies, despite being only one of ten provinces and three territories. The density of bears here is such that in a few hours flying in spring you can see several dozen bears, even the best of Ontario doesn't come close. There's no bait here, it's illegal and just the same unnecessary, there's no need to concentrate them.

So that's what I'm comparing against when I make a likely all too harsh statement such as "beaten down". Western wolves are also far more plentiful (not something we're proud of, there are helicopter culls running as this is typed), and a larger strain, as there is no red wolf / coyote blend here. Also a bit of a reality check for a wolf hunt, expect maybe low single digit odds of success as a travelling hunter out east hoping to connect with one on a one week hunt. Even out West where there are exponentially more wolves, that hunt is no gimme.

If wolf is a serious trophy goal, look West. If you're happy with a small chance at one as an add on, that's swell and Ontario will work. Essentially all areas in Canada will offer better bear hunting than the continental US, just the same not all areas of Canada are equal either. No BS, just reality, an operation like Skyline's moving West of Ontario would be my pick, especially at the prices he can offer. If pulling out the stops and after the wildest experience, go all the way West to BC.

Hi Angus,
How do you rate Wolf numbers / opportunities in the coastal Black Bear area of your concession ?
Wolf is high on my wish list.

We have tons, and easier to spot than most areas as they cruise the beaches. I'm located literally where Miley Cyrus flew to recently to share her informed opinion on our wolf cull program. I'll be dead honest however to actually connect is a serious challenge. I shoot my bag limit each year but I spend an awful lot of time out there too.

How a fellow can shoot in a hurry makes a big difference, as they'll hesitate for a few seconds to figure you out, then high tail it usually from a few hundred yards. Something like a .270 shooting the 110gr TTSX sighted in at 300 would be the ticket if really specifically after a wolf. Then you're +/- the height of a playing card all the way to 350, point and click.

There are angles we can work if wolf is the focus, as the style of hunt should be really tailored to them if that's the goal. To summarize in one sentence, it's among the best places to do it and still extremely challenging, and definitely combine with a species we can reliably get like a bear, Sitka deer, or mountain goat. They're very crafty and wary, much as I hate to give them credit.

quote:

They're very crafty and wary

Yes, absolutely correct. Was dying to see Wolves on two trips to BC. Had the tags. Saw a million Wolf tracks, heard far distant howling, but never laid eyes on one. Finally, last year in the Frank Church in Idaho, found a pack high on a face, way across the other side of a big creek. Crows perched in the tree branches above. Too far for a shot. Watched the big white alpha dog sidle across the face to rejoin the pack. Almost emotional watching that boy with feelings of fear and admiration.
I really want to hunt a Wolf. It would be a hunting highlight to meet that cahllenge.
Talking later to the outfitter he told me Idaho F&G found that pack and attached radio collars. After our hunt they had moved miles across the Salmon River. We were really lucky to be in the right place at the right time.
Something to cover when we discuss Black Bear down the road.

Look forward to that hunt 'king, black bears and wolves fit together pretty well in my territory. Each of them beachcombs and the boat and ocean lets us cruise long stretches of it in a day.

I grew up in Ontario, and did a lot of bear hunting there for 25+ years. There are plenty of bears, and plenty of outfitters offering hunts. The typical bear shot is small, the hunts are all over bait, and I found the experience less and less satisfying as I grew older. I shot a huge bear in Quebec (not over bait), and that was it; I lost interest in bear hunting in Ontario, especially since they were a fall-hunt-only proposition since, I think, '98. Too much other stuff to hunt in the fall.

In recent years I moved to Manitoba, and have spent considerable time working in the western provinces, including most of one year in BC. I'll put it simply: Angus has hit the nail on the head; kuduman has missed the mark completely. There are more bears, and bigger bears, infinitely more attractive scenery and an overall highly superior experience in the west. In my own province of Manitoba, as well as in Saskatchewan and Alberta, there is a high percentage of colour-phase bears, which is another huge bonus to me. Ontario bears are invariably black.

Wolves in Ontario are more commonly shot now than a few decades ago, but they are small and not particularly impressive as trophies. There was a hunt report on AR a few years back about an outfitter in Ontario who offered some interesting winter hunts targeting wolves. Sorry, I forget the poster's name, but he was an AR regular. Maybe a search would turn up something?

Angus, that snapshot you posted of the wolf and hunter is not up to your normally impeccable photography standards...but WOW! The critter itself makes up for that!

These are on the coast, and BC in general doesn't disappoint. Jwm you underlined many important points, a lot of folks book a hunt based purely on price, and you can drastically short change yourself doing that. Why sit over a barrel when you can be ripping up turquoise water in a jet boat through rainforest, with a bear density FAR higher, and really for not that much more.

Same goes for Wolves out west. You'll pay a bit more, but have a real chance of getting a big dog down and a lot more pictures to share and enjoy in the years that follow.

As client or outfitter I see hunts as experiences, not an expedition to kill one particular animal. The hunt's lost as soon as it becomes about waiting and pulling a trigger, as those aren't the stories you can tell your grandkids. An out west adventure, you bloody well can! It's more expensive by far for us to operate as outfitters in the West, and those costs trickle down however they are worth it several times over.

It's like Africa... Tanzania vs RSA. Both are hunts, both can be good, but which one would you rather tell the kids about for decades?

Guys like Skyline and Skinner Creek can strike a balance I struggle to, on western bears and experiences for really very little different than Ontario prices. My area's so obscenely remote and large there's no cheap way to do it, but that's not the market I target either as it's just not feasible here.

Trapped NW Alberta wolf from a colleague's trap line last season for reference on Western dogs.