I've been planning a woodland caribou hunt for a while, and am getting a very favorable impression of Pine Ridge Lodge. However, that stems from the Lodge's promotional materials/website and contact with the operator. I'm going to contact some of the listed references, but would like to hear from someone who's been there, but isn't listed as a reference (as I doubt that any business owner would list a reference who isn't likely to give a glowing review).

I'm planning to book--if I book with them--in the next couple of weeks, so all responses would be appreciated.

I've been checking into Newfoundland outfitters as well since I can drive up to Nova Scotia (15 hours) and take the ferry over. There's lots of beautiful scenery up the west coast I'd like to check out including Gros Morne Park. There seems to be a bit of a vacuum of information about hunting newfoundland. I think they mostly get suburban canadian hunters from the more populated areas of southern Quebec. Big bear, woodland 'bou and lots of moose, I am thinking of going up for a bear hunt this spring spot and stalk just to check the place out without dropping too much coin first. I just bought a book entitled Adventure guide to atlantic canada which may help get a feel for the place and am thinking on contacting some fellow Land Rover enthusiasts up there through their club websites to get some local knowledge and maybe do some trail rides while visiting.

Gros Morne Park

I didn't hunt with the outfit you mention but Newfoundland
is one of my favorite hunting trips.
I hunted with Joe Peddle.
I'm thinking of taking my nephew there.

Jeff

PS FLY
the drive and 8 hour ferry ride bites

I'm probably not much help here but I hunted with joe peddle too, several years ago though. If he's still in business I wouldn't even consider anyone else. If not find out who has his area, it was the best in the country.

KevinNY,

I am looking at Newfoundland as well. It is very reasonable traveling distance for me from New Hampshire and as you mentioned offers combo hunts for black bear, woodland caribou and moose. I love the idea of the spot and stalk black bear hunts and the price for the various hunts is right. I am trying to convince my brother to do a spot & stalk bear hunt with me...

Collecting info is a bit of a challenge. It seems eveyone I ask knows nothing about hunting in NF. Maybe one of those "best kept secrets" type of places? I will have to check out the reviews for NF hunts on SCI's website.


The link below has most of the outfitters I have looked at this past year. Sorry, I can't be a help choosing outfitters.

Newfoundland Outfitters


Regards,
Dave

Looks like I'm not the only one having trouble getting hard info on Newfoundland outfitters.

One website that did have some information was

http://www.huntinfo.com/reviews/outfitter_reviews.php3?sort=date&state_filter=&outfitter_search=&submit_action=Go

I have no idea how reliable it is, and it's more or less pot-luck whether an outfitter that you're looking for is listed, but it's something.

Thanks to those who answered.

Kevin,NY
I did alot of research for hunting in NFLD last year.Myself and 2 uncles are going in 2006 for moose,caribou and bear in different combos.We booked with moose country adventures which is in the NW part of NFLD.The outfit is located in the arm that goes up from the island.The areas for moose & caribou have some the highest success rates and their not alot of outfitters (only 3).I got in contact with a wildlife manager for NFLD and he recommended the areas for which I look for an outfit to hunt.NFLD has a web site that list # of permits per area and success rate and populations.I don't have any info because I gave it to my uncle.But all you have to is search the web on NFLD and you should be able to find all th info I did,thats how I found everything.I also hunted there 2000 for black bear with owls nest lodge,didn't get one or see one but alot of sign.They hunt in central NFLD.Read alot of negative reports about them on different forums and thats why we didn't book with them again.If you have any question,ask if I can answer them I will.

Kevin,
I just went on a moose/bear hunt in NF this past year and it was great. My party saw a bunch of BIG bears. I was the only hunter who didn't see any and unfortunately I was the only hunter who bought a tag. We did end up with 4 good moose though. I went with Woodland Lodges and our contact was Kevin Decker 709-243-2150. It was my first itme there but the group ahead of us had been hunting with him for the past 8 years and are not planning to end their streak. I plan on booking with him again as well. He hasn't done much with the spring bear hunts in the past, but I have heard he is trying to give it a jump start so I thinks his rates will be very reasonable

TimNY,

I have the brochure from Moose Country Adventures, looks like a good option, I like that they are way up north away from most of the population.

Fisherhahn,

Is he a relation of Ross Decker from Moose Country? I left him a message today.

KevinNY

KevinNY
Tuckamore Lodge and 1 other operation hunt the same areas.But they are $1500.00-$2000.00
more for the same hunts.My uncle and myself checked out the references and a couple were repeat customers,but they all saw alot of moose and caribou,not many bear.They started baiting for bear this past fall to improve sightings.They are also building a new lodge in a different area,hopefully it will be open when we go and I requested there if it up and running.I had 6 hunters and he gave us 10% off and when 3 of them backed out he still gave the discount.

As a long time resident of Newfoundland and hunter maybe I can be of some help here...

Can't help people with lodges etc. as I'm just a local!, but can give a few pointers.

1. Newfoundland is BIG--it is often drawn at reduced scale on road maps as there aren't many roads. It is 600 miles from Port-aux-Basques to St. John's. It is also not far from that--about 400 miles--getting up the Northern Peninsula (though most of the moose areas, at least, are not _all_ the way up). Don't even think about freeway speeds off the Trans Canada. You probably won't get a ticket, but you will be in the ditch.

2. Marketing, as most have noticed, is poor. This is for lots of reasons, but mainly organization and money, of course.

3. At present there is NO Sunday hunting on the island (not sure about Labrador--I think it may be OK there). Factor this in to your plans.

4. I assume most have visited http://www.gov.nl.ca/tourism/iconmenu/huntfish/default.htm for the official government site. Another good pub with lots of data on success rates (of resident licenses) is http://www.gov.nl.ca/env/wildlife/publications/2004huntguide.pdf Note that the success rates are by licenses issued, not by hunters who actually hunted. I would estimate moose success at about 2/3 for city hunters who have limited time, but put in some serious effort like a long weekend + a day or two, up to essentially 100% for rural residents who spend a couple of weeks in the woods. Caribou would be even higher. Over the last 25 years, I have filled my caribou tags at 85% including some years where I only had 2 Saturdays available and was hunting less desireable, but close, areas, and a couple of years I had a license but had to eat it . There is also some good info at http://www.newfoundlandoutdoors.net .


5. There are a number of fly-in lodges and others that are along forest roads. #2 can be over some pretty rough terrain.

6. Newfoundland is basically a moose yard. BUT, moose hunting is basically considered a right locally (there are no deer at all on the island and precious few in Labrador). There is a goodly amount of hunting pressure in areas that are easily reached, but the population of the entire island is only 500K and are spread out through the use of a lottery by areas. So that doesn't translate into what would be considered "pressure" by most of you, I would think. Additionally, _most_ (i.e., 75%-plus...really) of Newfoundland is NOT easily reached. Lodges tend to take advantage of this fact (as well they should) by capitalizing on flyin locations, access by ATV from already fairly remote locations, and the like. You just don't need to go very far to get to wilderness. There are 2 fairly large herds of caribou within 100 miles of St. John's, for example. There are beavers and beaver dams in some hard to reach areas literally 1/2 mile from the main streets of St. John's (on a saddle land about 500 ft straight up with no road into it).

7. I hunt caribou as I teach at a university and can't take too much time off in the fall. There are many, many trophy caribou for the taking. Be careful about the rut season if you're interested in meat. Male caribou can be really rank at the peak.

8. The subspecies of black bear here is very large and the local hunting pressure minimal--bear licenses are practically given away to residents and there is no area lottery. Even at that they are hardly used. There is just no history of bear hunting here, basically. Again, I'm not sure of the ratio of trophies, but I do know that patches for bears over 500 pounds are given out by Wildlife. Biologists have tagged many over 600 and one that was almost 700 pounds!!! That's a big black bear.

9. By all accounts moose _trophies_ are not as common, even though moose, as I said, are. They are almost a nuisance in some areas: what a moose can do to a cabbage patch in a night is not a pretty sight.

10. Newfoundland is one of the most beautiful places on the planet in my personal opinion. And growing up in the USAF, I've been around a goodly portion of North America. That includes geography and culture. You should love it here.

jgnfld

Very helpful & informative post. Thanks for taking the time!

Kamo Gari

anyone wanting to hunt newfoundland for moose, caribou and black bear --call ron hicks at 709-489-3017 or

snowshoe@nf.sympatico.ca

i have hunted w/this outfitter since 1998 and am well pleased with the results. in fact i will be hunting w/him in sept., 2005. good rates and excellent service . if more info. is required--e-mail me --
cdhunt@blazenet.net.

or call me 717-637-1365. if ytou contact ron tell him don hertz give you info. --it may get you a better rate.