2012 GUIDED ONTARIO BLACK BEAR HUNT REPORT
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2012 Fall Bear hunt
A Challenging Season in the Ontario Wilderness
It is hard to believe the 2012 Ontario black bear hunting season has already come and gone. Looking back, this is a season that will not soon be forgotten.
Every year of guided black bear hunting in Ontario brings its own challenges, and 2012 was a perfect reminder that no matter how much preparation goes into a hunt, nature always has the final say.
The bears seemed to have a plan of their own, and Mother Nature added another challenge when the acorns began falling throughout the hunting area. What should have been a highly productive season quickly turned into a learning experience as the bears changed their patterns and became much harder to predict.
A Season Full of Bear Encounters
During the week, a total of 21 bears were seen by our hunters.
Several experienced hunters had exciting encounters but chose to pass on bears or simply did not get the clear shot opportunity they were looking for. Out of the 12 hunters in camp, only two did not have an opportunity at a bear—both were experienced hunters who had successfully harvested great bears with us in previous years.
We also had six trail cameras running throughout the hunting area, capturing photos and videos of some impressive black bears. Unfortunately, the biggest bears we were watching never presented the right opportunity during the season.
Learning From Nature's Challenges
After the hunting season ended, I stayed until the end of September completing work around camp and continued monitoring one bait site that had not been hunted.
The results were interesting.
During August, this bait had consistent bear activity with multiple bears visiting regularly. However, once the acorns began falling, the bears disappeared from the bait as they focused on this natural food source.
It was not until the end of September that the bears returned, with six different bears visiting the bait during daylight hours on a regular basis.
This experience reinforced an important lesson that every bear hunter learns—the woods are always changing, and the bears will naturally choose the food source that provides the greatest reward.
Looking Back on the 2012 Bear Hunting Season
While 2012 was not the season we hoped for based on the amount of preparation and bear activity leading up to the hunt, it was another valuable year in the woods.
Every season teaches us something new. These challenges help us improve, adapt, and continue providing the best possible guided Ontario black bear hunting experience for our guests.
The unpredictability is part of what makes hunting special. You can prepare, scout, and work hard, but at the end of the day, the bear and the wilderness always have the final say.
We look forward to taking those lessons into future seasons and continuing to create unforgettable memories at Wild North Outfitters.