2019 GUIDED ONTARIO BLACK BEAR HUNT REPORT
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2019 Spring BEAR HUNT
The 2019 spring Ontario black bear hunting season started off more challenging than any season we had experienced before. Winter simply did not want to leave, creating difficult conditions for preparing bait sites and getting ready for our guided spring bear hunts.
A Late Spring and Challenging Preparation
Snow stayed on the ground much longer than normal, and the depth of the snow made getting bait into many locations extremely difficult.
Instead of being able to drive to most bait sites, I had to walk the bait in by hand.
It sounds crazy, but I always tell hunters that I have bait sites ready a month before the season begins — and I have to stick to my word!
The cold, snowy conditions meant bait activity started slower than usual, but that was completely expected. As the hunt approached, things began to improve and bear activity started increasing.
One thing that stood out when everyone arrived was how unusual the spring conditions were. The bugs were only just beginning to appear, when normally they are already active and continue getting worse throughout the two-week hunt.
Over the years, I have learned that the worse the bugs are, the better the bear hunting tends to be.
This year felt like spring was delayed by at least two weeks. The leaves were not even out yet, making the woods look and feel much different than a typical Ontario spring bear hunt.
Week One: Tough Conditions but Plenty of Bear Encounters
During the first week of our 2019 spring black bear hunt, we hosted nine hunters.
As usual with spring bear hunting in Ontario, rain was part of the equation. Some days were worse than others, and we have learned over the years that rainy conditions usually make bear movement much slower.
The first bear of the season was harvested on the third evening, and activity continued improving as the week went on.
Out of the nine hunters:
Eight hunters saw bears
Seven hunters successfully harvested or had shooting opportunities
Unfortunately, two wounded bears were not recovered.
The largest bear harvested during the first week weighed approximately 200 pounds.
Week Two: A Strong Finish
The second group arrived to much better weather conditions. The bugs still had not reached the levels we normally expect, but that would soon change.
The group had an unexpected start to their trip when they arrived later than planned after being turned around at the border.
The reason?
Their ATV was covered in mud, and officials were concerned there could be insects or foreign material in the mud entering Canada. They had to find a car wash in the middle of the night and clean the ATV before continuing their journey.
After being awake for nearly 24 hours, they were understandably exhausted — but they were still ready to hunt!
The first bear of the week was harvested on the second day.
After that, things slowed down until the final day.
And that is why you never give up.
The second bear was harvested at 4:30 p.m., and the third bear came in with only minutes of daylight remaining. The hunt was not over, though, and we recovered the bear successfully the following morning.
The week finished with a perfect 3-for-3 success rate, with the largest bear just over 200 pounds.
By the end of the hunt, the bugs had finally arrived in full force, and everyone was more than happy to finish the season and get out of the woods!
Another Unforgettable Ontario Spring Bear Hunt
The 2019 spring season was a perfect reminder that every bear hunt is different. Weather, snow, bugs, and bear movement can all change from year to year, but that unpredictability is what makes hunting such a rewarding experience.
Despite the challenges, our hunters experienced incredible moments, harvested quality black bears, and created memories that will last a lifetime.
At Wild North Outfitters, we provide more than just a guided Ontario spring black bear hunt. We provide a true wilderness adventure filled with wildlife encounters, friendships, and stories that hunters will be sharing for years.
Wild North Outfitters — Come as a customer. Leave as a friend.
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2019 FALL BEAR HUNT
Every black bear hunting season is different, and the 2019 Ontario fall bear season reminded us that Mother Nature always has the final say.
Preparing for the Fall Bear Season
August looked almost perfect leading up to opening day.
Unlike many previous years, the weather was dominated by warm temperatures, calm winds, and sunny skies. Rain was scarce, falling only a handful of times, and usually overnight.
Natural food sources were plentiful throughout the bush. There was an excellent berry crop, including raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries. However, because of the dry summer, many of the berries remained much smaller than normal.
Despite the abundance of natural food, our bait sites stayed extremely active throughout August. Nearly every bait was being visited consistently, giving us plenty of confidence heading into the season.
As opening day approached, acorns also began falling, but fortunately they didn't appear to affect bear activity. Trail cameras continued to show excellent daytime movement, and expectations were high for another outstanding Ontario black bear hunting season.
Unfortunately, Mother Nature had other plans.
Rain Changes Everything
The long-range forecast predicted colder temperatures along with several days of rain. To make matters worse, the remnants of a hurricane moving north from the Bahamas brought even more wet weather during our two-week hunt.
Everything pointed toward an exciting opening day.
Instead, the bears had different ideas.
Although several hunters saw bears—including one impressive 300-pound-plus boar that never offered an ethical shot opportunity for a bowhunter—not a single bear was harvested on opening day.
When we checked our trail cameras, the reason quickly became apparent.
Many of the bears that had been moving regularly during daylight hours suddenly shifted to becoming almost entirely nocturnal as soon as hunting pressure began.
Week One Results
The first bear of the season was harvested on the second day, but overall hunting remained slower than expected.
Rather than experiencing the exciting multi-bear evenings we'd enjoyed in previous years, success came one bear at a time.
One memorable highlight did occur, however.
For the first time in our twelve years of operating Wild North Outfitters, we successfully harvested two black bears during steady rain—something we'd rarely seen happen before.
By the end of Week One:
19 hunters attended camp
15 hunters had shot opportunities
9 hunters successfully harvested black bears
While not the success rate we had hoped for, everyone remained positive knowing they had experienced genuine fair-chase hunting under difficult conditions.
Week Two
Our second group of seven hunters arrived with renewed optimism.
A brief stretch of pleasant weather before their arrival gave us hope that bear movement would improve. However, rain returned once again, accompanied by a bright full moon that seemed to push several bears back into nighttime activity.
There were still exciting moments throughout the week.
One hunter passed up a smaller bear on opening night after spotting an even larger boar approaching, hoping for the opportunity at the bigger bear.
Another hunter enjoyed multiple evenings watching a sow with two cubs along with another mature bear visiting the bait.
Late in the week, two bears were hit during evening hunts. Following our standard policy of waiting until daylight whenever blood trails are limited, both were tracked the next morning.
Unfortunately, despite an extensive search, neither bear was recovered.
On the final day of the hunt, one additional bear was harvested and successfully recovered.
Week Two concluded with:
7 hunters
4 hunters seeing bears
3 hunters shooting
1 recovered black bear
The largest bear harvested during the season weighed 155 pounds, which was disappointing considering the significantly larger bears we'd photographed on our trail cameras throughout the summer.
Sometimes That's Hunting
Looking back, 2019 was undoubtedly the most challenging fall bear season we had experienced since opening Wild North Outfitters in 2008.
The frustrating part wasn't a lack of bears.
Our trail cameras captured plenty of mature black bears moving during daylight throughout the preseason. Once hunting began, however, many of those same bears dramatically changed their movement patterns and simply refused to cooperate.
That's one of the realities of hunting truly wild animals.
No outfitter can control the weather, natural food sources, or how bears respond to changing conditions. While every season doesn't produce record harvest numbers, every season teaches us something new and reminds us why hunting remains both challenging and rewarding.
Most importantly, our guests understood exactly that.
Despite the difficult conditions, everyone enjoyed their time in camp, shared great meals, made lasting friendships, and appreciated the experience of hunting Ontario's beautiful wilderness.
Looking Ahead
In true Murphy's Law fashion, the very day our final hunters headed home, the weather immediately changed.
The rain disappeared.
Sunny skies returned.
And the beautiful fall weather continued for more than a week.
Sometimes that's just how hunting goes.
We'd like to extend a sincere thank you to everyone who hunted with us during the 2019 Ontario fall black bear season, as well as to Tina, Gary, Charlotte, Jim, Mary, and Tony for all of their hard work behind the scenes.
Every season brings new lessons, and we were already looking forward to getting back into the woods the following year.