2025 GUIDED ONTARIO BLACK BEAR HUNT REPORT
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2025 Spring BEAR HUNT
Another Memorable Spring Black Bear Hunting Season in Ontario
After an incredible fall 2024 bear hunting season, expectations were high heading into our 2025 spring black bear hunt in Ontario. Before the first hunter arrived, there were already countless hours invested behind the scenes preparing for another successful season.
It was hard to believe April had arrived and it was already time to return to camp. With new hunting areas added to our Bear Management Area (BMA), there was plenty of work to complete, including establishing new bait sites, maintaining trails, and preparing hunting locations throughout our wilderness hunting area near Algonquin Park.
I arrived on Easter Monday to begin preparations. As expected, there was still plenty of snow remaining in the bush, making access along some trails challenging. The annual spring trail maintenance had begun, clearing winter damage and getting everything ready before the season started.
For the 2025 spring season, we hosted four weeks of fully guided Ontario black bear hunts, with hunters rotating through different areas and hunting fresh bait sites each week. Starting more than a month before our guests arrived, bait sites were carefully maintained and monitored. It would take several days just to complete the rounds, and as hunters approached their arrival dates, bait sites were checked and refreshed every few days, eventually becoming daily work once hunting began.
The results we achieve at Wild North Outfitters come from the effort put in before anyone arrives at camp. The miles travelled, hours spent maintaining sites, and preparation behind the scenes are what create opportunities once hunters step into the woods.
Week One: A Challenging Start With Weather
As is common with spring bear hunting in Ontario, the season started slowly. As the weeks progressed, more insects emerged, vegetation increased, and bears transitioned from feeding heavily on spring greens to more consistent food sources.
Our first group arrived on May 17th with three hunters ready to begin their adventure. Jeff and Henry were fortunate enough to harvest their bears early, but shortly afterward the weather changed dramatically.
Heavy rain arrived and lasted for five straight days. Temperatures even dropped below freezing, and we experienced snowfall during the hunt—something I had never personally experienced during one of our spring bear seasons.
The weather slowed bear movement significantly, but we stayed patient and continued hunting hard. Ralph remained positive throughout the week, staying comfortable and dry in the ground blind and hoping for a break in the weather that would get bears moving again. Unfortunately, it never happened, and he finished the week without seeing a bear.
That is hunting. Sometimes everything comes together, and sometimes Mother Nature has other plans.
Week Two: New Memories and Great Bear Hunting Experiences
The second week started with unexpected news. One of our groups received heartbreaking family news just hours before leaving for camp. We told them not to worry and worked together to move their hunt to our fourth week where we could accommodate them.
During week two, we hosted seven hunters and finished with four successful bear harvests.
Matt, Lewis, Steve, and Ty were able to fill their tags after some exciting hunts. One memorable recovery involved tracking a wounded bear and, in the process, finding a lost cellphone from the previous day. With everyone working together, both the bear and the phone were recovered the following morning.
Ty had one of the standout bears of the week, harvesting a beautiful 290-pound black bear with impressive white chest markings. Using a crossbow, he made an excellent shot, and the bear was recovered quickly. Getting a mature bear out of the Ontario wilderness often takes teamwork, and this recovery was no exception.
While some hunters filled their tags, others experienced the highs and lows that make bear hunting so special. Carl had multiple bear encounters, including a sow with two cubs and another bear that did not provide a shot opportunity. Tanner unfortunately experienced the difficult side of hunting, going two full trips without harvesting a bear despite putting in the time and effort.
Week Three: Incredible Memories in the Ontario Wilderness
Week three brought eleven hunters into camp, and the action started immediately.
Four bears were harvested on the first day alone. Randy filled his tag before I had even finished dropping off the rest of the hunters at their hunting locations.
Some of the most memorable moments came from father-and-son experiences. Ricardo and his son Axdel shared an incredible hunt together. While Ricardo was resting in the blind, Axdel spotted the bear approaching, woke his father, and Ricardo made an excellent bow shot. Moments like these are exactly why we love what we do.
Robert also filled his tag early in the week, and Mark harvested the biggest bear of the week at 220 pounds after patiently spending many hours watching his bait site.
John showed why persistence matters. On the final evening of his hunt, I checked in with him around 8:30 p.m., and he responded that nothing was happening. Seven minutes later, he sent another message saying he had harvested his bear. It truly is never over until the last minute.
Several hunters experienced incredible encounters, including Greg and Rob, who both had opportunities but chose to wait for the right bear. Dennis, a returning guest with many successful hunts over the years, summed it up perfectly—seeing new hunters experience the excitement of harvesting their first bear is just as rewarding.
Week Four: A Spring Bear Hunt Finale We Won’t Forget
The final week started with eight excited hunters arriving at camp. After watching trail camera activity leading up to their arrival, expectations were extremely high.
The forecast predicted heavy rain for opening day, but thankfully the weather cooperated.
The action started quickly.
Jordan harvested the first bear of the week before 5 p.m. Shortly afterward, messages started coming in—Vern had filled his tag, Ethan had harvested a giant bear, and Dan followed with another successful hunt.
The night became one we will remember for a long time. Two of the bears were exceptionally large, weighing approximately 420 pounds and 390 pounds. Pictures truly do not show the size and scale of these incredible animals.
Getting these bears out of the Ontario wilderness required a full team effort, with several people working together late into the night.
The success continued throughout the week. Jeremy, Kevin, Darryl, and Daniel all completed their hunts, creating a perfect ending to our 2025 spring season.
Thank You to Our Hunters and Team
We want to sincerely thank everyone who travelled to hunt with Wild North Outfitters during the 2025 spring black bear hunting season.
Every season creates new stories, new friendships, and memories that last a lifetime. The success of our hunts is not only because of the work done in the woods but also because of the incredible team behind the scenes.
From preparing meals, helping with transportation, recovering animals, and making camp feel like home, everyone plays an important role in creating the Wild North Outfitters experience.
It won't be long before we are back in the woods preparing for another season of guided Ontario black bear hunts.
The machines will be waiting, the bait sites will be ready, and we will be looking forward to welcoming both returning guests and new hunters chasing the Ghost of the Woods.
Wild North Outfitters — Come as a customer. Leave as a friend.
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2025 Fall BEAR HUNT
A Memorable Fall Black Bear Hunting Season in Madawaska, Ontario
At Wild North Outfitters, the fall black bear hunting season in Ontario never truly begins on opening day. The work starts weeks earlier, long before the first hunter arrives at camp.
A full month before the season opened, we were already deep in the bush preparing for another year of guided Ontario black bear hunts. Bait sites were being maintained, trails were brushed, equipment was checked, and countless hours were spent making sure everything was ready for our guests.
Those early mornings, long drives, and miles travelled through the wilderness are all part of what goes into creating the hunting experience our guests have come to expect. Success in bear hunting is built through preparation, patience, and hard work before anyone ever sits in a blind.
Two Weeks of Ontario Black Bear Hunting Adventures
When the 2025 fall bear season finally arrived, camp quickly came alive.
Over the course of two weeks, Wild North Outfitters welcomed 27 hunters to our hunting camp in Madawaska, Ontario. From the first morning, the excitement was obvious as old friends returned and new friendships began.
Most days followed the rhythm that makes a fall bear hunt so special. Mornings were spent relaxing around camp, sharing stories over coffee, enjoying great meals, and preparing for the evening hunt. In the afternoon, hunters headed into the woods for their guided black bear hunting experience, settling into their blinds and waiting for the Ghost of the Woods to appear.
Those quiet moments in the forest—the sun dropping through the trees, the sounds of nature settling down, and the anticipation of what could happen before dark—are some of the moments hunters remember most.
More Than Just a Bear Hunt
While harvesting a black bear is the goal, the experience at Wild North Outfitters is about much more than the final result.
Back at camp, the memories continued long after hunters returned from the woods. Our home-cooked meals brought everyone together around the table, while stories from the day's hunt kept conversations going late into the evening.
Hunters shared close calls, exciting encounters, first-time experiences, and lessons learned from years spent pursuing black bears. Before long, people who arrived as strangers became friends.
That is what makes our Ontario bear hunting camp special—the friendships and memories created along the way.
A Successful 2025 Fall Bear Season
All of the preparation throughout the summer and early fall paid off. Bear activity was strong, patience was rewarded, and hunters experienced many exciting encounters throughout the season.
By the end of the two-week fall black bear hunt in Ontario, 24 bears had been harvested by our guests.
While the harvest numbers were certainly something to be proud of, they only tell part of the story.
The true success of a season is measured by the experiences shared in the woods, the teamwork involved in recovering animals, the excitement of first-time hunters, and the friendships created around the campfire.
Looking Back on the 2025 Fall Hunt
When the final hunters packed up and the camp became quiet again, there was a great feeling of satisfaction.
A month of preparation, two weeks of guided Ontario black bear hunting, incredible meals, unforgettable moments, and amazing people all came together to create a fall season we will not soon forget.
We want to thank every hunter who travelled to Madawaska, Ontario, to share this experience with us. Your passion for hunting, respect for the outdoors, and the friendships created are what continue to make Wild North Outfitters such a special place.
We are already looking forward to the next season in the woods.
The trails will be brushed, the bait sites will be prepared, and we will be ready to welcome new hunters and returning friends for another unforgettable Ontario black bear hunting adventure.