Ontario Bear Hunts
Seasonal Ontario black bear hunt based on land lease availability. Dates and rates are confirmed closer to the season. Call Paul to check availability for your year.
Seasonal, by availability.
Our bear hunt packages are offered seasonally, based on land lease availability for the year. Dates and rates are confirmed closer to the season.
If you're interested in booking a bear hunt with Muskie Bay, the best move is to call Paul directly at 807-271-3015. We'll confirm whether this year's allocation is open, dates, and rates. Many guests pair the bear hunt with a fishing package.
What to expect.
Allocated Area
We hunt bear in allocated lease areas. Availability varies by year.
Call For Current Season
Call Paul at 807-271-3015 to check this year's availability and rates.
Resort Lodging Included
Stay at the resort: full amenities, meals, daily maid service.
Fishing Add-Ons
Pair with a fishing package to make the most of your trip.
Experienced Guide Team
20+ years of Northwestern Ontario hunting experience.
Season-Dependent
Booking windows open closer to the hunt season each year.
Why bear dates move year to year.
Ontario manages black bear through Bear Management Areas, and an operator hunts only the allocation it holds. That is the honest reason we cannot publish fixed dates and a price.
Every non-resident bear hunter in Ontario has to hunt through an operator licensed to provide bear hunting services. The operator issues a validation certificate naming the specific area you are allowed to hunt. It is not a licence you can buy over the counter and then use wherever you like, which surprises a lot of first-time hunters from the United States.
Our allocation is confirmed closer to each season, and it varies. In a year where we hold good ground we can take hunters; in a year where we do not, we would rather tell you early than sell you a hunt we cannot deliver. That is the whole reason this page says call rather than showing a rate.
Provincially, the spring season in this part of northwestern Ontario runs May 1 to June 15 and the fall season runs August 15 to October 31. Our open dates sit inside those windows. Confirm current regulations with the Ontario Ministry before you travel.
Pairing a bear hunt with a fishing week.
The fall bear season overlaps some of the strongest fishing of the year here, which is why most bear hunters book a combination trip.
August through October is prime muskie water on Crow Lake and Lake of the Woods, and walleye stay open through December 31 in Zone 5. A bear hunt is not an all-day sit in the way a deer hunt is, so there is real time on the water in the same week.
Groups often split it: some of the party hunts, the rest fishes, and everyone eats at the Lodge. Lodging, meals and daily maid service work the same way as on any other package. Fishing rates are on the rates page, and you can read about premier guided fishing and semi-guided fishing to decide which suits the non-hunters in your group.
Ontario bear hunts, answered.
When is the Ontario black bear season?
In this part of northwestern Ontario the spring season runs May 1 to June 15 and the fall season runs August 15 to October 31. Our own available dates are narrower than that, because they depend on the Bear Management Area allocation we hold for the year. Call Paul at 807-271-3015 to check what is open.
Why can I not see a price for the bear hunt?
Because the hunt depends on a land lease allocation that is confirmed year to year, we do not publish a rate we might not be able to honour. Dates and pricing are set closer to the season. Every other package has published pricing on our rates page.
Can I hunt bear in Ontario as a non-resident on my own?
No. Ontario requires every non-resident black bear hunter to hunt through an operator licensed to provide bear hunting services, including baiting and guiding. Your operator issues a validation certificate naming the specific area you may hunt. That is why a bear hunt here has to go through us rather than being a licence you buy and a spot you pick.
What licence and paperwork do I need?
A non-resident bear licence, an Outdoors Card, a bear tag and the black bear hunting validation certificate from us. We handle the certificate and walk you through the rest once your dates are confirmed. Our guide to crossing into Canada covers the firearm declaration.
Is the hunt baited?
Bear hunting in this region is done over bait, which is what the licensed operator requirement is largely about. Sites are established and maintained ahead of your hunt.
Can I combine a bear hunt with fishing?
Yes, and most guests do. The fall bear season overlaps some of the best fishing of the year here, and a lot of groups pair a bear hunt with a guided fishing or semi-guided package in the same week.