Bear Hunts In Canada

• Facilities: There’s no rule that says you can’t be comfortable while hunting. Our beautiful lodge offers three delicious meals a day cooked with local fare (that we’ve fished and hunted ourselves). Warm beds, hot water, Wi-Fi, and gorgeous, rustic lodgings—what more could you need? We’ve got boats and ATVs to help you find and track the Black Bear you’re hunting; everything you need for your Bear hunt.

​

• Experience: Our guides have years of experience hunting for Bears. Black Bear hunts at our lodge have a high success rate; our guides spend weeks tracking the movement of the Black Bears in our area. We use a variety of different hunting techniques to help you bag a trophy Bear. Our expert guides will also process your kill for you, separating and tagging the meat, hide, and head.

• ​

How Our Bear Hunts Are Conducted

 

Our guides spend weeks scouting the wilderness around our lodge to find Bears. By the time you arrive, we’ll have found a suitable Black Bear (or, at times, several) to hunt. We use a variety of different hunting techniques on our Black Bear hunts, including:

 

• Spot and stalk: We look for signs of a Black Bear (paw prints, scat, kills, and the like) and use those signs to track the Bear. Once we’ve spotted the Black Bear, we use natural cover to move closer to it, then line up for the perfect shot.

• Baiting: Using bait stations filled with food, Bears become easier to spot. We sometimes couple these bait stations with ground blinds to make the Black Bear hunts safer and easier. Trail cameras make tracking the Bears near bait stations easier to help us find the biggest Black Bear in the area. 

When you contact us before your Black Bear hunt, we’ll go over the details of the hunting techniques we’ll use. Let us know if there’s a specific method you want to use for your Black Bear hunt! 

​

The Verdict

​

• Manitoba has some of the biggest Black Bears in the world, with males weighing 136 kg  (300 lbs) on average and some of the biggest weighing well over 272 kg (600 lbs.) 

• Female Black Bears with cubs are off-limits, as are the cubs themselves.

• Black Bears aren’t always black—they range in colour from blonde to black, with cinnamon and brown tones being common. 

• A Black Bear has a keen sense of smell—staying downwind will help you avoid being detected by the Black Bear you’re hunting.

• Early morning and late afternoon—these are a Black Bear’s favourite times to move and eat. That means we’ll be waking up early and Bear hunting all day; it’s a good way to spend a day.

• A Black Bear’s diet is varied; they’re voracious omnivores, feeding on berries, fish, insects, grass, and more. By locating food sources before your trip, we make it easier to find a trophy Black Bear.

• While the Black Bear isn’t as aggressive as its cousins, the Grizzly Bear and Polar Bear, they’re still dangerous. Bring Bear spray, and learn how to use it.

• The best way to kill a Black Bear is to shoot the vital organs in its chest. 

​

Bears in Manitoba

 

The Black Bear population in Manitoba is estimated at 25,000 - 30,000; that means there’s a very healthy population for Black Bear hunts. The Manitoba Black Bear hunting licence is available for residents and non-residents alike. There are two Black Bear hunting seasons—one in the spring and one in the fall. At our lodge, we offer Black Bear hunts during the fall season.

 

Manitoba is also home to a population of Grizzly Bears and Polar Bears. These creatures are exceptionally rare sights around our lodge (though not completely unheard of). Polar Bears and Grizzly Bears are off-limits to hunters.

 

The province allows for the use of bait stations in Black Bear hunting; spot and stalk techniques are also permissible. 

​

Spring Vs. Fall Bear Hunting

 

At our lodge, we offer Black Bear hunting in the fall. There are a few differences between a spring Bear hunt and a fall Bear hunt:

 

• A Black Bear’s coat will be fuller in the spring; fall Bears have coats with a more consistent colour. 

 

• In fall, a Black Bear’s diet consists of calorie-dense foods to prepare for winter. This changes what types of food we’ll use in our bait sites.

• Spring Bears mate and have cubs. This makes hunting for females (sows) almost impossible during the spring season.

• The spring hunting season typically takes place from around April 24th to around June 30th.  The fall season typically takes place from around August 15th to around November 1st. 

​

Other Animals You Can Encounter

 

Munroe Lake is a wildlife lover’s paradise. You’ll definitely see a Black Bear or two, and you can expect to see a number of different species on your hunting expedition. They include:

​

Mammals

• Barren-ground Caribou

• Arctic and Red Foxes 

• Snowshoe and Arctic Hare

• Grey Wolves

• Wolverines

• Canada Lynx

• Collared Lemmings 

• Meadow Voles 

 

Very rarely, hunters may even see Polar Bears—we’re far enough north to be in their range but far enough from Hudson’s Bay that they’re an extremely rare sight. 

​

Birds

• Rock and Willow Ptarmigan 

• Gyrfalcons

• Rough-legged Hawks

• Snowy Owls

• Snow Buntings

• Ravens 

• Sandhill Cranes 

• Waterfowl (Ducks, Geese, etc.)

​

Fish

• Arctic Grayling

• Lake Trout 

• Northern Pike 

• Walleye

• Arctic Char

​

Hunting & Fishing Opportunities

 

You’re here to hunt for a trophy Black Bear—but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of other hunting and fishing opportunities during your stay with us. The Trout and Pike fishing in the area is unparalleled—this is both a Black Bear hunting trip and a fishing trip. We also highly recommend hunting for Ptarmigan during your stay with us as a bit of recreation between Bear hunts. There’s something to enjoy for hunters of all stripes!

​

About the Site

 

Our site is located on Munroe Lake, a beautiful lake in the untouched beauty of Norther Manitoba. This is pristine hunting territory; we’re surrounded by the majestic wilderness of Canada’s north. A wildlife lover’s paradise, you’ll see all kinds of birds, fish, and mammals, including some that are hard to find anywhere else in the world. You’ll also get spectacular chances to see the Northern Lights, one of the most awe-inspiring natural phenomena.

 

Munroe Lake Lodge has everything you need for a successful Black Bear hunting trip. We provide guides, vehicles, and meals, as well as simple, comfortable accommodations. When your day of hunting and fishing is through, you’ll sit down for a meal, often featuring freshly hunted meat. There’s Wi-Fi, a TV, and warm showers—you can relax, go to bed, and be up early again for another day of hunting and fishing. 

​

Travelling to the Lodge

 

We’ve made every effort to ensure that travel to our remote wilderness lodge is as convenient as possible. For most travellers, getting to our lodge happens in three steps:

 

• Travel to Winnipeg: International travellers land at the James Armstrong Richardson International Airport (YWG) in Manitoba’s capital city, Winnipeg.

 

• Travel to Thompson: From Winnipeg, most travellers choose to drive to Thompson, Manitoba; the drive takes about eight hours. There are also flights, buses, and trains that go to Thompson, but these options tend to be more expensive.

• Flight to our lodge: We’ll pick you up from Thompson at 6 AM and fly you to our remote wilderness lodge in our Cessna plane. The flight usually takes about an hour and a half. 

​

Safety While Black Bear Hunting

 

Even the most seasoned hunter needs to stay safe on Black Bear hunts—we’re stalking a dangerous animal. Here are a few safety tips to help you on your hunt:

 

• Dress in layers: On average, the temperature in our area peaks at about 10°C (50°F), and it can get much colder from there. Dressing in layers, with a jacket, sweater, and t-shirt is best. Bring mitts or gloves to keep your hands warm. And don’t forget your high-visibility orange vest and cap!

• Bring the right gear: We’ve created a list of all the hunting gear we recommend you bring. Read up on it—it will be helpful for planning your trip. 

• Listen to your guide: Black Bears are dangerous predators—and there are wolves and other predators around, as well as natural hazards. Your guide will help you stay safe. Listen to them. 

• Learn first aid: You never know when a situation could go south. Learning first aid could save a life.

• Stay downwind: While most Bears in the area aren’t aggressive, they can be curious, and we don’t want to attract unwanted attention. Try to stay downwind of the Bear you’re hunting. 

• Respect the wildlife: Take clean, humane shots. Don’t attract unwanted attention; follow your guide’s instructions, and don’t bother animals unnecessarily.

• Know your limits: Don’t push yourself too hard. Let your guide know if you’re feeling tired and need a break.

​

Booking Bear Hunting Trips With Munroe Lake Lodge

 

The high population of Bears in our area make Munroe Lake Lodge a paradise for Bear hunters. Come by during Bear hunting season, and enjoy both hunting and fishing. Black Bears should be on every big game hunter’s list—we’re positive you’ll have an unforgettable experience at our lodge. Book a Bear hunting trip with us today!