Black Bear numbers have increased dramatically in Ontario in the last few years.

I will commence baiting in early April each year, dependant on the weather. I will continue baiting throughout the summer as well. The frequency of baiting continues to increase as it gets closer to your hunt.

Ontario hunting and fishing regulations will be supplied to you upon arrival at camp. Upon request these regulations can be mailed to you so you may read them at your leisure at home. To hunt Black Bear in Ontario a non-resident is required to use an Outfitter/Guiding Service who will provide the hunter with a validation certificate to lawfully hunt within the Outfitter/Guiding Service’s BMA’s . As well a non-resident may hunt on private land with permission of the landowner that is within the three Wildlife Management Units within which my BMA’s are located. Some exceptions to this rule do exist.

Hunter orange is required while travelling to and from your stand and while hunting with dogs. The minimal requirement constitutes the wearing of a hunter orange hat and vest. Camouflage or open mesh vest or jacket, or camouflage hat are not allowed.

YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO BRING HANDGUNS INTO CANADA.
All firearms and bows are required to be unloaded and encased during the period beginning a half hour after sunset and ending a half hour before sunrise when you are in an area usually inhabited by wildlife . A soft sided case or gun sock should be included in your items to bring. Firearms cannot be loaded while travelling in or on a motorized vehicle. ATVs /Quads must be licensed and insured to be ridden in Ontario and all riders must wear a helmet.

Although it is legal to harvest sows or the cubs during the fall hunt while hunting in Ontario during the legal season, I request that they not be harvested. During the Spring hunt it is illegal to shoot cubs or sows with cubs, If a large Bear is with smaller Bear it is likely a sow and cubs.

When hunting with dogs, if the Bear is in a tree the sex of the bear can usually be determined prior to harvest.

Sunday hunting with firearms or archery equipment is allowed in all six of my BMA's. Travel insurance is strongly recommended but not required for your hunt. Medical emergencies can be costly and the cost of insurance is minimal. Insurance can be purchased from your local travel agency.

My base camp is located on Skootamatta Lake. Boats and motors will be available at my camp for you to use if you would like to try fishing for Walleye (Pickerel), Northern Pike, Whitefish, Large and Smallmouth bass.

Since 2009 Americans returning by land or air to the US must have a U.S Passport or passport card. A U.S passport card will cost $45.00 for an adult and $35.00 for children under 16. Further information can be obtained at ” travel.state.gov”. A passport or passport card will be accepted for entry to Canada.

A Liability Release form will be forwarded to each hunter and must be signed and returned when you arrive at camp to start your hunt.

There are no phone lines and only limited cell phone service at the base camp, limited cell service is available within the BMA's. Phone service is available at or near all commercial accommodations. Arrangements to pick up hunters who choose to fly into Toronto International Airport can be made.

The majority of the residents in my area’s will be happy that you are there to harvest a Black Bear.

There will be a limited number of hunts offered to a limited number of hunters per year.

Info regarding hunting Black Bear with Bait

The first week of the fall season will be for bait hunting only. During the Spring hunt the baits usually remain active throughout the season allowing bait hunting during the entire season. You will shown all the baits that are within the BMA's that you will be hunting. You should bring your own tree stand(s). You will be more comfortable in one you have chosen and you will be able to put yourself in a position of your choice in relation to the bait. A second stand is convenient as you can position yourself for two different wind directions at two different bait sites. I have several ladder tree stands that you can use if necessary. A fall arrest harness is also required if a tree stand is utilized. Tree stands will have to be put up by the hunter as there are liability issues if done by me. Bait hunting is usually conducted during the late afternoon and evening.

The hunter will bait ( bait supplied at camp) upon arrival at the site each day. Experience has shown that if I bait earlier, a bear will often be at the bait when the hunter arrives. That bear will not likely return that evening, if it is scared away by your arrival . I will be in the area of the BMA's for all hunts and I encourage all hunters who are successful but are unsure of the bears immediate demise to wait for me to attend, I will then accompany the hunter to retrieve the bear. If for some reason the hunter chooses to remain in the stand at the end of the hunt, I will attend the bait site that night. Every hunter will be accounted for at the end of each night.

Every effort will be made to retrieve your bear that night. Bait hunting usually leaves time in the mornings for the hunter to look after the bear taken the night before, target practice, fish or relax.

Info regarding a Combination hunt

A combination hunt gives a hunter the chance to hunt with my dogs as well as hunt over bait.. Hunting with dogs starts early in the morning, leaving time to sit over a bait in the evening.

I can customize a hunt to fit most of your needs, ie. the duration of the hunt (two to seven days), start dates, and type of accommodation. There is a variety of accommodation available ranging from campsites for your camper, Motel Rooms, Private camps or cottages, American Plan Lodges and cabins. I will try to accommodate all requests that are made, please do not hesitate to call and discuss same.

Info regarding hunting Black Bear with Dogs/Hounds

I have been hunting with dogs my entire life. I have used dogs for deer, rabbit, fox, raccoon, coyotes and Black Bear. The last 20+ years have been devoted to developing a pack of Bear dogs. I run a mixed pack of dogs including Blue Ticks, Plotts, and Walkers, each breed brings a favourable skill to the pack. All dogs are GPS/ radio collared to help with finding them at the end of the hunt and to ensure the dogs are not allowed to run free when not on the trail of a bear. The Black Bear hunters that bring their own dogs/hounds will have the final say in which dogs they use, and from which bait they wish to start their dogs. I will assist you with my dogs only if requested. This is your hunt.

I will only book one individual or one small group of Dog /Hound hunters at a time and will have the use of all my BMA's.

I will have approximately 25 active bait sites from which you can start your dogs. I will accompany all hunting parties while hunting. I know this area well as I grew up, hunted and had a registered trapline there.I will assist in, locating trails and roads into a treed or bayed Black Bear. I will also assist with the recovery of the Bear and the recovery of dogs. I I have ATVs to assist in Bear and dog recovery. I have tracking systems to assist you in locating your dogs. It is suggested that you bring a 4X4 truck to hunt in this area. The area you will be hunting in is big, but there are adequate road and trail systems that makes dog recovery possible. To my knowledge no dogs have ever been killed by Timber Wolves in this area. There are not a lot of resident Bear Hound hunters in Ontario.

For all hunts I will provide you with the following:

Accommodation of your choice, minimum of two active baits per hunter, bait for duration of hunt, assist in setting up tree stands, ATVs, boats and motors for recovery of the bear and/or dogs, assist in tracking and recovering of bear, assist you in skinning and quartering the bear. Freezers will be available to keep the meat and hide for you to take home. There is a local butcher available for the skinning, butchering (to your specifications) and freezing of the meat and the hide , if you so desire The hunter is responsible for the butchers fees and the charge is by the pound. Boats and motors are also provided at base camp for fishing.

The hunter will be responsible for following:

Declaring of firearms at the Canadian Border and a fee of approximately $35.00. will apply. Non¬resident Declaration forms will be forwarded to you with acknowledgement of receipt of deposit.

Food, bedroll, light and heavy clothing, comfortable waterproof boots, hunter orange hat and vest/coat, flashlights, quiet rain gear, firearms or bows (crossbows), soft sided case, trigger locks for guns, treestands and fall arrest harness, camera, COMPASS, GPS, coolers for meat and hide, quiet camouflage suit, rope. Dog hunters must bring essentials for their dogs including tie out chains. Purchasing a non resident Black Bear hunting licence, approximately $250.00 Cdn which can be obtained at a local Store upon arrival at camp. To obtain this licence the hunter must produce a old or current hunting licence from any Country or state in the USA.

If you chose to have a local butcher skin, butcher and freeze your bear, the cost of the butcher is by the pound. Export permits are required if you harvest a Bear and return to the U.S. with your hide and meat, approximately $35.00 Cdn. Hunters bringing there own dogs are responsible for licensing of all their dogs used to hunt Black Bear, approximately $11.25 Cdn per dog. All dogs will be kept at the base camp. Up to four hunters from the hunting party will be able to stay with me at the base camp or if you desire you can bring a camper to stay in, at the base camp.

Rates

Basic seven day hunts for Bait hunts only and/or Combination hunts (Bait and Hound), including accommodation start at $1500.00 Cdn per hunter. Daily rate for this hunt start at $250.00 Cdn per hunter, two day minimum.

Basic seven day hunt for Dog/Hound hunters staying at base camp will be $800.00 Cdn per hunter. Daily rate will be $150.00 Cdn per day per hunter. Two day minimum.

Since all hunts can be customized to the individual or a groups needs and wants, it is suggested you contact me by phone or email and I will be happy to discuss your hunt prior to a quote.

All quotes will be in Canadian dollars. A cheque for 25% Cdn of your hunt per hunter payable to Gary MEEKS or Beardown Outfitters Ontario will confirm your reservation. The balance owing can be paid up to one month prior to start of hunt by certified cheque or by cash upon arrival at camp. There will be no refunds within two months of the scheduled commencement of the hunt unless you find a replacement.

Deposits are refundable at a rate of 95%, due to exchange rates and banking fees. There are no refunds on any unused portion of your hunt.

Success Rate

Two Bear Hunting Seasons have gone by since I last updated this website.

I have managed to maintain an average of approx of a 80 to 85% success rate (actual # of bear harvested per hunter during the one week of bait hunting that I offer) My success rate is a little lower and is a result of the large number of hunters that return year after year. Some of these hunters want to take a bigger bear then they have taken previously and they pass on smaller bear. Hunters measure the success of a hunt in many different ways. One way I measure success is the great friendships I have made over the years with the hunters that I have had the privilege of guiding.

Conclusion

The hunting of Black bear by any method is a challenging, fun and exhilarating adventure. Bait hunters will usually spend several hours a day in the bush by themselves. They will enjoy nature at its best. As well as observing bear a hunter should not be surprised to see Moose, Deer, Timber Wolves, Coyotes, Foxes, and Raccoons. All these species have been observed at the bait sites. Hunting Black Bear with dogs is a very social hunt which can be unpredictable at times. When walking into a treed or bayed Bear the closer you get the louder the barking/baying becomes. YOU WILL be caught up in the excitement of the dogs/hounds. If the bear is treed, I will then slip in under the Bear in the tree, to try to determine the sex and the size of the Bear in order to advise if the Bear should be harvested. The hunter will have the choice to harvest the legal Bear or let them go. At this point the dogs/hounds will have done their job. Whether the bear is to be harvested or not the dogs/hounds will have to be leashed and taken from under the tree. At this time the other hunters and members of the party will be given the opportunity if they desire, to attend under the tree to help in retrieving the dogs/hounds. The Black Bear may be as close as ten feet above our heads. This provides a great deal of excitement for all involved in hunting Black Bear with dogs/hounds. If the Bear is not one you would like to harvest, you will know that it will get the chance to become bigger and will assist in a sustainable harvest for the future. I have found that most owners of dogs/hounds consider treeing a Bear a successful day. You really get to know a person when you are trailing a Black Bear after dark or when you are under a Black Bear in a Tree. Friendships are made that will last a lifetime when hunting Black Bear.

Thank you for taking the time to read this information.

Remember, if you BEARDOWN you will have success in all your adventures.

Website edited by my boys.
                                                              Thank You  Gary MEEKS
Updated 2016-02-24