Black Bear Hunting in Manitoba, Canada: An Experience of a Lifetime.

Have you ever thought about going on a bear hunt? Ready for a big game experience? But maybe it’s the unknown worries or the cost holding you back. When outdoor enthusiasts think of Canada bear hunts, Northern Manitoba comes to mind.

Trophy Bears and Wilderness Adventures

This vast and remote area of wilderness is known for black bear adventures and trophy size hunts. With hundreds of thousands of acres to roam, the black bear population is abundant because of the natural resources they have at their disposal. 

I have pursued black bears multiple times with a range of success. I have always used an expert guide. There is so much nuance to bears in different regions. I had tried to hunt black bears in Ontario before, but was unsuccessful. For that reason, I highly recommend planning a guided hunt in the province of Manitoba, Canada. 

Hunting Challenges

Two of my previous bear hunts have been with friends or family, and two by myself. I have learned that I can get distracted by the other hunters that are with me. On one hunt, over 10 years ago, my older brother added anxiety to the hunt. 

His lack of preparedness combined with his personality presented challenges I didn’t expect. And my anxiety rose when his lack of preparation meant I was paying for more than my share. These distractions kept me from focusing 100% on my hunting trip. 

What I learned from these failures is to be careful about who I hunt with. I decided to take a break from black bear hunts and regroup. This allowed me time to reflect and think about how to plan a better bear hunt of a lifetime. 

Planning a Black Bear Hunt 

I love research and learning about the behaviors of animals. My mind started to focus on knowing the habits of black bears. I began to see connections with a bear’s sense of smell, the immense patience they have, and how the combination is one of their greatest defense mechanisms. They really test a hunter’s patience because they wait and wait just out of sight near bait stations.

Manitoba Canada Outfitter

I also used my break from big game hunting to research professional guides and outfitters that offered exclusive black bear hunts. I settled with an outfitter who had a very impressive website along with a long history of hunting bears. Big Woods Wilderness Outfitters had years of experience and a high success rate evidenced by all of the positive reviews. 

Next came the decision to do my black bear hunting on my own without any buddies. I wanted to come home with a trophy bear. 

Extra Hunting Gear

Before setting out on this hunt, I invested in a Can-Am Outlander 650 XT. If owning an ATV is something on your bucket list, I highly recommend Outlander’s current model. My Manitoba bear hunt would be the perfect time to break it in. 

Making this investment proved to be rewarding because I was able to go deeper into the Canadian woods than I could ever imagine. By communicating with my expert guides in advance that I would be bringing an ATV, they were able to better plan. The ATV gave us an excellent opportunity to reach a remote hunting area not usually hunted by others. 

As the days for my hunt in North America grew closer, my excitement became contagious. My family was excited about the added bonus of having a freezer full of bear meat, too. I intended to harvest a quality animal with my Martin Cougar III compound bow.

Licenses, certifications, and regulations

But first, before I left for my hunt, I made sure to have three things:

1. Drivers’ License
2. Hunter Safety Certificate of Completion
3. Previous year hunting license from your state of residence

You can also prepare your firearm declaration form in advance and have it ready when you cross the border. Do not sign the form until a customs officer can be a witness. There will be a fee for this form, be sure to check out the current information.

The officers will also come to your vehicle or bring you to a building. They will inspect your guns and verify serial numbers match on everything. I planned to hunt wolf and bear so I brought my .300 win mag along. 

My outfitter helped me secure proper hunting licenses for everything (fishing, wolf, and bear) I would need at their camp after arrival. 

Timber Wolf Hunting

I hunted wolf my first day because of Canadian regulations. But since I was not successful on my first day, I opted to not finish my wolf hunt. I wanted to use the remainder of my guide package to hunt bear. 

Bear Hunting Season Arrived

The fall bear season finally arrived and my solo drive from Michigan to Nopiming Provincial Park began. This park is approximately 110 miles northeast of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. From base camp, we would travel approximately 15 miles trailering our ATVs. At a predetermined location, we would then unload our machines and gear. The part of Manitoba we hunted was an additional 30-35 miles with our ATVs. 

Fishing for Northern Pike

Along the way to the hunting grounds, we would pass by several small lakes abundant with smallmouth bass, lake trout, and northern pike. We were able to stop and toss a line in the water and catch some fish. 

It would be the first time I ever hooked a Northern Pike. The pike I caught within 5 minutes of casting my line was one-inch shy of a master angler award. After a second cast, I caught another great northern pike which also fell just short of the master angler award. I was so caught up in the great time, I almost forgot that we were on our way to stalk black bear.

Finding the Perfect Bow Hunting Area

After getting back on our machines we continued a short distance to a location where we would park our ATVs and walk in on foot to get to the bait sites. As we walked into the baited site, my guide carried a bucket of bait in one hand and a handgun in the other for protection. 

Ensuring Hunter Safety

My guide expressed the importance of safety and awareness of potential animals that we could stumble upon while walking in. In this area of Manitoba there is a high population of bears and there was an excellent chance a bear could be at the bait site. We needed to be prepared.

Tree Stand for Optimal Concealment

Bow hunters often use tree stands and I brought my Summit Tree Climber on this trip. After a good walk into the bait site, my guide John pointed to the best place for me to hunt. My tree location was only a few yards from the edge of a small lake. This was perfect because I could scan the area for bear movement and they could not circle me because of the water. 

Bait Site and Strategy

As I made the climb up the tree to set up, John put out new bait. He purposefully had me not go to the bait site with so the bear would not smell a new scent. I went directly to my tree stand location. 

The bait he used consisted of bread and bacon grease. It’s poured into a barrel, secured with a lid, and a hole on the side that is big enough for the bear’s arm. They don’t have access to a lot of sweet confections that bears also prefer such as strawberries, donuts, and syrups. 

On a different bear hunt, my guide used a baiting technique with bacon grease. He poured it on the ground and had me step in it. Then my feet would create a tasty trail for a bear to follow. 

The Canadian Black Bear Experience

John would wish me a good hunt and then be back on his way out of the bush traveling over 30 miles plus on ATV just to get back to his truck. As he drove away and the sound of his quad went silent, it was then that I realized how remote I truly was. 

There would be no road noise, no agricultural farming buzzing in the distance or the sounds of city life. I was truly in the bush of Manitoba where I could focus on the habits of trophy black bear and settle in for my chance for a successful harvest.

Black Bear Hunting Checklist

Within the first hour of sitting high in my tree stand, I went through my checklist to make sure everything was in order.

• Safety harness was on and secure allowing me the movement needed to take any shot. 
• Backpack was hung on a hook around the side of the tree so it would not interfere with drawing my bow when taking a shot.
• Rangefinder was operational and attached to my safety vest.  After ranging multiple locations surrounding the bait site, I became familiar with yardage points in the event a bear came within range and I was able to take a shot. 
• An arrow was knocked in my bow string after verifying my veins on my arrow were in alignment with my strings and arrow rest.
• My release was attached to my wrist with my backup in my coat pocket.
• One final check was that of the wind direction. As I settled in, three puffs of my windicator bottle showed that the light wind was blowing directly in my face.
• My phone was set to silent and no vibrate mode enabled.

The Hunt Begins

The next few hours I would be able to enjoy the quiet surroundings. On occasion when the wind was still, I could hear only the beat of my heart inside my chest. Sitting in the stillness of my tree stand I focused on scanning the area with eye movement only. I felt that I was dialed in and doing everything right.

Focus, Anticipation and Patience

Hours passed with complete focus. I contemplated grabbing a snack out of my backpack but opted to remain still and silent. I did not want to introduce the sudden smell of the new food source in the area. A bear could be patiently waiting just out of sight but still within reach by smell. 

It was a game of patience. I was hopeful a nice size bear would make a mistake and walk into my perimeter for a shot. After all, I was in prime bear country.

Black Bear Sighting

I hunted for two days without seeing any bears. So my guide made adjustments for the third day. Everything came together after nearly 5 hours on stand. From out of nowhere a black bear of decent size appeared a mere 10 yards to the left of the bait barrel. This sudden appearance came as a surprise to me as I recognized he did not make any sound while walking in. I then processed that he came in silent because of the pads on his feet giving him the stealthy advantage.

Watching the bear in the first few seconds I did not instantly grab my bow. Instead I sat and watched and learned how they behave in this environment. The body posture of the bear told me that he had no worries in the world. He would look around in every direction before going to the bait barrel for a snack. 

Black Bear Behavior

At one point he looked in my direction and looked right at me. With the wind in my favor the bear turned back to the bait giving me an opportunity to grab my bow.

The bear reached into the cut out hole of the 55 gallon barrel and pulled out a large bread roll and walked off without giving me a shot. I was not disappointed at this moment because I could feel that this was only the beginning of the hunt and he would be back sooner than later or perhaps another bear would enter the picture.

Either way my confidence was high and it was a matter of remaining patient and silent.

Within 20 minutes the same bear returned to continue his feast at the bait. I was now settled in without any anxious feeling inside.  

Preparing for the Shot

As the bear walked back, I noted to myself that he was 17 yards from me based on my previous scan using my rangefinder to determine distance. Reluctantly, I told myself to range the distance once again to make sure I had the correct distance. I ranged the bear at exactly 17 yards. I double checked my site pin and locked in.

My position in my tree climber allowed me to take the shot from a sitting position which I felt was the best thing to do concealing any movement. I took some time watching the bear settle into his meal before I began the process of taking the shot.

I then clipped my release onto my string loop to take a shot. Then I was able to take a draw without being detected by movement. My eyes focused on the sight pin and aligned with the vitals of the bear. It was standing broadside and exposing the left side of his body.

Where to Shoot a Black Bear

I felt like I had all the time in the world to release the arrow from my bow so I took my time before taking the shot. Settled in I released the arrow and watched the arrow pass directly through the vitals and disappear through to the other side of the bear and lodging into the ground.

I used an arrow with white tape around the end of the shaft. This helped me identify the flight path of the arrow. It was clear that the arrow hit directly into the target. My moment of sending an arrow into a trophy black bear arrived. 

After the shot, the bear darted off in the direction directly away from me behind the bait barrel.  

Guide Expertise

My outfitter, John, had told me to remain in my stand and to not climb down or go after the bear. The reason for this is that the guide did not want to be searching for a lost hunter in the woods. My location was remote and off the grid. 

I contacted the guide informing him that I had shot a bear. He told me to remain on stand until he arrived within the hour. 

Mental Preparation for Tracking

While I waited I was able to reflect and take mental notes of what happened leading up to the shot. For me, this is known as taking inventory of the event. I intentionally store all of the information in my thoughts for future hunting situations.

I remained in the treestand until John arrived to take up search for the blood trail. Within the hour, John could be heard off in the distance. The faint humming of his 6×6 ATV coming towards me brought excitement.  

As John started walking into the setup, I began to climb down from the treestand. We met at the bait site where we found my arrow stuck in the ground. The white fletching sticking out of the ground covered in blood. 

Tracking a Canadian Black Bear

We took up tracking the blood trail for a short distance where we then found a large amount of blood where the bear had once bedded but oddly got up and kept walking away. At this point, one would say that we jumped the bear. But keep in mind, almost an hour and a half had passed before I even climbed down from the tree.

I was confident that the broadside shot penetrated the vitals producing a fatal shot but we still had some tracking to do. John had contacted some of his other guides in the nearby area who had just successfully tracked another hunter’s bear about an hour before. He asked them to assist in tracking this elusive trophy.  

The Bear Tracking Experience

When help arrived to track the bear we were able to find the bear in a thicket not yet expired.  From here John and I walked into the thicket and got within sight of the bear bedded down and I was able to finish off the trophy using a shotgun from another hunter.

We later discovered that the broadhead from my arrow passed directly through the heart and exited the opposite side of the bear. This whole experience later came to baffle all of us. How did this bear keep going after a fatal shot like that? 

He had survived for nearly two hours after my bow shot. My follow up rifle shot went through the bear’s lungs. My journey to Manitoba for a Canadian black bear was a success. 

Expert Guides and a Successful Hunt

From start to finish, John at Big Woods Outfitters, gave his 100% effort to help me. Later on, I learned that this would be his final year guiding black bear hunters in Manitoba. He would be selling his business to a trusted friend to continue what he started. 

I will forever be grateful for John guiding me on this hunt and cherishing the memories created along the way. To this day, I can look at pictures of the first pike I caught and remember it like it was yesterday.

Black Bear Hunt Memories

I can look at the pictures taken from my treestand of the surroundings and reflect on the calmness that was upon me the entire time. One of the positive outcomes I am thankful for is the knowledge I gained about the habits of black bears. All of the planning and research paid off.  And the main takeaway I learned was that sharp mental focus and staying alert was key.

Fast forward eight years, I managed to secure a Black Bear tag in my home state of Michigan. Armed with a deeper understanding of black bear behaviors, I bagged my second one, achieving Michigan’s Grand Slam, comprising whitetail, elk, turkey, and black bear. However, that story is for another day. 

My Manitoba Canadian hunt, and other big game opportunities like moose in Newfoundland, will always be a highlight of my hunting career. If this is something you want to do someday, I hope your dream can come true as well. Reach out with any questions.