Advice needed for Canada bear hunt

[DMurphy]

A group of 5 and I have just booked our first bear hunt in Manitoba. We are St. Louis area deer hunters and are trying our hands at something new. We are now trying to decide how to travel. Options include taking two pickups, renting some type of van or flying. Flying would be much faster (obviously) but what if we kill a bear? Have taxidermy done there and crated and shipped home? Seems expensive. Check the hides in luggage and bring home for taxidermy? Seems troublesome. Does anyone have any experience with this and have any suggestions?

 

[wyosteve]

On my bear hunts in Manitoba I drove. Hunt in Alberta I flew and it was a nightmare. I should have driven there. My recommendation is to drive. Manitoba isn’t that far and then you are guaranteed you’ll have your guns and gear. Easy to bring head and hide back that way as long as you have the CITES paperwork.

 

[NorthCountryAB]

I cant comment on crossing the border in Manitoba. But when our hunters cross in Alberta all they require is their tag to bring their hides, heads and meat back home.
No CITES permit required.

 

[DMurphy]

On my bear hunts in Manitoba I drove. Hunt in Alberta I flew and it was a nightmare. I should have driven there. My recommendation is to drive. Manitoba isn’t that far and then you are guaranteed you’ll have your guns and gear. Easy to bring head and hide back that way as long as you have the CITES paperwork.

Thank you for this. I am imagining the head and hide in one cooler and the meat in another big cooler. Seem reasonable? Anything you wish you would have brought that you didn't or that you are very sure you brought along?

 

[DMurphy]

I cant comment on crossing the border in Manitoba. But when our hunters cross in Alberta all they require is their tag to bring their hides, heads and meat back home.
No CITES permit required.

Acknowledging that bear sizes vary greatly, could you fit head, hide and meat into two large coolers? If we each brought 2 large coolers, would that likely suffice?

 

[wyosteve]

If you de-bone the meat, then you should be able to get head, hide and meat in one large cooler. Depending on what time of the spring you're going, a Therma-Cell for mosquitoes would be high on my list.

 

[journeyman713]

I'd plan for taking 2 pickups without a second thought.

 

[Sam Colt]

I'm glad you're planning to bring the meat home, because not even the ravens will eat spring bear meat.

 

[MattB]

I'm glad you're planning to bring the meat home, because not even the ravens will eat spring bear meat.

I was thinking the same thing, I guess it depends on what bait is being used. On the one trip I did they used decomposing beavers and I can’t even imagining trying to eat a bear that had been feeding on that. Absolutely disgusting.

 

[DMurphy]

I'm glad you're planning to bring the meat home, because not even the ravens will eat spring bear meat.

I was thinking the same thing, I guess it depends on what bait is being used. On the one trip I did they used decomposing beavers and I can’t even imagining trying to eat a bear that had been feeding on that. Absolutely disgusting.

So what did you do with the meat from your trip?

 

[MattB]

The outfitter used the bear meat for wolf bait. I didn’t kill a bear in that trip so was not put in that ethical dilemma.

 

[DMurphy]

The outfitter used the bear meat for wolf bait. I didn’t kill a bear in that trip so was not put in that ethical dilemma.

That would be a real problem for me. I eat everything I kill. I hope it doesn't taste like rotting beaver, but I cannot deny having eaten a few of those in my day!

 

[MattB]

That would be a real problem for me. I eat everything I kill. I hope it doesn't taste like rotting beaver, but I cannot deny having eaten a few of those in my day!

I would learn what the outfitter baits with. Some use pastries and other sweets.

If they are using rotting meat it would undoubtedly affect the flavor of the fat in the meat.

 

[NorthCountryAB]

Acknowledging that bear sizes vary greatly, could you fit head, hide and meat into two large coolers? If we each brought 2 large coolers, would that likely suffice?

I use 102L heavy duty totes. I can fit 2 bears and 2 skulls in these totes with 6'-6.5' bears.
One large cooler should hold the majority of the bear meat if boned out.
Obviously farm land bears are the best to eat, or fall bears that are eating lots of berries.
I have had good bear meat and bad bear meat. Take it for what it is lol

 

[DMurphy]

So this prompted an immediate email from me to our outfitter. He replied that he uses only trail mix, peanut butter and gummy candies. Mixed with love, which is the key. I am gonna eat this gummy bear peanut butter candy bear and it's gonna be delicious!

 

[AZ_Hunter_2000]

I was thinking the same thing, I guess it depends on what bait is being used. On the one trip I did they used decomposing beavers and I can’t even imagining trying to eat a bear that had been feeding on that. Absolutely disgusting.

May want to stop eating bear then or just hop on the "ignorance is bliss" train. Bears will eat damn near anything; what's the difference it is eating a dead beaver at your bait sight versus a dead elk right after archery season?

 

[MattB]

May want to stop eating bear then or just hop on the "ignorance is bliss" train. Bears will eat damn near anything; what's the difference it is eating a dead beaver at your bait sight versus a dead elk right after archery season?

Or just hunt them in situations where you stand a really low chance of getting a bad bear.

We hunt them in archery season (August) when they have been primarily vegetarian all summer and have virtually no fat. Every one I have killed has been good - even one aged at 18+ years old. If I killed a bad one, I would have no qualms about throwing it out.

Knowing what I know, what I wouldn’t do if my intention was to eat the meat is put myself in a situation knowing I would probably kill one that was unfit to eat.

Make sense?

 

[JMorgan]

I’m interested on how this turns out for your group. I live just southwest of St. Louis and have been looking for a bear hunt possibly in Manitoba for 2024. Three of us hunted bear in Arkansas last year and we took one bear as a group. Wishing your group the best of luck and safe travels.

 

[DMurphy]

I’m interested on how this turns out for your group. I live just southwest of St. Louis and have been looking for a bear hunt possibly in Manitoba for 2024. Three of us hunted bear in Arkansas last year and we took one bear as a group. Wishing your group the best of luck and safe travels.

Thank you. I will definitely let you know how it goes. I have been bear hunting once before in Maine. My dad and I went and we hunted for 5 days- he saw zero bears and I saw one for about 2 seconds at about 200 yards. It was not great. This hunt has a very low bar to clear to be my best bear hunt.

 

[tuffcity]

Have never shot one over bait but the last spring bear we ate was fantastic. It was bio estimated at around 20 years old - a big boar- and you couldn't even smell the meat when you held it to your nose.