Bear Hunt References

09 Dec

It’s always comforting when we know we can reach out and speak with fellow hunters AND especially about the outfitter they’ve chosen to go with. At Wawang Lake Resort we certainly understand this
and have put together a few REFERENCES for you to contact.

Jon E. Haman – Tiffin, IA jonschaefferoil@southslope.net Cell (319) 930-0144

440 lb Black Bear

“Tami and Terry Kaliska run an absolutely first rate operation. Not only do they have the knowledge and put the work in that’s necessary to give you a successful hunt, they share that knowledge and keep working for you until you tag your bear! It was my true honor and privilege to have taken a Pope & Young bear under the tutelage of Ontario legends…the Kaliska’s. I can’t wait to take my sons to Wawang Lake Resort and live the adventure along side them as well!”

Season opens – 1st Saturday after August 15th and runs for three more weeks

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Posted by Wawang Lake on December 9, 2014 in black bear, Black Bear Hunts, Wawang Lake Resort

Tags: bear, black bear, canada, hunting, hunting guide, ontario, Outdoors, outfitter, Wawang Lake Resort

Bear Facts to Success

05 Dec

Simple Fact: The more effort you put into masking your scent, the bigger the Black Bears coming into your target zone will be.

All experienced Black Bear Outfitters have their little tricks to make their bear hunters hunt more enjoyable and also help with their success. If you are new to bear hunting you should know what you are up against. Every hunter wants a big trophy bear and this article should bring you a little closer to that goal, but remember, to thoroughly follow the advice of your outfitter, if you’ve chosen one, and, above all else: DO NOT DEVIATE from the routine they have already established.

Black Bear hunting to the outfitter is about luring bears to a target zone for their hunting guests by baiting with food the bears like such as high-carbohydrate foods. Bread, pasta and other high starch content foods are rare in nature but it’s what the bears want most so they can quickly store fat for the winter. It’s also about setting up stands at strategic spots where big bears have been scouted. Black Bear hunting for the hunter is all about stealth, with the two biggest factors being sound and most of all, smell.

Black Bear’s Sense of Smell: Olfactory Receptors

The Black Bear has the best sense on smell of any land walking mammal on Earth. It’s really hard for a human to comprehend how well a bear can smell as we basically have to stick our nose in the pot to smell the sauce. Comparing the amount of Olfactory Receptors between a human and a Black Bear is mind boggling.

Olfactory Receptors are microscopic bulbs on the end of nerves in a mammal’s nose. The more you have the better your sense of smell is.

Humans:
6,000,000 Olfactory Receptors (6 million)
Blood Hounds:
1,800,000,000 Olfactory Receptors (1.8 billion)
Black Bear:
12,600,000,000,000 Olfactory Receptors (12.6 Trillion)

A Black Bear can smell 2100 times better than a human. In addition the Jacobson’s organ in their mouth can taste the air, adding to their brains perception. A mature Black Bear can smell your breakfast from 20 miles away if the wind is right. Big mature bears can smell better than smaller younger bears as their noses are larger and more developed. Bears also know what unnatural smells are and associate them with a human presence. This can explain why Black Bear hunters that are not fanatical about the way they smell rarely see big trophy bears. There are procedures you can do to minimize unnatural smells to keep the bears concentrating on the bait that the outfitter has put out for them. It is wise to check with your outfitter before applying anything new to the bait station that they normally don’t use.

1) Before your bear hunting trip; pick a couple of sets of clothes that you will only wear at the tree stand while hunting. Wash your clothes with scent-free detergent and when done, run them though the wash twice again with no detergent so they are well rinsed. This will ensure your clothes are scent free. If you live in the city and have chlorinated city water then go to a pet store and buy a small bottle of Aquarium Water Conditioner and add ½ oz. to the last rinse cycle you do with your clothes. The water conditioner will neutralize the chlorine in the water and keep the chlorine smell out of your clothes. Remember, they can smell 2100 times better than you so don’t feel silly getting fanatical. Then pack the clothes in a plastic bag to keep them scent free. If you consistently use fabric softener in your clothes dryer it’s best to hang your clothes up to dry because residual clothes softener might go on your clothes. If you are a smoker, do not smoke while wearing your hunting clothes.

Before we go to the next points you should be aware that Black Bears love the smell of mint. If you go on a camping trip in any of Ontario’s provincial parks the wardens will tell you not to keep mint toothpaste or mint gum in your tent because the bears will smell it and go after it. The bears craving for mint can be used to your advantage.

2) Think Mint: Go to one of those hippy tree-hugger heath stores and buy mint soap. The morning before the hunt take a shower using the mint soap. Brush your teeth with mint toothpaste. Chew mint gum while in the tree stand and if you really want to go all the way, have a glass of mint tea before the hunt and even keep a few bags of mint tea in your pockets. This will help cover up any scent.

3) Smoking: If you are a smoker and you smoke in the tree stand you are basically wasting your time if you expect a big trophy bear to come within sight. Wind direction can give you a little luck but it’s not something you should count on. It’s best to wear a nicotine patch while in the tree stand and if you need to; chew mint gum to keep your mind off smoking. Remember to brush your teeth and wash your hands and stop smoking before you put your scent free hunting clothes on. This would also apply to cigars and chewing tobacco as well.

Black Bear Hearing:

The shape of Black Bear’s ears is mainly responsible for their great hearing. When detecting sound based on volume a bear’s hearing is about four times that of a human. However, a bear can hear a much broader frequency range; both higher and lower frequencies. Rubbing of cloth or twisting of your tree stand can produce sounds that the bear can hear and the hunter cannot. Big old male bears develop a crowned head and their ears move out to the sides giving them stereoscopic hearing, which allows them to pinpoint the origin of the sounds they hear. This is another reason why big old bears are harder to get.

With this in mind try to stay absolutely still. If you have to move; move very slowly. Take some nose drops before the hunt and if you have a cold or allergies. If your throat is dry and itchy bring some mint flavored lozenges with you. You can also oil the joints of your tree stand to make them a little quieter.

Black Bear Sight:

During the day a Black Bear basically has the same site as a human but older bears tend to be near sighted. As a result they cannot focus on things from a long distance. When one of an animal’s senses becomes diminished their brain rewires itself to compensate by making other senses more acute. This is known as neural placidity. As a bear gets older they become near sighted so the brain compensates by being more sensitive to color differentiation. If the bear sees colors it thinks are unnatural and he sees those colors move the game is up. Bears cannot see the same range of colors as a human. Hunter orange looks gray to them. But they can see dull reds and yellows as well into the blue/green cool color spectrum. This is why there are many different forms of camouflage clothing.

Picking the right Camouflage:

You need to talk to the outfitter when you book your hunt and ask what kind of plants will be at the tree stands. If the hunt is taking place in the southern range of Ontario’s bear hunting country during the fall you may have a mix of coniferous and deciduous trees, thus you will need a camouflage that represents pine needles, pine bark and colored fall foliage. If you are father north in an area with only pine trees you will need a camouflage that represents pine bark and pine needles, which means dark brown and green. You need to blend into the scenery so their bear cannot see any unnatural color pattern.

Black Bears are nocturnal. They have a reflective layer in the back of the eye called the tarpetum lucidum. Just because you can’t see them does not mean they cannot see you. Since dusk is the hottest bear hunting time it’s also when you should concentrate the most on being quiet and motionless.

Bear Size:

In most cases, big ears mean a smaller bear. A small ear is usually a bigger bear. Once a bear reaches three years old (approx. 100 lbs.), the bear starts to grow into its ears. The ears and eyes don’t grow as much as they do in the first three years. Sometimes if a bear has a hard year with food, the ears will look bigger because the bear is thinner. Read our article: How to Size a Black Bear

Cubs:

When a sow is with cubs, 90% of the time the cubs are in the lead. The cubs will make more noise than a single bear. Most of the time, adult bears make little or no noise.

Sow:

You can’t shoot a sow with cubs in the Ontario spring hunt, and in the fall we continue this policy on our BMA – DO NOT SHOOT SOWS with cubs.. So make 100% sure you know what you are shooting at. Take a really good look around to make sure there are no cubs. A sow’s ears are usually closer together, as a male bear’s cranium grows wider on top and the ears look farther apart. They also look smaller, which is really an illusion.

These tips and techniques are just a guide line for some things to consider and think about. Ultimately the outfitter is the person you need to discuss the different factors with. Bear hunting can be quite different in different regions.

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Posted by Wawang Lake on December 5, 2014 in Bear, black bear, Black Bear Hunts, hunting, Wawang Lake Resort

Tags: archery, bear, black bear, black bear bow hunting, black bear hunting, Bow Hunting, Ontairo black bear guide, Ontairo black bear outfitter, outfitter, Wawang Lake, Wawang Lake Resort

Black Bear Outfitters

05 Dec

Andy’s 475lb (dressed)

Black Bear are known predators and Ontario has the largest population of black bear than anywhere in the world. Furthermore, north-western Ontario leads in the concentration of these animals than elsewhere in Ontario, and, rates highest in population concentration for all of Ontario that also allows for bating practices.

Many deem baiting unfair, giving the hunter a considerable advantage. But contrary to what some would have us believe, it’s far from easy and holds no guarantees! Bear can sneak in undetected, grab a morsel of food and disappear as fast as they arrived. Bear can also skulk around the bait for hours, never showing themselves. As experienced outfitters we’ve learned that many of our bear will move in cautiously to inspect the provisions. The advantage of hunting in the fall is bear are eager to fatten up for the winter. The biggest advantage to baiting is that, if and when a bruin finally commits to the bait, it allows the hunter a an opportunity to assess size, stature and time for shot placement.

About Bear
Black bear habitant range can span from two to 10 miles and resident populations often hold a variety of boars, sows and cubs, so it’s not uncommon to have multiple bears visiting the baited site. Ontario only offers a FALL BEAR HUNT therefore the chance for the large TROPHY bear is increased dramatically. Most hunters fear poor coats or hides due to the fall hunt but our area does not suffer that fate. With little to no burrs or ticks, our bear don’t succumb to ticks causing ‘rub’ or dry patchy fur. We also are known for our high number of white chevrons (patches) to make your trophy even more unique. Black bear

Jon Hanson – Tiffin, IA 440 lb. black bear

Black bear have relatively poor eyesight, but outstanding hearing and acute sense of smell. Once they get a taste of your bait, and, as long as it is replenished regularly, they will be reluctant to leave the area. In fact, once a site is established properly, you can and will see the same bruin day after day.

Location is Critical
Our bait stations have been established for many years (since 1972) and placed along the bear’s natural movement corridor. Heavily timbered forests near cutovers and waterways often sustain good bear densities. With berry crops like wild blueberries and raspberries nearby, black bear favor the accessibility and abundance of such forage and most often reside in the proximity.

Claw marks on deciduous trees and there may even be fresh markings, these lasting scars unveil a historical presence. Nomadic creatures, bear commonly travel traditional trails along waterways and natural movement corridors like valleys and ridges. Finding fresh scat can instill further confidence that bear have frequented the bait. Keep in mind that well established bait stations offer much more success than new stations since bear follow these game trails year after year.

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Posted by Wawang Lake on December 5, 2014 in black bear, Black Bear Hunts, Wawang Lake Resort

Tags: baiting, Bear-baiting, black bear, hunting, ontario, outfitter, Wawang Lake, Wawang Lake Resort

Nine Year Old Girl Shoots Grizzly Bear

01 Dec

You may have heard a story of a little 9-year old girl that shot a World Record Alaskan Brown Bear (Grizzly Bear). Fern Spaulding Rivers did shoot a trophy Brown Bear but it was not a world record. It’s still a really interesting story.

Story from Bear Hunting Magazine is below

If the “biggest bear” is determined as a ratio of the size of the bear to the size of the hunter then Fern Spaulding-Rivers is probably setting records that will never be broken. The 10 year-old from Talkeetna, Alaska has already harvested great trophies of most of Alaska’s major game species, and she is a hand loading fanatic as well.

Fern’s larger caliber rifles have a muzzle brake and a recoil pad and she also wears a custom-made padded shooting vest from McCoy Shooting Armor to help her withstand big bore recoil. Fern was brown bear hunting on the Alaskan Peninsula with her father and mother on May 10th, 2006 (when she was 9 years old). She was carrying her Remington 700 Stainless chambered in .375 H&H and topped with a Zeiss Diavari Classic 1.5 – 4.5 x 18 scope. As the day progressed she and her father saw 11 bears. At one point, they were charged by a wolf, and they had to dispatch it at only 8 paces! Later, they spotted a big bruin in a gully at 32 yards.

With all the excitement of the day beginning to show, Fern asked Larry to hold her legs steady while she shot because her knees were shaking. Fern rolled the bear with her first shot, but the bruin regained it’s footing and tore off across the tundra. Shooting again from a prone position, Fern dropped the behemoth for good with a second 270 grain Barnes Triple-shock at 112 yards. The United States Fish and Wildlife Service measured the bear’s hide at 11’4″ from nose to tail. The skull has been officially scored at 29 1/16″ Boone and Crockett. What does Fern think of bear hunting? “Do you know how big an 11′ bear looks at 30 yards? It’s really kind of scary! They are about the size of a Volkswagen bus and when they swing their head to look your way they remind you of a T-Rex in Jurassic Park!”

Her trophy brown bear now puts her in an elite class. Fern is a tremendous example to young hunters everywhere, and she is a great hunter regardless of her age.

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Posted by Wawang Lake on December 1, 2014 in Black Bear Hunts, hunting, trophy, Wawang Lake Resort

Tags: black bear, black bear hunting, black bear hunts, hunting, hunting at wawang lake, outfitter, Wawang Lake, Wawang Lake Resort, WMU 15A, WMU 15B

How to Size a Black Bear

29 Nov

……… WHEN SIZING UP A BEAR

A big bear swaggers and walks with attitude. He doesn’t jump at every sound like a small bear will. A big bear doesn’t have to; he believes he’s got nothing to fear. Once you’ve spotted your bear on the bait site, it’s time to get serious about analyzing how that bear is behaving.

It is important to note that long before you judge the size of the bear, you must judge the sex of that bear and here are some things to take into consideration:

A big, old sow will have all, or more correctly, almost all of the physical characteristics of a big, old boar. She’ll have the nasty looking face that’s seen one too many years in the ring, the potbelly and the sway back.

Watch to see if the bear stands on his hind legs and rubs his back on a tree, that’s a boar. If it walks along and straddles small trees, wiping its scent on that tree, it’s a boar. If it stands up and breaks saplings over its shoulder, it’s a boar. If it encounters another bear and gives chase, it’s a boar and if it is following a smaller bear, it’s a boar.

SCALE: There is one last general appearance tip to judging black bear that makes the top three in importance, and that is scale. A big bear looks big . . . but so does a closer, smaller bear. Here’s a help tip on how to gauge more accurately. If the bear is 150 yards away but the hunter thinks the bear is 200 yards away, the hunter will overestimate the bear’s relative size by somewhere near 25 percent. In other words, the hunter is in for a serious case of ground shrink when he walks up to his bear. TIP: Let the bear get as close to you as possible and preferably on the bait itself. The closer the bear, the less chance there is of misjudging the distance to relative size.

SPECIFIC TIPS FOR JUDGING BLACK BEARS: If the bear fails any one of the above general conditions, then it’s advisable to pass up on it or let the bear walk. It’s tough and you could be wrong, but at least there isn’t a dead small bear lying on the ground. Call it a personal aversion to guilt.

BODY SHAPE: Bigger bear are older bears, and like most of us, they don’t have the svelte bodies they once did. They tend to look “heavy” and out of shape. Remember, they monopolize the best feed and habitat, and therefore exert less energy to live.

HEAD SHAPE: A big bear (boar) will have a deeper, wider and longer snout than a smaller bear or a female. His ears will appear to be wide apart and small. If he is aware of you and looking your way, his ears won’t stand up on top of his head like a dog’s ears, they’ll seem to be aimed out to the side of his head. A big bear will have well developed “bulging” muscles on the top of his head.

LEGS: A big bear will have massively developed front shoulders. His shoulders will look big and burly. A sow’s wrist will pinch in directly above the foot. Not so with a boar. The lower forearm, wrist and the foot on a big boar are all the same width. A big bear often appears to have shorter legs because the body is so much thicker, but keep in mind that the best-scoring bears for the records book are often the lankier looking, longer-bodied bears.

There are bear that have meatier heads; bear that look great and are great trophies, but that don’t score well. There are others that have short skulls, block- headed beasts that look impressive, but that don’t score well at all and there are lanky, skinny bears with donkey faces that score like the devil, but that a hunter seriously looking for a records book bear wouldn’t walk across the street for. Black bear morphology is just too darn diversified to make a science out of judging.

The best way to hunt for a record boar is to simply shoot the bear that looks good to you and that hopefully you’ll appreciate all the time and effort you put in for the hunt. If it’s got a nice hide, be happy with your animal. If it has long claws and weighs a ton, good for you and congratulations. If it isn’t as big as you’d like, don’t fret, you’re not alone and the rug on your wall will still look great. If it happens to be one of those rare few bears that has grown a skull that qualifies for the record books, thank your guide for the good fortune that made that bear come to the bait site.

To easily judge, remember:

Check out the ear size in relation to the head
Mickey Mouse ears means a small bear.
Watch to see if the belly is low to the ground
Legs that appear short means big bear.

Watch the bear’s behavior around the bait – small bears will be skittish and afraid of a larger bruin in the area.

Look for a log around the bait and use it as a reference, check to see the length and height of the log before climbing into your stand. When the bear enters the bait site use the size of the log to help determine the overall size of the bear.

SKULL MEASURING

Hope this information helps develop your judging skill on your next hunt, and, good luck out in the field.

For further information, or, to book your next bear hunt please contact us at:
1-888-534-9217 or EMAIL

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Posted by Wawang Lake on November 29, 2014 in black bear, Black Bear Hunts, Wawang Lake Resort

Tags: bear, black bear, canada, hunting, ontario, Sizing Black Bear, Wawang Lake, Wawang Lake Resort

2014 Black Bear Hunt Video

27 Nov

Our 2014 season was both rewarding for us as outfitters and successful for our hunters as well. Our hunts consists of an average of 14 hunters annually and our guide Terry (owner of Wawang Lake Resort) works hard each season to provide active baits for each and every hunter. His objective is for every hunter to harvest a bear – if they opt to do so – so is it any wonder that much of his day is spent out in the field during the black bear season to ensure a positive outcome..

The following video are of the highlights of our 2014 hunt.

ENJOY!

If you enjoyed this video please visit our page on YouTube for more clips on Wawang Lake Resort

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Hunt Booklet – Information

Brochure (rates for the 2015 season)

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Posted by Wawang Lake on November 27, 2014 in black bear, Black Bear Hunts, Wawang Lake Resort

Tags: bear, black bear, black bear hunting, black bear hunts, canada, ontario, Outdoors, Wawang Lake Resort, Wildlife Viewing

Black Bear Hunting – at Wawang Lake Resort

21 Nov

Working hard to provide active baits for each individual hunter is how we operate our hunts, and is what keeps our sportsmen coming back year after year.

We have a very large bear hunt area (1,200 sq miles) surrounding our resort with a good healthy bear population due to years of black bear management.

Our hunts usually begin the Saturday on or after August 15th and continues for three weeks. Since we have consistently managed our bear population for several years we determine the number of hunters we will take according to the bear population we observe the previous year. We average 14 hunters per year.

What We Need to Know Upon booking, please inform us of each party members contact information, weapon (archery or gun) and will they be bringing a tree or ground stand. We need to know what type of weapon each member in the hunt party will be hunting with and whether they will be hunting from tree stand or would prefer a ground stand. More on our website

Days to Hunt (7 days) – Arrive Saturday and depart the following Saturday. Arrive Saturday and depart the following Saturday. If you would like to hunt upon your arrival, please check in between 11am-12pm (EST) and have all of your equipment prepared in advance (tree stands as assembled as possible, weapons/ammunition cased)

Transportation Requirements Since most of our baits are very remote, groups should anticipate driving their members to and from the sites. Most of our baits are road access and we provide private areas for each hunting group so that

dropping members off and picking them up will be systematic and easy. We advise to have 1 vehicle per every two hunters (three max) to ensure as little disruption to each party member’s hunt.

440 lb

Natural bait stand

near 500 lb

Rates
For a complete list of our Bear Hunt Rates please visit our website at: www.wawangresort.com/Rates.htm A $500.00 non-refundable deposit is required at the time of reservation to guarantee a hunt.

Other Costs Hunting license Canadian Funds (approximately). It’s MANDATORY to provide a current or prior hunting license FROM YOUR HOME STATE, or a hunter safety certificate, as qualification to obtain a hunting license in Ontario. Export Permit – $35.00 Canadian Funds (available at designated locations in the area)

Things to Remember Bring your own tree stand as we do not provide them. Comfortable climbers are the most popular and screw in peg types are acceptable, however, whatever type you bring bear in mind that our trees have very loose bark.

What is Included in our Bear Hunts

Modern Housekeeping Cottage for 7 nights
Pre-baited Sites & all baiting supplies during your stay & Freezer Service
Orientation trip to bait site
Experienced guide’s knowledge and advice (use it!)
Canadian Firearms Regulations All Firearms (does NOT include bows) being brought into Canada must be registered at the Canadian Customs at the time of entry into Canada. A one- year permit costs $50.00 Canadian, or there is a long term permit as well. If you would like further information, you can visit the Canadian Firearms Website through the link on our website or call toll free, 1-800-731-4000

Passport Cards (similar to a Passport) Information can be obtained at this website: http://www.travel.state.gov/passport/ppt_card/ppt_card_3926.html

Our season begins Saturday on or after August 15th

For further information, or, to book your next bear hunt please contact us at:
1-888-534-9217 or EMAIL

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Posted by Wawang Lake on November 21, 2014 in black bear, Black Bear Hunts, Wawang Lake Resort

Tags: archery, Bait, baiting, Bear-baiting, big game, black bear, bow, hunting, Wawang Lake, Wawang Lake Resort

Field Judging Black Bear

15 Aug

Here is an excerpt from a fantastic article written by Carl of BCHuntingBlog. This is always a popular question we are asked and this article gives the same advice (with photos) as we have given for many decades 🙂

Field judging Black Bears can sometimes be difficult even for the most experienced of bear hunters. The animal you are judging is usually completely black aside from color phase bears, they have thick fur and the shadows they create can be deceiving. With that said there are a few methods you can have at your disposal to help you determine if the bear is a shooter or not.

So how can you improve your skills at judging trophy black bear size in the field?

Let’s Get Started.

Check Out The Bears Head:

Big Bears: Will have a very large, blocky looking head. Their ears will look small, and almost off to the side of their skull a little. On really big boars you might even see a crease down the center of their forehead, if that’s the case, it’s a good bear. Other features to look for on a bears head would be scarring around the face, boars have ferocious fights, so it’s not uncommon for them to have plenty of battle scars around their muzzle, eyes and ears and these are helpful clues.

Small Bears: Will have a small, narrow head, almost dog like. Their ears will appear to be much larger and defined. Almost like “Mickey Mouse” is a common description among many experienced bear hunters.

Check Out The Bears Behavior:

Big Bears: Big dominant boars, behave like big dominant boars. And they usually won’t be in much of a hurry unless they know you’re there and you’ve spooked him. When big boars walk they will sometimes have a big swagger to their stride, much more so then a bear who’s on the submissive end of the spectrum. When I shot my first Island Black Bear we watched him stand up on two legs and scratch his back on a tree for a couple minutes, without a care in the world. When big boars decide to move they move deliberately, there is no indecision in their movements which can be noticed in younger, startled and confused bears. Because they are dominant, the big boars will usually have a bit of a schedule and will often be caught feeding in the same places, at the same times of day. They can do this because they are the boss!

Small Bears: Are very cautious, they will get out of your way quickly (so will a big old boar too if he’s spooked). They will usually always be more alert then a dominant bear because they have to be, or they could become dinner. Smaller bears will often seek the safety of a tree when in trouble or they just won’t stop running until they hit the coast. When small bears run, they will appear much more agile then a larger bear. They will will look more like a big dog running, then a lumbering old boar.

*Tip – When you’re observing a bear, and he/she doesn’t appear to be spooked, sit there and watch them for 1/2 hour or so. Bears are pretty fascinating creatures when you watch them do their thing, and by observing you’ll learn more about them and that makes the hunt more fun.

Check Out The Bears Body:

Big Bears: Sometimes the big boys are called “belly draggers” for a reason, and it’s possible for our bears to get this big. Big Boars may appear to be so big, you can’t see underneath their body when they are moving around. That’s a big bear! If the bear you’re looking at appears to have long legs, it’s probably because he has a smaller body in proportion. Big bears will have very muscular looking arms and legs, especially their front shoulders/neck area.

Small Bears: Can you picture the size of a really large breed dog? OK. That’s about the size of an “average” Island Black Bear. An average Island Bear will weigh 150-250lbs. An large 6′+ boar could likely weigh 300+ and the big bears do look much different as you can see in the photos.

What Are Some Additional Signs Of A Big Bear?

If it’s a big bear you’re after then you need to pay attention to the sign you see around you. Tracks and Scat are very good indicators as to the potential size of a bear, and will let you know if a particular bear is frequenting an area.

Judging Bear Size From Tracks:

This method was shown to me by my Father who was a big game guide for nearly 30 years. It has since been shown to me by several taxidermists and many more experienced bear hunters than I so I believe in this method.

If you can find fresh bear tracks in an area, maybe mud or soft sand (common where we hunt spring bear on the Island) measure the distance across the front pad and simply add 1. This will give you a rough “square” of the bear. So if you measure the bear track and it came out at 5″inches across, you would add 1 and could guesstimate that bear was roughly a 6′ foot bear.

I have tried this method on many of our harvested black bears and I have to say it’s pretty damn close! The only problem with this method is you need to find the bear that left the track!

Judging Bear Size From Scat:

Spend a couple days bear hunting and you’ll observe several dozen or so piles of bear scat scattered across the road. Not only can they help you see what the bears are eating but they can give you a pretty good indicator as to the size of the bear that left it. Here’s a tip for you. It’s not necessarily the size of the pile… It’s the diameter of the nuggets! A really BIG bear has a really big butt and it’s not uncommon for them to leave scat the diameter of a beer can behind! If you look at 10 piles of bear scat and then come across the one left by the big kahuna trust me… You’ll Know!

If you discover an area that has BIG tracks and some BIG (large diameter) scat, then it might be worth hunting that area a little harder. Big Island Black Bears don’t have enormous ranges and unless you’ve spooked them heavily they will keep coming back to the same places to feed.

Hopefully you found article helpful and through experience you’ll become a much better bear hunter. Because of their abundance it’s pretty easy to rack up experience if you’ve got the time to put a couple weekends in every year and then the patience to watch and observe what goes on around you. Pay attention to the sign, and have a good time out there!

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Posted by Wawang Lake on August 15, 2014 in black bear, Black Bear Hunts, Wawang Lake Resort

Tags: how to size a black bear, judging black bear size, sizing a black bear, Wawang Lake, Wawang Lake Resort

2 spaces just opened up!!!!!

07 Jun

Due to a family event, 2 of our spaces have just opened up! Take advantage of hunting the pristine boreal forest of Northwestern Ontario with one of the most successful outfitters in the industry. Wawang Lake Resort has long been associated with hard work and determination which has lead our hunters to harvesting not only bear, but bear of substantial size!

Contact us for information on this fantastic opportunity to join us for our 2014 hunt!