Dog Retrieving Sheds Tips

28 Dec

Pick the right pup. You want a pup with high prey and hunt drives, such as a retriever (Labrador, golden) or a working breed (German shepherd, Malinois). But not every dog will do. Test a pup out by tossing some short retrieves (do not use a shed at this stage). Look for unbridled enthusiasm. You’ll also need to ensure the dog has enough drive. Throw the ball into thick cover and observe how long he’ll search and whether he’s using his nose.
Imprint the scent. To get your dog excited about shed hunting, you need to get him excited about the scent of sheds. Take a tennis ball and rub it on a shed—the fresher the antler, the better. Or store the ball and the shed together. Then work with the dog on short retrieves. Eventually work your way up to tossing the ball into thick cover. Give a reward after good sessions.
Hide the shed. Once the dog is accustomed to the scent of sheds, it’s time to break out the antlers for what Bowling calls odor recognition. The biggest mistake people make, says Bowling, is that they don’t think about the wind while training. At first, try some easy finds, and reward good effort. Then move to tougher tests. But always work the dog into the wind. Let him learn to use his nose.

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Posted by Wawang Lake on December 28, 2014 in Hunting Dog Training, Retrieving, Wawang Lake Resort

Tags: bow hunters, Bow Hunting, canada, hunting, Hunting Dog Training, ontario, Retrieving, Sheds, Wawang Lake, Wawang Lake Resort

Traditionally, moose have also been taken outside the rutting season, especially in the winter. At this time, moose tend to be scattered. If the snow is fresh and powdery, a hunter can move silently through the forest and thickets. But if the snow is drifted or develops a crust, every footstep makes a noise that alerts the moose. Making matters worse, even slight sounds carry over surprisingly long distances on windless days with temperatures far below zero—as often happens during the northern winter.

Moose have excellent hearing, so the best chance of approaching one in the winter is during storms when gale winds and gusts cover the sound of crunching snow. Luckily, temperatures tend to be warmer during storms, so although hunting in these conditions can be very uncomfortable, it’s not as life threatening as when the temperatures sink to minus thirty or colder.

When the snow is really deep—up to a moose’s belly—these animals have a very hard time moving around. Also if the snow is deep and crusted, the heavy-bodied moose will punch through the icy crust, cutting its legs as the animal walks, making travel extremely difficult.

If the crust is hard and strong enough, wolves can walk on top, giving them a lethal advantage over moose. Mired in the snow, a moose cannot escape by running away and has difficulty defending itself. Human hunters on snowshoes can also stay near the top of deep or crusted snow while the moose are forced to wallow slowly along. Under these conditions, a moose is virtually trapped in a small area of its feeding trails, making it extremely vulnerable.

When the snow is not so deep, moose can move far more quickly and easily. The practiced hunter knows that if moose tracks consistently lead in a single direction, the animal may be heading somewhere else and will be very hard to catch.

If a moose is feeding in one area its tracks will wander in multiple directions. This is good news for the hunter, because he may have a chance to get close to the animal. Now the difficulty is to find which tracks are the freshest and which direction they lead.

A hunter always wants to know how old the tracks are—how long ago did the moose make them? Would it be possible to catch up or is the animal long gone?

A track made within the hour is soft—as soft as the surrounding snow. The hunter riding on a dog sled or snow machine might simply drag his boot through the track. If the track is fresh, he feels almost nothing. If it’s older, he feels two distinct thumps as his boot hits both sides of the track.

In cold weather—especially if it’s far below zero—the inner walls of an animal’s track will recrystallize and develop a crust within a few hours. This starts first around the top and happens later at the bottom. If the track was made the night before it will be harder still. The colder the temperatures, the more quickly a crust forms on the inside of tracks.

A hunter on foot pushes his boot or a mittened hand down into the tracks, feeling the crust or testing how much pressure it takes to break through. The harder the crust, the older the track. In below zero weather, a track made two days ago or earlier will be very hard.

Another sign the hunter looks for is moose droppings. When they’re fresh, the color is dark brown and they’re soft. In freezing temperatures, the pellets quickly harden and turn lighter.

Other signs are willow branches that have been freshly broken by browsing moose, the white wood showing conspicuously against the darker background of the thicket. Often this is accompanied by a scramble of tracks and patches of gouged-out snow where the moose has pawed down looking for edible vegetation under the snow.

Moose rest or sleep in snow beds, often straight downwind from their tracks. They do this to catch a warning scent from any predator that is following their trail. At other times, a moose that hears a suspicious sound or spots something unusual will intentionally move downwind to test the scent. A moose can recognize the drifting smell of a wolf or human, even at a considerable distance.

When a hunter is following fresh moose tracks in the snow, he knows that the animal could have bedded downwind so it would pick up his scent. For this reason he leaves the trail at intervals, walks straight downwind, then makes a wide loop and heads back upwind—always watching the underbrush for the dark shape of his prey. Again and again, he makes these downwind loops and comes back upwind until he finds tracks leading to where the moose is bedded. If luck is with him and the moose never catches his scent, he may catch it unaware.

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Posted by Wawang Lake on December 23, 2014 in animal tracks, hunting, moose hunting, Wawang Lake Resort

Tags: bow hunters, Bow Hunting, canada, Moose, moose hunting, moose tracking, ontario, Wawang Lake, Wawang Lake Resort, WMU 15A, WMU 15B

Women Hunters – Interesting Facts

22 Dec

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Posted by Wawang Lake on December 22, 2014 in archery, Wawang Lake Resort

Tags: bow, bow hunters, Bow Hunting, canada, Compound bow, hunting, Wawang Lake, Wawang Lake Resort, women hunters

Evolution of a Hunter

20 Dec

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Posted by Wawang Lake on December 20, 2014 in animal tracks, bow hunting, game, hunting, Wawang Lake Resort

Tags: canada, Guides and Outfitters, hunting, hunting guide, ontario, Wawang Lake, Wawang Lake Resort

Pay Attention to Detail

15 Dec

Scent can be your biggest ally or your worst enemy

Black Bear are attracted to the aroma of a free meal, but if they catch a whiff of you, you can often kiss them good-bye for a day or two. Keep your clothing and footwear as scent-free as possible. Be alert at all times while hunting your bait. You will most often see bear before you hear them. With padded feet they move with calculated precision. Remember, when they come into a bait station they know the treats were left by humans.

Shot Placement

Regardless of your choice of weapon, whether it is a gun or bow, learning when and where to shoot can mean the difference between an expedited kill, or, the outcome of tracking a wounded animal. We advise our hunters to wait until the bear is preoccupied with the bait and is facing away while standing broadside or quartering away. Bears are extremely tough, so a double lung or heart shot are always your best option therefore taking your time will be important.

When archery hunting, bows must meet the following specifications.

Crossbows: Draw length must be at least (11.8 in.);

Draw weight must be at least (119 lbs.);
Bolt head must be at least (0.9 in.) at the widest point; and,
there must be at least two cutting edges of straight, sharp, un-serrated, barbless steel.

Re-curve Bow: Draw weight must be at least (48.5 lbs.) at draw length of (27.6 in.) or less;

Arrow length must be at least (23.6 in.);
Broad head must be at least (0.9 in. at the widest point; and,
There must be at least two cutting edges of straight, sharp, un-serrated, barbless steel.

For bow hunting Black Bear we recommend a compound bow with a draw weight of no less than 50 pounds and a 100 grain broad head

Recommended Knowledge base
www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Business/FW/Publications/MNR E001275P.html

For rifle hunting black bear we recommend using nothing less than a .270 caliber.
Other recommended calibers: 7mm magnum; .308; .30-06. NO 30-30’s

Firearm Information www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/index.htm

The bottom line – baiting is a proven strategy for attracting a wary game animal with a voracious appetite. It involves much more than just tossing out a few tasty morsels. There is a right way and a wrong way to do it and our experienced guides take pride in their skills and knowledge. Keen attention to detail and listening to the guide is the key to your success.

In order to ensure the highest possible success to our hunters we take only an average 14 hunters a year. Should we have an increase in bear sighting throughout the spring and summer we may take a few more hunters but our first obligation is to ascertain a healthy black bear population together with satisfied hunters for years to come.

Most importantly, remember baiting is a ton of work and takes weeks on our part for each hunter. From collecting legal paper work to buying and picking up the ingredients, materials along with travelling for miles and then finally establishing and maintaining each site daily prior to your hunt. It requires foresight and commitment on our part and we do this because of our passion for the outdoors and careful management of our Black Bear.

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Posted by Wawang Lake on December 15, 2014 in archery, Black Bear Hunts, bow hunting, gun hunting, Wawang Lake Resort

Tags: archery, Bear-baiting, black bear, bow, canada, Guides and Outfitters, hunting, hunting guide, Wawang Lake, Wawang Lake Resort

Don’t Forget To Breath

14 Dec

Whether we are at the range shooting targets, or in the field hunting, breathing is important. We want our sight, scope or pin to be on its mark when we pull the trigger.

Education, shooting positions and firearms are all very important to shooters. Breathing is a very important factor as well. We all breathe. From the day we were born we have unconsciously learned to breathe in and out. That natural motion can help or hinder during shooting.

Controlled breathing is a necessity in shooting accuracy. When you breathe in and out your chest rises and falls. This movement can cause your gun barrel or arrow sight to float on its target. Your breathing may cause you to move at the exact moment you pull the trigger to fire.

Sometimes when you are hunting, you get excited and/or the terrain and conditions cause your heart rate to accelerate. Your breathing becomes more rapid and harder to control. If you hold your breath, you may become light headed and your shot may be off target. It is important to practice your breathing techniques as you practice shooting positions at the range.

There are multiple methods of breathing during a shot. The best thing to do is practice them and determine which works best for you. Once you’ve determined your breathing technique, practice it so it becomes instinctive when you are under pressure.

Exhale & Pause – When you are in shooting position, put your cheek against the stock of the gun. Take in a deep breath. Exhale just a portion of that breath, pause briefly and pull the trigger. The pause should allow you to hold your gun barrel and sights in perfect alignment on the target at the very moment the gun fires.

Inhale & Pause – Relax and practice steady breathing. Double check your shooting position. In your rythm of relaxed breathing, inhale. When your lungs are about half full, pause and pull the trigger. The inhale and pause is similar to the exhale and pause method. Your gun barrel and sights should be in perfect alignment on the target at the exact moment the gun fires.

Full exhale – Make sure you are in proper shooting position. Breathe slowly to relax. Focus on your target. As you breathe naturally, and you are at complete exhale, pause when your lungs are empty and squeeze the trigger.

Breathe Naturally – Breathing naturally takes the focus completely off of breathing technique. You do not pause at all. Focus on your form and your target as you breathe naturally and squeeze the trigger. Sometimes being consciously focused on breathing can increase heart rate and breathing patterns. The natural breathing technique takes the focus off and you begin to unconsciously form a habit of correct shot timing.

When you are pausing, remember just that. It is a pause, not a hold. When a shooter holds their breath, their muscles tighten and their heart rate can change. This will dramatically change the accuracy of a shot.

While you are practicing, if you become short of breath, stop. Re-group and practice your natural, relaxed breathing. It is important to steady your breath to decrease the amount of movement your body is making. If you are able, step back. Take a deep breath in. Then exhale and then reacquire your target.

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Posted by Wawang Lake on December 14, 2014 in gun hunting, hunting, Wawang Lake Resort

Tags: black bear, canada, Guides and Outfitters, hunting, hunting guide, ontario, Outdoors, Wawang Lake, Wawang Lake Resort

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

HUNT the HUNTER

03 Dec

The best timber wolf habitat in all of Ontario CANADA is located in the Boreal Forest
around………. Wawang Lake Resort

HUNT the HUNTER – Ontario’s Timber Wolf

Hunting a top predator is a challenge you will never forget. A timber wolf hunt is not for the novice hunter though. In fact hunting for wolf will require more determination and patience than any other type of hunt. If you’re the kind of hunter that can pride themselves with this type of stamina then wolf hunting is definitely something you’ll want to experience.

Remaining aloof is what wolves do best and they are also extremely cautious and above all prefer not to be seen. They hunt small game, moose and bear for a living, so they are extremely resourceful. They

are shrewd, cautious, and have finely tuned senses. With this said remember that the wolf is the hunter’s top opponent when hunting in NW Ontario and up for any challenge man will present.

Our region of the Boreal Forest remains to be one of the most populated areas for the timber wolf with pack sizes reaching 30 or more and this is due mainly because of our small game, moose and bear population that are at its peak annually.

Wolves are nocturnal hunters, so getting a crack at one during legal daylight hours can be difficult, but, by precisely following the strategic technique of our expert guides it can be done.

Wolves are territorial and each pack occupies, hunts, and protects a specific area. Once we know where a pack lives, we can learn more about them and that is the groundwork for our hunts. We know of many different packs, in this vast area, and each year we gather information of each packs hunting patterns. A pack seems to hunt a particular route and often return to the same areas with unbelievable regularity.

Calling is helpful if the wolves are within earshot. Distressed small game calls such as rabbits (snowshoe hares) works well, as this and other small game are the wolves’ primary food source along with moose and bear. Also, howling can be effective. A wolf will almost always answer to a howl regardless of their distance from the person howling.

Hunting down live large prey like moose or bear takes a lot of energy so wolves are also opportunists. They can smell blood from many miles away and frequently visit our baiting stands for an easy meal so we know where they are, but, the wolf hunt is much more interesting than that. Outsmarting wolves means having an outfitter that knows their strategy and scouts out what game trails they are using. Placing baits sites in proper places can mean the difference between success or not!

A Typical Natural Hunt Blind

We hunt from natural ground blinds made from deadfall, but, because temperatures can be extreme we advise our hunters to bring along their own commercial ground blinds (aired out for at least two months in advance of the hunt) in order to be more comfortable, however, this can be risky and best to avoid this type of blind if at all possible as the wolves can be skittish of them and of course can reduce the hunter’s chances of success. It is always best to dress for the extreme outdoor conditions and hunt from the natural ground blinds we provide.

The color phases of the wolves seen in our area are varied, from the most common gray tones to blacks and whites, to medium tones of cream, gray, brown and orange. The specs of our wolves are as follows:

Length: 4.9 ft – 6.7 ft.
Weight: up to 175 lb
Height: between 26” to 33”

There are very few guarantees in hunting, but we do offer you this . . . . .

That you will find the wolf hunt a challenging and enjoyable experience in some of the most beautiful terrain you’ve seen.
Your guides are passionate hunters and strive to provide the same hunting experience for you that

they would want for themselves.
Our resort is a comfortable with a homey environment to relax in after an enjoyable day in the field…..and we feed our Meal Plan guests very well!

So while the outcome of the hunt is never a guarantee, the quality of the hunt experience is. And when you hear that first ghostly howl in the distance you will know you are in timber wolf country and from that moment on you will be hooked!

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 December 3, 2014 in Timber Wolf, Wawang Lake Resort, Wolf Hunting

Tags: canada, hunting guide, ontario, Outdoors, outfitter, timber Wolf, Wawang Lake, Wawang Lake Resort, WMU 15A, WMU 15B, Wolf Hunting

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.