Hey all. I'm looking for some help as I'm trying to plan a cheap bear hunt in the NWT. An area called Rae if the spelling is right. Its about an hour from yellowknife I'm told. What I need help with is local laws and regs regarding a non resident to hunt bear and whatever else is in season for the fall. Ill be staying for 2 weeks with an old college friend and she said she works with a guy that will take me out. I've called the airlines and they said I can bring my guns with me on there plane (there's some stuff involved but I can bring my rifles). My ammo is availible there as well (hopefully my new 375hh and 45-70 will be coming). I think I have everything I need for the hunt except good binoculars and tags. Any info or experiences will help a lot thanks
planning a NWT bear hunt
- Thread starter brybenn
- Start date
As a non-resident, you are required to use a licenced outfitter for hunting big game. Is your friend's friend an outfitter? If not, you have a problem.
Do a google search for hunting in the NWT. You will find all the information you need on the GNWT website.
Do a google search for hunting in the NWT. You will find all the information you need on the GNWT website.
- Location
- Hay River NWT
ya, good luck with that. definatly need a guide, and they are not cheap
You can find regulations on the ENR - GNWT website, Fall you can shoot bear and moose, woodland MAYBE, i'm not sure, i'd have to look at the regs. its nothing to bring your guns up, Ive transported mine all the time to and from edmonton, all you need to do is to sign a form saying its unloaded, locked, etc.
as for ammunition, Bring enough for the trip, we only have walmart and canadian tire for ammo. and they don't stock 45-70 I know for sure, i'm not sure about the other one.
Good luck
as for ammunition, Bring enough for the trip, we only have walmart and canadian tire for ammo. and they don't stock 45-70 I know for sure, i'm not sure about the other one.
Good luck
- Location
- Hay River NWT
bear opens on july 31, woodland caribou,sheep, goat, griz, wolf july 15th, moose sept 1
I'm an outfitter here and can confirm that you require an outfitter. Spring, late May or early June is the best time for a prime bear here, not fall. Moose or woodland caribou are not available at present through outfitters unless you want to go into the MacKenzie Mountains. The NWT is unique in that there is no "hunter host" type of program where a non-resident can hunt with a friend.
Yes and from what I have been told from three local boys here that went up this year past to hunt is that you truely get what you pay for up there.
They put out quite a bit of cash and their guide was terrible. Came home empty handed. Like they said they understand no guide can garantee a kill but he should be able to remember when you are arriving and at least be home, rather than two days later.
Nothing was ready for them and they were set up in the same exact spots for a week with nothing around. They are going back to new brunswick this spring where they found a top rated outfitter a few years back and they get a few black bears there.
Wolverine sports was owned by the guy who owns diamond glass,
He said that he couldnt get anybody to work for him, so he closed up shop and moved it to Red Deer. He actually has a nice store down there too. I think he just couldn't make money up here so he closed up and moved it.
As for Wolverine, Dale sold it to the DevCorp, managed it for 4 years. They took it over and ran it down, closed, and Brian bought it. ...No hands on management and no profits, so the whole kit and kaboodle went to Red Deer. How it's doing now is not known. Bottom line is that Yellowknife only has CT and Wally's for ammo!!
One outfitter is promoting bear hunts up here, over bait, poor success and poor quality! Only successful method is to work the roads and a few clear-cut areas. All bears seen will be black, good heads, and if timed right, the very best coats as they've just come out of the dens. I budget for $150 per day just for fuel. We don't have a dense bear population and you have to cover lots of ground for a good black, but they are here!!
One outfitter is promoting bear hunts up here, over bait, poor success and poor quality! Only successful method is to work the roads and a few clear-cut areas. All bears seen will be black, good heads, and if timed right, the very best coats as they've just come out of the dens. I budget for $150 per day just for fuel. We don't have a dense bear population and you have to cover lots of ground for a good black, but they are here!!
Thanks for the info, Arctic. I kinda figured that was gonna happen. That sucks for everyone when it comes to ammo, I imagine. Lots of shooters up there.
I never did work the roads south of town, but I usually just rolled up and down the Ingraham from a few miles south of the Cameron bridge up to the end of the road past Reid campground. I got a couple over the years up that way...
You guys seem to be selling weak odds that ill get a nice bear. This is what I like to here. Maybe ill just save up for a few more years and try to get in on an alaskan brown bear hunt. I just love hunting bears. Guess ill just stick to my ontario blackies for now
Yup, I can tell you for a fact that they do NOT sell any .375 h & h ammo up here. NONE!
Nor can you find any .45/70 ammo. Better either bring a rifle on a more common caliber (I.E. .270 win, .30-06, .308, .300wm, 7mmMag, .303 British, .243win, or 12 guage slugs/buckshot. ) thats about it for ammo up here. I scour the CT/Walmart daily, in case anything accidentally gets restocked.
As for the bear hunting, it really is a matter of time and kilometers. I have bagged 3 bears in my time up here, all of which were "road hunted". Its the only way, as the terrain is just too rugged to deal with. Driving the rivers by boat is another way to produce bear. The whole hunting industry here is in a state of disarray Due to the idiotic govt and wildlife division. Squatters take up prime bear hunting territory out on the highway. When you see the bears, they are usually quite big though........
Nor can you find any .45/70 ammo. Better either bring a rifle on a more common caliber (I.E. .270 win, .30-06, .308, .300wm, 7mmMag, .303 British, .243win, or 12 guage slugs/buckshot. ) thats about it for ammo up here. I scour the CT/Walmart daily, in case anything accidentally gets restocked.
As for the bear hunting, it really is a matter of time and kilometers. I have bagged 3 bears in my time up here, all of which were "road hunted". Its the only way, as the terrain is just too rugged to deal with. Driving the rivers by boat is another way to produce bear. The whole hunting industry here is in a state of disarray Due to the idiotic govt and wildlife division. Squatters take up prime bear hunting territory out on the highway. When you see the bears, they are usually quite big though........
Pathfinder
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Northeast Ontario
I didnt' think hunters went all the way up to NWT to hunt black bears ? When I think NWT I think Caribou, at least that's what I would be looking for.
- Location
- Hay River NWT
lots of good bears around hay river, a friend of mine shot a 600 + two years ago, it was tearing into cabins, pulled plywood off and chewing through 2x4s
brybenn, the problem isn't getting the bear. Lots of nice blackies along the rivers - the Hay, the Mackenzie, Liard. No big deal drifting up on 'em as soon as the ice is out. But your problem would be getting a legal tag. Gotta be a resident for 24 months to get a resident licence. Like Arctic says, no host hunter program in the NWT, and few outfitters doing black bear except in the Mackenzie Mountains - for which read $$$ , and takes your chances on quality of experience. And they don't focus on black bears anyway - mostly sheep, some moose and boo. Can't get a griz unless you are a resident - or that's the way it used to be, anyway - and you could only shoot one in a lifetime. GWT has shut down barren ground 'boo outfitters - some dodgy statistics make the herds shrink on demand -so guided hunting in the NWT is pretty hard to come by.
I like bear hunting. Never hunted caribou but I here they're pretty stupid. Its more or less see where there going cut them off and take the one you want. I maybe wrong but of my friend that have taken them they aren't the highest caliber of hunters and couldn't hit sand if they fell off a camel. Great guys tho lol. And moose I don't like the taste of so I'm not so interested in shooting one unless its a big bull in full rut. I just don't really wanna go somewhere where I can't hunt anything. To me it defeats the purpose of travelling
If you want to hunt spring black bears then look for a hunter host in BC.
Lots of bears and not to expensive to do a hunter host. Black bears seem larger and more plentiful along the coast and in the south than in the north.
Lots of bears and not to expensive to do a hunter host. Black bears seem larger and more plentiful along the coast and in the south than in the north.
