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I was watching some videos this morning while having my early morning coffee. A great way to get motivated early in the morning. As I was scanning through Youtube I came across a video from Riverside Guide Service that brought back a few great memories of a trapline I shared with a girlfriend’s father back in 1973. Seems like a life time ago.

Heck I haven’t thought about that trapline in longest time. No, I haven’t thought about Debbie either dear.

Even though I was a bit wild back then I kept it under control while I was around Debbie’s dad Bruce. He was a big man and could have picked me up and tore me a new one real quick. Instead he took a real liking to me. Well I will admit that I worked hard and didn’t complain, I think that helped.

Deb’s mom and dad asked if we would like to move into their cottage, which was a little ways behind their house on the edge of a really niche pond. We thought about it for about 30 seconds and then moved right in.

We had it pretty good living there. Living so close to home we had no need to cook as there was always place settings at the table for us.

Bruce was full of songs and jokes and was a lot of fun to be around.

One gorgeous Saturday morning at the breakfast table Bruce asked me if I would like to join him on his daily run around his trapline. I was a bit of a hunter and fisher so I was more than happy to go with him and experience something my ancestors did to survive.

To make a long story a bit shorter Bruce asked if I would become a partner with him on the trapline for 50%. Because I already had a good job I would have to get up even earlier to monitor the traps daily but I was up for it.

I had a lot of fun, learned a lot about trapping and eventually quit my job to work with Bruce full time planting trees for clients. But back to the trapping story…

Bruce used to trap a beaver damn for years until some hunters went in and just for the fun of it they shot and killed all the beavers. Bruce thought that more beavers would move in but a year or two went by and nothing so he stopped going up in that area.

We didn’t actually go up in where that damn was but later I walked up in there on my own to see. I love to fish beaver damns and wanted to see what it was like.

To my surprise there were beaver signs everywhere. More beavers had indeed moved in. Of course I could hardly wait to finish the run so I could tell Bruce. When I told him he insisted that we hop in the canoe and head up there to see.

Before we left he grabbed what he needed to set a trap and we were on our way. I am sure I saw a tear in his eyes when we got there and sure enough there were beaver.

He showed me how to tie the wire to a cinder block and kink the wire in the right place to hold the beaver under the water when it got trapped, because they instinctively dive when paninced.

I went back there every day and nothing for about a week. It probably took that long for my scent to wear off the area. Anyways I went to the damn one day and there was a big beaver sitting there looking at me and it wasn’t dead like it should have been, just really ticked.

I don’t usually slack off but after days of not getting anything I walked up in there without my rifle and sure enough that was the day there was a trapped beaver that wasn’t drowned.

It had tangled in the chain and couldn’t even dive so I looked around for a weapon. I picked up a good size tree branch and hit the poor scared beaver as hard as I could and then then pinned it under the water for what I thought was a really long time.

I dragged it’s lifeless body out of the water, put the beaver over my back holding it by the hind legs and started back to the canoe.

Well I about half way back to the canoe when I thought it moved and before I was 100% sure it really let me know it wasn’t dead. If I hadn’t wore my girlfriend’s buckskin jacket that day I am sure I would have some scares on my back and perhaps my butt.

I think that was the scariest moment of my short life. Needless to say I immediately let go and jumped forward. Well that beaver got the better of me that day and lived to tell all his friends back at the damn and I never left my rifle in the canoe again.

Bear hunting in Canada is a hunting experience that goes unmatched. Canada’s black bears roam from Ontario to the west coast and grow to a much bigger size than what they do in the U.S. For a hunter who’s looking for a spectacular black bear hunting experience, Canada is the number one destination.

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• Choosing the Right Black Bear Hunting Outfitter & Preparing For Your Trip (thejoyofflyfishing.com)

When looking for an outfitter that will provide you with the black bear hunt you have in mind it could take some time but I think I have shorten that time quite a bit. I have compiled a list of the top black bear hunting guides, outfitters and lodges here in New Brunswick Canada.

If you are new to black bear hunting be sure to check out the two related posts.

Preparing for your black bear hunting adventure

Choose the Right Black Bear Hunting Outfitter For Your Hunt

Our Featured Black Bear Hunting Outfitter

Big Paw Outfitters

Black Bear Hunting

Owner: Kevin Caissie – Location: Renous, New Brunswick – Hunting Zone: #7

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Black Bear Outfitters, Guides & Lodges

Adairs Wilderness Lodge

Adventure Nord Est

Adventures Inn Miramichi

Atlantic Adventures Outfitting

Barton’s Wilderness Adventures

Bear Paw Outfitters

Bear’s Lair

Big Paw Outfitters
Kevin Caissie – Renous – Black Bear Hunting and Guiding – Zone 7

Black Bear Lodge

Black Bear Hunting NB Canada

Black Bear Specialist

Canaan Outfitters

Dyer & Sons Outfitters

Fundy Outfitters

Harts Lake Lodge

Henderson’s Hunting Camps

John’s Paradise

Krumplehorn Lodge

Manuel’s Hunt/Fish Camps

Miramichi Inn

Nerepis Lodge

Safaris International

Sunset Shan-Gri-La Lodge

Taxis River Outfitters

Tobique & Serpentine Camps

Ugly Bear Lodge

Upper Oxbow Adventures

Each of the black bear hunting outfitters listed above are also listed on the black bear hunting guides and outfitters map on the main page so you will have a better idea of how to get there. It should help you narrow your search down somewhat.

I decided to break this black bear hunting preparation post into two sections. The first part can be found here:

Part 1: Choosing the Right Black Bear Hunting Outfitters.

Part Two: Preparing For Your Black Bear Hunting Adventure

To be fully prepared, have your outfitter send you a list of important things to take along for your weeks stay.  Here are a few examples of items that I believe have made for better black bear hunting experiences:

* Passport and proper identification for border officials
* Bug Suit (if hunting during bug season)
* Two-way Radios
* Clothes for all weather conditions (hot, cold, rain, etc…)
* Snack food items
* Camera
* Compact foldable soft weapon cases
* Cooler & Meat Bags
* Knife & Tool Kit
* Non-scented soaps, shampoos, etc…

There is one final very important note to mention.  Have your outfitter send you a non-resident firearm declaration for you to prepare in advance.  They take about 20 minutes to fill out at home, but will save you time with custom and border officials.  Remember that all rifles will need to be removed from their respected cases, so don’t have them buried under your luggage and hunting gear.

Black bear hunting being as popular as it is you can imagine there are a lot of outfitters to choose from but not all bear hunting guides and outfitters are the same. For this reason it most important that you communicate and ask the questions that need to be answered so you get the black bear hunting trip you expect.

Listed below you will find some important questions you should ask the bear hunting outfitters you contact. This will help you select the best outfitter for your ideal black bear hunting trip:

1. Find out just how many hunters and how many non-hunters per week.
2. At the end of the day it’s important to have a place to rest your weary head. Ask how many people in each room. It would also help to get a description or even pictures of the accommodation?
3. We all like to eat, especially after being outdoors all day so ask what’s on the menu for your bear hunting trip.
4. Hunting can be a dirty business so you may want to clean your clothes. Ask if they have laundry facilities?
5. Arriving too early, while there are still other hunters from the previous week, may not be appreciated so ask about the acceptable arrival. Be sure you know the departure times as well.
6. How many un-hunted active black bear hunting bait sites do you provide per hunter?  Can I be moved if desired?
7. Ask for a description of their tree stand set up and bait sites. Again it would be great to have pictures, especially if they are online.
8. Will you be walking to the bait sites? Then how far are they from the camp or lodge? Do they provide transportation to and from the bait sites?
9. What are the hunting departure and pick-up times and how long after dark is the last hunter picked up?
10. Is morning black bear hunting offered if desired?
11. Will your black bear hunting outfitter be on the premises all week?
12. Is the outfitter’s accommodation licensed?
13. How many black bear hunters per guide and per vehicle on departure to the site?
14. If I harvest my black bear early in the week what type of recreation are available?  (ie:  fishing, other hunts, near by towns or cities, etc…)
15. What type of practice range do you offer for both bow & rifle?
16. If my weapon malfunctions, is there a local archery or rifle shop near by?
17. Once I have harvested my black bear, where will it be registered?  Who will skin and cut the meat?  Is there a freezer on site?  Is there a local taxidermist and do they provide a price list?
18. References from both successful & non-successful black bear hunters?
19. Are there any additional fees?

These questions may take a bit of time answer, but the black bear outfitter should be more than happy to answer them. If not, well then perphaps they aren’t your black bear hunting outfitter.

Once you have the outfitter you’re comfortable with you will need to get a list for preparing for the black bear hunting trip of your life.