For an exciting and rewarding hunt, match wits with Canada’s top predators

BLACK BEARS

Within the hunting community, black bears are undoubtedly the most popular of Canada’s predators, valued for both their meat and their hides. They are also one of the very few large mammals in Canada with both spring and fall hunting seasons. Absent only in P.E.I., they’re hunted from Newfoundland and Labrador to B.C., and north to the territories.

Once considered controversial, baiting is now widely accepted as an effective and ethical method for hunting black bears (it is prohibited only in B.C. and the territories). Baiting allows hunters the time to determine the size, sex and age of bears, as well as ensure cubs are not present. It also gives hunters the opportunity to take their shot only when the bear is ideally positioned. Baiting takes a lot of preparation and work, however, so it’s not for those with limited time afield.

Spot-and-stalk hunting for black bears, meanwhile, is a game of glassing and stealth. If you’re patient and manage the wind carefully, you can often get to within shooting range, even if you’re a bowhunter. Fueled largely by concerns over trichinosis, just a few decades ago most black bears were hunted only for their fine pelts. Today, with a better understanding of the risks and how to manage them, black bears have also become highly desired as quality table fare.