treebearcamp / bear hunting & fishing cottages Shining Tree Canada

OUR MOST COMMON RESIDENT

TREE BEAR CAMP
BEAR HUNT RATES & POLICY 2024

Base price of $1,500 *
6 nights accommodation in a fully equipped housekeeping cabin. Up to six days hunting with a choice of 2 active bait sites. Each hunter will get an initial tour of both hunt sites, and be shown current trail cam pics of the bears observed and be given a package with a map, some instructions and safety procedures. We do all of the baiting as required.

* Special rates can be negotiated based on full cabin occupancy & larger group sizes.

Harvest fee of $500.00
If you see a bear that you want, and have the opportunity to shoot, then this fee includes tracking, retrieval, transportation back to camp, cooler use, loading and unloading and import/export forms & assistance. This fee applies if you shoot and wound a bear that cannot be found after extensive effort. If by circumstance, or by choice, you do not shoot a bear then you have this $500 available to come back and try again. Unless you are just shooting with a camera, budget for this fee because the chances for success are high.

Transportation costs
We can provide regular transportation, by any means, to and from the hunt sites for a fee ranging from $10 to $50 per trip depending on distance, number of people taken, mode of transport and time required. Keep in mind that you may only need this service once. If you bring your own truck, ATV, or boat then you have anytime access to your chosen baits.

Hunting (bait) sites are accessed by:

1. Car or truck on vehicle friendly resource (logging) roads with a short walk to the bait site.

2. Boat & motor on our lake, or drive a vehicle to a cached boat, and then a short walk to the site.

3. ATV on roads or trails not suitable for road vehicles, usually directly from camp.

4. Combination of car or truck then ATV to a remote trail and walk in. Be prepared as this takes time.

5. Walk to several bait sites that are close to camp.

Meal plans & food
As part of a bear hunt package we offer full meal plans starting at $300 per week, per person. For those bringing their own meals we can offer breakfast, lunch or dinner to supplement the cabin fare if needed. For larger groups we can provide a custom menu.

Guides & hide/meat preparation:
Guiding is available and prices are negotiated between the hunter and the guide. We are skilled at skinning and processing of the meat including packaging & freezing. These are additional services where costs vary.

Licences & fees
Hunters are responsible for obtaining their own hunting licence ($230 non resident) and firearms. It is usually possible to get the licence and tag printed at camp but due to printer requirements and internet access we can not guarantee this service. Upon arrival we have the appropriate forms to validate the non resident hunters licence. Import/export fees and paperwork are the responsibility of the hunter but you have our assistance as part of the harvest fee.

EXAMPLES.

1 . $1,500 per week allows you to hunt our established baits and relax in brand new housekeeping cabins. Bring and prepare your own food and transport yourself anytime to your hunting sites or elsewhere. Go home with a great experience even if you didn’t get a bear.

2. $2,000 per week allows you to do the same as 1. but go home with what you came for, a bear.

3. $2,500 per week (varies) allows you to do all of 1. and 2 plus be transported to and from your hunting site daily and have great meals prepared and served to you. If you don’t get your bear then the cost is only $2,000.

If you got through all of the above then keep reading.

To some people black bears are a nuisance. To us they are a precious resource and an integral part of why we are here and do what we do. Black bears represent opportunity by bringing business to the north but more importantly, they belong here and are part of the landscape and fabric of life up here. All of our customers, not just hunters, are excited to see a bear. We strongly encourage both conservation and appreciation. That is why we have a harvest fee for each bear. Sure, the fee covers the extra work involved after a shot is taken but we mostly hope that it encourages hunters to take only the bears that they really want. That way each bear may provide many opportunities for other people to enjoy.

Black bears are long lived, 20 years or more is not unusual. They become sexually mature only after 3-4 years and the females usually only mate every two years so the "recruitment" rate is low and it is an easy species to impact. Weights start under 100 lbs in sub adulthood up to 300 to 400 lbs for fully mature bears. Mature bears are regularly observed and taken in our area but there are also “monsters” out there.

It is illegal to shoot a sow (female) bear with cubs during the spring hunt. The camp preference is to not shoot any sow (female) bears if possible. We place our baits to create viewing opportunities so that hunters will be able to identify that the bear is both legal to shoot and meets the hunters’ own criteria for harvest.

We have over 600 square kilometers, (250 sq. miles) of Bear Management Area to place our non resident bear hunters. Our BMA is excellent bear habitat with a good population of bears and a variety of ways to access them. Very important to us is the fact that our area surrounds our camp so when you are in camp, you are in our hunting area.

Both gun and archery hunters are welcome. Practice ranges for both are available at camp. Several sites will be designated as viewing sites only where stands will be placed further back and the bears and other animals will be protected from harassment or hunting. For many hunters and non hunters alike this should provide a unique experience. Much more can be learned and viewed when allowing an animal go about its business.

All hunting regulations including wearing hunter orange, gun safety & encasement, hunting times, restrictions on shooting sows in the spring plus others are expected to be strictly adhered to. Spring bear season is May 1st to June 15th and summer/fall bear season is August 15th to end October 31st, typically.