Ontario Moose - Best Areas?

[yooperkenny]

Howdy - Contemplating an Ontario moose hunt in 2008 and would like some input from you all. Living in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, I'm pretty close to Ontario. I realize that I'll need to get my license through an Ontario outfitter.

I'd like to keep the cost down by driving and avoiding a fly in if that's possible. I could cross at the Soo and head up that way, or go west towards International Falls or Thunder Bay. Which area has more moose? Fewer hunters?

I have another option - I've been spending a lot of time Ottawa/eastern Ontario because of work. I visited Deep River and the area northwest of Ottawa towards Algonquin Park - is this a good moose hunting area?

Any insights are appreciated - Thanks

[Shaun_300]

You have been to my part of Ontario then. I live just west of Ottawa on highway 17 in a small town called Arnprior. It's about an hour east of Deep River. We have some moose here, especially around the park. I'd reccommend up near the Timmins area, they have more than we do. Up near Thunder Bay and that area is good as well. Pretty much all of Northern Ontario have tons of moose. I'm sure you could find quite a few outfitters online.

[drkillemquick]

I would suggest North of Northbay! Thunder bay and the Hearst area is litterally crawling with them. There are quite a few around Algonquin Park but there are ALOT of hunters around there as well. Keep us posted on your plans etc! The harder part will be tags. Trying to get a bull tag might be tricky, I tried for about six years ussualy got cow and calf tags.To be quite frank I am confused as to how the new group hunting works for people from outside the Province. Good luck!

[otdrzmn04]

ive bear hunted with an outfitter that bow hunts moose too around thunder bay. when tracking a bear that was shot we saw tons of moose sign. they are great people to be around and not one complaint from the two friends that went with me or 3 other people i know that booked for last years hunt http://www.northernwoodslodge.com

[yooperkenny]

Thanks, guys! Keep 'em coming...

[TBow]

Are you gun hunting or bowhunting?

My personal opinion, is that you have as good, if not a better chance at a bull during the bow season by hitting the "call" right on the money (end of September). As a matter of fact, you'll see more and have far more encounters with moose, during the bow season than during the gun season. And you'll have far less competition from other hunters.

The further you go north, the better your chances are, the more moose you'll encounter and less hunters to contend with. The southern range for moose (typically south of a line drawn across the province from east to west around Timmins) has a lot of pressure during the gun season. And the chance of tags is far less in the mid to southern locales. There's a far better chance of either drawing tags, or latching on to an outfitter with bull tags, the further north you go.

I would strongly suggest the Thunder Bay area or even north or northwest of there. The drawbacks to hunting this area is:

1. It's further to drive.
2. The temperatures may be slightly more extreme (colder or snow) the further north you go.
3. And access to an outfitter's camp might cost a little more as it could be more remote and isolated.

By going on-line and checking the Ontario MNR site, you shouild be able to see the data for the moose season, at least for the 2005 season. I don't know that the 2006 stats would be posted yet. That will give you an idea, from the tag allocation in the respective WMUs (Wildlife Management Units), of just how the Ministry perceives the moose populations in Ontario. Don't hesitate to give the ministry offices in the respective areas a call too.

Good luck.

TBow

[yooperkenny]

[ QUOTE ]
Are you gun hunting or bowhunting?....
I would strongly suggest the Thunder Bay area or even north or northwest of there. The drawbacks to hunting this area is:

1. It's further to drive.
2. The temperatures may be slightly more extreme (colder or snow) the further north you go.
3. And access to an outfitter's camp might cost a little more as it could be more remote and isolated..


[/ QUOTE ]

Well, I was assuming gun hunting until I read your comments about bowhunting!

Thanks for the feedback. We're not that far from Thunder Bay - 12 hours or so driving. I'll definitely be taking your and other's advice about that area. Maybe a summer fishing trip in advance of a moose hunt up that way.

Also we're outfitted for and used to cold temps up here with the prevailing winds coming off Lake Superior, so we'll feel right at home!

Any more thoughts from the Great White North, eh?

[Strut10]

Never hunted da moose up there, eh. But the last time we went fishing we saw more moose than we have since 1974............Ignace area............Rte 17 west of Thunder Bay.

[Ripper]

I have hunted both the Thunder Bay area and up near Timmins. Both have been really good, both have been unsuccessful. My sugestion for you would be to cross at the Soo, drive north to Wawa ( about 2 hours north) take a right at Wawa and head across to Timmins. There are a lot of moose in the Gogama area and parts just north of there. There are many outfitters in Wawa that could help you out. I will get you the names of a few outfitters.

Try www.mooseheaven.com or www.duenorth.net
This will get you to many outfitters you can look at.

[TBow]

I hunted the Timmins area last year. During the archery season, residents hunting in a group, required 14 Pool #1 applications to guarantee a bull tag. I believe the Thunder Bay area was something like two Pool #1 applications to guarantee a bull tag. Those kind of numbers have to reveal how the MNR perceives things in the moose world in Ontario.

TBow