DISCOVERING LABRADOR BRUINS

DISCOVERING LABRADOR BRUINS

Al Raychard

The Province of Newfoundland is well known for its black bear hunting.

But what about Labrador? Al Raychard recently went there to explore a new opportunity.

If I mention the word “Labrador” what thoughts come to mind? For the big-game hunter it generally means caribou. Northern Labrador is home to one of the largest caribou herds on the continent and hunters from around the world travel there each year looking for a trophy stag.

But what about black bear? On fishing trips over the years or while hunting caribou I have seen bears or sign indicating their presence on numerous occasions. But after years of hunting some of the best bear camps and areas on the continent, I never thought of Labrador as a bear hunting hotspot.

There are several reasons for that fact. One is I never specifically traveled to Labrador to hunt black bear. Few hunters ever have or do. I always went looking for something else, my sightings were always coincidental, and I was either equipped with a fly rod or had my mind on other game.

Outdoor writer Steve Carpenteri of Georgia glasses the Labrador countryside for bears. While hunting primarily takes place often bait bears are sometimes spotted in the open and can be stalked.

Another reason is Labrador is highly overshadowed by Newfoundland, the island part of the province, at least when it comes to bear hunting. Few places in eastern North America are as well known for producing large spring black bear, with specimens in the 300 and 400-pound class nothing unusual. According to biologists there, the island’s bear population is genetically unique and is home to some of the largest black bear on the continent, on average, second to perhaps the islands off the coast British Columbia and southeast Alaska. While small or “average” specimens are harvested, few places offer a better opportunity for a record-book head. Add in high hunter success rates, at many camps running 90-percent or more, top-notch guides, accommodations and services you have a combination difficult to beat. Politically, Newfoundland and Labrador are governed by the same government in St. John’s. But when it comes to bear hunting, historically, the two places have been light years apart

While Labrador has a long history in the outfitting business and has a world-class guide/outfitting trade in its own right, as a hunting and fishing destination Labrador is primarily known for its smorgasbord of coldwater game fish. Attracting anglers to fish for them has always been the emphasis during the spring, summer and fall seasons. The place is home to some of the finest brook trout angling in the world, and also offers Atlantic salmon and landlocked salmon, lake trout, Arctic char and pike among others, and it is those species and a chance to partake of a wilderness experience that put Labrador on the sporting map and has kept it there. In the fall, the pursuit of caribou takes over. Labrador shares the 450,000 strong George River herd with Quebec, the largest free-roaming caribou herd in the world. Each hunter is allowed two animals, and the season runs from mid-August through fall and winter to the end of April. Despite the fact Labrador is probably home to more bears than Newfoundland, where the population is estimated at about 10,000 animals, the problem on the mainland was, and remains, few if any outfitters offered hunts specifically for spring black bear, and the black bear has been pretty much neglected by outfitters, and therefore the rest of the hunting world. Over the years I have hunted caribou in Labrador at least a dozen times and the only bears I have seen harvested were taken coincidentally by caribou hunters in the fall.

The author saw numerous bears on this hunt, including this sow and cub.

This is about to change, at least on a small level. In March of 2006 I received a phone call from outfitter Yves St. Marie of Northern Lights Lodges, Ltd., located in Labrador City in the western portion Labrador (P.O.Box 279 Labrador City, Nfld., Canada, A2V 2K5, telephone: 1-709-944-7475, email: office@labrador-frontier.com, website: www.labrador-frontier.com). I’ve known Yves for over twenty-years, having fished several of his trout camps in the Ashuanipi watershed back in the early 1980s. I’ve hunted caribou with Yves as well, and after hashing over old times and catching up on what’s happened in our lives, Yves got to the point, and invited me up for a hunt . . .

Yves only had to ask once and we planned a hunt out of the new lodge at Gabbro Lake for late June. The spring bear season in Labrador actually starts in April, but due to snow and difficult travel conditions, hunts at Gabbro do not commence until the first week of June and run through the first week of July if necessary. Each hunter is allowed two bears as part of the package price of $1,699/US, not including taxes. Also included are hunting and fishing license, one guide for two hunters, meals, game preparation, five full days of hunting, fishing and ground transportation. Hunters will arrive Sunday, hunt Monday through Friday and depart Saturday. This is a baited hunt, and along with stands suitable for rifle and muzzleloaders, stands will also be set up for bowhunters. Hunting with crossbows and handguns is prohibited in Labrador.

The last time I was in Labrador City, the only way there was by commercial carrier, but now it is possible to drive from Baie-Comeau on the north shore of the St. Lawrence via Route 389, the Trans Labrador Highway. The distance from Baie-Comeau to Labrador City is about 361-miles, most over gravel road, but for those with the time and adventurous spirit it is an option. Driving time is approximately eight hours once leaving Baie-Comeau, or about 13 to 15-hours from Quebec City. Fuel and highway services are available at Manicougan 5 and Relais Gabriel.

But it is much easier to fly. Air Labrador (www.airlabrador.com/1-800-563-3042) flies to Labrador daily from Montreal and Quebec City, with connections into both cities possible from major U.S. and European cities. Northern Light Lodges will assist in making airline reservations upon request. It should be noted, each hunter is limited to 50-pounds of baggage on Air Labrador, excess baggage over the allowed limited will be charged at $1.10/CDN per pound and under the Canadian Firearms Act all firearms must be transported in a locked case and be equipped with trigger locks. Ammunition must be transported in a separate piece of checked-in luggage.

A Labrador black bear feeds at a baiting station.

After being met at the Wabush Airport, we headed for the lodge. The lodge itself is located on Gabbro Lake, the largest lake within the Ossokamanuan Reservoir system, part of the massive Smallwood Reservoir complex built back in the 1960’s with the damming of the upper Churchill River. Combined, the two reservoirs are among the largest in the world, covering an area the size of New Brunswick. The main lodge and cabins, all constructed of log siding were built two years ago, sit within walking distance of Gabbro Dam and overlook the lake of the same name. Completing the trip by vehicle from town takes about three hours and we arrived just in time for lunch. Stepping in the main lodge we found it a comfortable sitting room complete with satellite television, dining room and kitchen. Homemade soup and sandwiches were awaiting us, and it soon became apparent we would eat like kings during the week under the proper care of Millie the full-time cook. Throughout the week the three meals received daily, breakfast, the main meal before we went out hunting and the lighter lunch upon our return were excellent. Throughout the day, whenever we went to the lodge home baked cookies, pies, brownies or some other treat was always available to take off the munchies, and the coffee was always hot.

The cabins are equally as nice. Each had four bedrooms with double beds, an ample sitting area and full modern bathroom complete with shower. The bedrooms proved a bit cramped for a typical spring bear hunter and all his or her gear, and it didn’t take long for us to have gear and clothes scattered all over the second bed in our separate rooms. Before the week was out, upon discovering the future plan is to cater to no more than eight hunters per week, a suggestion was made that one bed and hunter be assigned per room, an idea Alain St. Marie, Yves brother and manager liked and will no doubt implement starting next season. Upon further inspect of the camp area, we found a game pole and area for skinning in the process of being built, but no scales for weighing game. Both will be in place come spring, as will a walk-in refrigeration/freezer unit for storage, although freezers were available at the time of our visit. With everything considered, the lodge and cabins at Gabbro Lodge are more than comfortable. Once everything is in place to accommodate harvested bears, and with fishing for trout, pike and landlocked salmon within walking distance, the place will be one of the best establishments I have hunted in eastern Canada.

Writer Steve Carpenteri and one of his two black bears taken on the hunt.

The daily routine on this spring bear hunt is pretty much the same everywhere else. After a hearty early afternoon meal and time to relax, you get your gear ready, get dressed and head for the stands, planning on getting in and set by 3:00 P.M. or so. We got to the first stand a bit late the first day, and by the time we dropped off my hunting companion Steve it was around five o’clock. I decided not to hunt that afternoon, opting instead to visit some other stands and bait sites with Mel. An hour later as we passed the trail to Steve’s stand we saw him standing beside the road and he flagged us down. “Any trouble?” we asked. “No, no trouble,” he said smiling ear-to-ear, “unless you consider hauling a bear out of the woods trouble.”

Apparently, fifteen minutes after getting on stand three bears came into the bait, a sow and two cubs. They ate for a while, and then left in a hurry. A few minutes later in came a single, and Steve took it. It was a bore, with a respectable head we estimated at about 260-pounds. Considering it was late June, the pelt was in rather fine condition and Steve was quite pleased. We took some pictures in the field, returned to camp, took more pictures and called it an early day.

For the next four days, Steve and I saw bear each day and by the end of the hunt had seen ten, taking two. The one we estimated at around 260-pounds and a small example around 200-pounds. We say smaller bear, plus some larger ones and could have easily filled out limit of two bears each but we were satisfied with the specimens we took. Not bad, considering the stands and bait stations are relatively new and the bear hunting operation is just getting underway.

One thing that should be considered when traveling to Labrador is the weather. Conditions in Labrador are highly unpredictable and variable to say the least, especially in early spring, and are apt to change at any given moment, often several times each day. You might wake to bluebird skies but by lunch or the time comes to head for the stands it might be raining. Keeping that in mind and the fact rain is practically a guarantee at some point during the course of a week, good rain gear is a must. Mosquitos, black flies and other biting insects are not generally a problem early in June but can be horrendous later in the month. The key world here is “generally” and to be more accurate biting insects of some sort can be torturous anytime the sun is out. Go prepared. A good repellent with DEET, head net and light gloves are highly recommended.

The author and his respectable Labrador black bear. Labrador is practically untouched for bear and has the potential of producing record book heads.

And then there’s the wind and variable temperatures. It can be dead calm and pleasantly warm one minute and blowing a gale and raw or cold the next. A mixture of warm and cool weather clothing is a must, considering the temperature extremes and variations. The same is true of rubber boots or some kind of waterproof footwear. A lot of Labrador, including the hunting area around Gabbro Lake is wet or spongy, and wet feet can ruin a day’s hunt.

In hindsight, although the bear operation at Gabbro Lake Lodge is just getting started and some improvements still have to be made they are minor and St. Marie and his crew definitely have the right spot and are on the right track. Based upon what my partner and I saw, experienced and came home with there is reason to believe the spring bear operation at Gabbro Lake will become a hot and popular destination in eastern Canada.

Al Raychard is a full time writer from Maine whose by-line has appeared in numerous regional, national and international publications. Al is the Editor-At Large for Bear Hunting Magazine and the author of “Hunting America ’s Bear,” a guide to hunting black bears. Al and his wife, Diane travel extensively to hunt bears and other big game.