HuntGuide.com Revisits
Kings Lodge For Black Bear Hunting in New Brunswick
Fall is an exciting time of year. The leaves start turning into brilliant fall colors and the black bears begin fattening themselves for the winter. Fall black bear hunting in New Brunswick would be the focus for both Mike Latsha and myself on this trip. Kings Lodge is located in the south central region of New Brunswick, only a few miles outside of Fredricton. Exact directions to the lodge can be found on the Kings lodge web site. The 2003 fall archery season in New Brunswick opened on September 9th and continued thru September 20th. Mike and I decided to hunt during the first week.
Wallace Gilbert, who prefers to go by the name Wally, is the owner and licensed guide at Kings Lodge. Before this story goes any further, let me tell you that the experience of meeting Wally is something you will not soon forget. He is an honest, hard working individual who has spent most of his life making a living in the timber industry. His comical personality and quick wit will keep you entertained during your stay.
Wally owns or has access to over 6200 acres of land, which holds not only bear but also deer, moose, rabbits, grouse, ducks and coyotes. As mentioned on the Kings Lodge website, his land is adjacent to the Acadia Game refuge, which is approximately 20 square miles. Wally limits his hunts to only 6 hunters per week during the fall bear season. During the week that we hunted, Wally had 15 different bait stations available with permanent stands. He also has 5 more that can be hunted with portable stands.
In New Brunswick, all non-residents are required to hunt with a licensed guide. Although New Brunswick has a draw system for black bear tags, if you hunt with Kings lodge you do not need to enter the draw. Wally is a licensed guide and he can purchase the bear tags directly from the Fish and Wildlife office when you arrive for your hunt. The cost of a bear license, which is good for either spring or fall, is $80.50 (Canadian). Hunters must be at least 16 years of age to hunt black bear. Also, keep in mind all hunters born on or after January 1, 1981 must show proof of a Firearms Safety/Hunter Education course. Hunters born prior to 1981 may show a previous hunting license from your home state as proof of hunting experience.
After purchasing our licenses, we returned to the lodge to prepare for our weeklong hunt. The temps were in the upper 70's to mid 80's all week long during the day and dropped in the 40's at night. The only thing that didn't change was the full moon, which we battled most of the week.
A typical day of hunting fall black bear begins with a hearty breakfast and plans for the afternoon hunt. Wally took us to the stands around 2:00 in the afternoon. He used a large four-wheeler, which had two seats and his "trusty truck", as he called it. Be prepared to sit in the stand for six hours at a time watching and listening for any sign of a black bear. The habitat is very swampy and thick; so make sure to have a good pair of waterproof boots. Your pickup time is about 1/2 hour after dark.
Mike and I entered the tree stand around 2:00pm. Mike would be video taping the hunt, as the hours passed we enjoyed watching a weasel jump in and out of the bait barrel. When the small critter made his departure, we decided to have a snack. We recommend fruit, such as apples or bananas since they don't make the noise that a candy wrapper does. Around 7:15 Mike spotted a nice bear approaching the stand. As I prepared for the moment of truth, something didn't agree with the bear. For a moment we thought that the nice blackie had smelled us, but the wind was strong in our faces. As the bear turned and ran, the real bruiser made his appearance. He slowly walked straight toward me as I picked up my Hoyt Razortec bow armed with a 100 gr. Steelhead broad head. I drew in one smooth motion and was fortunate to make a good shot. As my heart jumped into my throat we heard the black bear pile up in less than 50 yds. It was at that instant I realized what I had just accomplished. My bear measured 6’ 2” and weighed in at 350lbs. The skull officially green scored 19 3/8.
The next morning was spent registering the bear at the ranger station in Fredericton and having the bear processed for our trip home. Wally made all the arrangements to have the necessary paperwork completed in order to process and transport the bear home. Just a reminder, make sure you have the proper export papers from the fish and wildlife division if you plan to bring the hide or meat back to the United States.
Overall, our experience at Kings Lodge was a memorable one. There were six of us in camp for the week with three killing nice bears. One other bear also measured in at 6’7” and weighed 340lbs. His skull green scored at 18 6/8. Everyone had the opportunity to see bear and experience the friendly hospitality from everyone involved with Kings lodge. The effort put forward from the staff at Kings Lodge remains unchallenged. We look forward to returning next year.
Happy Hunting,
Joe Enders
Mike Latsha
