Rainy Lake Outfitters Review
Written By: Zachary Glay
I’ve always known that I wanted to chase multiple species of big game. I cut my teeth in the whitetail woods of the midwest and they will always be special to me and synonymous with home. However, I grew up on The Outdoor Channel. I watched episodes of Jim Shockey and Eastman’s Hunting, I saw the variety of game they pursued and knew that was something I wanted to do. So back in 2021, I decided I would begin my pursuit. What better spot to start than with black bear?
Black bear are a natural choice for a guy from Ohio. They are relatively close geographically, have a very huntable population, gear requirements are very similar to that of Whitetail, and the success rate is high, very high when you pick the right guide. Once the species was decided, a series of choices was next: how, where, and through whom? How would we hunt these bear? Western spot and stalk or over bait in heavy forests. Where would we hunt them? In America’s south, or in our neighbor to the north. For me, and those whom I would end up hunting with, a couple of factors came into play here. Price, comfortability with method of take, success rate, and vicinity to home. For us what made sense was chasing the black bear in Ontario. We would be hunting out of stands, with the same rifles we hunt with during Ohio’s whitetail firearm season. The familiarity was a big plus for us. Also the success rate seemed highest in this situation and being our first real foray into hunting new species and paying for an experience, we wanted a good chance at success. Finally getting up to Ontario from Ohio was not too tall a task. Once we decided on how and where, we need to answer the last question, who?
To say I researched different outfitter options would be an understatement. I searched and searched, checked forums, poured over reviews, and it took time. I started really looking into options in November of 2021 and finally decided on somewhere in February of 2022. I looked and looked until I found Rainy Lake Outfitters. I actually found this outfitter on a forum in a list of possibilities and began to vet them out. Reviews were glowing, the website was informative and reassuring, and the trophy photos verified their claims. After sending Chad a litany of questions and receiving great answers to each, this was what we settled on, Rainy Lake Outfitters with Chad Hughes in Fort Frances Ontario.
Immediately after we locked down a date we began prepping for the trip. Fortunately Rainy Lake’s website has a gear list and we had direction on what to bring. We opted to fly (although if I were to do it again, driving might be easier, certainly cheaper, and not a bad option) so we adjusted the list as needed for what we could really take on a flight. See the gear I took here. Once the gear was settled and flights booked we had nothing to do but wait.
This is where having a good outfitter paid dividends, Chad was great at communicating when we would receive info on tags and licenses, directions on navigating the Canadian licensing system, where to buy, how to buy, what was needed, and when it was needed. This article is to highlight the outfitter. The info we were given before the hunt was great and we felt lacking in no department, from fishing tackle to hunting gear. Once we got to the lodge things got better.
The lodge itself was beautiful and set on a picturesque bay on Rainy Lake. Sleeping accommodations and meals were included and fantastic, Chad’s mom is a heck of a good cook. The guys he has working there are entertaining and wildly helpful, ready to help new bear hunters and answer any questions. If you get the honor of meeting Marty, ask him about his hunting stories and how much he loves hunting whitetails, he is constant entertainment and can talk about hunting for days. One of the things I appreciate most is how seriously they take safety, from firearm safety to travel to and from the stands. They also take the time to break down specifics on killing bear. How to gauge size, where to aim, how to hunt them, things to watch for, and even specific information on particular stands and what to expect in that situation. Chad even took the time to draw up a map of where to fish in the lake when we took a boat out to chase game of the swimming variety. Once we were successful in taking a bear, the aid we got was fantastic. From tracking, to dragging; processing, to taxidermy recommendations, Rainy lake was more than helpful and on top of everything. Speaking of success, it was present throughout camp. Three of the four guys in our immediate group tagged a bear, and six of the seven guys in camp fired shots at a bear. (with 5/7 ultimately successful) Size was there too, with 3 of the bears being well over 250lbs, one over 300lbs. I can only speak to my skull but once we got it back, it came in just under the B/C requirement of 20 inches.
At the end of the day I cannot say enough great things about Rainy Lake, but actions speak louder than words. That being said, two of the guys from our party have already booked their next trip back to Rainy Lake in 2025. They would not go back if it was not worth it and we believe this place is more than worth it and I recommend it to anyone who will listen.
I would also be remiss if I forgot to mention Gannon Ridge Taxidermy, while he is still working on the rugs we are having made, the skulls are back, the work I have seen of his is stellar, and Bob is helpful and communicative throughout the process.
Check out the links below
https://www.rainylakeoutfitters.com/bear-hunts/
https://gannon-ridge-taxidermy.business.site/
