All jurisdictions in Canada require non-residents to enlist the services of a guide or outfitter before pursuing big game within the region. Aside from being required by law, though, using the services of a guide or outfitter will greatly enhance the chances of success on your excursion, even if you are out after smaller game or birds, hunts which do not always require a guide legally. The facts behind this, of course, are that the guides and outfitters who make a living in the wilds of Canada have access to the regions all year long, and know not only the lay out of the land on which they operate, but what kind of gear a non-resident hunter is likely to need, the possible weather patterns, and where the biggest animals can be found.

One thing to remember when you start to look for a guide in Canada is that many jurisdictions parcel out areas to individual outfitting companies. These companies buy guiding rights from the government, and also are allotted a certain amount of tags and permits for their clients (this ensures that there is always opportunities to hunt polar bear or grizzly in ecosystems where they live, even when the opportunity is not open to the Canadian public at large). The reason that this purchase process may affect your trip is that from time to time, ownership of the rights may change hands. Usually, guides and outfits do not directly compete with each other, but lately groups claiming to be interested in protecting the environment have begun to outbid guide services for territory that they have operated in for years. As a result, it is important to check either by talking personally to your guide or by looking up Canadian news stories to make sure the outfitter you are interested in using is still operating on the land that you are interested in hunting on.

The best way to begin looking for a guide or outfitter, of course, is to narrow down the selection, and you can start by determining what species you are going to be pursuing. Species such as black bear, in numerous color phases, can be found all across the country, east to west and north to south. Specialty hunts for grizzly, polar bear, thinhorn sheep, musk oxen, and buffalo, though, are much more localized. If you are thinking of a trip that involves the pursuit of several species, you will want to focus on an outfitter who operates in an area where all of those species can be found.

Hunting regulations and synopses available in all jurisdictions in Canada will often have listings of reputable outfitters throughout the province/territory, and this is a solid place to start looking for names. The advertisements will often list what species the outfitters specialize in, and a quick call will confirm whether or not you can pursue others species as well (as grizzly hunting is a big draw, many outfitters will advertise successful hunts for this species. In order to save money on the print, however, they may not say they offer trophy whitetail or mule deer hunting as well, even though they do).

Once you’ve narrowed your choices down, you will want to talk to the operation in person. Find out what the terrain is like where they operate, and what kind of weather you can expect during the time of year you planning on hunting. Some species are available in different regions, so if the weather in one does suit you, you may find another more to your liking.

You’ll also want to make sure that the outfitter takes care of the details aside from the actual hunt; are meals prepared for you? Is it a lodge based hunt, a cabin based hunt, or is there “rough it” camping involved? Guides should always have a good network of contacts that can make the specifics of your trip easy, from travel agencies to tanning services for when you bag that trophy. They should also be able to give you solid advice when it comes to the legalities of carrying a gun in the country, including how to get one across the border or how to buy one once you are in the country.

A guide is a good ingredient for success on any hunting trip in Canada, and in some cases guides are also a legal necessity. It’s important to pick the guide or outfitter that provides the type of hunt you are looking for, with a demonstrated background of success when doing so.