The ultimate Arctic adventure. A guided spring polar bear hunt out of Pond Inlet on the northern tip of Baffin Island — some of the finest polar bear country in the world. You travel the frozen sea ice of Eclipse Sound by traditional Inuit dog sled (komatik) and snowmobile, guided by local Inuit hunters who have pursued bears on the ice for generations. Spring brings extended daylight, staggering Arctic scenery, and prime conditions for locating mature boars on the pack ice. A physically demanding, deeply rewarding 10–14 day hunt (weather dependent) that pairs ancient tradition with modern logistics. Limited to 1–2 hunters per trip — spots fill quickly. Conducted legally under Canadian wildlife regulations and Nunavut Inuit land claim agreements; tags allocated through the Nunavut Wildlife Management Board. A 50% non-refundable deposit secures your booking.
- Polar bear tag & hunting license
- Professional Inuit guide services
- Dog sled (komatik) transportation
- Snowmobile support & fuel
- Accommodations in Pond Inlet
- On-ice camp equipment & shelter
- All meals during the hunt
- Trophy preparation & field care
- CITES export documentation assistance
- Airport transfers in Pond Inlet
- — Airfare to/from Pond Inlet
- — Hotel in Calgary (pre/post hunt)
- — Taxidermy & shipping of trophy
- — Personal hunting gear & clothing
- — Gratuities for guides
- — Travel & trip cancellation insurance
Everything you need to bring, and the things people get wrong.
Outer shell — wind & snow
- ·Expedition-weight parka rated to -40°F with a fur-trimmed hood
- ·Insulated bib or salopette overtrousers with full-side zips
- ·Hard shell jacket and trousers (Gore-Tex or equivalent) to layer over insulation
- ·Windproof over-mitts, sized to wear over your gloves
Insulation layers
- ·2 × heavyweight merino or synthetic base layer tops and bottoms
- ·1 × lightweight base layer set for travel and sleeping
- ·Heavy fleece or wool mid-layer jacket
- ·Down or synthetic sweater to wear under the shell
- ·4–6 pairs heavy wool socks plus 2 pairs thin liner socks
Extremities — the part people get wrong
- ·Arctic pac boots rated to -60°F with removable liners, one size up for thick socks
- ·Spare boot liners — wet liners do not dry out on the ice
- ·Insulated mitts (warmer than gloves) plus thin liner gloves for rifle work
- ·Balaclava and a neck gaiter
- ·Insulated hat with ear coverage, plus a spare
- ·Goggles and quality glacier sunglasses — glare off sea ice is brutal
- ·Chemical hand and toe warmers, a generous box of them
Sleeping & camp
- ·Sleeping bag rated -40°F or colder, down preferred
- ·Closed-cell foam or insulated sleeping pad
- ·Head torch with spare lithium batteries — alkaline cells fail in the cold
- ·Insulated vacuum flask and a wide-mouth water bottle
- ·Toiletries, lip balm with SPF and heavy barrier cream
Rifle & optics
- ·.300 Win Mag through .375 H&H; .338 is an excellent middle ground
- ·40–60 rounds of premium bonded or partition ammunition in a hard case
- ·Low-power variable scope with capped turrets, lens cloths and covers
- ·Sling, a soft case for the sled and a hard case for the airlines
- ·Binoculars in 8× or 10× — leave the spotting scope at home
Documents & admin
- ·Passport valid at least 6 months beyond travel
- ·Canadian firearms declaration (CAFC 909) completed but UNSIGNED — sign it at the border
- ·Copies of your tag, licence and CITES paperwork, kept separate from the originals
- ·Travel, medical and emergency-evacuation insurance covering remote Arctic travel
- ·Prescription medication in original labelled packaging, doubled up
Notes from the field
- ·Pack soft duffels, not hard cases — hard cases ride badly on a komatik sled
- ·Baggage allowance into Pond Inlet is limited; confirm weights with your advisor
- ·Nothing cotton. Cotton holds sweat, and sweat is what makes you cold
- ·Batteries, phones and cameras live inside your parka, not in an outer pocket
- ·Build layers you can shed — you sweat travelling and freeze while glassing
Unsure about any line on this list? Call your advisor on 406-580-5366 before you spend money on it.
From the field
From hunters who've been
4.75/5Sign in to leave a report.
Great hunt
From the first phone call to the flight home, these folks were dialed in. The Polar Bear country in Pond Inlet is everything they said it would be. Professional guides, honest advice, and a hunt I'll be telling stories about for years.
Booked my Polar Bear hunt through Dispatch and it was flawless start to finish. The advisor was honest about the terrain and fitness in Pond Inlet, and everything they promised showed up exactly as described. My guide knew the country cold. Can't recommend it enough.
Second hunt with Dispatch and the Polar Bear trip did not disappoint. Pond Inlet is no joke — physically demanding — but the camp, the food and the guiding were all first class. Tagged out on a great animal and made memories that'll last forever.
