- Be aware of fishing/hunting regulations, licences required and follow all limits.
- Keep the camps clean. Empty the fridge/freezer, clean the stove top/oven, mop the floor and pick up garbage around the camp and inside. A little goes a long way. Just as you appreciate coming into a clean camp, others appreciate you leaving it the same way.
- Boats need to be cleaned out of garbage and weeds, and pulled in to shore with motors properly
- No writing on the walls of the camps. If you wish to leave a little something from your trip, please bring something to write on and leave on the wall OR write in the provided guest
- Please be conscious of how you pack your food and other items to create the LEAST garbage possible. Remove all packaging before you leave home to not have it as garbage at camp, bring food in containers that can be reused for your return packing. If there are no fire bans, you will be able to burn all the paper waste. IMPORTANT – CLEAR MEDIUM SIZED GARBAGE BAGS ONLY. ALL GARBAGE WILL BE FLOWN OUT FOR RECYCLING WHAT CAN BE SENT TO RECYCLING. There are great resources online for tips on minimalist packing.
Hunting
Plan Your Trip
How to plan?
- Choose date and location
- Secure date with deposit
- Book your hotel rooms for the night before your flight where needed
- Read through packing list and preparation info
- Have a planning meeting with group, explore many great resources online about light weight equipment and menu planning.
- Prepare the payment for the balance of your trip ahead of time
- Drive up, fly in and enjoy 🙂
Deposit Policy
- Deposits are due for every member of the group upon booking a trip.
- $200/person – Hillmer, Wanzatika, McLeister, Sunshine, Martison
- $500/person – Quantz, Napken
- $1000/person – Sutton River trips, Moose hunts
Deposits are NON-REFUNDABLE – no exceptions.
Deposits are NON-TRANSFERABLE unless the person who cancels is replaced in the group. If the group size reduces, you cannot transfer the deposit to remaining members.
Friendly Reminder: Deposits are paid per person. If you cover the deposit for the group, we strongly suggest ensuring all group members reimburse you. If someone cancels, their portion of the deposit remains non-transferable.
Deposit Policy
- Dates are confirmed when deposit is received
- Deposits are required for every person in the group
- Deposits are payable by personal check, e-transfer or credit card
- Deposits are non-refundable for SUTTON, QUANTZ, NAPKEN and MOOSE HUNTS. NO EXCEPTIONS
- Deposits are not transferable unless you have the same number of people originally booked.
- cancellation policy, minimum 12 weeks prior to trip, 75% of your deposit is refundable. 11-10 wks notice 50% credit, 9-8 wks notice 25% credit less than 8 weeks prior to trip no credit/no refund/no transfer
Preparation
- Packing list is to help with the necessities; weight requirements are strict, if you require more gear, feel free to do so and you will pay only for the extra flying needed to bring the extra gear.
- Have a planning meeting with group. Plan menu, group gear and personal items. This is a great time to list all your questions and send 1 email to Mel only after you have all read through provided information and packing list. Make sure every member of the group is cc’d so everyone gets the same information. mel@hearstair.com
- 1 email to Mel only after you have all read through provided information and packing list. Make sure every member of the group is cc’d so everyone gets the same information.
- Bait is available to purchase in town, call to have your order prepared at 705-362-4828.
- Fishing licences are available online or selected licence issuers or ServiceOntario centres across the province. You can also call the outdoor card center to update your information, renew your cards or indicate you’ve lost your card. 1 800-387-7011
- US/Canada Border crossing. It’s important to review rules on DUIs, children with a different last name, records and medical issues.
US State Department: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel.html
Canada Border Services Agency: http://www.cbsa.gc.ca/menu-eng.html
Final Payments
IMPORTANT – PLEASE KNOW YOUR BALANCE AND PAYMENT METHODS
- Balance should be paid AT LEAST A WEEK prior to your arrival to save time the morning of your flight.
- Credit card
(admin fee on cc payments for balances due) - etransfer (mel@hearstair.com, ensure note says group name and trip date, password should be properly spelled lake name. If someone else in your family is sending the etransfer, also ensure your name is in the notes as we cannot guess on who payments are for. please)
- ACH payment for US payments
- Certified check
- Cash (for last minute cash payments, no change will be available the morning of your flight. Please have the exact amount indicated on your invoice.)
Arrival
- We are located 17 miles west of Hearst on Highway 11, approximately 20 minute DIRECTIONS
- Office opens at 6:45 AM and planes are scheduled for first departure at 7:30 AM. Unless the office has called you and specified a time for your group’s departure, all groups are to be at the base for 6:45 AM.
- You may leave you vehicles at the base and leave a key in the office if you wish to do.
Weight Limits
- 100 lbs of gear per person, based on a body weight up to 220 lbs
- If you are staying a full 7 days, you will get a midweek check flight with 100 lbs allowed for free. This gives you the opportunity to leave some beer, water or “freezer” food aside for the checkflight if it is applicable to your trip.
- Overloads are subject to an additional flight therefore the flight will be charged in full regardless of the weight you have. Example – It costs $15.00/mile to fly the aircraft whether it has 50 lbs on or 1200 lbs on. The outposts range from 50 to 200 miles away from base. Extra flights will cost anywhere from $1150 – $4600/flight. (2025 rates)
- Sutton River, 100 lbs per person based on up to 220 lbs per body weight. no exceptions. PLEASE bring your bonus items with you and have them packed seperately. If there is room the morning of your flight for an extra 20 – 50 lbs, then we will gladlytake it, but it NEEDS TO BE PACKED SEPERATELY PLEASE. there will be no time in the morning for repacking bags, boxes and coolers if you come in over your weight limit. Please share this info with everyone in the group.
- PLEASE NOTE THAT THESE RESTRICTIONS ARE NOT TO LIMIT YOUR FUN, THEY ARE THE LAW AND FOR YOUR SAFETY. IF OVERLOAD FLIGHTS ARE NEEDED, THEY WILL BE SCHEDULED ON THE NEXT AVAILABLE TIME OR DAY. PASSENGERS AND ESSENTIALS WILL BE PRIORITY ON THE SCHEDULE.
