ABOUT
WHO WE ARE
Hawthorn Outfitting is family-owned and operated by Cliff and Judy Paul along with their son, Shawn.
Cliff and Judy were both born and raised on the south-western edge of Duck Mountain Provincial Park. With both coming from large families in the 1950’s, they know what is meant by “living off the land.” Within their family-line you’ll find a long list of hunters, trappers, and fishermen. With a rich deposit of history and knowledge of the area in which Hawthorn Outfitting operates, you won’t find a more kind and hospitable couple willing to host you.
Shawn, the eldest child of Cliff and Judy, is an avid hunter and hunting guide. He has guided extensively for black bear, whitetail deer, and moose, throughout Manitoba and Ontario for more than 20 years. He’s hunted with both rifle and bow, pursuing primarily whitetail deer, elk, and moose. His vast experience and success, as both a hunter and guide, provide Hawthorn Outfitting with a wealth of expertise and insight. The passion he lends in the pursuit of big-game species is both infectious and steady. His willingness to work hard, while singing a country song or whistlin’ a tune, has earned the friendship and respect of his hunters over the years.
WHAT WE DO
Hawthorn Outfitting is a big game hunting outfit providing fully guided hunts solely for black bear. With more than 20 years of experience guiding black bear hunts, we can assure you that your hunt will be filled with adventure and have the potential to yield world-class results.
WHY WE DO IT
We live on the edge of North America’s premier black bear hunting destination - Duck Mountain Provincial Park, located in the province of Manitoba, Canada! With perfect habitat, very little hunting pressure and no natural predators, Duck Mountain bears grow with the potential to die of old age, and flourish in their numbers. If that isn’t enough, the opportunity to harvest a trophy colour phase bear doesn’t get better anywhere else in the world!
We love hunting and the outdoors! We live for the warmth of the sun’s rays, the fresh smells of the earth, the bugle of a big, raspy bull elk, and even the chattering of a curious whisky-jack. God’s creation was meant to be enjoyed and we do our best to make every moment count.
We care about people! The hunt was never established to be simply about the “kill,” instead, it’s meant to be more about the journey. In that journey, friendships are established and relationships cultivated…these are indeed, some of the finer things of life. To partner with you, in pursuit of a trophy Manitoba black bear, whether it’s the very first time we’ve met, or as a well-rooted friendship, is an opportunity that we’ll never take for granted.
HUNTING AREA
Our hunting area dwells in, without question, one of North America’s premier black bear hunting destinations - Duck Mountain Provincial Park! Located within the province of Manitoba, Duck Mountain Provincial Park is a 1424 square kilometre part of the Manitoba Escarpment. It contains Baldy Mountain, which is Manitoba’s highest point of elevation at 2,727 feet. The park itself is a rise of thickly wooded, rolling terrain with dozens of deep, clear lakes.
Boreal and deciduous forests, as well as upland meadows support a wide variety of wildlife. The surrounding lowlands have almost entirely been converted to cereal-grain farmland, making the park an environmental refuge for big-game species.
Black bears have flourished in number for years in Duck Mountain Provincial Park. Hunting pressure is virtually non-existent and the surrounding fields of oats, barley, and other irresistible grains, provide the bears the opportunity to grow big and healthy. With such a massive sanctuary of forest available and an abundance of natural food sources, the end result is world class black bear hunting.
TESTIMONIALS
Becky Kalianov -2019
I have hunted twice with Shawn and both times I’ve shot good bears within the first three days of the hunt. Every hunter in camp got a nice-size bear both years I was hunting under Shawn’s guidance. He works very hard making sure everyone has the opportunity to get a bear. While on the stand, I saw a lot of bears with the bear activity making the evenings go by fast.
And it doesn’t matter what time he picks up all the hunters and drives them back to camp, there will always be a hot meal waiting for you. In fact, after one particularly cold and drizzly evening sitting, it was midnight by the time all of the hunters were picked up and we were driven back to camp. Upon our arrival, we were greeted with bowls of hot, homemade chicken noodle soup. A perfect ending to a fun evening! His mother and sister are the cooks and you will never go hungry. They cook up three hot meals every day and the food is amazing! This is a family-run business with Shawn’s dad helping out as well with baiting and helping take hunters to and from stands. The whole family is down-to-earth, fun and they are very honest people. I have so much fun with the Paul family. You become immediate friends the moment you meet them. They treat you like family.
Everything from the hunt to sitting around the table visiting and laughing and telling stories was such a fun experience that I booked my third hunt and am looking forward to going back in two years.
A wonderful Christian family, comfortable accommodations, great food, and big bears at Hawthorn Outfitting!
Patrick Thelen - Spring 2019/Fall 2021
I have been hunting bears every spring for the past 11 years, so I have some experience with outfitters. I hunted five of the six day hunt. I saw multiple bears on each hunt. The area that Shawn has, is known for big, big, bears. I took a great 6+ foot boar with a white crest on his chest. The lodging was top, top, notch. Extremely clean, internet service, queen bed with room to lay your gear out. It is a family ran business, but while you're there it does not feel like you're a client, it feels like you are a guest in Shawn's parent's house. Judy is by far the best cook I have ever had in any camp, from hand made bread, to elk, fried bananas, etc. You will not go home hungry. Cliff is a character and his stories are great even if those stories get him in trouble with Judy. We had the honor of Shawn, his dad, and his son in camp. It was great to see generations passing down their knowledge to each other. It was a great camp and one that I am planning to go to again. Any question feel free to contact me.