Manitoba, one of Canada’s three prairie provinces, covers more than 250,000 square miles and has a diversity of habitats, including boreal plains, tundra, prairie, and boreal forest. Pine and spruce forests make up about 48 percent of Manitoba’s land area. The province's northeast corner bordering Hudson Bay is considered tundra. Mixed-grass prairie and agricultural areas make up most of the rest of the province. Manitoba has an abundance of wildlife, including moose, white-tailed deer, black bears, wolves, and caribou. It also has a healthy population of polar bears, which are not currently huntable by nonresidents. To hunt big game (deer, moose, black bear, and caribou) in Manitoba, all nonresident hunters must book with a licensed outfitter and be accompanied by a licensed Manitoba guide, with no more than three hunters per guide. Manitoba is considered one of the top black bear destinations in North America. Bears can be hunted in both spring and fall; most hunting is conducted over bait, and hunters may have opportunities to take color-phase variations of black bears. White-tailed deer, some bucks tipping the scales at 250 pounds, are another big draw, along with moose and caribou. Gray wolves may be hunted by guided hunters with an unused deer, moose, black bear, or caribou tag (personal or party), which is valid for that area, species, and time period. Upland birds and waterfowl, including ducks, geese, and sandhill cranes, round out the hunting opportunities. When bringing firearms into Canada, foreign resident hunters need a permit application from the Canadian Firearms Centre (http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/fs-fd/visit-visite-eng.htm). For more information on season dates and Manitoba hunting licenses, visit the Manitoba Conservation website: http://www.gov.mb.ca/sd/wildlife/hunting/.