Bear Survey
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I will be shocked if Baldwin and Gladwin don't see the October archery only hunt extended into their respective management units.
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3,065 Posts
This is just one thread why we need OTC tags. It's also should be about game management not to over populate a species to make it easier to hunt, easier to train dogs, or to create conflicts with other hunters or species.
https://www.michigan-sportsman.com/...bear-in-the-baldwin-unit.653813/#post-7507929
https://www.michigan-sportsman.com/...bear-in-the-baldwin-unit.653813/#post-7507929
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563 Posts
I'am hoping that barrels on Private Land is changed from being limited to 1" holes....have always been able to have any size hole on Private Land ....even on State Land shouldn't make a difference how big a hole or how many....100 yards from a road on State Land was only to benefit dog hunter and nobody else...
I've been saying ever since barrels were outlawed on State Land that there should be a license for barrels....charge $10 each limit 3 tags made of steel with a serial # must be welded or bolted to the barrel they could be bought at any DNR Office or Bear Check Station and need to be returned to the DNR or Bear Check Station 4 days after the bait barrel is no longer used or 4 days after season ends .....would make enforcing easier for officers.... don't return the tags you cannot buy a hunting - fishing license until you pay $100 Fine and or 3 years you cannot apply for a license or points....
I've been saying ever since barrels were outlawed on State Land that there should be a license for barrels....charge $10 each limit 3 tags made of steel with a serial # must be welded or bolted to the barrel they could be bought at any DNR Office or Bear Check Station and need to be returned to the DNR or Bear Check Station 4 days after the bait barrel is no longer used or 4 days after season ends .....would make enforcing easier for officers.... don't return the tags you cannot buy a hunting - fishing license until you pay $100 Fine and or 3 years you cannot apply for a license or points....
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2,401 Posts
You mean that they are removing too many?
Because there is a stupid number of bears where I live and lots of huge bears... I don't have bird feeders or any food on my place other than my gardens and raspberry and strawberries.. I had bear different bear at least once a week in my yard in the daylight last summer... The numbers in the Baldwin unit very greatly from area to area. It's a large unit with greatly varied habitat and ownership mix.. I could kill a bear here and a decent one without breaking a sweat..
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2,390 Posts
I can say that in Southern Baldwin Bear numbers have increased As I have had sows for the last 5 or 6 years with three and four clubs for almost ever year. Plus a few others roaming on my property I did not see much as to bears back when I purchased my property in Newaygo County 30 Years ago had a trail cam out back then when it was a 35 MM cam. then we got a glance of 1 a once a year and now I get many images of different bears, 5 years back while Deer Firearms Season though I have not see a Bear, my brother had a sow with 4 cubs climbing 1 of my apples trees for the apples! I have still not see a bear on my property but have see 1 driving in on the road within a 1/2 mile. I cannot say it would be easy to take a bear as my buddy got a bear license 3 maybe 4 years back was there every other day Baiting, hunted 5 days then found a guy that offered his property where captured bears have been release and he saw zero bears. But we have hounds practicing and seem to push the bears off come the time they can run the hounds before the season starts. I have see them along the roads near my property several times in the last 7 or 8 years. And once that happens the bears on my Cams all but disappear till mid Oct they slowly reappear and climbing my apple trees but mostly after dark in mid late Oct!
But as mentioned Baldwin is a large BMU and there is only 1 HUNT Period not like others where there is 3! And it takes at least 12 points maybe more now to get a license and that is a Long wait. I have 15 points but I do not have the time to do a Bear Hunt till I retire and that is 3 years off as I want to make the most of it because I doubt I will be able to do it again in the Baldwin BMU. As 12 years is a Long Time! And only 1 Hunt period is limiting to being successful unless you use a Guide and can spent a whole lot of Time if you are a Bait Hunter and having more than 1 bait site. And this will be for me a Once in a life time Bear Hunt but with most things the DNR can increase the licenses and that could take more bears near me and that is the chance I take Waiting but at Least I should get a Bear License I cannot say the same about a Michigan Bull Elk License and hunting in December is a lot harder in deep snow. But that is Michigan!
Newaygo1
But as mentioned Baldwin is a large BMU and there is only 1 HUNT Period not like others where there is 3! And it takes at least 12 points maybe more now to get a license and that is a Long wait. I have 15 points but I do not have the time to do a Bear Hunt till I retire and that is 3 years off as I want to make the most of it because I doubt I will be able to do it again in the Baldwin BMU. As 12 years is a Long Time! And only 1 Hunt period is limiting to being successful unless you use a Guide and can spent a whole lot of Time if you are a Bait Hunter and having more than 1 bait site. And this will be for me a Once in a life time Bear Hunt but with most things the DNR can increase the licenses and that could take more bears near me and that is the chance I take Waiting but at Least I should get a Bear License I cannot say the same about a Michigan Bull Elk License and hunting in December is a lot harder in deep snow. But that is Michigan!
Newaygo1
Never ceases to amaze me how some people think it is easy to fool a Michigan Black Bear into to being tagged. I know someone within 10 minutes fo Woodville who had three nice bear coming into his baits during August and half of September. Guess what happened once season opened. He hunted everyday all week long from two in the afternoon until dark. Tag soup was on menu.
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11,215 Posts
Last year of over the counter tags was 88 i believe. Might of been 89....struggling to remember if I was a junior or senior that year. I was in highschool and I bought in the last year of over the counter tags. We had the lottery with no preference point system until year 2000. The preference point system started then.
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3,027 Posts
I tried to fill out the survey today, but wasn't allowed to. Perhaps it was because I failed to apply this year.
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2,401 Posts
Yeah and more than likely dog hunters ran his bear off.. I've seen more than my far share of that going on even on large sections of private. However it's more often just a function of most hunters having their eggs all in one basket...
Bear aren't that difficult to get in front of a hunter.. I have helped more than a few guys kill bear here. Several of them were very good bear.. I am pretty sure I could do it most years... It's as much about figuring out people habits as it is bear habits around here...
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It is online, but not available to me. Perhaps that was because I didn't apply this year.
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