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