Black Bear hunting in MI

[93bandit]

Has anyone here gone bear hunting in MI, or know anyone who has? I recently learned you can hunt bear here, if you're lucky enough to be drawn.

I think it's something I'd like to do, but I would like to talk to someone with experience first.

Any help is appreciated!

[MichiganShootist]

I signed up for the drawn for decades. Even though I had my own property Up North and pictures of bears on my on my land.... I never got drawn. The DNR increases and decreases the number of tags for each county. Clare county where I had my property had something like 4 tags a year drawn.

So even though I was having bear problems on my own land...(knocking over and ripping open deer feeders etc.) I ended up going to Canada to get my bear. Nearly the same story for Elk... after 30 years of trying to get a tag... I just stopped wasting my money.

[93bandit]

I signed up for the drawn for decades. Even though I had my own property Up North and pictures of bears on my on my land.... I never got drawn. The DNR increases and decreases the number of tags for each county. Clare county where I had my property had something like 4 tags a year drawn.

So even though I was having bear problems on my own land...(knocking over and ripping open deer feeders etc.) I ended up going to Canada to get my bear. Nearly the same story for Elk... after 30 years of trying to get a tag... I just stopped wasting my money.

I was afraid of a response like this.

Can you provide details on the Canada route? What was the cost, where did you go, who did you go with etc?

[MichiganShootist]

The trip to Canada was long enough ago that the prices etc. would be meaningless. (in 94 I believe) I hunted in Quebec but these days Alberta is noted for the best bear hunting.

I'd suggest starting another thread looking for people with guide experience. The other thing to consider is an "Out West" hunt. In many Western states the guide services actually buy the tags.

[twofeathers]

Go on the Michigan Sportsmans website. There's a lot of information on bear hunting in Michigan there.

[93bandit]

Go on the Michigan Sportsmans website. There's a lot of information on bear hunting in Michigan there.

I've read this https://www.michigan.gov/documents/d...t_454168_7.pdf which has a lot of good information.

I guess I'm asking more for someone to go along with, or to go with me that has experience, like a mentor. It's not something I want to do alone, or with a group of people I don't know.

[dirtmcgirt76239]

I thought in some counties, if not the entire state, you submitted for 4 years and on the 5th you get a tag, or submit 5 years if you never get drawn you get it for sure on the 6th try. Did that change ?

[93bandit]

I thought in some counties, if not the entire state, you submitted for 4 years and on the 5th you get a tag, or submit 5 years if you never get drawn you get it for sure on the 6th try. Did that change ?

My understanding is that you only gain a greater chance of being selected the longer you wait. The digest said most people selected have 7 or more points (1 point for each year they've submitted but not been chosen), but that doesn't mean everyone with 7 points is selected.

I don't gamble, but for $5 a year at a chance to hunt a bear, I think I'll take the gamble if I can find someone to go with.

[twofeathers]

My understanding is that you only gain a greater chance of being selected the longer you wait. The digest said most people selected have 7 or more points (1 point for each year they've submitted but not been chosen), but that doesn't mean everyone with 7 points is selected.

I don't gamble, but for $5 a year at a chance to hunt a bear, I think I'll take the gamble if I can find someone to go with.

If you want someone that knows what they're doing in the area you want to hunt; hire a guide. You'll get your moneys worth. The people on here can help.

https://www.michigan-sportsman.com/f...anbear-com.29/

[Bullhed78]

I hunted the Baraga unit about 7 years ago and was successful. I applied as a group. When you do that it guarantees everyone in your group receives a tag but goes off the preference points of the person with the least in your group. My group was my father and I. He had 4 preference points and I had 5. Since we drew tags we lost all points and start from scratch for the next hunt. We drew the first hunt of the season and hunted over bait. Dad shot his opening day and I shot mine the second day of season. It was early September and 80° in the Keweenaw Peninsula. I couldn’t believe I was hunting bear in the northern UP with my lightest weigh camo sitting there sweating my ass off.