Bear in Michigan

[kokoji04]

Hey all,

I currently have 6 bear points. I’m in the metro Detroit area. I’m wondering which zones I should apply and if I should solo it or hire a guide?

 

[Ac338]

This won’t fully answer your question but you’re not going to get anywhere in the lower peninsula with 6 points. So if you want to hunt anytime soon it’s going to be in the UP. You’re looking at at 4 hours one way from Detroit just to get you across the bridge then add however far to whatever unit you choose. I’m an hour south of the bridge and there’s some places I visit in the UP that are still a long drive one way from my house. That’s not realistic for running your own baiting sites and all that. For your situation I would personally hire a guide.

 

[Timplant]

Lots of gas stations north of US-10 advertise guided hunts over bait on their advertisement board, they’re probably all about the same. I am in TC and baited my own stuff by paradise two years in a row, and basically all fall is carrying dog food….. not worth it. Get a guide!

 

[NRA4LIFE]

This won’t fully answer your question but you’re not going to get anywhere in the lower peninsula with 6 points. So if you want to hunt anytime soon it’s going to be in the UP. You’re looking at a minimum 6.5 hours one way from Detroit just to get you across the bridge then add however far to whatever unit you choose. I’m an hour south of the bridge and there’s some places I visit in the UP that are still 9 hours one way from my house. That’s not realistic for running your own baiting sites and all that. For your situation I would personally hire a guide.

What, by horse and buggy? Detroit to the bridge is maybe 4 hours and from the bridge to anywhere in the UP is 5 hours or less. I've driven these routes many times.

 

[Ac338]

What, by horse and buggy? Detroit to the bridge is maybe 4 hours and from the bridge to anywhere in the UP is 5 hours or less. I've driven these routes many times.

Yeah I was a bit off on my times. Either way it’s still a lot of driving to rebait or do whatever you have to do to get ready

 

[Steve O]

Many years ago I drew a Drummond Island tag and did everything myself from just south of Flint. It was a lot of work but worth it. You are not going to be able to draw anything but the UP; I’d work hard to find a baiting service or find a “guide”. Unless you are on private land, you can’t set up a barrel or anything to hold and meter out the bait so it is a Herculean task to keep 3 sites baited from at least 5 hours drive away.

 

[Cedarsavage]

Many years ago I drew a Drummond Island tag and did everything myself from just south of Flint. It was a lot of work but worth it. You are not going to be able to draw anything but the UP; I’d work hard to find a baiting service or find a “guide”. Unless you are on private land, you can’t set up a barrel or anything to hold and meter out the bait so it is a Herculean task to keep 3 sites baited from at least 5 hours drive away.

It’s a big job to keep 3 baits full when you’re 20 minutes away. Throw in a drive and it’d be tough

 

[TheWhitetailNut]

From my place in the Center of the U.P. to Wyandotte where is fish in the spring, GPS says 6.5 hrs, but I've never made it in less than 8

 

[kokoji04]

I appreciate all the comments. Humbling to think that I thought I had a lot of bear points. Seems like I need to wait a bit more and hire a guide when the time comes. Any success stories or bear photos would be encouraging.

I’m also debating if I should use a gun or a bow. I’m thinking gun first to understand what hunting bear is actually like and then maybe bow second, but ultimately I would prefer to take with a bow.

 

[Cedarsavage]

I appreciate all the comments. Humbling to think that I thought I had a lot of bear points. Seems like I need to wait a bit more and hire a guide when the time comes. Any success stories or bear photos would be encouraging.

I’m also debating if I should use a gun or a bow. I’m thinking gun first to understand what hunting bear is actually like and then maybe bow second, but ultimately I would prefer to take with a bow.

They don’t leave much for blood. Last one I killed was lung and liver with a .44 all I found was a chunk of lung the size of a thumbnail. I grid searched based off the death moan and found him 150 yards from where I hit him.

 

[Steve O]

I appreciate all the comments. Humbling to think that I thought I had a lot of bear points. Seems like I need to wait a bit more and hire a guide when the time comes. Any success stories or bear photos would be encouraging.

I’m also debating if I should use a gun or a bow. I’m thinking gun first to understand what hunting bear is actually like and then maybe bow second, but ultimately I would prefer to take with a bow.

Before I drew my Michigan bear tag I hunted them in Alaska, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Quebec multiple times each. You should consider hunting Canada often as you will have a quality experience. If you have hunted deer on public land in Michigan, you can expect the same low quality experience everywhere but Drummond Island which takes in the twenties to draw now. It won’t matter what weapon you use.

 

[kokoji04]

Before I drew my Michigan bear tag I hunted them in Alaska, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Quebec multiple times each. You should consider hunting Canada often as you will have a quality experience. If you have hunted deer on public land in Michigan, you can expect the same low quality experience everywhere but Drummond Island which takes in the twenties to draw now. It won’t matter what weapon you use.

What’s the average cost of a Canada bear hunt? If you don’t mind sharing. Sometimes I feel like it’s worth the cost all things considered.

 

[kokoji04]

Before I drew my Michigan bear tag I hunted them in Alaska, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Quebec multiple times each. You should consider hunting Canada often as you will have a quality experience. If you have hunted deer on public land in Michigan, you can expect the same low quality experience everywhere but Drummond Island which takes in the twenties to draw now. It won’t matter what weapon you use.

What’s the average cost of a Canada bear hunt? If you don’t mind sharing. Sometimes I feel like it’s worth the cost all things considered.

 

[MoeFaux]

What’s the average cost of a Canada bear hunt? If you don’t mind sharing. Sometimes I feel like it’s worth the cost all things considered.

For fully guided spot-and-stalk, you're lucky to pay less than 5k. If you want to sit over bait, you can sometimes find 3 day hunts well under that, I poke around on BookYourHunt a good bit and then check out the websites and FB pages of outfits whose hunts catch my attention.

One problem you may find is that none of the Canadian hunts are in our neighboring provinces. You have to go east or west, and sometimes way north to find good hunts that aren't way above that price point.

I talked to a guy at a hunting expo in GR about 2 years ago who ran an outfit in the UP near the Wisconsin border. Heck of a drive, commute to get over there, but he was having good success running bait sites, and I think his prices were a lot lower. Wish i had his info to give you, but I didn't keep it. After learning how small the bears are that he's harvesting (averaging 160 lbs IIRC), I decided his hunts weren't for me.

 

[Agross]

I have done 5 or 6 Ontario black bear hunts and it can b done for less than 5 grand. That’s outfitter , food and gas. I have been to several places. Some good, some bad. If u want more info send me a message.

 

[lonewolf93]

you can get a nice outfitted hunt (all in) for $3,500, I got my first Bear in Manitoba this past May for that price and was a great trip, lots of bears up there

 

[KnightExtreme]

Have 18 Points now, If I were to Bear hunt I would try it in South Baldwin BMU. There is a few good guides near Cadillac but last I heard it takes at least 12 to 14 Points. Have checked in a while though.
(Still waiting on getting a Bull Elk been applying since you could guess i have zero Luck!)
KE

 

[Agross]

I’m at 17 or 18 too, so at this point I’m gonna hold out for Drummond. Last I checked Baldwin only took like 8-10 .