The application period for bear hunting in Michigan just closed June 1st for the 2019 fall season. Been holding out until I retired to use my points to apply for the Baldwin unit. Going into the drawing with 14 points, should have been 15 but I completely forgot to buy a point last year.
I spent the entire month of April this spring staying in my trailer at Ivan's Campground in Baldwin chasing Steelhead on the flywater of the Pere Marquette river. The fellow that owns the campground knows of several people with problem bears so I think I have a plan. Now I just have to wait until the end of June to see if I draw and I'll have to start getting serious about preparing for September.
Any tips for the Baldwin unit would be appreciated. This will be my first Michigan bear hunt since I drew Drummond in 1997.
Get in touch with gvdocholliday on here he lives in that area and work for the state DNR.
I don't think you should have too much trouble drawing with that many points. Good luck!
Edit: I misread what you wrote as Baraga, not Baldwin. Not sure how hard it is to draw in that u it. I know in red oak where I am it is taking guys 8 points now to draw. There are a lot of bears here. They need to give out more tags.
[attachment=1]
Michael, this is my 2008 Baldwin unit bear. I'm going for Red Oak now since likely to be 20 more years to get another Baldwin tag. I shot this bear on west side of Interlochen on state land by Bendon. Find a couple of secluded spots that have good entry and exit with predominant wind. My friend had a Baldwin tag last year and couldn't get a bear on stand ever during daylight. Good luck with the drawing and if successful with your hunt.
I think you're going to be another year out on points. My wife drew last year with 15.
I'm more familiar with areas just north of Baldwin, pretty much from US10 North to the Wellston/Brethren area.
I'd be happy to run a bait site up here for you. I've found to really enjoy that aspect of bear hunting. Running baits and checking cams. Kept me in shape, that's for sure.
I'll be waiting until I get somewhere between 15-16 points before I get drawn probably. Basically once in my lifetime bear permit for this area. Lots of bear here.
After I draw for Baldwin, I'm going to live out my days applying in the UP. I would rather be able to go every 2-3 years than have to wait for 15-16 or more.
MGH that's my plan. After I draw its back to the Yoop for me.
Got drawn in the Baldwin area in 2016 with 14 points. Set up baits and trail cameras. Had one huge bear I named "Big Ass Bear" coming in regular as the only visitor at one bait. He was the boss! Had multiple other bears coming in to my other bait several miles away. I was hunting between Branch and M-37. When Small Game Season opened in September the National Forest was swarmed with partridge and squirrel hunters and the bears I had located headed for the swamps. Tried to reload, but didn't score. Had fun being in a tree in September anyway. Sure did get some nice pictures before the season . . . Good Luck Yellow Dog.
:archer:
Thanks for the replies. With the increase in tags this year for Baldwin I'm hoping it'll increase my odds a little for a successful draw. I'm beginning to realize drawing with 14 points may be a bit of a stretch, forgetting to buy a point last year after I reminded all my friends about the application period ending on June 1st was a bonehead move on my part. I had a "oh crap" moment June 2nd. That's the only downfall to retirement........you forget what day it is, everyday is just the day after yesterday.
:knothead:
Bryan, sent you a PM.
I did the same Yellow Dog. Went in with 14 this year...
After my wife drew here in the Baldwin Unit last year we said the same. Trying to organize a tri-annual(every three years) bear hunt to the Yoop.
Wouldn't mind getting a trad group to go, and camp. My plan is to go up a couple days before hunt starts to set baits and prep trees. Rather than making several trips up.
Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk
Hey Bryan, you should talk to Cody. He knows some great areas by our old house and use to help me run baits. Maybe you would be interested in that.
Think he would be interested in helping start a trad bear camp?
Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk
I'd be definitely interested in a trad bear camp. If I draw Baldwin this year I'll be back to zero and starting over. My next shot at Baldwin I'd be pushing 78 years old :scared:
The yoop every three years is very do-able......
Even if I didn't draw a tag I'd go just to help out. There's a certain magic about bear hunting with a group of trad guys. Even if you don't tag a bear it's still the most fun you'll ever have.
Bear huntings a team sport :thumbsup:
It truly is a team sport.
Sent from my moto z3 using Tapatalk
Because of the rarefied chance of getting the Baldwin tag, I had 4 guys helping to drag my bear out (35 yard recovery and heard the death moan so no guessing that I had critter down)-everyone was excited to see the bear. After gutting my bear we put him on a tarp with one guy on each corner to get him out of the woods. His hide was beautiful and the rug turned out fabulously. Really thankful to have three buddies and a friend of a friend there to help.
We should know soon how the drawing went for this year.
He might be interested, we have been talking about doing a Deer/ Bear camp in a couple years. He put in this year to start building points . I know he likes the the running bait parts of the hunt , that's a rare trait in most folks lol. We have one site that is called " Man eater" it always produced. Plus he knows a bunch more, if your interested in that part of the Yoop.
Nice Bear Ray, ain't getting them out fun lol. Have you ever bear hunted around Shrewhaven area ?
Ron did a few years ago, had one nice bear close one night. Our camp mate Greg passed on one by camp three years ago wanting a bigger bear. We had one deer blood trail end in a bear claim years ago, plus a few other sightings.
Good luck to everyone.
Been involved in hauling out around 20 bear over the past years. We used a heavy canvas game sling for years and switched to a plastic Jetsled. The Jetsled's the only way to go.
About a dozen years ago my buddy killed one in Red Oak. It was a Saturday and he couldn't find a place open to register it so I called the refuge office for the Shiawassee State Game Area, they were doing an early season youth waterfowl hunt so I knew somebody would be there. They said to bring it in, they'd never done one before but had the stuff there they needed to register one so they'd give it a try. Long story short.....at the time that was the only bear ever registered at the St Charles DNR office, and still might be.
One of my friends that I had helping me drag had a walk-in cooler that I put my bear in for two days until the DNR station opened to get it checked in. The next closest place was 45 miles away at a tackle shop. The walk-in cooler was priceless since it was 70 degrees the night I shot my bear. Meat turned out fantastic because of quick cooling
Now the planning/work starts. Just checked the DNR website this morning. I successfully drew Baldwin.
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Congratulations!!!!!
This guy was in my back yard last week. A lot of bears being seen in Grand Traverse, Benzie and Leelanau counties right now.
[attachment=1]
Good for you Mike :clapper:. I think the biggest issue or thought you need to put in is trying to find a location where the hound guys aren't going to hit the scent of bears coming and going to your baits. I had to active baits last year in the general area Ray got his bear and the hound guys ran the bears in the area. Game over. I'll be in my 70's before I ever draw Baldwin again but thank God for BC, AK and Alberta.
I have nothing against hound hunting either. It looks like fun to me and it's just part of the deal. I'm good with that. I'm not much for sitting in trees guarding a bait pile anyways :)
docholiday made a very generous offer. Baiting is all work but I enjoy it as well. I have baited in the UP for disabled veterans the last few years. I have some good spots in Amasa. 3 of us hunted up there 2 years ago and we all took bear with our bows. I shot the 3rd one I saw opening night at 7 yards with a recurve.
I put a hunter on 5 bear just south of US 10 south of Branch and he shot a nice bear with his gun. It took 15 points for last years hunt.
As far as removing the bear from the woods. We use a section of the treestand ladder. Tie the bear on and two hunters can carry the bear out without do damage to the fur.
Bear hunting is a lot of fun so enjoy yourself.
Red Oak unit for me this fall, just got the results. Now the search is on.
Yellow Dog, I'd be happy to show you where I shot my Baldwin unit bear. State land, just west of Interlochen
Congrats on drawing a tag for Baldwin. We are over run by bears, crazy numbers this year . I didn't draw , again with 12 points. Probably will take about 16-17 points with all the guys ahead of me.
I also drew for Baldwin with 15pts!! :archer:
GOOD LUCK to all those that drew!!
Ray, congrats on Red Oak. I may need to pick your brain a little.
Good luck MGH :thumbsup:
Michael, contact me at raylyon@live.com and I'll be happy to help any way I can
Congrats to all that drew.
It was raining today. Couldn't get much done at home so I decided to take a little drive. Never too soon to get started :archer2:
[attachment=1]
Wow! I didn't realize it took that many points to draw a tag in that area. We own a little land in the UP so I've never looked to see how many points are required further south of the bridge. I should be able to draw a bear tag in the yoop next year if I want.
The tags have increased in Baldwin unit, from 70 in 2008 to 155 this year, so they have more than doubled. However with 2,000-2,500 applicants for that unit you're still looking at 15 years between tags with the preference points system. The Red Oak unit required me to have 9 points to draw, so that's still a long time between permits. Certainly you can go to the upper peninsula almost every year in certain areas, but at 7-9 hours one way drive, that makes baiting a difficult proposal for the doit yourself person. I really like being involved from the get go on setting up bait site and running bait, so although I enjoy bear hunting and the meat, I hold out for local opportunity to hunt.
Here's my first bear, taken in Copper Harbor in 1986, when we had someone start baits for us. It's a 9-10 hour drive to Copper Harbor, which is similar drive to going to some areas in Ontario for me.
[attachment=1]
How many points to draw up around copper harbor? I know it's a ton of work but I'd love to try bear hunting in the U.P. while I'm up there.
I'm putting together a every three year bear camp to the UP. 2021 is looking like it's going to be the first one. Maybe make one trip up during the summer to cut bait sites...but for the most part, it'll be head up a few days early, set stands and bait, and enjoy the camp.
Doc,
One year I helped my buddy bait close to Marquette, which was about a six hour drive. We went up on a Thursday, set bait that day and then checked bait again on Saturday. Set up stand trees on activity baits and then went back early Sunday morning and rebated hit bait heavy and then left for home. He went back the following Thursday to stay to hunt for 10 days. Depending on how far you're going it may be a doable thing for your idea and would be great to get a little more head start to your idea above. He had a cabin up there so we spent time on that baiting trip to get the cabin opened up too.
Doc, you have a season and an area where you can draw every three years.?
Ray, we ran 5 first time baits in the rain and every bait got hit that night. Our problem was wolves. Bear and wolves don't seem to get along. We saw them and we have them on cameras.
We had plenty of wolf encounters when we hunted in the Yoop. They would come into the baits eat ,nose around then leave.
What kind of bait are you using to attract wolves?? I've used broken pies off the pie line at my brother in laws plant. Not sure if they still have that program eleven years later
I used Trix cereal.
I was just asked to bait for a veteran and my bait supplier went out of business. Any ideas where I can get bait., I am over by Muskegon. I am too old to dumpster dive behind bakeries.
Before anyone gets too excited, the barrel is empty and full of holes from being shot. My guess is that the previous owner used it many years ago. It is now rusted shut. I was wondering if this guy just keyed in on it by appearance alone??
[attachment=1]
Just a little update.......Been in contact with the Baldwin DNR Field Office wildlife biologists over the past month. They're aware I'm a stickbow shooter and I received a call from them today with a hot tip.
Small inhabited area 10 minutes from where I plan on setting up camp for the month of September. Multiple bear complaints and sprinkled with small tracts of Federal Land. Too small to gun hunt and still be in compliance with firearms safety zones. Impossible to run dogs with the abutting private property. In their words it's overun by bear and the local residents are reluctant to take the measures needed to keep from attracting them. Bird feeders, trash management......etc.
Called my bud that owns the campground and he's very familiar with the area. The local watering hole is saving me 4 gallon jugs of deep fryer grease, they change it every Friday and Monday, and I'm hooked up with a local bakery for expired sweets. The plan is quickly coming together. Can't wait.......
:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:
Mike. Good for you !!!
The old saying you could fall in a bucket of cow manure and come out smelling like a rose :goldtooth: :biglaugh: :biglaugh:
If you throw in Busch Lite I'd visit. I go 330.
:knothead:
And to top it off the fall run of King Salmon will be in the flywater of the Pere Marquette River five minutes away from camp. The cadence will be.....check and refresh baits in the morning, float the flywater after that chasing Kings with a Spey rig and in a tree in the evening for Mr Big. Sounds like a good plan
Sounds like a HOT tip for sure!!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Just purchased my fall hunting licenses on line, Bear, deer combo, antlerless application, waterfowl (federal and state). 109.50 but certainly lots of hours of entertainment. My good buddy who's a bear fanatic has a spot all picked out for me that's an hour away to the north. Just waiting for the next week to pass for the bait period to begin. It's starting to get real!!!
My buddy has created this concoction for me. Getting close to being able to set bait. [attachment=1]
Also have five gallons of bacon grease. Goal is to slather cover up logs with grease so the bears pads get it on when he swats the logs out of the way and then he'll start laying scent trails
Looking good Ray :thumbsup:
No hits yet on the one bait I have out through my buddy. Will look to start one closer to home after September 10, but that area is huned by hounds pretty well so I'll be aiming for the archery only no hounds October 5-11 period. Plus berries will be more scarce
My bait is not getting hit yet?? Berries?? Acorns??
[attachment=1]
This guy just walked through the neighborhood an hour before dark. Neighbor and his grandson had just walked up and down the subdivision road and our other neighbors was working in his back yard and wondered why his dogs were going crazy. My bear zone starts 15 miles from here.😡
First bear on bait. Not a big one, but season doesn't start for two weeks. 7 a.m. hit on bait
[attachment=1]
That's exciting good luck
Heading up tomorrow morning to set up camp, running a few days late as a result of the unexpected death of a close friends wife.
As soon as I setup camp and get things rolling I'll start a new thread to do a detailed progress report. This is going to be good :archer2:
[attachment=1]
Two bears working post shooting light. Only one week until season starts and the boar above looks to be in 350-400 range.
We are all looking forward to great pictures and stories. I just got home yesterday from a trip to Michigan to visit my daughter, and the wife and I took several days just to see some of the state. We made a loop from Flint down through Lansing over to Ludington (Jeeze, Lake Michigan is a damn big pond). Then we went up to Sleeping Bear Park and over to Traverse City. Lastly, we came back down to Lansing. The whole way, I was totally impressed with how beautiful the countryside is. Beauty being defined as great looking hunting country. We didn't see deer or bear, but an archery dealer told me that much of the wildlife is largely nocturnal. You guys have a really beautiful state. Bring on the pics!
Well heck Sam, you didn't even make it to the beautiful part! Need to head a little bit farther north next time. :biglaugh:
That area down there is very pretty as well. The farms and the orchards are very cool to drive through.
[attachment=1]
Not the big boy, but getting close to shooting light
You can see twilight in the trees in background.
Thanks for the update you Michigan boys are on your game
:notworthy:
[attachment=1]
Finally bait #2 of 3 got hit(picture above) and it's 4 in the afternoon. It also came back at 7:30 am, so definitely a daylight visitor. This bait sat untouched for two weeks. Four days till season starts!!
Go get 'em, Ray.
homebru
[attachment=1]
These two have been hitting nocturnally so yesterday when I set a tree stand in place we only put out a half gallon of bait. Today my partner only scented it up with liquid smoke and vanilla sprays (diluted in water bottle sprayers). The idea is to make them think they got to the buffet late. Tomorrow is the opening day for my hunt area.
[attachment=1]
Daylight hit, but not the bear I'm looking for
TTT. Great thread. :campfire:
Well the first week of my two week hunt period is over. No bears seen, however they're working the baits nocturnally for the most part. Full moon last weekend and more importantly a week of 80 plus degree temperatures made for tough going. There's now a two week break and then another week of hunting and this time will be no hounds and archery only. Plus cooler temperatures!!!
Farewell to my Michigan bear season. Second hunt period went by with no bears seen and very sporadic bait action. Lots of natural food competition. Now the 8 year tag draw waiting begins again.
[attachment=1]
To bad you didn't see any on the second hunt Ray. You should put in for Baldwin unit. It's only 13 + years to get a tag lol. I should draw next season since I have 13 points. After that it's back too Amasa.
Quote from: Burly on October 11, 2019, 12:13:52 PM
To bad you didn't see any on the second hunt Ray. You should put in for Baldwin unit. It's only 13 + years to get a tag lol. I should draw next season since I have 13 points. After that it's back too Amasa.
👍👍👍
To bad you didn't get one. At least you only have to wait 8. In red oak I have to wait 9 last I checked.
I spoke with a guy that has 15 points in Baldwin and didn't draw this year. The bears are starting to be pests in our area, south of Ludington. Was at a friends house yesterday who lives near Baldwin and he has bear coming to his deck and bird feeders often.
I have had one cause trouble in our neighborhood all summer but he's in Baldwin unit and I had tag for red oak
Really, enjoyed reading this thread.
Found this thread, a buddy and i both have 5 points we are definetly interested in doing a bear camp, we have atvs and an outfitter camp. newbie bear hunters
Great new laws in effect for the Michigan bears hunters this year. That all are in favor of the Bait hunters rather than hound hunters. Good luck to you
thanks