2011 Bear Season

LOGDOG · July 14, 2011, 02:00:27 PM

Great pictures Jeff. What kind of trail camera are you using?

Jeff · July 14, 2011, 11:00:23 PM

Today was pretty fun. Two of my great nephews are up for the first time from the Indianapolis area. They are staying with my Sister Lynda, their Grandma, for two weeks and she brought them up to the cabin. I put the older one on the quad for his first time and he loved it. We went to explore one of my favorite places, a local trout stream about a mile from my place in the U.P. the first thing we saw when we got out of the truck was a male ruffed grouse in full dance mode. By the time I got my camera out, he was on his way into the woods, where I followed him and got a short video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OlSEGLBgvJE

The boys were thrilled with the little trip we took into the eastern U.P. woods. I hope I'm not in trouble when they tell their mom how they want to move to Michigan.

I sure love it when I am up here. It's going to be a fine Bear season this year whether I get a bear or not if pre-season scouting is any kind of indicator. 8)

LOGDOG · July 14, 2011, 11:21:22 PM

Great pictures Jeff. Reminds me of home. I haven't seen a grouse since I moved down here. He was sure putting on the moxie wasn't he? All swelled up and strutting. Would have been cool if you could have caught him drumming. Those are tasty little birds those grouse. I miss them.

Jeff · July 14, 2011, 11:42:20 PM

Tasty indeed. Reminds me of this...
https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,34361.0.html

LOGDOG · July 15, 2011, 09:32:27 AM

Mmmmmm ....."Grouse breast wrapped in Bacon, placed on a bed of dressing, then completely covered with dressing then covered with bacon. Cooked with Red Potatoes. Dessert was "Pumpkin Sumpthin"

I had to chuckle when the first picture I saw was that naked wishbone. :D ;)

SwampDonkey · July 15, 2011, 07:26:26 PM

Darn toot'n, fine dining that timber chicken.

Looks like the kids had a great time Jeff. ;)

I see one of my moose made his rounds this week in the apple trees and yellow birch. :D

First, the damage to an apple tree

Then a trip up through the yellow birch, fleecing the leaves off.

mmm mint flavored lettuce. :D

Wildlife management. :

WH_Conley · July 15, 2011, 09:32:25 PM

If that was down here in Kentucky we would call that crop damage and dispose of the offender,ooops, forgot to call the game warden first.

Patty · July 17, 2011, 09:44:46 AM

Great pics Jeff!
There is nothing more fun or rewarding than to show nature to kids for the first time.

Texas Ranger · July 17, 2011, 02:40:22 PM

DanG, I really want to see Jeff's UP.

isawlogs · July 18, 2011, 10:28:37 PM

I had the previlege of seeing it and would go back there in a flash.

Those kids need get dirty some or wet... ;D

Jeff · July 19, 2011, 11:24:07 AM

We took them out to lake Huron Sunday night to cool down and get cleaned up. They were plenty dirty.

They had several firsts this past week, including riding ATV's (The older one got to drive a bit), shooting firearms, seeing the Soo Locks and seeing some Bear sign (No bear though), and meeting their great Uncle Jeff for the first time. I have some video of where we had them shooting at some soup cans.

Texas Ranger · July 19, 2011, 12:46:06 PM

Oh, the horror of it all, teaching young folks to shoot nasty firearms, and so young!!!!!!!!!

Sarcasm off, good for you, teach them early and teach them well.

Jeff · July 19, 2011, 01:52:10 PM

I'll put a video together and post it. THose young fellers were sold on the U.P. for sure.

beenthere · July 19, 2011, 02:00:58 PM

Just no video of feeding the bears.... ;)

As this UP woman found out the hard way.
http://www.dailypress.net/page/content.detail/id/531394/Bear-attacks-woman.html?nav=5003

doctorb · July 19, 2011, 05:22:04 PM

Beenthere-

She was alone, inside an enclosure, feeding 2 wild bears, and this is reported as a bear attack? Shouldn't she have been considered "on the menu"? Sounds like she may have a better outcome than the Connecticut lady with the chimp. Hard to understand, really. On TV, they always look so fluffy and cute.

Texas Ranger · July 19, 2011, 05:37:16 PM

"Because of public safety concerns, the bear was then euthanized"

DanG, that coulda been Jeff's bear!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Norm · July 19, 2011, 06:31:22 PM

They should have euthanized her.

Ron Scott · July 19, 2011, 08:52:16 PM

I'm surprised that the captive bears were allowed.

SwampDonkey · July 20, 2011, 06:45:28 AM

Me to, I know of several instances where bear cubs were seized by DNR from folks that thought they were so cute they should bring them home.

As a kid, I never cared to see caged bears or making them perform tricks. They closed down all such places around here.

Norm · July 20, 2011, 08:06:06 AM

Me either SD, that's why I hate zoos and circus'.

Every so often shamoo will show why those shows are a bad idea.

Firewoodtroll- · July 20, 2011, 09:52:23 AM

Hello Jeff,
Very nice pictures,looks like them boys are having a nice time-that creek looks that it may
have some Brookies in it ? you should go Brookie fishing with them if you can stand all
the bugs.I lived in Kinchloe when I went to LSSU-many fine creeks,rivers for trout. I hunted
bear yrs. ago and was great,I could not bring myself to kill one again after the first I killed,was
fine eating-I like to watch them they can be funny- I had 2 permits for the Sep. opening in the
last 8 yrs-did not use them.My son wanted to go bear hunting, he got a permit and we went
we seen 7 bears,one old fellow I would say 450-400 lbs was tearing up the stump where we had
shelled corn with strawberry jam mixed in,he was really enjoying himself-Max my son was
bow hunting-he took out his camera and Bagged the Bruin instead of shooting the ole fellow,I
was glad ! seen him 3 time again,he got real agressive one night when a young male showed
up,he stood up and and gave a few loud grunts and the young bear hightailed it quick. I am
very pleasured by just listening,watching,smelling and seeing in the U.P. forest -gives me a great
peace of mind-it has come to that I do not care to take a bears life anymore.I still love to deer
and grouse hunt when I can.Great to see you are teaching them boys about firearms,bet they
really enjoyed it and will remember it always. Hope you have good luck bear hunting,a lot of big
bears are in the U.P. Take care and be safe.

beenthere · July 20, 2011, 01:05:03 PM

About keeping bear in captivity in MI, found this site that explains a MI law passed in 2000 that permits to keep bears was not allowed, but if already permitted and the permits kept current, bear keeping was grandfathered in. Must be what made this bear pen legal, as mentioned.

http://www.michiganhuntingpreserves.com/IC%201350-1%20Permits%20to%20Hold%20Wildlife%20in%20Captivity%20Book.htm

Ron Scott · July 20, 2011, 08:57:32 PM

Yes, it must have been "grandfathered in" and was meetingof those the State's standards for captive bear. PETA has made such an issue of some "grandfathered in", that they just went ahead and closed their bear pen due to all of PETA's pressures and hate mail.

Paul_H · July 20, 2011, 11:14:45 PM

I read one of the comments in the link on that story that the bear should have been relocated.I had a bad experience with a relocated bear at work in 1990.He kept coming within a few feet of me and I had to stomp and charge and he'd back off then turn around and make another pass and we did it all over again till he finally left.Very tense 5 minutes.
My saw was back at the tailblocks and the crew was over the hill from me.Another logging outfit had the fallers chased out one day by a bear.We found out the CO's were relocating habituated bears from Whistler to our work areas.
A man I know in his 80's was dragged off his porch by a bear one night in Pemberton when he went to investigate a noise.It made a mess of his leg and thankfully his dog came to his aid.
He thinned the bear population on his farm after that.
Around our place the rule is simple,if it doesn't run,it's done.

The lady in this story below had called and complained that there was an aggressive bear bothering her but help came too late
Woman killed

We see bears often and enjoy them as long as they know their place.They are a marvelous creature.

SwampDonkey · July 21, 2011, 06:07:27 AM

I agree with you Paul. The relocated ones, usually means they have gotten used to man and get braver than they should for their own good. Those kinds of bears should be done away with in my opinion. I've run into bears around here, but not too often, they have all knew enough to run away. I've also spotted bear and cubs in the woods, especially on grown in roads. I always saw them before they saw me, so I moved off quietly. It helps that we have two bear seasons and they learn to be cautious of man. In camps in BC, they would relocate bears and paint their buts. If he returned he was not so lucky.