My last 2 scouting trips has had me tripping into bear...

Day 1 I slipped into a remote area along the bottom lands where I prepared an isolated tree for bowhunting a couple years ago in the spring that had 1 crabapple tree and an apple tree which never produced apples until this year...As I was heading towards my tree to see if I had good shooting lanes to the apple trees I noticed a black bear bedded up wind about 60 or so yards with a cub...So I backed out..

Day2 I was doing a quick check on an area that had 1 apple tree along a cattail marsh, as I was going in to check my tree I setup in the marsh I noticed a big bed along the transition of the cattails and cedars, no big deal figured it was a doe and a fawn or two but just outside of the bed was a huge pile a poop, so I broke it open with a stick it was full of worms and my first thought was its bear poop...just prior to I heard crashing into the cedars just figured it was deer...

So, I'm not use to hunting around bears...both spots are deer active, just not sure how to approach such areas without exciting a bear and her cubs...my hunts are morning, heck I can't see 5 foot in front of me in daylight hours as its to thick...Any ideas as how to stay alive while hunting around these bears?

This is what I'm going through to hunt, my tree is at the point in the cattails, the apple tree is about 100yrdsfrom the marsh edge and is getting hit pretty good by deer according to all the deer droppings around and trails..not an apple tree in this area so it's easy, they come in and out of the marsh to grab an apple..
Last pic is the apple tree...

Man, bears and wolves are always on my mind while walking around deer hunting with only a bow in hand. Walking in to the stand in the morning during dark or out in the evening at dark is always rough for me.
But I do it.
There’s so much blow downs and debris here on the ground in the bush that there could be something ready to jump out at me and I wouldn’t even have time to blink.
Just walk to the stand and hope for the best. That’s what I do. Lol

IMHO, if dark, as long as you got a light I'd go for it. Lots of black bears where I hunt and I've never had a problem, see lots of bears in the woods as well. All have run away. I've never been struck by lightning, but it did strike within 15 feet of me once, seriously!

same as scout don't worry about them ,we have lots of bears an no problem

Can't you guys carry a big handgun when you're bowhunting?

Jim

how many deer are hangin out with the bears there anyways.

Carry a handgun and go for it. Gives me the confidence. Im a bear magnet in early archery season for some reason. Step on a stick every once in a while.

Id walk in as usual...with light on.

I carry a hand gun with me at all times Archery hunting.

I worry more about running into skunks.

there is more and more data indicating a 9,40, or 45 work well against bears , sort of a more holes faster works better than a higher powered handgun slower.
handgun bear defense info , because police are dealing with many calls for nuisance bear they have 9. 40 or 45 with them it is what gets used https://www.ammoland.com/2018/02/de...e-37-incidents-by-caliber/#axzz60jiGD614

several manufactures are making holsters that keep your gun close on your chest without interfering with your draw on your bow.

spray is worth having also

sling the bow across your back for the walk on keep the hands free to use

I like a red head lamp walking to a stand in the dark it doesn't seem to spook deer but I see lots of eyes nothing seems spooked by it.you can see eyes often farther than you could see the animal in day light easily.
I keep a white light handy also.

bears mostly don't want confrontation in WI , but they get run every year with dogs here also , I believe that helps to keep them fearful of man. when we stop being the top of the food chain we become prey.

Unless you have a CPL, carrying a handgun while bowhunting is illegal in Michigan. Carry bear spray if you are nervous about them. I live in an area of the state that has numerous bear, in certain areas at least, and I have never had a single problem with them. In fact, I only personally know one guy that has ever had a problem. That was 37 years ago in the Deadstream Swamp, and the guy was working as a Soil Scientist at the time. Oh....he was raised in Alpena Co. (good bear area), was 51 years old at the time, and it was the very first bear the guy had ever laid eyes on! It treed him for about 5 hours.

Ambush32, parts of your area are great bear habitat....as good as anything near me. I doubt you would ever have the slightest problem with a bear. I have hunted bear since the mid 70's, been around them a bunch, and have never had a bear act aggressive toward me, even while wallering in amongst the hounds to finish off wounded bear a few feet away.

I got false charged twice last year, while deer hunting, I carry a 41mag all the time now. Never did I get charged b4 and spend a good bit of time in bear country. Bears suck you can't ever trust them.

Yup carry a gun.

is it a DNR rule , I thought Michigan was an open carry state?

this is what I found "The Michigan State Police describe Michigan's open carry law as follows: "In Michigan, it is legal for a person to carry a firearm in public as long as the person is carrying the firearm with lawful intent and the firearm is not concealed. You will not find a law that states it is legal to openly carry a firearm."

EXCEPT when bowhunting. Yes, it is a DNR rule. Your also not allowed to spotlight wildlife with a gun in your possession......unless it is a concealed handgun carried with the authority of a CPL.

is getting a cpl in Michigan . as easy as Wis , go on line Sunday night provide a scanned image of your WI DNR Hunters ed card , pay the 40 dollars and Wednesday or Thursday your CCL is in the mail box. 5 years later renew for 22 dollars , repeat.


we don't need a CCL to carry hunting or any where not near a school so long as it is open carry.

I started open carry when I was 18 during deer season, back then we still had to unload and case to get in a car.

they do have that rule about a gun in the car when shining.

We are a "shall issue" state, but it isn't as easy as Wisconsin. We have to take a pistol training course, do range time, get fingerprinted, etc., then it is over $100 for the first one ($125???), then a bit cheaper to renew. No CPL needed to carry open....just can't get in a vehicle wearing it! They consider it then concealed. If you don't have a CPL any pistol has to be unloaded, cased, and not accessible to the people inside the vehicle.....read that as "in the trunk" or in the bed of the truck. Vehicles without either.........well, it's up to whatever cop pulls you over.

Thanks for the good info...

Yah I can't carry a handgun don't have a CPL...Spray might be ok to carry..idk

I'm still hunting these areas at least twice, bedding areas so I have a couple hunts before they get out of there..

My thought is the apples maybe keeping the Bears around as this area is pretty isolated and apples are a treat...