# Guide service HAH!



## Bearboy (Feb 4, 2009)

Well like I said it can be done. I had bears in deer bait in November. If I had hidden agenda I would encourage all to hunt third season. Even dog hunting is so much better early it's not funny. When I wanted to kill a bear I would always apply for the second season...although I wouldn't always get a tag my chances were much better. Now I don't care if I shoot one so I apply third season. Nicer meat and hides if I do. My camera's show less bears as time goes on...almost all night hits in October. So I will affirm my statement...the third season is pretty much a waste of time if your bait hunting...but it can be done.


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## Rooster Cogburn (Nov 5, 2007)

Regarding early denning. We're still learning about that. Sure surprised me to learn one of Maine;s study bears denned September 15th. Amazes me how long bears can survive when denning so early. Obviously, poor feed years play a major role in a bears life.


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## SMITTY1233 (Dec 8, 2003)

I'm in now way trying to dissuade anyone from hunting anything ever. Hunting is as much chance as anything. When you do your homework either selecting a reputable guide or a DIY hunt you chance improves. Millions of factors go into bear hunting and times of year specifically. You try to limit those factors down to up your odds and when you get good at doing that your success rate will go up. With any type of hunting there are no guarantees.

Wish all those bucks were mine. 3 of them are. All shot on less than 200 acres in Mid MI over the last decade or so.


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## DirtySteve (Apr 9, 2006)

I hunted with a guide near Lake Gogebic once. The guide put us very close to US2. My spot in particular was within 1/4 mile of the highway. I heard traffic all night long. The others were a bit further but all spots we went in off of the main highway. His reasoning was that when the dog hunting season started the dog hunters would not run their hounds close to the main highway so his bait were never bothered by dog hunters. He said the hound hunters generally started their dogs well off the major roads and into the bush a couple miles. I am not sure if he believed dogs were an issue or not but I am sure that is a perception from most of his clients. 

We had no issue seeing bears with trucks going by all day long. Our group went 3 for 3 with 2 of us bow hunting. There were 2 other hunters at that time hunting with this guide as well. Both shot bears. One shot a huge bear the other hit one with his bow that was never recovered. He was still hunting when we left.


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## NKRAY (Dec 27, 2016)

DirtySteve said:


> I hunted with a guide near Lake Gogebic once. The guide put us very close to US2. My spot in particular was within 1/4 mile of the highway. I heard traffic all night long. The others were a bit further but all spots we went in off of the main highway. His reasoning was that when the dog hunting season started the dog hunters would not run their hounds close to the main highway so his bait were never bothered by dog hunters. He said the hound hunters generally started their dogs well off the major roads and into the bush a couple miles. I am not sure if he believed dogs were an issue or not but I am sure that is a perception from most of his clients.
> 
> We had no issue seeing bears with trucks going by all day long. Our group went 3 for 3 with 2 of us bow hunting. There were 2 other hunters at that time hunting with this guide as well. Both shot bears. One shot a huge bear the other hit one with his bow that was never recovered. He was still hunting when we left.





DirtySteve said:


> I hunted with a guide near Lake Gogebic once. The guide put us very close to US2. My spot in particular was within 1/4 mile of the highway. I heard traffic all night long. The others were a bit further but all spots we went in off of the main highway. His reasoning was that when the dog hunting season started the dog hunters would not run their hounds close to the main highway so his bait were never bothered by dog hunters. He said the hound hunters generally started their dogs well off the major roads and into the bush a couple miles. I am not sure if he believed dogs were an issue or not but I am sure that is a perception from most of his clients.
> 
> We had no issue seeing bears with trucks going by all day long. Our group went 3 for 3 with 2 of us bow hunting. There were 2 other hunters at that time hunting with this guide as well. Both shot bears. One shot a huge bear the other hit one with his bow that was never recovered. He was still hunting when we left.


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## NKRAY (Dec 27, 2016)

Hi Dirty Steve, sounds like you and all ur buddy and other hunters saw ALOT of bears ,5 hunters all saw bears. that's awesome. I hunted 6 days of first season and never saw so much as a cub. three of those days were all day in the blind but the so called guide had me up wind of the bait for three days. The day before, I stated to the guide that the wind was wrong and he handed me a bag of marshmallows and said to me UR ON UR OWN. now I ask u does that sound like a guide that u gave $1200 to guide you. A true guide would have had a second spot for his clients and not knowingly put a hunter in a spot that the bear "which has prolly the best nose of any animal in North America" can pick up a humans scent a mile away. The man I paid was nothing more than a baiter. Any way thanks for ur info.


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## mydogisscout (Jun 24, 2005)

Musket said:


> I would certainly hope that there is no hidden agenda in the effort of those trying to dissuade others from hunting the third period. I hunt that period every year in the Bergland unit. My closes bait pile from home is a little over 600 miles away, so pre baiting is out of the question. Got my and a buddies first pile of the season made last year on Oct. 2. My buddy shot one on the 5th. Last year I got the piles made on the 1st and my buddy shot one on the 4th. I can go on and on with this scenario as it has become rather routine. I will admit that I have been baiting well establish piles that I have made for the last dozen years and I am sure that comes into play. But to say that the bears all but vanish come October simply is false. Your chances of just shooting a bear (any bear) may diminish somewhat but your chances of shooting a bigger boar may increase as there are plenty of those guys still up and on the move. Plus. there is no better time to be in the western UP than that time of the year.


My success rate 3rd period is 5 times higher than second. I'll take 3rd anyday


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## miforest (Apr 5, 2017)

sorry to hear of your plight . I have had good in bad in guiding . There is not a lot of money in it , and bear hunting is always a side gig because its only a few weeks a year. I always check references. I have gone on a week long hunt and not seen a single bear on a bait that was being hit. bear hunting is not easy. I did have a good time with rick Dickson in wawa ont last year.


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## NKRAY (Dec 27, 2016)

Thanks for info bout ur guide in wawa ont. Reference is appriceated. My goal in this forum is to bring awareness to a guide service called WILD SPIRIT GUIDE SERVICE , and anyone wanting the best chance at getting a bear in first season should avoid this service. Carney and amasa areas are where they operate and I can attest that they do not have the bait hunters best interest in mind. Only your money.


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## Hunter1979 (Feb 26, 2008)

Okay, so I was thinking about getting a first season Carney tag this year to hunt over bait. Thought I would pull last year with 4, but should definitely pull this year with 5. Thanks for posting a review about this guide service. I've been trying to do my research, but honestly, reviews on bear guides in Michigan are hard to come by. 

Has anyone heard of Richard Haney? I had someone recommend him last year to me when I was looking. They had a good hunt two years ago with him, not sure on this year or years past. Thought someone else might have some info.


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## NKRAY (Dec 27, 2016)

Hunter1979, hope ur luck is good. An older gentleman by my camp near LaBrance told me the a guide near Sagola called Bear Bluff guide and bait service was a good choice. He said that he only takes on 3-4 hunters for first season . I wish I knew of him before I wasted money. I don't have any contact info.


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