# Looking for outfitter 9! prefrence points



## mielkhunter (Mar 17, 2011)

I have saved 9 preference points for this years draw and understand that means I can draw any unit. I would like to compile a list of outfitters that can put me on a large bear. I am planning an archery hunt but if needed will switch to rifle. I would like to create a list and choose an outfitter before the draw. Thank you in advance. 
Bill


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## mielkhunter (Mar 17, 2011)

Just to update more info. I currently have 9 PP and will have 10 when applying this year 2012. I see Baldwin and Drummond are the 2 units requiring the most PP. I would like to highly consider these 2 units. I have taken a bear in Ontario with bow. I feel I am a very proficient bow hunter and would prefer archery. I have been saving these points a long time and do not want to waste this opportunity. Thanks again. Outfitters if you would prefer to PM me that's OK.


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## SLP Hunter (Nov 20, 2009)

If you have 9 points now you will still have 9 going into this years drawing. Points are only applied after the drawing if you are unsuccessful. 

With that said you will likely not be able to draw either unit this year. Looks like it took 11 to get Drummond in 2011 and only a 11% drawing success for the Baldwin unit with 9 points. You can still try both and worst case you'll get another point for next years drawing.

With that many points I would hold out until you can get the Baldwin unit.

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/dnr/2011_Bear_Drawing_Info__356532_7.pdf


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## mielkhunter (Mar 17, 2011)

Thanks for your quick reply SLP Hunter. Thanks for info on how the points are counted. I can wait another year if I have to. I will probably go ahead and apply for the Baldwin unit as a first choice and see what happens. 
Bill


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## GrizzlyHunter (Jun 17, 2005)

Why not consider the UP?


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## mimountianman (Dec 29, 2011)

The baldwin unit is very good. I live in the south east corner of the unit and see bear on a regular basis while mushroom hunting and fishing. I personaly have only taken bear in the UP but with the right guide West Michigan would be a great choice. I have several friends on Drummond and with their bear population on the down turn the only way to have a bruin in the freezer at the end on the season is over dogs. I wouldn't waste 9 points up there.


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## mark49331 (Sep 26, 2009)

mielkhunter said:


> Thanks for your quick reply SLP Hunter. Thanks for info on how the points are counted. I can wait another year if I have to. I will probably go ahead and apply for the Baldwin unit as a first choice and see what happens.
> Bill


 I have the same # of points but sadly with each passing year it is taking more points to draw Baldwin.With 9 going into this year and if you look at the DNR charts that are posted above we will NOT be drawing Baldwin for at least 3 or 4 more years......Sad but True !!!


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## mielkhunter (Mar 17, 2011)

Thank you guys for all of your input. I don't have anything against the UP it is just the fact that I have been banking these points a long time and want to use them with the highest chance of a big bear. I have taken an average bear with my bow in Ontario. I was guessing that a limited unit would give the greatest chance a large mature bear. It would be easier of course for travel etc to hunt somewhere in the Baldwin unit. Grizzly if you had the 9 points where would you choose to hunt and with who? Would you keep applying until you got Baldwin or use them in the UP? 
Mark good luck to you in the draw. I appreciate all of your input. 
Bill


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## alaskabound2 (Jan 3, 2008)

I would not consider Drummond as an option. Bear hunting there is very bad these days. The reason it takes so many points to draw a tag is due to the fact that they only give out 3 - 4 tags a year. Most of these tags are filled by dog hunters. The bear population on the Island is way down. I would consider hunting the Newberry unit. There are big bears and great guides. You will be able to get a first season tag and should be sucessful. 

Perk


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## mhofa (Jul 26, 2011)

Im not sure as to the thinking there are only large bears in the baldwin unit. My concern of this area would be the available hunting area to select from. There are large bears in this state but its much like deer...they are harder to find as the younger ones are usually taken pre-maturely. I know of at least two 500 pounders taken in the bergland unit last year.


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## aquanator (Dec 1, 2005)

The DNR stats seem to support the western UP (Amasa for example) as the highest odds and the largest bear (in the UP). So if you don't have enough points for Baldwin unit for example, I'd consider the western UP.


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## 12970 (Apr 19, 2005)

I curent have 11 points but not sure I will use them... There is no way to know if there are many bears in an area and there's not many guides / outfitters that don't fill up a year in advance to get one to use so hunting on your own is the greater possibility especially in the Baldwin Unit. I have had bear pictures in Newaygo County but it is very hit and miss as to getting 1 a year, the last 2 I have got a picture with 2 bears in it but it was in June their mating season. And over the last 8 years I might get only one every other year or two if then. I inquired here last year about guides for Bladwin and only got one recommended but they book up early a year before so it is difficult even to just get someone to bait for you to have a chance, not saying you cannot just for me it is a 3 hour ride just to get to Newaygo County and you only have a limited season to scout and find a location that has some bears. So yet I have possible enough points  I doubt I will use them in the near future. 

I have contacted the DNR to try and get bear numbers in Newaygo but they suggest they don't have any idea they only know an estimated number for the whole Baldwin BMU. So I will just have to wait it out till I have enough and can drop the cash down on the one that books up early on the year prior and know I will get a License to hunt a bear. 

Seems that most Guides in Baldwin don't have any online website or information about them it is mostly word of mouth from hunters that have used them in the past which makes it tough to learn any of this and like you wanting to hunt in 2012 makes it challenge to do so.

I wish the best and hope you get on a bear the size you are hoping for.

Newaygo1


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## Musket (May 11, 2009)

If my goal would be to shoot a truly big bear with a bow and nothing else and were looking for the best opportunity to do so. And if I had 9 points going into this seasons draw ( which I don't) there is only one place I would choose. Carny Unit in Menominee county. I would look for a place close to private ag land. While I make no endorsements for this outfitter I did stumble upon this site. http://www.greenwoodsoutfitting.com/bear.htm


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## Scott Meats (Oct 23, 2010)

The answer to your question is Rob Nixon.You will not find a better man.
This year was a poor year for bear in the baldwin unit due to a lot of natural food for the bears. I can't remember the exact #'s, but Rob and Wade Nixon's hunters took almost all of the bears registered.Pm me and I'll give you his Ph. #. I'm actually going to see him monday if he's home. I have to pick up my p and y boar he guided me to in Canada last Aug. from Mike's Taxidermy in Cadillac.


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## Scott Meats (Oct 23, 2010)

The answer to your question is Rob Nixon.You will not find a better man.
This year was a poor year for bear in the baldwin unit due to a lot of natural food for the bears. I can't remember the exact #'s, but Rob and Wade Nixon's hunters took almost all of the bears registered.Pm me and I'll give you his Ph. #. I'm actually going to see him monday if he's home. I have to pick up my p and y boar he guided me to in Canada last Aug. from Mike's Taxidermy in Cadillac.


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## 12970 (Apr 19, 2005)

Scott Meats,

Don't the Nixon Brothers Book up in advance of the next hunt? From what I learned they don't have many slots open for hunters the year of the bear hunt if any?

I looked at them as a possible guide service but they seem to be full up once the application period is completed and licenses are issued I don't think they take too many hunters with only 50 licenses available last year in the Baldwin Unit... Not sure how many openings they have each year?

Newaygo1


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## mielkhunter (Mar 17, 2011)

There have been some good suggestions and I thank you all. I am going to continue to research this before application time and decide what to do. I welcome any more suggestions. 
Bill


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## GrizzlyHunter (Jun 17, 2005)

mielkhunter said:


> Thank you guys for all of your input. I don't have anything against the UP it is just the fact that I have been banking these points a long time and want to use them with the highest chance of a big bear. I have taken an average bear with my bow in Ontario. I was guessing that a limited unit would give the greatest chance a large mature bear. It would be easier of course for travel etc to hunt somewhere in the Baldwin unit. Grizzly if you had the 9 points where would you choose to hunt and with who? Would you keep applying until you got Baldwin or use them in the UP?
> Mark good luck to you in the draw. I appreciate all of your input.
> Bill


I hear the Amasa unit is good. I'm going with Hank Pole this fall. Have heard nothing but positive things about him...but, I can't give a personal recommendation because I haven't used anyone.

I would think the UP would be a much more fun experience, with possibly larger bear, thean the LP though.

Good luck!

GH


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## Freeze (Jul 1, 2008)

big, big bears in the Baldwin Unit, lots near the Luther swamp. forrestry service in Baldwin can help if you guide yourself. Kid at the Hardware store in Baldwin runs dogs around there, he has some knowledge about bears there.


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## TVCJohn (Nov 30, 2005)

mark49331 said:


> I have the same # of points but sadly with each passing year it is taking more points to draw Baldwin.With 9 going into this year and if you look at the DNR charts that are posted above we will NOT be drawing Baldwin for at least 3 or 4 more years......Sad but True !!!


I believe this to be very true. On one of these bear threads last year I did the math for someone who had 8/9 or so points and wanted to know how long it would take to draw the Baldwin unit. More 8/9/10 pointers are holding out for Baldwin and only 50 tags given. Off the top of my head....if the same people keep putting in for Baldwin until drawn and the tags stay at 50....that 8/9 pointer wouldn't draw till the 13th or 14th year. 

I did a DIY hunt in Baldwin last year. I have lots of quality bear pics. It was tough hunting but finally had a shot at one on the last day. I ended up passing on it. I did bump a sow and 2 cubs on another bait one day. The big boar I was after only showed during legal hours once.....and of course it was one of the few days I slept in, grrrr:rant:!! As far as I can tell from the pics and the small area I was hunting.....there were a fair number of bears. I didn't count them but maybe had 6 or 7 different ones on the 2 baits that were active. These two baits were maybe 3 miles apart.

This year I'm going to see if the local DNR biologist want to set up some catch baits for DNA collection. I offered to help last year and they seemed receptive.


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## B&B guide service (Jun 29, 2011)

mielkhunter said:


> Thank you guys for all of your input. I don't have anything against the UP it is just the fact that I have been banking these points a long time and want to use them with the highest chance of a big bear. I have taken an average bear with my bow in Ontario. I was guessing that a limited unit would give the greatest chance a large mature bear. It would be easier of course for travel etc to hunt somewhere in the Baldwin unit. Grizzly if you had the 9 points where would you choose to hunt and with who? Would you keep applying until you got Baldwin or use them in the UP?
> Mark good luck to you in the draw. I appreciate all of your input.
> Bill


 we run a guiding service in the up for the newberry unit, we took two 400lb+ bears out this last season and we were 100% we had seven guys and all seven got bear and seen many other bear that they passed on, we have always taken at least one or two big trophy bear out every year. the first season hunt has only about 450 licenses sold and its a very big area, good chances for a big bear in this area. if you need more info you can pm me. we had one of our hunts filmed last year and if you want to see it, its on www.*****************.com and is under got bear on their video section.


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## TVCJohn (Nov 30, 2005)

What happened to the movie link??


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## Grandpamoose (Jan 25, 2012)

I also have 9 points and my goal is to hold out for 18" with a bow (both Pope and Young and CBM qualifying minimum) I've heard Baldwin is producing some good bears. The UP has lots more bears and still produces the most big bears (you might want to check out the Commemorative Bucks of Michigan record book). Still, I am considering holding out for a tag in the Baldwin unit vs. going sooner in the western UP. Tough choice as I suspect both are very good options. I recommend you watch the video "Field Judging Black Bears" by Richard P. Smith prior to your hunt if you plan to be selective on size.


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## coyote/dave (Mar 10, 2009)

the majority of bears in baldwin are taken in wexford county... due harvesting many large bears they are getting harder to come by.....some of the largest bears i have seen live very close to houses and civilization....many locals like to feed them............


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## wildsider (Mar 8, 2013)

Hello I would like Contact Info for Rob or Wade Nixon I Currently have 10 Points and am looking @2014 or 2015 season. I would like to contact the Nixon's and discuss booking there service. Thanks Rob 616-638-2926 by the way are you the Scotts Meats of Muskegon?


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