# Why not more tags in the Baldwin Bmu?



## FullQuiver (May 2, 2006)

We have a lot of bears here and what seems like a shortage of tags. In the last week I have had a bear in my barn (Saturday) and I walked up on one Tuesday midday while checking on acorns.


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## Rooster Cogburn (Nov 5, 2007)

That's a good question deserving an answer. The success rate in the Baldwin BMU is close to being twice as high as the other 8 Bear Management Units.


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## stickbow shooter (Dec 19, 2010)

It's crazy not to give more permits, this is the most bear I have ever seen here. Tons of pics and in my yard as well. We have a sow with three cubs ,plus a young male hanging around. I believe I have 10 points and at the rate they are handing them out, I will have to have something like 16 points to draw. Friggen insane.


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

Does success rate have anything to do with public vs private land? Number of applicants per permit?

Haven't looked at the data.


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## Luv2hunteup (Mar 22, 2003)

Compared to Drummond Island the Baldwin BMU has:
A low bear population
A low Hunter success rate
The average size of bear is small
Tribal tag to DNR tag ratio is at the minimum, DI ratio is 1:1.

DI has 100% success rate averaging in the 400# range plus the highest concentration of bears in the state. My guess is the DNR wants each peninsula to have one trophy BMU.


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

100% for one tag on a relatively small area is not surprising. Not to mention the extremely long season for that one lucky hunter.


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## Waif (Oct 27, 2013)

FullQuiver said:


> We have a lot of bears here and what seems like a shortage of tags. In the last week I have had a bear in my barn (Saturday) and I walked up on one Tuesday midday while checking on acorns.


You are too far from Lansing.
Bears in high numbers are great ,in your yard.


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## TVCJohn (Nov 30, 2005)

stickbow shooter said:


> It's crazy not to give more permits, this is the most bear I have ever seen here. Tons of pics and in my yard as well. We have a sow with three cubs ,plus a young male hanging around. I believe I have 10 points and at the rate they are handing them out, I will have to have something like 16 points to draw. Friggen insane.


Send a well thought request to the NRC via the DNR in Lansing. If more folks would do that we might be able to get this mess fixed.

The other benefit with more tags, which I discussed in detail a while back, is if it is done right, we can reduce the number of points required to draw a Baldwin tag. Right now it's a joke and shame on us for not telling the DNR/NRC to fix it.


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

I'm sure data supports the quota.


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## TVCJohn (Nov 30, 2005)

sureshot006 said:


> I'm sure data supports the quota.



Maybe years ago when it was initially set up, now the population has taken off and complaints have climbed. The quotas have not kept up with the population increase.

Here is an idea I posted back in May.

_Seed crop?? Of course quotas are not a bad thing to grow the herd and limit the number of folks in the woods at one time. Should do that with the deer herd but that is another topic.

Me personally.....I would like to see a temporary one or two time experimental season broken down to maybe three to 4 hunts hunts, maybe 4-7 days each and a quota of maybe 50-60 for each season. The idea is to clear out those folks sitting on a pile of Baldwin points and get the draw back down to where you need less than 8-9 points to draw it vs the current 12+. As long as things stay like they are it will only get worse as folks sit on their points and the list of 12+ point Baldwin pool grows bigger.

Another idea is to just do one or two experimental short seasons......maybe 5-7 days each again and push the quota to 70 for each season. Probably a few ways to skin the kitty on this.

I wouldn't be surprised to see it take 14-15 points to draw one day....unless they do something. Waiting over a decade to draw is not ideal and frustrates alot of folks. Once the pool of 12+ point people drops down, then go back to a manageable quota and season length. I'm sure there is a balance point in there some place where quotas issued per season would keep the draw wait times below 8-9 years for the long haul._


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## limige (Sep 2, 2005)

I think its the core breeding area they want to protect. But i agree there should be more tags. We routinely have bears near houses at my place. They have been several human attacks in the county in the last 3 years. This is not the UP, its vacation country, we do not need a large bear population here.


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

If populations are truly that high throughout the BMU (not just certain areas within it) I would think a change would be coming.

Just deter applicants and the points will fall!


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## canyard (Jan 10, 2010)

The same goes for red oak......the last two yrs have been insane on how many bears we had on cameras in 10 different locations.


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## TVCJohn (Nov 30, 2005)

canyard said:


> The same goes for red oak......the last two yrs have been insane on how many bears we had on cameras in 10 different locations.


That would be good evidence to show the NRC.


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

I had a lot on camera, too. Nobody else nearby baiting. I like having a healthy bear population. They didn't seem unhealthy at all. Thing is, we really saw few bears until we baited. I assume its that way for most. And nowadays everyone has a trailcam or a few... Gives the impression that more critters are out there because you get to see what you normally did not.

Maybe DNR is trying to increase bear population?


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## canyard (Jan 10, 2010)

I never thought about that but I'm not kidding they have been everywhere.


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## FullQuiver (May 2, 2006)

sureshot006 said:


> I had a lot on camera, too. Nobody else nearby baiting. I like having a healthy bear population. They didn't seem unhealthy at all. Thing is, we really saw few bears until we baited. I assume its that way for most. And nowadays everyone has a trailcam or a few... Gives the impression that more critters are out there because you get to see what you normally did not.
> 
> Maybe DNR is trying to increase bear population?


Locally here we have far too many.. We have bear here by the house in the daylight on a fairly regular basis, different bear also and can't have bird feeders or the like around here they draw bear like flies.

2 years ago a friend drew a tag and we put a bait out and we had that we could certainly identify as adults 13 different bear hitting the bait. Some had collars some had ear tags some had scars or brown patches. We poured over our pics and still came up with this same number. That is far too many bears in an area as heavily populated as we are here.

It's normal to see them at all times of the day and night around here, I have had them in my pig barn eating food more times than I can count, I haven't had pigs in a few years but still have bear coming in after other grain I store in there. When a bear comes in ant rips up a $100 tote it gets hard to want more around. Heck most sows you see have 3 cubs and I have seen a few with six dragging behind mom. Killing 1 or 2 here and there isn't cutting it.


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## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

Sounds like a lot of bear! Sounds like too many where you are.

But...Where do we stop pushing them out to make room for human "progress"?

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for hunting as a method to control wildlife to healthy populations. At the same time I think bears are awesome to have around. Maybe the DNR will reassess their strategy with all the local damage. Possibly localized efforts in more human populated areas?


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## limige (Sep 2, 2005)

They even put a billboard up in mesick, 
Prevent bears in your neighborhood by removing your bird feeders, i keep meaning to snap a pic.

They are aware of the high population, they want a core area and obviously dont care


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## Steve (Jan 15, 2000)

I could literally send them 200 pictures from just under a month in the Wellston area.


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## tmekeeper (Aug 22, 2012)

Luv2hunteup said:


> If you advertise as a bear guide next year your problem will disappear in September. I know guys who are paying good sums of money for guides in that BMU.


 I have told them that if it gets close to me I would kill it. They want to help. We used to be able to bring guys with does in but they drove right thru the corn field. Just takes one to mess it up.
The co told me to load non lethal first and then lethal after that.
I need to see about bringing some hunters in. This bear is 300-350.


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## swampbuck (Dec 23, 2004)

While I certainly don't agree with poaching, I do believe when any animal becomes a serious threat to people, it should be dealt with. 

Sounds to me like the Dnr should have dealt with this problem for you. And I would demand them to do so.

Hopefully it never happens, but in an attack situation, you may not get a second shot, lucky to land a first shot. I wouldn't be throwing a rubber ball at it.


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## Gunru7575 (Oct 12, 2015)

FullQuiver said:


> We have a lot of bears here and what seems like a shortage of tags. In the last week I have had a bear in my barn (Saturday) and I walked up on one Tuesday midday while checking on acorns.


 just got these on camera in Baldwin Sunday morning


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