MN Bear Hunting

[Buckmaster81]

Does anyone here bear hunt MN? I am interested in trying my luck. I have not looked at MN DNR website yet but assume that they haven't had their deadline yet. Anyway just thought it might to be interesting to hear from others about their MN bear experiences.

 

[dust in the wind]

I haven't. I need to start looking into it though. I was told that I needed to get a bear rug for the new house. I'm not sure if it will be in MN or somewhere else.

 

[Skoalongcut]

Application deadline is May 1, 2015. I hunted in Minnesota up by Grygla in 2010 I believe. Hunted seven days over bait. Did not get anything or see anything. But 2 came into camp that week. I am definitely going to do it again sometime.

 

[dust in the wind]

Application deadline is May 1, 2015. I hunted in Minnesota up by Grygla in 2010 I believe. Hunted seven days over bait. Did not get anything or see anything. But 2 came into camp that week. I am definitely going to do it again sometime.

before you got there, was activity at the bait site monitored with cameras or not?

 

[Skoalongcut]

before you got there, was activity at the bait site monitored with cameras or not?

Yes they were monitored. Trail cameras. Some years they hit the bait, some years they don't. Depends on the berries and acorns that are available.

 

[Trapper62]

Hunt MN every year for the past 9 years now. Hunt the no quota zone so can just buy the tag over the counter and hunt every year. Lots of places to hunt and lots of bear, just not much variations in color. We have harvested blacks and three chocolates. Shoal is spot on, when the nuts drop baiting becomes extremely difficult, especially to get consist at activity.
my sons first at age 14

Some camera shots


Two years ago we had 12 different bear hitting this bait.

 

[Vollmer]

That's intense. Congrats to you and your son.

 

[SDMF]

Pic #3 is a KONG!!

 

[Trapper62]

Yep he was a brute, completely nocturnal, but that is what keeps you coming back just knowing they are out there. Would like to have know how old he was?

 

[bucksnbears]

have hunted them every year since 1991. no quota area. bear #'s are down in the nw zone but still enough to hunt if you have a good area.

 

[savage270]

The MN bear drawing results are out. It took 4 years, but I finally got drawn again.

It only took 18 days from the application deadline to the results being released. (hint, hint ND G&F)

 

[ndlongshot]

Savage,

Which unit do you apply for? Curious cause I have got drawn 2 years in a row now and my wife got drawn as well. Havent actually made it out there to give it a try so hoping I can make arrangements this year or else i'll have to let the tag go, again! Good Luck on your hunt.

 

[savage270]

Thanks! Area 26, east of Bemidji. It used to take 2 years on average to get drawn. Then a few years ago the DNR decided to cut the tag numbers in half. Not because the bear population was in decline, but because they wanted to "increase the average age of the bears that were harvested".

One nice option they have in MN is that you can just buy a preference point instead of applying for the lottery. Then if you build up some points and get to a year when you are sure you can get out, you are almost guaranteed a tag. (another thing I wish ND G&F would allow)

 

[bucksnbears]

thats a good area Savage..
i used to guide SE of Bemidji. you hiring a guide of going solo?

 

[savage270]

I'm definitely hiring a guide as I don't have weeks to spend over there baiting before the season starts. You probably know him. He guides out of Cass Lake and his initials are TH.

 

[sbe2]

There are quite a few good areas in the non quota zones for otc tags and most people have no problem letting you hunt bears.

 

[Trapper62]

That is exactly right, there is thousands of acres of public state and conservation land as well but outfitters can guide on public land in MN, so you will compete with them. Have had run ins with one for years, but we are winning that battle. For the past 5 years now we hunt private land and have made some great friends, one even invited us back for Muzzle loader season last year. You can also use barrels on private so that makes your baits run longer, and most of the landowners even check for us when we can't get out there. We do still put out one bait on state land just to play with the outfitter?

Also if you go late in the season you are basically the only one hunting bear and the fur is much better!

There quite a few good areas in the non quota zones for otc tags and most people have no problem letting you hunt bears.