PODCAST: hunt for the rich or poor?

Michigan has thousands of bear hunters. About 40 of them showed up for a recent Natural Resources Commission meeting in Lansing.

The commission was considering a new licensing system – one for hunting public land and another for hunting private land.

Beware! Food will attract yearling cubs

(MI) Detroit Free Press – The state Department of Natural Resources last week reminded northern Michigan residents that yearling bear cubs are on the loose — and that means extra precautions. This is the time of year mother bears leave their cubs in preparation for the breeding season. The young bears are attracted to food sources in yards. More

Michigan changes bear hunting rules, reduces licenses

By Gabriel Goodwin,
Capital News Service
The Natural Resources Commission has changed bear hunting regulations for the 2009 season due to requests made by bait and dog hunters. Most of the modifications were made to help reduce conflicts between dog hunters and bait hunters, said Richard Smith, of Marquette and editor of the Michigan Bear Hunters Association’s publication “Bear Facts.”
The changes include a five-day ban on training hunting dogs and a limit on bait sites available to individuals. Other components include a reduction in licensing quotas and a slight modification in the bear season timetable. The association supports the regulation changes and Smith said the group participated in drafting them. Both dog and bait hunters came together and found a solution that will make it better for everyone, he said.