If you applied for your Michigan bear hunting permit, now is the time to check to see if you have been selected.

Not every hunter in Michigan is a bear hunter, but for those who enjoy the sport, there is nothing like being in the woods and suddenly a 500 pound black bear steps into view.

I first started bear hunting in Canada about 8 years ago with some friends Eric and Gary. At the time I lived in Indiana and it was tough trying to get an out of state bear permit. Plus before I moved to Indiana, I never got picked for a bear permit after trying for years.

I did a lot of learning from Eric and Gary. These two had been hunting black bear in Canada for years and really opened my eyes to the sport, the do's and the don'ts. Yes there are some don'ts if you want to stay safe while bear hunting.

Just before I moved back to Michigan, my buddy Adam and I did get picked to black bear hunt in the Upper Peninsula where the guy I grew up with, Curt has lived for 30 plus years.

On that trip both Curt and Adam had gotten a bear. Although I saw plenty of bear's, I had gotten one earlier that year and definitely wanted to get something bigger so I passed on all the bears I saw.

When I first moved back to Michigan and I got selected for a permit and it was one of those years that my buddy Curt and I just couldn't find a week to hunt and had to pass on going. Let me tell you, it was so hard to let that hunt get away since they are so hard to come by.

Well it has been a couple years but this year my buddy Curt and I were both pulled for a bear hunt in Amasa in the U.P.

Curt lives where we will be hunting so that is a huge advantage since he lives and knows the area really well so when we begin baiting, we won't be wasting our time.

We already know he has a nice bruin that is coming into his property so I'm pretty sure that is where Curt will be staked out. Curt knows some really good spots in Amasa and that area is known for its large bears.

I know you've heard the term Christmas in July, and that's what it feels like to pulled for a Michigan bear tag. Curt and I will get our plan together soon and figure out the week I will head up. Plus we will need to get a baiting plan figured out not to mention a few other sites so we have some wind options.

It's an exciting time to be a bear hunter in Michigan. Here is a link to check if you have been selected for a bear hunting permit.   If you want to learn more and get involved in next year's bear hunt just click here.

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