USA: Minnesota Black Bear With My Son

[Wade J VanGinkel]

Happily driving home with my son from Cass Lake Minnesota.
Booked this hunt 2 years ago when I accidently found this outfitter when I stopped for a night of ice fishing eelpout while on the drive home to Colorado from an Ontario wolf hunt.
Zone 28 takes 6 preference points and we already had 4 that i had actually stopped applying for years ago. Minnesota never purges your points.
I was a little apprehensive as his pricing was the lowest I've come across but a super nice guy and and tons of pictures to show his results. They went 24/24 last year.
Most are average bears with a few big ones every year.
Things started much slower this year wth the acorns falling like rain and luring lots of bears off the baits.
Anyway my son and I actually were the first 2 to fill our tags on opening day. My sons boar weighed in dressed at 322 and mine dressed at 135. Totally average for mine but a heck of a nice bear for my son who doesn't get to travel as much as I do.
Already making the plans for a return trip in 6 years. And just booked wisconsin zone b for 2027 with 11 points.
Also added the picture of the 1 fish that stated this trip over 2 years ago. January is not the time for eelpout but managed to catch my first one. Lol

 

[Altitude sickness]

Congrats on a great hunt

 

[Wade J VanGinkel]

As an added bonus there was a taxidermist in camp that regularly hunts there. His best friend lives in the same town in Colorado and visits a couple times a year. He offered to drop the hides and euro skulls off when finished on one of thier trips next year. Slightly cheaper than at home and much faster turn around time than I'm used to.

 

[Altitude sickness]

Michigan Bear hunts are also very reasonably priced. Hound or bait. For lower preference point units. 150-200 is an average Bear.

 

[Wade J VanGinkel]

We paid 3k in Michigan newberry unit with full lodging and all meals last year.
This was 1500 with no lodging and 1 mall nightly.
On average the bears harvested here were larger than last year. 10 down a of last night

 

[Wade J VanGinkel]

Does anyone know the average percentage to use for a rough live weight over the dressed weight?

 

[gillettehunter]

Take the dressed weight and add 18-20%. Thats what we have been told about our Ontario bears.
Bruce

 

[EXECUTIVE HUNT AFRICA]

Congratulations, Wade and Keenan! That is something I also would like to hunt someday!
All the best!
Johan