General Rules

1. A person shall not kill or attempt to kill a bear unless the person has an unused bear harvest license issued in their name for the bear management unit in which they are hunting.

2. You may not hunt bear with a firearm during the archery-only bear season in the Red Oak Management Unit.

3. Upon killing a bear, the holder of a bear license shall immediately attach the kill tag provided with the bear hunting license to the lower jaw of the bear. The kill tag shall remain attached to the bear until the bear is sealed and registered at a DNR office or designated registration station. The bear must be sealed within 72 hours of the kill. The seal shall remain attached to the bear until:

• The carcass is processed or butchered for consumption by an individual for their use;

• The carcass is accepted for processing and recorded by a commercial processor. If the head or hide is returned to the person submitting the animal to the commercial processor, the seal shall accompany the head or hide;

• The carcass is accepted for processing and recorded by a licensed taxidermist.

4. It is unlawful to disturb a bear den or disturb, harm or molest a bear in its den.

5. It is unlawful for any nonresident to assist and/or guide another person in any manner in the taking of bear for a fee, other consideration, or service of value, either directly or indirectly.

6. It is unlawful for any person who transfers their drawing success to another person to assist and/or guide that person in any manner in the taking of bear for a fee, other consideration, or service of value, either directly or indirectly.

7. BAG LIMIT: Only one bear per calendar year.

8. It is unlawful to take a cub bear or a female bear accompanied by a cub bear.

9. Firearm bear hunters are required to wear a hat, cap, vest, jacket or rain gear of highly visible color, commonly referred to as "Hunter Orange," while hunting on any lands. The Hunter Orange garment must be the outermost garment and must be visible from all sides. Camouflage orange garments must be 50 percent or more Hunter Orange. Archery bear hunters are exempt from the Hunter Orange requirement.

10. It is legal to hunt bear from a raised platform or tree stand when using a firearm, bow or crossbow (you must have a crossbow permit in your possession).

11. Non residents must have a concealed pistol license issued by their home state in their possession in order to legally carry or transport a handgun in Michigan.

12. When hunting or fishing, you must carry your license and the identification used to purchase that license and exhibit both upon demand of a Michigan Conservation Officer, a Tribal Conservation Officer or any law enforcement officer.

13. Bear hunters may use ground blinds on state lands in the bear management unit for which they are licensed. Blinds may be placed from August 10 (Zone 1) or August 17 (Zone 2) through five days after the close of the bear season, or if successful five days after harvesting a bear.  The name and address of the licensed bear hunter must be permanently affixed to the ground blind.

Baiting Rules 

From the start of the legal bear baiting period through the end of bear hunting season, bear hunters may use the following products without quantity restrictions:

• meat and meat products including dog food;

• fish and fish products including cat food;

• and bakery/confectionery products including jams, jellies, sweeteners, candies and other cooked or commercially processed materials, including pie fillings and yogurts, used in bakery products.

From the start of the legal bear baiting period through the end of bear hunting season, bear hunters may use up to two gallons of grains per bait station provided the bait is made inaccessible to deer and elk. It is illegal to use grains in counties closed to deer and elk feeding and deer baiting.

All other materials, including fruits, vegetables, salt and minerals, may be used in limited quantities, starting October 1, except in those counties closed to deer and elk feeding and deer baiting. Bear hunters using grains, fruits, vegetables, salt and minerals beginning October 1, must comply with all other deer and elk feeding and deer baiting regulations for the area and time in which they are baiting bear.

Hunters should consult the Michigan Hunting and Trapping Guide, which is available each year in early August, for deer and elk feeding and deer baiting regulations, including closed counties.

1. For the purpose of these rules, a bait station is a site where food or lure is placed that attracts bear.

2. It is unlawful to establish a bait station that attracts bear prior to August 10 in Bergland, Baraga, Amasa, Drummond, Carney, Gwinn and Newberry management units or prior to August 21 in the Baldwin, Gladwin and Red Oak management units. It also is illegal to tend or establish a bait station for the purpose of attracting bear after September 28 in the Baldwin and Gladwin units, after October 12 in the Red Oak Unit and after October 26 in the Upper Peninsula.

3. It is unlawful to hunt over an illegal bait. An illegal bait is one that attracts bear prior to August 10 in Bergland, Baraga, Amasa, Carney, Gwinn, Newberry and Drummond management units, or prior to August 21 in the Baldwin, Gladwin and Red Oak management units.  On public and commercial forest lands, illegal baits would also include one that is not placed on the ground, or contains plastic, any wood products, paper, glass, metal, or concrete, or has within 100 yards of the bait site any containers used to transport bait to the baiting site.

4. It is unlawful to use metal containers, plastic, wood, concrete, glass, fabric, cloth, or paper at a bait station on public or commercial forest lands. Dead and downed trees may be used. It also is illegal to use a tire at a bait station on public or commercial forest lands.

5. It is unlawful to place bait other than on the ground at bait stations on public or commercial forest lands.

6. Any containers used to transport bait to baiting stations on public lands and commercial forest lands must be removed and disposed or properly.

7. It is unlawful for any person or their authorized representatives to establish or tend more than three bait stations per hunter.

Dog Rules

1. For the purpose of hunting bear, no more than six dogs shall be run as a pack. Relaying of packs is prohibited. It is not unlawful to replace individual dogs provided six or fewer dogs are used at one time. All dogs must be immunized and licensed and must have a license or other form of identification affixed to their collars.

2. Nonresidents must have in their possession a special permit to use dogs while hunting bear. No more than 10 dogs may be registered on one permit. The free permits are available by calling 517-373-1263.

3. It is unlawful to train dogs or hunt bear with dogs September 10-14 in the Upper Peninsula, except on Drummond Island.  It also is unlawful to chase bear with dogs during the October 5 - 11 archery-only season in the Red Oak Bear Management Unit.

4. Each person 10 years or older participating in any way in pursuing bear with dogs during an established open season for hunting bear with dogs shall have in their possession a valid Michigan bear hunting license or participation license.

5. For purposes of training, no more than eight dogs may be used to chase bear during a single day.

6. It is unlawful to dog train on a captive, tethered, or caged bear.

7. Nonresidents shall not chase bear with dogs outside the open season.

8. Outside the open bear hunting season, nonresidents may train dogs on bear only on special dog training areas or when participating in an authorized field trial.

9. For purposes of training or hunting bear, dogs shall not be allowed to begin chasing bears from one-half hour after sunset to one-half hour before sunrise.

10. It is unlawful to train dogs on bear or other wild animals from April 16-July 14.

11. It is unlawful to train dogs on bear or hunt in the Gladwin Field Trial Area.