scouting black bears?

[44charlie]

assuming i'm in an area known to have bears where would be prime places to find sign? this would be in lower michigan in the southern limits of their range here. the numbers will be low. the area a mix of large swamp/low land, mature forest/ farming.
our season is in mid september and lots of food available but i would be scouting july/august and maybe the prior spring.
i won't be baiting but hope to hunt a known feeding area or trail in and out to bedding area. where do bears like to spend the day?

thanks guys
charlie

[J-dog]

How about mast crops, corn fields, whatever the major food source is they will be there. Look for rotten stumps to be torn apart, or old dead logs to be torn open, rolled around. If it will be hot look in the cool bottoms.

Our season isn't till Nov. bu then it is cooling down. We have lots a corn fields this year so bears will be easy to find. Cant't wait - still tryingt to get a bear period with trad but I want a good NC bear w/trad.

Good luck to ya, I find that in some areas they have trails and things, but like last year where they were in bigger woods they just seemed to roam, with food scattered everywhere.

J

[Izzy]

Corn fields and any beaver flows you might find would be a goodp place to start.Ive never used a trailcam but a friend of mine has had good luck locating bear with them.As always ask the local to share their sightings with ya.

[Lechwe]

Charlie,

My guess is you have a tag for the southern portion of the Baldwin unit. I think that for you to really have a decent chance at seeing a bear you will have to bait in that area. For that I would start talking to people and try to locate private land to get permission on if possible as that will give you the best cushion from the hound hunters. The areas that will have the highest concentrations of bears will be the swamps. Find the biggest nastiest swamp in your are of interest and that will be your best bet to start.

If you don't live up there like me there are a number of folks that will bait for you.

Good luck

[SteveMcD]

If you do some pre-season scouting bring a fawn bleat call along and see if you get any action.  
 
Otherwise.. what J-Dog said.. Mast crops, acorns, beechnuts, etc. Torn up logs and stumps is a classic sign for bear activity.

[J-dog]

I wish we could bait in NC as our woods are not conducive to sitting for bears, BUT then you should always be carefull what you wish for.

J

[killinstuff]

Like Lechwe said it's going to be hard without bait. Call the DNR to see about nuisance bear reports around where you want to hunt. If Grandma keeps getting her bird feeders smashed by a hungery bear, she's calling the DNR or the Sheriff. Orchard owners too are a good place to check too. The bears break limbs off climbing around for apples. And call the guys that have bee hives. Bears destrore those. The ones around here are circled in an electic fence these days to keep the bears out. It works sometimes.