A Michigan Bear – one of the biggest!

Richard P SmithBucks n Bears, Hunting Stories & Adventures, Video & Podcast

Samuel Wiltzius from Marquette bagged one of the heaviest black bears bagged in the state during 2022 seasons while hunting over bait in the Carney Bear Management Unit in the southern UP. The bear he shot certainly was the biggest entered in the annual Big Bear Award Contest sponsored by the Michigan Bear Hunters Association for its members. The bruin Wiltzius tagged in Dickinson County on September 16 had a live weight of 578 pounds and dressed weight of 503 pounds. The skull from the bear scored 20 12/16, qualifying for a spot in Boone … Read More

A Bear Hunt That Sparked A Friendship

Robert WellerBucks n Bears, Hunting Stories & Adventures

By:  Bob Weller. Going on a bear hunt was one of those, “I want to do that someday” ideas. Well this past fall “someday” arrived. Conversations about going on a bear hunt started to take place between me and a friend of mine named Joe shortly after he acquired some property in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. I mentioned to Joe that my friend Andy and I had talked about going bear hunting for years but it just hadn’t happened yet. Joe had said that he thought all of us could go in together and have a … Read More

The History Of Deer Hunting In Michigan

Tom LounsburyBucks n Bears, Friends of ELO, Hunting & Outdoor Lifestyle

By:  Tom Lounsbury. Humankind certainly has a way of changing the face of the world, especially in the name of progress, and Michigan is a prime example. When Europeans first made their appearance in the Great Lakes State, the southern Lower Peninsula featured more open areas, including prairies and bogs, which was ideal habitat for whitetail deer and elk. The northern Lower Peninsula and Upper Peninsula entailed a very dense, unending old growth forest which allowed very little sunlight to penetrate through. This was an ideal habitat for woodland caribou and moose, and detrimental to … Read More

My 50th Year Anniversary!

Jim KushnerBucks n Bears, Friends of ELO, Hunting Stories & Adventures

By:  Jim Kushner. Nov. 15 2023 marked the 50th year that I have been in deer camp(s) throughout the State. Based on that I decided to hunt this season with the same gun I used back then. It is a Marlin model 336 in .35 Remington, it still has the same Weaver 4x scope that came with the gun the Christmas I received it. That was a great Christmas gift but it sure was difficult having to wait almost a year before I could actually use it. Well, “carrying” it may be a better description. … Read More

The Bedded Buck

Robert WellerBucks n Bears, Hunting Stories & Adventures

By: Robert Weller. I was having a busy October. Busier than I had wanted it to be that’s for sure. I had intended on taking every weekend off in October and November so that I could get some quality time in the woods, especially during the early archery season here in Michigan. I think I made it out a total of five or six times to sit in the tree stand the entire month of October. To say I was getting frustrated with how my 2023 archery deer season was going would be an understatement. The … Read More

Southern Michigan’s Straight-Wall Cartridge Revolution

Tom LounsburyBucks n Bears, Friends of ELO, Hunting Stories & Adventures, Hunting Tips & Techniques

By:  Tom Lounsbury. In June 2014, Michigan’s Natural Resource Commission (NRC) changed what was once known as the “Shotgun Zone” into the “Limited Firearms Zone”, which would allow centerfire rifles chambered for straight-wall rounds .35 caliber or larger, with a minimum case length of 1.16 inches and a maximum case length of 1.80 inches. This law relates to case length only and not overall cartridge length. The law is designed to allow deer hunters in southern Michigan more diversity in firearm selection, as well as better accuracy and to also offer lighter weight rifles featuring … Read More

A Muzzleloader Season “Double”

Robert WellerBucks n Bears, Friends of ELO, Hunting Stories & Adventures

By:  Bob Weller. With muzzleloader season right around the corner, I am reminded of one of my favorite hunting success stories. Many years ago, I had spent a month of Sundays late August into early September driving over to my buddies place with a trailer, loaded with a garden tractor towing a small wagon full of tools and a generator. We were building my first box blind and we were building it on site in a small section of hardwoods on my friend Andy’s Uncle’s property. Andy and I had been hunting together for several … Read More

Contemplating deer hunting memories about fine times, some of which even include fantastic misses, too

Tom LounsburyBucks n Bears, Friends of ELO

By:  Tom Lounsbury. The older I get; the more time seems to fly because it doesn’t seem like it was 14 years ago when I finally got my “bucket list” gun and couldn’t wait to use it during the local firearms deer season. When I ordered my Freedom Arms .454 Casull revolver, I had to wait 9 weeks for it to be built, because Freedom Arms builds them only one at a time. Once I received the revolver it was then taken to Ken Kelly of Mag-Na-Port to be ported for recoil, as well as … Read More

A Methodical Deer Tracking Effort Can Minimize Mistakes

Jim KushnerBucks n Bears, Friends of ELO

By:  Jim Kushner. I want to share this story because even after several decades of deer hunting I learned a little something from the experience. It was opening day, Nov. 15, 2022. I had not seen a deer all morning and it was nearing noon. Suddenly, a deer popped out of thick cover and walked across the back of the field I was watching. I brought the gun up and looked through the scope and determined it was a doe.  A few seconds later another deer stepped out from behind the same doe I was … Read More

The Ever-Versatile Shotgun

Tom LounsburyBucks n Bears, Friends of ELO

By:  Tom Lounsbury. The shotgun has played an important role throughout the history of firearms. From matchlock and flintlock “fowlers” to today’s wide array, shotguns can be considered as multitask tools because they can handle a wide variety of shot, including heavy duty buckshot, and even solid projectiles for a heavier and very effective “punch”. This was originally a large lead round ball (aka “punkin-ball”), but it was usually not consistently accurate at long range.  All of this would change when Karl M. Foster, who wished to help American hunters put meat on the table … Read More