Ortonville-Acie Anderson, 43, a village resident and local attorney, has shot two Michigan black bears since he began hunting bears with dogs in the early 90s.
‘It’s the sport of the chase,? said Anderson, who owns three plott hounds for bear hunting. ‘It’s about working with the dogs and running the bears. Taking a bear is just secondary.?
Bear dogs are typically a breed of hound including plotts, blueticks, walker or redbones. The dogs are trained for several years before being used for bear hunting, said Anderson.
The September season is regulated by the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and bear hunters must enter into a lottery to receive a license prior to hunting. The law allows no more than six dogs to hunt together, so hunters typically team up with other bear hunters for the season.
Most hunters pack their dogs in pickup trucks or RVs and drive along hunting areas, typically remote areas of the Upper or Lower Peninsula. Once a dog detects a bear scent, the hound barks, or ‘strikes.?
The dogs are then released and the bear is pursued, sometimes across a variety of terrain and for many miles until the bear is treed. Hunters listen for the sound of the barking dogs, in addition to utilizing tracking collars on the dogs until the sound stops.
‘People don’t realize the amount of work and cost to raise these dogs,? said Anderson. ‘Hunters that use dogs to hunt are not as successful as bear hunters without (dogs). Hunting bear over bait is more effective.?
Anderson says that after many years of hunting in the remote areas of the Upper Peninsula he has encountered some rather unique experiences.
The 2007 season was no exception.
While hunting in the Baraga Plains area of the Upper Penisula this past season, Anderson witnessed an unfortunate event that characterized the uncertainties of nature and the realities of the sport.
‘The bear was treed and when we got there it was obvious what had happened,? said Anderson. ‘The hide was ripped right off the dog’there’s no way a bear would have done this, it was pretty obvious it was a wolf.?
The dog belonged to a fellow hunter who had joined Anderson on the hunting excursion. The incident was reported to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources who said it had happened before in that area but was rather uncommon.
‘The hounds are running through the woods on the trail of a bear and the wolves would see this as a threat to their territory? there will be a battle,? said Anderson.
‘The dogs are not aware wolves are coming after them. Just consider that when a wolf howls they are telling others to stay out of the area’it’s the same for bear dogs’it’s like sending a message to other animals in the area.?
The encounter has become an issue in other states that host a bear population for hunting.
For example, according to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, in 2007 wolves attacked 15 hunting dogs, and hunters are urged to use the caution area maps to help reduce conflicts during the upcoming hunting season.
Brian Roell, Michigan Wolf Coordinator, says a hunting dog encounter with a wolf is uncommon.
‘Two hunting dog deaths due to wolves were recorded this year so far,? said Roell, regarding the Sept. 10-Oct. 26 bear hunting season. ‘Right now most bears are hibernating for the winter’so bear hunting has slowed down.?
Roell said 17 dogs have been reported killed due to wolves since 1989, with many of the deaths occurring between July 15 and Sept. 1 when bear dogs are doing summer training.
‘Wolves are very territorial, especially when they have pups. Also, wolves, like bears, are opportunists when it comes to food and often eat bear bait. A wolf will defend the bait pile’it adds up to a bad situation.?
Roell added that bear hunters lose dogs all the time’the risk is part of the sport.
‘Dogs killed by a wolf is unacceptable to hunters. Dogs are killed by other dogs, cars, coyotes, raccoons, or they drown, there’s host of things that can happen.?
Roell added that as of 2006, about 500 grey wolves are scattered across the Upper Peninsula, with no reported population in the Lower Peninsula.