Our Fall Vermilion Trip Is Here

[MarkB]

It's time to make our annual trip back up to Vermilion. My cousin, our good friend, and myself will be fishing the lake this week-end and into next week. We are anxious to get up there and look forward to another trip to my favorite lake. It sounds as if the bear population is healthy around the lake. During my last couple of years at the lake, we had two separate bears that visited my wife's bird feeder on a fairly daily basis. After replacing several feeders, I called the DNR and asked them to come out and remove these bears from our yard. After the warden I was talking with stopped laughing he said that the DNR quit trapping and removing bears quite awhile back. He went on to say that, if I considered the bear a threat or was tired of the damage, just go ahead and KILL IT!!! and then call them to come and pick it up!!! Wow! I didn't want to kill them, I just didn't want my wife to have to keep taking a black garbage bag with her to the mailbox so she could shake it if one showed up while she was trying to get back to the house. Eventually, cold weather put them to bed and the show was over till spring.

Earlier in July, the same 3 plus my good friend from Livingston, MT and my cousin's son spent 6 days fishing Ft. Peck lake in NE Montana. We had a mediocre trip by Ft Peck standards but still managed to catch fish every day with the largest being 29" and 8.5#. We caught several walleyes from 18"-25" all on leeches and crawlers. The outstanding thing that happened on the trip was that we found a rock reef that was holding big walleyes AND huge smallmouth. One day, between our two boats we caught 38 smallmouth with 29 of them going between 18" and 20.5"!!! Unreal smallmouth fishing.. Montana has the stupid regulation that allows 15 northern pike per day!!! We observed on more than one occasion, several fishermen at the cleaning station with lots of northern between 35" and 40"!!!! A total shame.. I've included a couple pics from that trip.

Our upcoming Vermilion trip will be good hopefully and , if successful, I'll include a report when we return home.

Good Fishing,

MarkB 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[FishinCT]

Awesome trip from the sounds of it. Good luck on Vermilion although we all know you’ll kill it as always! 

 

Those fishermen out west don’t have the same affection for big pike that we do here. Out there they are just trout and salmon eaters. And they have decimated their share of formerly good fisheries

[mbeyer]

Here’s to hoping you have wi-fi at the lake and you can do daily reports????

[Raven77]

" I called the DNR and asked them to come out and remove these bears from our yard. After the warden I was talking with stopped laughing he said that the DNR quit trapping and removing bears quite awhile back. He went on to say that, if I considered the bear a threat or was tired of the damage, just go ahead and KILL IT!!!"

 

I'm calling BS.  I know a lot of CO's and not a single one of them would advocate killing a bear that was simply raiding bird feeders.  Nice story though.

[MarkB]

Well Raven77, I really don't know how to be gentle about this so I'll just come out with it, you don't know jack chit about my conversation with the DNR officer that I spoke with. I'm a little bit allergic to being called a liar. I called the DNR and that is what I was told. Why don't some of you other readers try calling the DNR and see what you're told.

[Raven77]

Following is straight from MN DNR website on problem bears.  If a DNR officer suggested killing a bear over raiding a bird feeder they should be fired.  If you think killing a bear over raiding a bird feeder is the right solution you are messed up.  You don't need to be gentle.  I can handle myself just fine.  Stop by my cabin anytime you want.

 

"Sometimes a bear causing problems must be killed. This method should be used only after exhausting all other options. A person may kill a bear to protect their property; however this option should be used only if the bear is causing immediate danger or significant property damage. A bear may also be killed by local law enforcement officers or a Conservation Officer if it is determined a public safety issue. Bears are the property of the State of Minnesota. The killing of a problem bear must be reported to a Conservation Officer within 48 hours. When feasible bears killed will be salvaged."

[Raven77]

BTW, I'm not an anti.  I have killed several bears, including two in the Pope and Young record book.  I just believe shooting a bear because it is raiding a bird feeder is not only illegal but unethical.  If you believe differently then you must support breaking the law.  If you want to debate it stop by my cabin on Richie Bay this week.  Would love to show you some bear rugs and debate this topic with you.

Edited September 25, 2019 by Raven77

[MarkB]

Learn how to read tough guy.

[Raven77]

Back at you tough guy.  Start with DNR regs on justification for shooting a bear.  You shoot a bear for raiding a bird feeder and you are a poacher.  Go for it.

Edited September 25, 2019 by Raven77

[FishinCT]

On 9/24/2019 at 11:32 AM, MarkB said:

He went on to say that, if I considered the bear a threat or was tired of the damage, just go ahead and KILL IT!!! and then call them to come and pick it up!!! Wow! I didn't want to kill them, I just didn't want my wife to have to keep taking a black garbage bag with her to the mailbox

Mark is not the one to have the problem with

[Bigfatbert]

I agree that shooting a bear because it’s raiding a bird feeder is wrong , the feeder should be removed and usually that will take care of the issue at hand .

Now if a bear is rummaging around the yard and bird feeders were never the issue , and ones personal belongings are continually being destroyed and ones personal safety is being threatened and live trapping is not being done well then one has all the right to take the matter into his own hands and dispatch the darn bear , plain and simple . Bears can be problematic and sometimes have to be dealt with in this matter either by a CO or by the property owner to put a end to the situation . 

[Raven77]

"Mark is not the one to have the problem with"

 

Yep, as I pointed out above  "If a DNR officer suggested killing a bear over raiding a bird feeder they should be fired."  I would like to know the name of the DNR officer that suggested this so I could give them a call.

[fishingdad]

Holy crapola I for one am Happy you are back to the lake Mark. I hope you have great luck  I am starting to see why some of the contributors to pages like this have said F IT. When you can’t even tell a story from your past & you get called a liar & come to my place & we will see who says what   Holy F calm down   Mark catch lots of fish , post lots of pics ( hopefully) & I hope Linda can still enjoy the great outdoors with you because I for 1 miss your reports 

[Rick]

Raven77...what the DNR officer told Mark sounds like it is within the law.

 

Let it be please.

[jkrash]

Over 10 years ago I call the CO and was told If you have a nuisance bear you can shoot it and then call the DNR and they will remove it from your property. This has been the case for well over a decade, ever since they quit trapping and relocating them. My only problem is most people like to watch the bears and I would hate to knock one down and ruin there Northwoods experience. It's a good thing we don't see a lot of bears anymore usually just in the fall, so for now I'll continue to race them to the garbage cans and pick up after them.

 

 

[TomWehler]

On 9/24/2019 at 11:32 AM, MarkB said:

leeches

Fun post , man love n feminine finger fight.  

Fishindad has it close. Not much fun here n same six people type about my fishy or zips or de landing crap. Shoot me in the foot n call me Hoppy.

 

Many Times I have seen Different size bears around. Few time deep into it this one Huge Monster on a Bear has Charged n bluffed then turn away by my firing volly of shots!

Almost bought a ticket to ride this one time as she was beating down on me hard. Stopped n stood tall. Teeth foaming n kind of pissed off bark’n n claws already. 

I was firing shot after shot an it was clear I was missing my mark as she was steps away from cashin me in...

totaly caught in the moment n ready to take her on with my knife...I look down - the machine stopped n she froze...MY QUARTER HAD RUN OUT!!!

Big Smiles!

Fat Bottoms make the Rocken world go by!

keep on Rocken!

T

 

 

 

[SkunkedAgain]

Did Queen do any songs about bears?!?

 

Thanks for lightening the mood Tommy.

 

Welcome back MarkB. We've all missed your fishing reports.

Edited September 30, 2019 by SkunkedAgain