Fur Fish and Fun L.L.C.

Bear Hunting Guide Services

Bruce Crossing, Michigan – Ontonagon County

We offer guided bear hunts in Michigan’s western Upper Peninsula near Bruce Crossing, serving the Bergland and Baraga Bear Management Units. Bear hunting can feel overwhelming—especially if it’s new territory or your first time. My goal is to guide you through every step with patience, experience, and confidence. I limit the number of hunters I take to maintain quality and personal attention. For the best chance of success for you I am offering 5-day hunts during the first and second bear seasons in September.  We have over 75 years of combined bear hunting and guiding success.  We have a deep understanding of bear behavior, habitat, and the laws that protect both hunters and wildlife. We take pride in providing you with ethical and fair chase hunting opportunities. I am fully insured and licensed by the State of Michigan and the US Forest Service—so you can focus on the experience.

From preseason scouting and thoughtful strategy to in-the-field guidance and support, we’re there to help you navigate the challenges, answer questions, and make informed decisions. Whether you’re new to bear hunting or looking to take your skills to the next level, our mission is to help you feel prepared, supported, and confident every step of the way.

Bottom line: I know bears, I know the laws, and I know how to give you the best opportunity for a successful hunt.

Taxidermy

Wellston, Michigan drop off and pick up or will travel to meet you.

I offer full-service taxidermy for wildlife, birds, and fish, with a strong focus on artistic, lifelike preservation and exceptional craftsmanship. With over 15 years of experience, every mount is individually designed and carefully created—never mass-produced—so each piece is truly one of a kind.

Every animal is treated with respect and close attention to detail, allowing us to capture natural form, expression, and movement. Our services include traditional mounts, highly detailed fish reproductions, and fully custom or novelty pieces tailored to your vision. No two projects are ever the same.

Whether you’re preserving a once-in-a-lifetime hunt or a meaningful outdoor memory, my goal is to create a realistic work of art that preserves your story. Licensed taxidermy services are available throughout Michigan.

What’s Next? Planning Ahead

It’s best to plan ahead for your next outdoor adventure if you want to have an animal mounted. See the videos and directions below on how to properly skin and prepare the animal. Good preparation results in better taxidermy.

Deer – (Shoulder Mount) Skin your deer as soon as possible. Cut the cape off in front of the hind quarters after the hide has been removed. This will keep your meat as clean as possible. It’s always better to have a longer cape than not enough.  With the skin side in, place the skin flat.  Remove as much air from the bag before placing it in the freezer. Email or send me a text message to schedule your drop-off or pick-up.

Bears – It is 100% legal to skin your bear before you register it in Michigan. Only the skull and the entire hide need to be presented at registration. After taking your photos, place a stick or block of wood in the bear’s mouth to keep the jaws open for easy access.   A tooth will be extracted during registration within 72 hours of harvest. Take care of the carcass as soon as possible. Remove the hide from the carcass and cool them both down as soon as you can.  Try to keep the hide as clean and dry as possible. Double-bag your hide in a heavy garbage bag, folding the hide skin side in and the head on top. Get as much air out of the bag as possible. It’s better to have too much hide than not enough when doing a 3/4 or shoulder mount.  All of the hide is needed for a life-size mount or rug.  After registering and sealing your bear, freeze it solid if you can not get it to me that same day. Have the individual sealing your bear place the seal either in the same hole where you tagged it in the lower jaw or in the hide where you opened the chest cavity to field dress it. To schedule a drop-off or pick-up, send me a text message or email.

Fish – (Reproduction Mount) Take good, detailed photos of both sides and any unique features. For a replica, measure the overall length of the fish and also the girth at the widest point before returning it to the water to live on and give someone else their own memory.

Fish – (Traditional Skin Mount) Do not put it on a stringer. After taking your photos, keep the fish on ice and wrap it in a wet towel/shirt.  Wrap it in a garbage bag, protecting its fins before placing it in a freezer as soon as possible. To schedule a drop-off or pick-up, send me a text message or email.

Birds – Wipe off excess blood. DO NOT wrap in a newspaper or a paper towel. Tuck the head on the chest or under a wing and wrap in a Ziplock freezer bag or a couple of garbage bags if a larger bird. Pay close attention to protect tail feathers. To schedule a drop-off or pick-up, send me a text message or email.

Furbearing animals – Most smaller animals can be left in the round (no skinning). If they need to be CITES tagged and registered by the DNR, then they need to be skinned to remove the skull.  They are: Fisher, Bobcat, Pine Martin, and Otter. If you are going to skin, remove the main portion of the carcass, leaving in the feet/legs and the skull, if possible. When skinning out a head, take your time and cut as close to the skull as possible. Especially at the base of the earbuds, and jaw around the mouth (not up close to the lips). Put your finger in the eye opening so as not to cut the eyelids. Wrap your critter in a garbage bag and remove as much air as possible before you freeze.  To schedule a drop-off or pick-up, send me a text message or email.

Furbearing animals with longer hair (Coyote, Fox, Bobcat, Fisher, Pine Marten, Raccoon, Opossum & Skunk) should be Dorsal skinned. Case skinning is OK but not preferred.

Animals with short hair should be case-skinned.  These include Otter, muskrat, Beaver, and Squirrel.