Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary

Just inquiring if anyone has visited the Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary? If so, can you fill me in on your experience - positive or negative? Also, lodging options in the area. Thank you for your time.

Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary

Yes, it%26#39;s great. They feed the bears who show up and you watch from an elevated observation platform. Volunteers tell you the history of the place and talk about bear behavior. They know the personalities of the bears who come, and there may be little dramas, such as a mother who has kicked a yearling cub out of the den.

Details are at www.americanbear.org. You can find lodgings at www.pelicanlakeresorts.com or www.orrmn.com.

If you go as far as Orr, you might as well also visit Voyageurs National Park. The Kabetogama Lake section is only half an hour farther north, www.nps.gov/voya.

Beth at MidwestWeekends.com

Vince Shute Wildlife Sanctuary

Have been there five or six times over the years and it makes me always want to go back. Its just neat to see all the bears wandering around. A bus picks you up about a mile from the bears and they drop you off right at a platform. A number of years ago one would park right near where they feed the bears and you would walk to the platform to watch the bears--- I can see why they did away with this practice..yikes..walking around with thirty to forty bears in the vicinity!! They also used to just ask for donations, but now you have to pay a fee to go in. Also there is a souvenir shop right on the platform where you can buy stuffed animals, posters,etc etc. The last time I was there was a couple of years ago and its always fun, especially for the kids. There are bears of many different sizes and they are just wandering around eating and eating some more. Also, the place has always been closed on Mondays in the past, so check on this before you head up there. In terms of lodging, there isn%26#39;t much in the immediate vicinity, but there is a nice motel in Orr with a water slide for the kids, I think it might be an Americinn.

This is a wonderful place. You are guaranteed to see bears, (cubs and adults). I have been fortunate to visit the sanctuary many times over the years. My children love to pick out the bears they have seen from previous years. The small admission fee is so worth it. No time limits, so you can stay as long as you like. We usually stay on Lake Vermilion in Cook, MN or Lake Kabetogama in Ray, MN. Both lakes have fabulous resorts.

Thank you so much for the information. I am a professional-amateur photographer and am looking forward to photographing the bears. We will also be celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary while in Minnesota - with the entire country - July 4th!! So, we will keep everyone posted on how the trip went and will post pictures upon our return.

You should be able to take some great photos! Also on the bus ride, a tour guide will fill you in on the history of the place and Vince Shute. Its always nice to listen to the history of the place.

Note that they dont allow tripods on the platform, but they will allow monopods. I guess it probably depends on the crowd, if its a slow day, maybe they%26#39;ll make an exception