Spooked Bear???

[redfox33]

Had a real nice bear coming in to the bait barrel, I'll post pics later.  He had always come in at night.  One evening about dusk while in the stand I heard him coming in.  I don't know what spooked him but he went crashing through the brush and hasn't been back since.  That was a week ago.  No hits on the barrel or pics.  I know acorns are falling in full force right now.  Could that be what's keeping him away???  If so, when the acorns run out do you think he will return?  Last year we had 4-6 different bears coming in, two were killed.  This year it has only been just this one.  Any reason on that too???

[ihookem]

   If it was an old bear  he circled around you and caught your scent. An old bear will circle, then come in a little closer and circle again. So yes you spooked him if he ran off like that. Also, if there is a heavy acorn crop in the area you can bet he is eating acorns. In norhtern Wisconsin two years ago we had the biggest acorn crop in years. Of coarse that's when I had a bear tag. I saw one little bear and noone was seing bear over bait. The bow deer hunters hunting in the oaks were seeing bear every day of all sizes. Head for the acorns for now and hope for the best. Later Steve.

[theoldarcher]

I, too, would bet it was an old, well-educated bear that picked up your scent.  They don't get old and big by being stupid!  Also agree on acorns keeping him from your bait set up.  Also recommend you try still hunting the oak groves.  I would not bet on it coming back to your bait this fall--when we've busted really big bears off bait sets, they just disappeared from the area.  Smaller ones were still around, but not 'grand daddy'.

Best of luck, Arch

[redfox33]

I understand their sense of smell is incredible but I was downwind of him.  The wind was blowing right in my face and he came in at an angle from my right front.  While baiting I was never careful about my scent(scent gear, spray or rubber boots) and he still came in to the barrel.  This is what's blowing my mind. 

My stand and barrel was in a dip in the landscape about a 1/4 mile from a river.  Why I think now not as many bears came in this year.  I just moved both the other day down to the edge of the bank.  Most bears around here use it as a travel route and to look for crawfish under the rocks.  Yes, it's still in the 70's and 80's down here.  Now they will surely catch wind of the barrel.  I just hope it isn't too late.  They are still around, the popped out steeples and hair in the barbed wire fence from them crossing proves that.  Now if it's just not too late for them to hit a barrel.  What I'm hoping for when the berries and acorns run out.  Season's open 'itl the 30th of November surely one will go down by then.

[theoldarcher]

My Indian friend from MI's UP says, "When a leaf falls in the woods, the eagle sees it, the deer hears it, but the bear smells it."

Arch

[blackbear]

 I have a different possibility. Mr. Big was bedded nearby waiting for dark. A real big boar will only hit a particular bait every 3 to 4 days. A smaller or subordinate bear was coming in and caught Mr. Big's scent and headed for parts unknown. With acorns competing with your bait the acorns won (they always do) and Mr. Big moved on. You did not have as many bears hitting your bait this year because the big bear claimed it, marked it and guarded it. Just my opinion.