Author Topic: HELP!!!!I have a problem with my bait (Read 1889 times)

MichiganWolverines · « **on:** August 31, 2004, 03:12:45 AM »

I have been baiting now for several weeks and the bait was hit every single day, now its been 3 days since a hit. I dont know whats going on :cry: . I switched grease to Burger King grease now but other than that nothing is new. I try to switch up baits to keep their interest. I dont know if the big boar (trail cam pics) chased the other ones away or if there is another bait in the area now?? If the boar did chase the others away, why isnt he hitting it. Season starts in 11 days...Whats going on???

talon · « **Reply #1 on:** August 31, 2004, 04:42:47 AM »

I'm guessing, but a 'big' boar has a big range. Traveling 20 miles a day is nothing unusual. It could be that he's moved on. But, there's a good chance that others will move in. Then, of course, he may have found other easy food close by. There's little you can do about that, except keep baiting, but make sure it's fresh. Usually, after 3 days of no hits the bear you saw is GONE, but there will be others.

MichiganWolverines · « **Reply #2 on:** August 31, 2004, 04:52:55 AM »

I had this bear coming in everyday for 3 weeks now. I had the trail cam out. The smaller bears havent hit in a week or so but I didnt care because the big boy was still hitting. I'm bummed. I bait with Chocolate covered cherries (560 pounds of chocolate cerries I have at home) , candy hearts, donuts, and bread and grease..How can he pass that up??? Do you think he will come back? Should I move my bait location if nothing hits in a couple days? What do I do now if nothing happens in a day or 2?

Rmouleart · « **Reply #3 on:** August 31, 2004, 07:15:52 AM »

Be patient, that bear would be stupid if he did not come back;) That sounds like a good amount sweets LOL, maybe some molasses / ana-soil to get other bears interested as well, the scent carries for miles, boars will range about thirty miles, sometimes taking days to return to the bait site, but with all that good stuff to eat, you would think he would hang around till he ate it all, bears are woods pigs, then go take a nap for a few days. Keep baiting and be patient, something is going to find your goodies soon, get some scent into the air, I use honey burns to attract bears, the smoke goes through the woods for miles, be prepared down wind...Good luck. Aim small hit small. RAMbo.

MichiganWolverines · « **Reply #4 on:** August 31, 2004, 11:06:31 AM »

Thanks. I'm going to try some molasses this weekend

talon · « **Reply #5 on:** August 31, 2004, 02:07:38 PM »

You mentioned chocolate. There is something about chocolate: bears really like it the first time they encounter it, and then won't touch it at all. Lots of candy has "chocolate", but it's not the real thing. Remember. the real thing KILLS dogs. My guide is throwing away over 200# of chocolate filling this week because of that circumstance. He said it's good for a one time use, but then it's worthless. Sorry, I won't be able to explain any more than that.

MichiganWolverines · « **Reply #6 on:** August 31, 2004, 06:27:57 PM »

Talon,
Really? I heard of people using chocolate frosting from donut shops, chocolate chip cookies, chocolate pie fillings etc...hummm thats interesting. That could be it. I put about 1/2 a 5 gallon bucket out at a time and really since I got the chocolate covered cherries only baited with it 5 times so far and its not hit after the 4th time...I wonder? I also do have bread and grease and some meat scraps as well though. I suppose that makes sense. I will have to check into that. Thanks again

Daveinthebush · « **Reply #7 on:** August 31, 2004, 07:53:53 PM »

Rumor is that with dogs, too much chocolate can kill them.

Maybe you killed the bear with kindness.

Is there a better bait stand near yours offering McDonalds grease instead that may be drawing the big bear. :roll: Even so, the bobo bears should still be around. I know that with our stands, the little guys knew well before the big one came in that he was comming.

A friend used shrimp bodies and the bears loved them. At our stand they never touched them.

Another friends freezer failed and he had 200 pounds of spoiled hot bear sausage. Bears ate it the first day.....he he he. Then would not touch the stuff. Indigestion I guess. :-D

Any animal rights activists around your area that might have sprayed something around the area?

Sounds strange!

Rmouleart · « **Reply #8 on:** September 01, 2004, 02:44:50 AM »

I forgot to mention, I like to use plenty of bacon and sausage grease, I get from a friend at a restaurant, nice clean smelling grease, I paste it on the trees at the bait site and mix it in the bait barrel, bears will lick them clean and always come back for more;) Aim small hit small. RAMbo.

MichiganWolverines · « **Reply #9 on:** September 01, 2004, 04:29:03 AM »

I do use Burger King grease. Actually we have had problems with the neighbors in years past. I had my heater stolen 2 years ago during rifle season. We have caught them riding 4 wheelers on our land in the past. I didnt notice anything but I'll take a closer look this weekend. Do you think it could be the chocolate?

MichiganWolverines · « **Reply #10 on:** September 03, 2004, 09:29:25 AM »

I just bought some molasses today and will add some sugar to it this afternoon after work, hopefully this will bring them back in

Maine_Hound_Hunter · « **Reply #11 on:** September 04, 2004, 03:42:01 AM »

Chocolate.....Hmmmm.....I know in Maine the bears here would kill for bread and grease, or a 55 gallon thing of peanut butter(we normally run dogs off that bait though.) You might have baited them too hard also and filled them up with a LOT of fat, especially with ALL the sweets. Seems to me if you gave a bear that much chocolate he'd feel filled up for a while. Or, as mentioned before, there could be a new baiter in the area with better bait.

If you use grease though, I recommend restaurant, not fast food...For some reason I tried restaurant grease and grease from Rotten Ronald's last year and the restaurant ones was getting more hits, but that could just be coincidence....Never know though.I am only 19 so I'm probably one of the board youngin's compared to the other people on here you'll hear input from, but whatever... :grin:

oso45-70 · « **Reply #12 on:** September 04, 2004, 04:56:06 AM »

Rmouleart,
I think you are talking about ( ANISE OIL ) made from Aniseed, Related
to the carrot, Which is very Aromatic..........Joe...........

MichiganWolverines · « **Reply #13 on:** September 06, 2004, 04:03:27 PM »

Well I went out today and nothing again. I cannot believe this. Season starts Friday and all of a sudden I dont have anything hitting the bait. I waited 5 years for this tag and its getting disappointing now :?

rookie_j · « **Reply #14 on:** September 07, 2004, 06:14:53 AM »

my father harvested his bear after dumping vanilla extract all over the place and throing it in the brush, he said the bear actuall came in and sttod on it's hind legs to lick the vanilla off the leaves. we went back two days later and it still smelled like vanilla..

i was doing a molasses burn when my bear came in...

Daveinthebush · « **Reply #15 on:** September 07, 2004, 06:29:45 AM »

I watched a show one day where they melted marshmellows and mixed rasberry jellow into the mixture and poured it onto a stump. Bears came right in.

Don't use the wifes favorite pan.

Rmouleart · « **Reply #16 on:** September 07, 2004, 07:44:45 AM »

Joe your right, thats the stuff, I don't know what I was thinking;)people use it for baking goods, vanilla extract works well also, just smells sweet. Aim small hit small. RAMbo.

MichiganWolverines · « **Reply #17 on:** September 07, 2004, 02:48:29 PM »

Well I put out a 100 pound block of pepermint candy yesterday, this stuff you could smell for a long long ways and today still nothing. I'm not giving up yet, I still have until Friday :roll:

Daveinthebush · « **Reply #18 on:** September 07, 2004, 02:56:25 PM »

Is your real name Willie Wonka?

MichiganWolverines · « **Reply #19 on:** September 07, 2004, 03:35:09 PM »

LOL...I dont know about that but right now I'm willing to try anything. 5 years ago when I had my tag I never did get one because they came in after dark. Well I learned from that lesson and go out before work now instead of after and had some coming in during shooting hours. Well now this happens. I wouldnt mind not getting a bear but now I cant even get excited because nothing is hitting. I dont know what I can learn from this because I dont know what I'm doing wrong. Ohh well that hunting I guess

Daveinthebush · « **Reply #20 on:** September 07, 2004, 03:55:13 PM »

We use a 35 or 55 gallon drums and punch some 1/2" or 3/4" holes in it. Not too many, maybe 10. Then on the top we cut a hole just big enough to get a chain through and chain it to a tree.

The bears will have to work for the bait and play with the drum. It takes them time to get anything of substance out and you don't have to bait so much or often.

We use the cheapest dog food, Dad's usually, that we can find. Dad's has so much greese in it you really don't have to add any.

Anything sweet and be poured on trees and stumps. Vanilla, ansise oil, honey, maple syrup......

The other good thing about the drum is that you can sleep in the stand and you will certainly know when the bear gets there!

Etter · « **Reply #21 on:** September 07, 2004, 04:33:20 PM »

I don't really know what could have happened in your situation but I would say, keep the faith. Something that works for me that I consider a bit of a secret are wild berry smoking scent sticks. You can order them off cabelas. I can smell them a half mile away so I bet bears can smell them 2 or 3 at least. They are awesome. I've never hunted bears in the fall so I don't know if they may have found a better natural source but I wish you luck. Oh, btw I have found that bears will do just about anything for chocolate. They are ravenous with chocolate.

MichiganWolverines · « **Reply #22 on:** September 08, 2004, 04:26:17 PM »

I'm going to go out tomorrow morning and get the old bait out of there and try some fresh stuff and see if that makes a difference. I'm going to go back to the original grease instead of Burger King also. It seems to have cooled off when I switched grease to Burger King. in another Forum a guy mentioned cleaning supplies that could be in the grease and that could be the problem. Its worth a shot. Thanks for all the help guys. I'll keep you posted

barebowhunter · « **Reply #23 on:** September 08, 2004, 05:21:58 PM »

Don't worry, my bait was getting hit everyday and then dwindled down to every 4 day's. Nothing for 3 day's and was getting real discouraged. I decided to sit anyway tonight because it was the 4th day. I did a honey burn and one circled my bait 15 minutes after lighting it. It circled out of sight for 2 hours before it showed itself. It was the biggest bear I have ever seen!!! I've seen a lot of them and would guess it to be atleast over 400lbs. I didn't get a shot though, it just wandered through. I have heard though if there is a big one using the bait and is a dominant bear no other ones come in cause they are afraid. Also a big bear won't feed everyday. They usually have a pattern. Try a honey burn. They can smell it for miles and here in Minnesota the majority of the people I talk to, when they have trouble bringing them in they have gotten the big ones coming in on a honey burn. You'll be surprised. I sure was.

MichiganWolverines · « **Reply #24 on:** September 09, 2004, 06:24:21 AM »

Thanks I'll give it a try. So just poor some honey in a coffee can and put it on a burner?

rookie_j · « **Reply #25 on:** September 09, 2004, 06:39:28 AM »

yep, easy.

you can use anything really, honey, molasses, blueberry jam, anise, vanilla.... etc

careful of molasses, it likes to boil over and get all over your heating source (i found out the hard way) :wink:

barebowhunter · « **Reply #26 on:** September 09, 2004, 07:22:19 AM »

Actually the best way I found is to pour honey in a mason jar then put the jar in a coffee can and put it an inch and a half or so over a can of sterno. This prevents it from burning and it just simmers it slowly. Fill the jar about 1/3rd full of honey cause it will boil over too.

woman in the woods · « **Reply #27 on:** September 16, 2004, 07:51:22 AM »

This is my first bear hunt and I have also had problems with my bait. It was completely gone the first 3 times we baited and the 4th and 5th time I baited nothing has hit it. As you know season starts tomorrow and I am feeling a bit discouraged. I am going to get sme KFC frying oil which is supposed to bring em in like flies. We'll see!

MichiganWolverines · « **Reply #28 on:** September 16, 2004, 11:44:33 AM »

I've heard a lot of people around me that are having the same problem now, everyone says its the corn right now

Maine_Hound_Hunter · « **Reply #29 on:** September 17, 2004, 02:52:46 AM »

It is the corn, bears love that stuff....Corn up here will pull a bear away from a bait and into the fields until it's harvasted or plowed under...That's why cornfields are ideal sites for running once it goes into season, but after head back into the woods because you aint gonna find em again if you dont...