Author Topic: Bear Hunt Over Bait (Read 853 times)

GeneRector · « **on:** March 21, 2006, 11:43:46 AM »

Howdy! I plan to hunt black bear again this fall over bait. However, if you see a bear a long ways off that is not interested in the bait, should you try to call it into range with a predator call? Or, what would you do? Your views appreciated. :lol:

Skeeterbaymac · « **Reply #1 on:** March 21, 2006, 12:39:07 PM »

I wouldn't! He want's the bait even if he just ate from another, he wants to sample the one your on. He will be in to eat. Just wait him out. They circle around testing the wind and do all sorts of things. But they will come in if you just sit still and wait them out. The only time they may not come in is if he knows your there and gets spooked. Up here in Northern Maine we hunt off baits alot. I have had many over the years that would wait out in the brush until just about dark before they came in. I once had a timmer on one bait and it hit every day at 1:00 pm, unless one of us was in the stand. If a hunter was there it would be hit right after the hunter left. This bear was watching the bait and watched us come and go. So after a while we got smart and two of us went in to the bait. My friend got in the tree stand while I walked over to the bait and kicked the drum. After my friend was all set, I walked out and got in the truck and drove away. Six minutes after I left, dead bear! Appearently he couldn't count!

Have you had trouble in the past with one hanging back? There are a number of good tricks to use if you think he knows your there and is hanging back. You can try using a climbing stand and moving it to a different tree if you think he as you spotted.

Skeeterbaymac · « **Reply #2 on:** March 21, 2006, 12:57:15 PM »

GR:

I just re-read your post and I have a question. Your statement about seeing one way off has me confused. How are you baiting? Up here we put baits out a month before season and usually in a woods or thicket. I usually can't see any farther than 100 yards at any of the baits.

Sourdough · « **Reply #3 on:** March 21, 2006, 02:35:44 PM »

Define "way-off" 100, 200, or 300 yards. If you can assure that it is a boar, or a sow without cubs, shoot it. The problem is at that range you have a hard time telling that. That's the reason for baiting, to bring them in close so you get a chance to look them over good. Often times calling will spook them off and they won't return anytime soon. The only call I have had any results with is a squalling baby bear. If it's a young boar he will run away, he don't want some mama bear to whup him. But if it's a big boar he's coming in to kill something and eat it, so be ready. If it's a sow, her maturnal instincts will bring her in. Again be ready she is coming in to defend the babies. They will also key in on where the sound comes from. If you are in your stand they will come directly to the tree you are in. It's like they have radar, they can tell exactually where the sound came from. So think twice before calling from your stand. It's not fun (I speak from experience here) to have them climb your tree while you're in it.

But where I set up my bait, you can't see over 40 to 60 yards at the most. If we get a little rain, visibility will drop to 25 to 30 yards as things green up.

GeneRector · « **Reply #4 on:** March 21, 2006, 04:05:03 PM »

Howdy! I guess I need to clarify things. I hunt the muzzleloader bear season in Arkansas. I got one bear back in 2001 and it came straight to the bait pile just before dark. This past year I hunted a different area near Alpena, Ark. The stand is on the side of a mountain with a bait pile about 25 yards away. I saw a bear through an opening in some trees down the side of the mountain. However, it never came closer that I could tell and it was way out of muzzleloader range as well. Anyway, if you all have some views on how I can have better luck this fall, I sure would like to hear from you! :wink:

Skeeterbaymac · « **Reply #5 on:** March 21, 2006, 05:31:26 PM »

GR:

How long are your baits up before you sit them to hunt? Are they being hit on a regular basis when you go to check them. If your baits are being hit regularly then I wouldn't worry about the bear that you may see off in the distance that doesn't come in. It could have been a new bear checking out the area. Set a timmer on your baits that way you know how often and when it hits.

Here's what I do. I usually plan on three baits per hunter. That way if somthing goes bad or a sow with cubs starts hitting I can move to another bait. We get them up a month ahead of time and the bear know they are there. By the time it's season they are all hitting good and very regular. I time them and know when each is hitting. If I have some hitting after dark I will place bear scat from another area right in front of the bait and bait it lightly the next few times. This causes the bear to think another is eatting his food and I can usually count on the bear showing up earlier and earlier trying to meet the thief. This has worked for me more than once.

The big thing is to have the baits hitting regularly before you sit the stand. If they are not you could be in for a long hunt and even not see one. I once had a friend that shot a nice black bear off a bait that had never been hit. It went the full month of bait season and two weeks into hunting season without being touched. Finally a passing bear decided to check it out and my friend happened to be there that day. It was all luck. I would rather have a better chance with an active bait.

Skeeterbaymac · « **Reply #6 on:** March 21, 2006, 06:25:07 PM »

GR;

Also what are you using for bait. I have found that my baits don't hit real well until the first bit of meat is started really stinking bad (read real bad) I use about five gallons of meat trimmings and bones on each bait and then I load the bait up with popcorn mixed with pennut butter and molases or dog food mixed with P butter and Molases. I also go to a resturant and get the old cooking oil and I spread that around on the ground in front of the bait barrel. The bears will walk in the cooking oil and then track it out into the woods when they leave. Other bears hit that track and follow it back to the bait, (free advertisement). You can use old bread goods and doughnuts, I used to but my supplier saw $ signs so thats when I started the popcorn thing. It's cheap and they seem to go for it. I mix it up by the 55 gal barrel.

I am no expert but these are things that I have found work for me. I used the same methods when I lived in Alaska and they worked for me there as well. Good Luck

corbanzo · « **Reply #7 on:** March 30, 2006, 01:17:21 PM »

Up here, we usually go to some local stores, and see if they have old bread, sometimes you can find a motherload of bread they can't sell to give to you. Then you go to restaurants and get their old cooking grease, the stuff that's been used and has all kinds of smell in it. We put the bread down then cover it with that gread, spread the grease on the roots of the tree we hunt under (usually in a little pocket at the bast of a tree). If you get lots of that grease on there, the bears will sit there and lick it. Especially here, but I recommened it other places - never use fish!! You don't want to get that taste in their mouth, cause they will seek it out in other places, and it makes the bear meat fishy. If someone you know has a lot of cans of leftover cranberry sauce, or other berry stuff, that is good to keep them coming back. The good rotten meat and grease makes a lot of smell to keep them coming in, and also, will help so they don't smell you.

AKCAT · « **Reply #8 on:** April 03, 2006, 07:44:19 PM »

It's no secret but make a stink bait out of a beaver carcass and hang it over your bait, that will bring them in. I also use anise (SP) oil, it smells like black licorice and the blackies just love it