Baiting and Bear Hunting

[fly]

If you're not an advocate for baiting black bear then this is not the thread for you.

Does anyone have any tips for baiting black bears?

Do you use buckets, larger containers, or do you dig a hole? What type of bait do you use and how do you get it?

Do you check the bait every day and if so what time of day? Do you do a burn and if so what do you use?

What factors (elevation, cover, water) do you take into consideration when selecting a bait location?

If you have any pictures of bait set ups I'd sure like to see them.

[superguide]

The bear bait of choice up here is beaver but they will come into most anything tasty. most people use a barrel with a small hole in it-chained to a tree. It's a good way to judge bear size also.Superguide Jr.trys to bait everyday if possible. Another way to judge bear size is to nail a can of sardines quite aways up a tree-you can judge bear size but how high they can claw at it. Bears will usually graze grass for a week or so before they really start to hit baits up in our country.

[Dubie]

I use a 45-50 gallon fuel drum. I clean it out, and cut a couple 6x6 inch holes. I chain to a tree, and put most of the bait in there. For bulk, I use sweet feed from the feed lot, some pastries from the doughnut shop. I'll check the bait (hopefuly every day) around noon. When I do, I like to fry a pound of bacon (you can usualy get free expired stuff from the grocery store, or 50 cent almost expired stuff). I spread the grease around the ground, and up some trees, then throw the bacon in the barrel. If its getting later, and I still havn't got my bear, I'll get the fish arrow out, and shoot me some carp to smell up the area. I've heard good things about honey burns, and beaver carcass, but havn't tried either.

[aksheephuntress]

..........We don't mess with barrels....can't pack them in where we go anyway....but we use the large, fallen rotting trees to pour cheap dog food and beer in....also, popcorn, saturated in bacon grease-and anise.

We work the bait daily-time of day, depending what we see, or don't see.-Generally, late afternoon, or evening....after work.We will move areas, if we end up just feeding Brown Bears.

..can't say enough about the dogfood and beer....bears seem to pass up most anything else.

[Guest Colorado Bob]

Back when baiting was legal here in Colorado. I had 2---30 gallons oil cans. With one I had dough nuts, the other I had old cooking grease & meat scraps from Wendy's . I covered the cans with large flat rocks, tree branches,etc--to keep out the coons & crows. I also had a 5 gallon bucket spray painted black. I filled it with fish guts, fish heads, rotten meat, etc----I hung about 10' in the a tree above the bait site so the breezes could catch the scent.

I would also buried sardines in a rotten log around the bait site. I would also pour Wendy's grease around the bait site---that way the bear would walk thru it & carry the scent out on the trails.

I would also take a burlap sack---fill it with meat scrap, grease, dough nuts etc----the drag it around the various trails that lead to the bath site.

Also find a ground blind or tree stand about 50 yards from the site. Downwind.

I would check mine @ 4PM. A good idea is a trail timer. That way you can see what time the bear is hitting your bait. CB

[silvertip_co]

...mmm doooonuts

(apologies to Homer Simpson)

[Guest Colorado Bob]

Just re-read my post & it needs a few clarifications.

1---The 30 gallon barrels---I got at Quik-lube. Grease barrels, I think. I put a U-bolt in the side so I could chain it to a tree. Plus it adds a handle to carry it into the words. Chain, I used an old dog chain----you need to chain it to a tree because the bear will tear up the bait site.

2---5 gallon bucket---put a lid on it. I also only fill it up 2/3 full of the soup. The upper 1/3 I drill holes so the breeze will blow thru it. If you can make a REAL small in the bottom so it will SLOWLY, slower than a bathroom facuet dip--- all the better.

3 Bait site. I put mine on the west side of hill. Colorado has a few--LOL. Anyway I put it on the west side because it was the 1st to clear off of the winter snow. Plus the afternoon sun lasted just a few more minutes----lat 30minutes of lite are trhe best hunting IMO. The bait site was about 2/3 up the hill on a bench. The top of the hill & backside was dark timber---I think the bears like the deep dark timber. It has gulleys, water drainage, that go up to the dark timer.

4--My stand was about 50 yards from the bait site behind an old dead fall. It was a big tree & only my head--shoulders were above the log. It was shooting off a bench restr when hte time came. I was using a 30/06----if you are doing archery, it needs to be closer. I was above the bait site looking down at it on an angle. Make sure you clear a shooting lane to the bait site when you set up the stand/bait site.

Grease I got from Wendy's---any fast food place will work. You'll need a few 5 gallon buckets. Bakery----a dough nut shop, bakery, old stale bread. Even old restaurant table waste will work well.

Sardines, I put in an old punky old, so he would tear it apart looking for food. I would also put honey on it also.

Lots of good suggestions on the other post also. Ask more questions if you need more info.

Baiting is HARD work. My site was about 3/4 of a mile from my truck. It's a long walk carrying a bucket of grease, a big bag of dough nuts & a rifle. I checked my site every 2 to 3 days. Until it was hit. Then I baited it everyday & hunted it about every other day.

[Guest Colorado Bob]

The 30 gallon grease cans really need to be clean before you can use them. Maybe an old shop/vac can would also work. A 30 gallon metal trash can would also be good. They were illegal here in Colorado--that's why I went the oil can route. CB

[Guest Finn]

My Dad baits bear for hound hunting and some sitters. They use cookies, pastries and candy. they dig holes and put hollow logs that are about 2 feet deep and hold roughly 3-4 gallons of cookies etc. They put a rock over the top of the hollow log to keep smaller animals out of there.

He baits about every 3 days in the off season and then every day in the couple weeks leading up to season.

[stevebeilgard]

ask your local donut shops for all the old donuts they can give you. then, get some greas from the local greasy spoon restaurant. the reason you need a good barrel is so the bear can't eat too fast, and you need something to hold all the good junk....

[elkoholic]

All I can say is that you have to be ready to do a lot of work. You probably have all the info you need from previous posts, but I would add that you will need several sources of baiting supplies such as donuts, grease and whatever else you plan on using. You will be amazed at how much bait you will go through. While I have never done it myself, I knew someone who baited over in Idaho for awhile and he put a lot of time and muscle into it. Good luck in your adventure.

[fly]

Thanks to all for the great advice. If I'm fortunate enough to take a bear I'll be posting some pictures.

[Guest Finn]

Where are you planning to hunt?

[fly]

Where are you planning to hunt?

The exact location will have to wait until I see how bad the snow is. I'm planning on buying a permit for hunting units 10 and 12 (Northern Idaho).

When I researched various states for a spring bear hunt last year Idaho seemed the best choice. It's over 1700 miles away, but no lottery for non-residents and bear permits are only 30 bucks (and you can get 2 if you want). In addition units 10 and 12 of Idaho are 90% national forest land.

[stevebeilgard]

for northern idaho, i'd put a boat in at dworshak dam, head upriver 10 miles or so, and just troll your boat for trout. you'll see 5-6 bears each day. don't need to bait.

[OJR]

The exact location will have to wait until I see how bad the snow is. I'm planning on buying a permit for hunting units 10 and 12 (Northern Idaho).

When I researched various states for a spring bear hunt last year Idaho seemed the best choice. It's over 1700 miles away, but no lottery for non-residents and bear permits are only 30 bucks (and you can get 2 if you want). In addition units 10 and 12 of Idaho are 90% national forest land.

You won't be too far from where I live!

Lots of snow in that area this year!

I know any outfitter in Orofino and I will check with him, if he is still in business for spring bear hunting! He is kind of a goofy guy, but likeable at the same time! LOL!!:D

[OJR]

for northern idaho, i'd put a boat in at dworshak dam, head upriver 10 miles or so, and just troll your boat for trout. you'll see 5-6 bears each day. don't need to bait.

I have known guys who did this and had good luck! Only good in the spring though!

Dworshak dam is about 45 miles from my house!

[buckee]

...mmm doooonuts

(apologies to Homer Simpson)

Heck no. You don't want a whole bunch of policeman wandering around the woods.

[aksheephuntress]

You won't be too far from where I live!

Lots of snow in that area this year!

I know any outfitter in Orofino and I will check with him, if he is still in business for spring bear hunting! He is kind of a goofy guy, but likeable at the same time! LOL!!:D

....OJR- YOU are kind of a goofy and likable guy, too!!!!:D:D:D:p:D

....Oh,Dear....just MY LUCK....see what you did Orlan??!...-Look at what number of post this is, for me!!!!:eek::D:D:D(LOL)

[fly]

Thanks for the tips OJR and stevebeilgard,

I just repsonded to OJR's weather post in the lounge. Then I read the one here. I heard the snow was bad this year.

Would there be a place to rent a boat near the Dw something dam?

That's a strategy I did not think of. I don't suppose it would work well for archery though? I'm hoping to take 2 bears, the first with my 300 ultra mag and after that archery.

I've never been to Idah, and have yet to harvest a bear. I'm so excited about it I can't even explain! I've been looking at maps for a year now and have had several conversations with the rangers in the area. Now hearing from you guys, well I'm getting giddy and at 37 that don't happen much for me. Fly fishing for trout in the morning and bear hunting in the afternoon/evenings. Wow!

[stevebeilgard]

actually, i fished all day and only stopped when we saw a bear. and we saw multiple bears every day. but, that was in 1979. things may have changed, but i doubt it. it's still a 2 bear area.