late berries might make baiting tough again

[Boar]

My raspberry patch has just come in to ripeness this weekend an I really wondering if were in for a tough baiting season again. I was also at zipple bay state park this weekend an they have had nuisence bear in the campsites with in the last two weeks cause the berries arnt rippenning when they should an when I hiked around the trails all the berries I saw were still a week away or more from rippenning. Some are but the majority of berries werent, So being that baiting is two weeks away it could prove to be a tough early season, any one know how the acorns are doing? Boar

[HooknHorns]

I was wondering if it has been a dry summer and maybe the berries are going to be under developed?

[KGPZ]

I was up over the weekend-Big Fork area-and the berries are not as thick, in my opinion, as they were last year.

[lichen fox]

Don't ever wish for "little or none" when it comes to natural food sources....That's exactly what holds the bear in an area! In the area we have hunted for the past 20 years we usually have every bait we put out hit and at least end up with 12 to 16 active baits for hunting...about 3 years ago there was absolutely no berries, very little hazel and acorns and it was so dry, the grass and clovers were drying up by early sept....Well, that year we got hit, but very sporadicly and most baits were hit just once and then the bear was gone...The next year...ample natural foods and everything was back to normal...conclusion...the bears in that area had either left in search of food...or had hibernated early because they were expending more energy than they were taking in...I really believe it was a little of each and the hits we did have were from bears that were on the move searching for food and that's why hardly any of them returned for a second visit....they ate what was there and moved on...Find the natural food sources and set up your bait in that general area...if there is no natural food...the bears won't be there come aug 15th...they'll be where the food is!

[nik]

I agree 100% with Lichen Fox. Over the last few years, the site that has been the hottest for us is right smack in the middle of a very large wild rasberry field. It seems when there is natural food and your bait, the bait is more active. It kind of gives them a choice between the bait you put out or something more natural. It's funny because we have another bait site probably only 1/4 mile from the one in the berries and some times that one wont get hit at all. We get pictures of bears at the bait, but they don't barely touch it. Find the food and you will find your bears!

[Boar]

I guesse I have have the opposite reaction, when the natural food is in abundance I have a difficult time baitng. My site is with in throwing distance of berries an nuts all over the river bottom. When the natural food is scarce I get bear in cause their on the hunt for food an when they find it they stay. I hunt a river bottom an it is nothing but a travel corridor up an down the river for miles, they wander up an down the river in search for food hardly leaving the river bottom. boar