Filler Bait for Bear

[Boar]

Thats interesting that the mature boars did not like the bait change, I know thay dont like change an doing everything on a routine basis everyday, everything the same down to fine details is important when baiting mature bear, but i'd figured that a little variety in bait would be a good thing to not cause burn out. Thats a great piece of info Kelly, thanks. If ya dont mind, what types of things did'nt the mature bear like? I had a bear that did'nt like O'l roy dog food, figured theyed gooble it up,nope. Had one that did'nt like appricots dates, Had one that only ate the powderd doughnuts, weired. Later boar

[bogwalker]

Kelly-p, Exactly. If we could only convince the old boars how much better our sites are than theirs.

Cherokee, Mature 400 pound plus boars make up a small percentage of the overall population, sorry I can't give you a number. The 500 & 600 pound boars that are seen out west and in Canada do exist here but are not seen due to the terrain and forest type of Minnesota. Over 90% of Black Bears die at the hands of humans. Hunting, motor vehicles accidents etc. The average bear shot in Minnesota weighs about 150 pounds. According to the Minnesota D.N.R. only 25% +/- of bear hunters are successful each year.

Mature boars avoid candy and sweets. These food items do not meet the nutritional needs of massive body boars. In other words what most bear hunters use for bait does not interest mature boars at all. Sows, cubs and subadult boars go for the candy,sweets and I believe burns as well.

[Boar]

I guesse thats just fine with me, cause a 2-300lber is an awsome freezer stuffer, I'm not a trophy hunter, but wouldnt bat a eye to drop the hammer on a mature boar, but over all I'm in it for the thrill an meat. If I had more time I would certainly hunt for mature boar, with more scouting an an identifying core areas an food resources but like most of us that hunt bear I'm very content on hanging a stand over a doughnut. I think half of the bear huntwers out there tend to move on with other things come late september, I've partnerd up with a good freind which helps with the ritual of bating an he's really gunho on going to end of season, which I think is vital, all the berries are gone the acorns are ate up or stashed by munks an squirles, corn is hard, beans are gone generly whatt else might be out there, fawns are now long legged, sows an cubs are thinking of denning same with young boars, but mature boars hold out right? an if a guy has a bait site going, all greased up with a neon sign blinking free food, do ya feel a mature boar will avoid the doughnuts? The reality is that the woods at that time of the year have been run through with grouse hunters, early doe season, bow hunters, AVT'ers. Late season is when I get really itchy, I fell thats the best time to take a big boar, they wanna put on the feed bag an I'm gonna have food ready. Anywho cant wait. Boar

[cherokee]

Thanks bogwalker, I kinda thought the percentage would be pretty low. I wasn't aware that mature boars aren't attracted to the sweets. Makes sense as they have been around the block and know what they need to pack on the fat.

[bogwalker]

Cherokee, This brings up an interesting point. Do boars with a sweet tooth die at bait sites while boars without interest in sweets avoid bait sites, live longer, and grow to become massive boars?

[cherokee]

bogwalker, I think you may be on to something. Aren't some of the biggest bears shot in the Spring (where allowed) during the rut? Most of the big trophy bears that I've seen or heard of being shot were just checking out the females and not eating at the bait station. The rut may be totally different than Fall but it would go along with the notion that big boars are feeding on more of a natural food source and avoiding the sweets. Those that stick with this pattern most likely will turn into the super bear and not be harvested.

Do the big boars become totally nocturnal as well?

[bogwalker]

Cherokee, My experience with the big boars has always been that they do not start moving (at least very far)until after sunset with the exception of breeding. While sitting in my tree stand (back when I used them) one evening I was watching a plump yearling bear chowing down my bait. It was oblivious to everything but the bait. Suddenly this bear snapped to full alert, stood on it's hind legs and zeroed in on something I could not see or hear. I readied myself for this bears grandpappy. Junior left at full speed away from the bait. I was disappointed to see a Timber Wolf pop into view. This area was flooded with standing timber and brush. I heard the young bear running for his life as the Timber Wolf followed by his pack chased and took this bear down. What could possibly ruin a bait for the day more completely than this? I stayed on anyway and in the last seconds of light a very large bear appeared in my bait site. After all this, even a pack of Timber Wolves catching and eating another bear this bruiser still showed up for dinner.

[Boar]

I totally agree with the fact that a mature boar knows what it needs to survive an will hit the natural foods first, an most bears will abandon a site when the mast crops ripen an fall, but the subordanants will come back. I also feel that a mature boar will not hit a bait site routinely like a subordanant bear will, but dont feel he'll avoid either, if he comes a cross it he'll hit it, most likeley under cover of darkness, an move on,no doubt a mature boar has been to a few rodeos before an knows whats going on. Also if Minnesota had a spring bear season we'd hear of more mature boars taken. Boar

[cherokee]

I archery hunt whitetails in Wisconsin and the biggest bear I've seen in the wild came in and circled me while on stand. I must admit that my backpack smelled like anise oil as I had taken a bear in Minnesota that Fall and the pack had some extra scent on it. This bear was huge and at the time I guessed an easy 600 pounds live weight. It had a limp, knew I was in stand and looked me in the eye from 25 yards out. What a thrill to witness such a massive creature. The time was 8:00 a.m.

Big boars probably have little problems with wolves although a pack might cause some damage but they probably know better than to mess with a bigun. Bet that boar knew where the wolves were and where they were going before the wolves even knew.

[mudslinger64]

Hey mud, last year you went over 400, any idea on the age of that one? Later boar

boar,you must have me mistaken with someone else.my bear last year i am guessing came in around 230-250 dressed,a 400lber would be nice though.

[Boar]

Sorry mudslinger,Thought it was you, there was someone then in teh early part of the season that had posted pictures of a monster that was topping 400, my bad mudslinger. Boar

[cherokee]

Just learned that we are getting a 1/4 of beef and will be getting all the trimmings for bear baiting. That should add a nice touch to the sweets.

[Boar]

It dose, bear ate em up when i added it,they love the stuff. boar