Choosing a Bear Bait Site

[bogwalker]

What do you look for when scouting for potential bear bait sites?

How long do you give a spot to work out before abandoning it?

[hookset]

talk to locals and land owners as to where they think bears might be. then when you know a area where there might be bears, set your baits up as far from human traffic as you can. remember how busy the labor day weekend can be for ATV traffic as it is just befor hunting starts. i have heard many stories of labor day visitors turning a hot bait cold. remember you have to bait and haul out a bear when you shoot it so keep it some what accesable by ATV or truck.

good luck.

joe

[cherokee]

That is the ticket isolated but close enough to haul the bait and get your bear out. Look for waterways and funnels created by swamps etc.

[Boar]

I started bear hunting by chance, years ago I hauled in an old canvas coverd ice house in to my familys river bottom for a deer stand. A bear had torn it up, had no idea we had bear in the area. Next year I absorb info like a sponge an was successfull. Ever since thenI have been adicted to bear hunting. Only the last three years have I expanded my sites from one. I try to find land with water running through it or a water hole, durring the heat of baitin i feel bear dont wannt to expend energy going from bait site to water, so I set up in a river system which seems to be a natural travel route with plenty of food or a chunk of land with a water hole or natural spring. This newly aquired land that I recently have permission to hunt has beaver in it, which creates ideal habitat for bear. So if you can find land with beaver you'll have bear. For a site I'll look for a funnel where bear will travel throu created by the beaver lodge. I have before, Just opened a site on a chunk of land with no ryme or reason but to try for bear cause locals said there is bear around an have been successful. But that success can take awhile to achive. Boar

[jay83196]

Just went scouting today,bthat part is a lot of fun looking around for that perfect spot I tried to find a low thick shady spot with berries and or acorns around and water within a hundred yards or less. And some big trees to place my stand and build a crib. Is that what some of you veterans look for? I struggle a lot to decide on a spot any other advice? I found one with all that...

[Boar]

I prefer to set on a littel hump for rain run of, if your in a low depression you'll have a mess. Is that water a source a river or a water hole? I set pretty close to the water, if its a river the running water can help muffle any sound you might make while accending your stand or while in stand. At a water hole you can quickly get a good Idea of the size of bear by scanning the muddy fringes of the whater hole for tracks with out disturbing the area for a hundred yards around. Later boar

[jay83196]

Boar, I meant its I'm an area of low bog type I found I hump so to speak to put it to keep run off away. Do you think I should move closer to the swamp/marsh?

[Matt Breuer]

The two best sites I have are on our private land on a penninsula surrounded by swampy low ground. The other is on public land, and it's a small depression on the shoreline of a tiny lake. Both are dark, both are scary, both are buggy, and both still smell like molasses in July.... I think everyone made good points. Be close to water, bog, swamp, etc... Be sure you're in a dark, semi-thick area, not in bright open areas. Place your station on the highest spot on the spot, great advice from boar!

boar, you hunt around RLF or head up by Thief and west? I'm sure we know a lot of the same people. My in-laws have a nice boar roaming around by the airport in TRF, maybe you should take a little scouting spin...

[Boar]

Ok I understand ya now jay, sounds like I'd stay put if i were you. Matt, I have one site by Terribone, one just north of oklee, an one east of strandquist, all fortunately are family land. Plus I heve another three dry sites in the same general areas as alternative sites. Thanks for the tip matt. I have family down camp moe road so maybe I'll have to visit slash scout, if I remember, you are origionally from TRF right? I used to work an party with a breuer cant remember his first name, used to live down 8th st. way down by the bridge, any relation? Thanks again for the tip. Later boar

[CANOPY SAM]

Boar. You didn't start bear hunting by chance. You started bear hunting when I took you bear hunting for the first time up by Birchdale. Wish we could still team up. You've learned a lot, and done well at it since then.

Matt. A nice boar around the airport? I live right across the river from the airport! Something actually broke thru one of my electric fences last night, and one of the dogs was acting pretty jumpy. I would've never even considered a bear that close to town, but I may have to go out lookin' for tracks.

We really need to get together for some upland hunting this fall. My son would love the chance to hunt behind those gorgeous dogs.

[jay83196]

Boar, you ever use or heard of cooked meat? Would that work better you think, just throw slabs/piles on the grill and cook it rare so lasted longer?

[Boar]

No cant say that I have. I'm sure theyd gobble it up. Boar

[fowldreams]

Enjoying all the info guys keep it up. Question though, when looking for a potential area what do you guys use for a test bait to feel an area out? And how much do you put out ? I do know I can't set the bait station I intend on hunting near the test location.

Fowldreams

[Matt Breuer]

I bait a test site like I were baiting any other site. If it doesn't get hit, I'm only out a few gallons.

CANOPY, you want to know where there's a huge boar? Remember where you saw me last year, next to my sister's house? That driveway we were parked in front of? That guy has been telling my bro-in-law to spank the bear that's rocking his barrels. It's a sloth.

Boar, your relatives are pretty much right near my in-laws then. Great area, close to town. Bear, fox up the wazoo, ruffed grouse that come out to chat when you walk in the yard, and sharpies up in the berry trees.

As for bear in town, I remember stopping and watching the DNR tranq a bear that was in the tree across from Erl's as a kid....

[CANOPY SAM]

You know, I think we discussed that bear last fall while we talked about grouse hunting. I really appreciate the tip, but I'm not too concerned about putting bear meat in the freezer, or working particularly hard to get one.

My eldest son is pretty excited about taking his first bear this fall, and I've got the green light from two different bee-keeping operations in our area to finish their nuisance bear if necessary. It's not all that sporting, but those animals do need to be dispatched and it eliminates all the bait collecting, baiting, and trouble - which I'm not that fond of anyway.

[Matt Breuer]

I wasn't suggesting you shoot it, just letting you know... The only good bait station out there would be in my sister's grove anyway...

We do need to get together this year for some upland chasing. Thanks for the kind words on the dogs, but most days I'd like to use them for bear bait! Haha! You've still got my number I assume?