what to do....

[jay83196]

Well my Dilema is this, I have a lot of grease, burnt honey, molasses, liquid smoke and some anise, bacon and vanilla. My question is to some of you guys with a lot of experience how would you use this stuff. Would you use them all or do some work better than others? Last year I separately sprayed smoke, vanilla, and anise along with some jello mix in the trees. I poured honey grease and molases on the bait and ground around bait site logs. And fried bacon and dumped it on my bait Thoughts ?

Thanks for any suggestions....

[bogwalker]

First of all if you use scents that every other hunter uses why should the bear choose your bait over all the baits out there? I stay away from the stuff most others use. If you have multiple sites you can try different scents to see what works best for you. Remember that you are in a contest to see who can draw bears to their bait. Like a cooking contest you have to stand out. Keep them coming back for more.

[jay83196]

I guess I'm not sure what others are using and I know the stuff I have is popular because it works...I was planning on ordering some other scent online also.

[bogwalker]

I guess I'm not sure what others are using and I know the stuff I have is popular because it works...I was planning on ordering some other scent online also. [/quote

How did last season work out for you?

[bogwalker]

According to statistics the most popular stuff probably is not the best choice. The Minnesota D.N.R. records show that hunter success rates for Black Bear run between 25% and 33%. According to these statistics what most people are doing does not work (up to 75% of them). Also the average weight Black Bear taken in Minnesota is less than 150 pounds. Young inexperienced bears.

[jay83196]

Last year baiting went well, some stations hit daily others only few times, and I was doing same things at all stations. I had family emergency so missed out on hunting so no bear. I was just wondering if anybody had suggestions because I couldn't tell what did or didn't work because some stations did some didn't and I couldn't find a reason why. Thanks

[Boar]

You have good stuff Jay an so dose every other guy in the woods an probabley alot of the same stuff, I dont use anise never had any luck with it, I dont use vanilla, never had. I use bacon from time to time but under certain conditions. Have used burnt huney with success, sometimes use molassas with good results, an I use alot of grease. I think bog has a good point with the what sets your bait apart from others theory, finding something that others dont have is hard, try not to syke yourself out by overthinking this, I did this alot when first going at it an made mistakes that cost me bear. This is a big learning curve an it resets itself every year. I'm still learning. I guesse I'd save the bacon for a burn, use the molassas over the bait an maybe make two piles an pour the burnt honey over the other an see if there is a preference. Maybe save some burnt honey for a burn. Spray your Vanilla on one side of the bait on foliage an anise on the other side. Throw out some candy if ya have some. Good luck Boar

[CANOPY SAM]

Jay. You've got all the right stuff, and then some, and having success with it last year shows you're already on the right track. A lot of your success will depend on being on the right station, at the right time, and not getting busted.

As for beating out all the other bait stations that's kind of a roll of the dice. Bears, even seasoned mature bears, will visit several bait stations in a night if they're around. Good ones, and bad ones. It's a free smorgasbord at every corner.

The trick is to get em' on your station when you're in stand and well hidden. It's often a baiting / timing thing, and it can be a real tight-rope walk. Mature bears, just like mature deer, have learned to forage after dark in areas where they are pressured by human activity during daylight hours. Getting them out in the light can be tricky.

I don't think overall hunter success % in MN has as much to do with quality bait presentation as it does when equating the total package -including how much time and effort the average hunter puts into scouting, site selection, stand selection, and lastly bait presentation. Although, great bait will give you a definitive edge in really high traffic areas.

Average bear harvest size is parallel to the issue of spike and forkhorn deer, with few mature animals harvested.

Focus more effort on 1)remote site selection in an area where good numbers of bear are known to live, 2)excellent visual, and scent concealment, 3)multiple clear shooting lanes, and finally 4)clean, fresh bait presentation, and you'll be eating bear jerky while ice-fishing this winter

[jay83196]

Thanks, I guess I was just looking at some opinions on what to use or not use I have a lot of different scents to try and if I could narrow it down to what typically works better I'd use those instead of wasting time spraying stuff that doesn't work as well. I know each bear is different just want to maximize my odds, and I did have success with it last year but some stations were not hit much using this stuff, could be from pressure or could be they didn't like something I used?

[bogwalker]

Some of what you are saying could be accurate for immature bears or for deer, but certainly not for mature bears. Mature males will claim a bait site as their own denying access to most or all other bears until the food supply is completely gone. If all bait food supplies are considered equal, there is no reason to guard one. Comparing deer to bear percentages is not right. Bears are shot over bait deer are not.

[CANOPY SAM]

Bog,

With all due respect, my point is that DNR bear harvest statistics, just like DNR deer harvest statistics, show that the majority of hunters shoot the first bear they see, as is often the case with deer hunting when hunters take the first horns they see.

I believe the statistics show a very accurate correlation. It's a clear explanation for why true trophy bear, and deer are often difficult to come by. Most of the young ones don't live long.

All bait sites are surely not the same. That is not what I said. But it's a fact that most nocturnal bears will often hit several sites in a night, traveling many miles between sites.

I've had mature bear on a site for a few days, then they'll dissappear for a time, only to return a few days later. This happens frequently in your neck of the woods where there are bait sites scattered everywhere prior to, and during the season.

I've set up in very remote locations south of Grand Rapids only to find numerous stations within a short distance, and literally hundreds within a few miles. I also know for a fact that bears hitting my stations were also moving thru other hunters sites on the same night.

Just my experience though. I'm by no means an expert.

[bogwalker]

I have seen a good bait hold a huge bear for 10 days. If you use the right set-up and bait, you can hold a big bear. But you have to really know what you are doing and pay close attention to details. Normally mature boars travel a route that brings them back around every 3-5 days.This often has little or nothing to do with food. If you watch tracks at your bait you will see that not all baits are visited by big males. Even if you find tracks from a big male you may not find them stopping at the crib. There are many hunter errors that chase big bears off even when they are using the right combination of scent and bait. Hunting and taking a big boar is very different than just bear hunting.

[jay83196]

Like what? What are a couple of examples, mistakes or key things to do or not do?

[bogwalker]

Like what? What are a couple of examples, mistakes or key things to do or not do?

Leaving your stand before it is completely dark out.

Crossing your bait site, walking through/beyond the site.

Black bears know you are there. I don't care how sneaky you are, you must remain motionless. One movement at the wrong time will turn big boars away, probably for good. Smaller bears may still come in.

There was a hunter a few years ago who fell from his tree stand while bear hunting. Very seriously injured he laid there for several days. The bears continued to come and go with the man in plain view on the ground. Believe me bears know you are there.

Many, many more......

[jay83196]

I'd love any suggestions on my baiting..

Basically I drive my wheeler about 75 yds from my station (Cant drive to it) I try to be close to same time each day 1-3 pm. I carry a few buckets of bait along with my spray bottles and little cooker to do honey and bacon burns while I'm rebaiting. I try to be scent free I wear rubber gloves and boots and I make the same noise while out there (bang buckets) look around for a couple minutes for tracks or scat then check my camera and then replace bait, tossing away any nasty bait. I then spray some scent around 10 ft of site and maybe up to 10 ' up on leaves. I put logs back I pour grease around logs and toss a little bait on top along with my bacon or honey I was cooking and then I leave same way I came, the whole process is about 15 minutes. When I hunt I do same thing maybe an hour earlier, I just don't leave I sit in my stand and I try to be super scent free then. All my hunting gear clean (washed with scent free soap) and it sits out for week outside to air out and packed in plastic bag. I've heard guys leaving stinky shirt at site while baiting to get bears used to human scents....not sure if that's good or bad, never done it?

Any critism would appreciated...

[Boar]

Jay, one thing ya need to do is commit till the you get a bear or the season is done, alot of hunters give up after two to three weeks after opener, many overlaping seasons come into play that discourage hunters or the funding runs, one thing that will be in your favor is to be the last doughnut shop open for bussiness. Bog has a very good point with holding a bear on the pile, it aint easy. My largest bear was the big boss on campus an he showed with a week an a half to go, that was nerve wraking cause he hit once an did'nt come back for two days, but when he did he took hundred pound logs an tossed them around like splinters telling the subordanant bears that this was his game an he stayed till opening an i droped him. I kept to the same routine no changes, no looking for tracks, same same same thing. The one thing in the pile that that I feel really set it aprt was some gooey burnt honey, not the watery extracted stuff but gooey chewy burnt honey that was the icing on the cake, I was using old pizza an bread but the honey was gold. Dont worry about stats, I'll take a 200 lbr any day of the week, a huge boar is great, so is a big buck, so is a ten lb walley but we all know they dont come easy or every one would have one on the wall. take what your learning an apply it, an go out an enjoy this awsome sport to the fullest an shoot a bear. Good luck boar

[cherokee]

Gone for a week and missed a lot. I think it's what you offer the bear after drawing them in with the scents you have that will keep your bear coming back for more. I'd say focus on that.

[Boar]

I myself wouldnt bring things in to burn with cookers every time you bait, just me. I burn only when opening a site an I save my burns to lure in night feeders during daylight. Dont walk around if possible but try an locate where hes coming from. I leave work smelling tough an bait like that, bear associate my scent with the bait an get comfortable with it an when i hunt I hunt scent free as possible, big boars might not tolerate me baiting dirty but i'm after freezer bear. Boar

[bogwalker]

Jay, Some suggestions:

Do not go scent free to bait. Spray some bug juice on your clothing.

Keep on disgarding old bait but not near your bait site. Haul it out of there.

Do not walk around the site more than you have to. Stay away from the perimeter. Walk to your stand each time you leave after baiting.

When you are going to hunt, carry your clanging bait buckets out to your wheeler then slip back to your stand.

Go scent free when you go to hunt but put on a shot of bug juice.

[cherokee]

Good suggestions.

[jay83196]

All great ideas, thanks ! I don't wear bug spray but I won't go scent free when baiting. Do you guys suggest leaving shirt at site ?

[bogwalker]

All great ideas, thanks ! I don't wear bug spray but I won't go scent free when baiting. Do you guys suggest leaving shirt at site ?

I don't think it helps. I think we smell as strong to bears as skunks do to us. Your scent will be there.

[pulleye16]

All great ideas, thanks ! I don't wear bug spray but I won't go scent free when baiting. Do you guys suggest leaving shirt at site ?

I left a hat out one year and had good resluts. I've also sprayed bug spray in the tree I'd be using and I had bear come in on that as well. I think what others have said that your sent is going to be out there, just need to make yourself invisible while sitting out there. Stand location is big for us. Are you using a gun or bow, shotgun or rifle? Put yourself away from the trail you walk in on and away from the bears trail...on the outer limits of your shooting range. Bear love to circle the area. My best hunt to date was watching a bear come in and took over a hour. I'd never had seen this but I caught an ear some 75 yards out, Saw him slip way then heard him again. He actually made a loop and a half. He would stare at the site but I thought he kept glancing at my entrance trail as well. This also told me he may not have been the dominate bear on this site but was plenty big for me.

[cherokee]

Saturday I watched a video of the bear my buddy had in his pit last year and it appeared to be a nice boar. It knew he was in the tree as you could see his eyes when he looked up at the camera. Did not care he was there but gave him a look now and than. This bear went to where he put out some scent and than went to the camera that he checked right before getting into the stand. He was in the pit for about 15 minutes but never moved the logs. It did eat a couple of donuts hanging on a limb just to the left of the main bait station. He decided not to shoot it as he has taken several bear and wanted one a bit bigger.