willing, ready, and able but.....

[hookset]

My bears have left me, no hits for 2 days. I feel like screaming, its like Santa Claus has forgotten about my house. Or the wife left me at the alter. And it is not even me hunting, which makes it worse, its my daughter.

Please tell me it is just acorns dropping and they will come back.

[Archerysniper]

Oh the acorns are dropping heavy around here, don't know about your area but the ground is covered here.

[Matt Breuer]

I am noticing zero acorns around here. Just the rain messing things up here... 2 days of all baits getting annihilated on Sunday and Monday, then last night the rain had the bears very hunkered down it seemed! Very little activity, and what activity there was ended up being short-lived....

[jay83196]

This heat and humidity sucks too...tom even worse and maybe rain too....

[Boar]

I hea ya hookset, just keep the faith, ya aint doing nothing wrong, just bears being bears, they'll be back. cooler temps on the way. Acorns are different from regieon to regeon, so hard to say,, they could just be full an just waitng around, Cooler temps will trigger them to put the feed bag on. Patience of Jobe. Good luck, hope jenny hits a good one. boar

[HunterLee]

My two baits are about 2 miles apart, my one was getting hammered until two days ago, and now today, this morning I had the small one back, but my other bait that had been very hit and miss is going on a two day streak, got a cam hung and hoping for a daylight bear.

Saw some acorns on the ground but they were very green still and not lots, hoping with the front and stuff tomorrow night might be a good night. Otherwise next sit will be tuesday after 4 days of north dakota deer hunting.

[Chuby Minnow]

Just like every year, for the past 15 years I have been doing this, every bait site we have shut down on Tuesday. My expierience has been just before hunting within anywhere from 1 to 4 days prior to opener, more than 50% of the baits shut down. This has always puzzled me and I have several theories with no scientific or conclusion on why.

With that said, dont worry about it and still hunt. I have shot many bears on our baits over the years with the bait not being hit for several days. Usually, it may take me a few days to get him but everntually, they will show themselves again.

[hookset]

Just like every year, for the past 15 years I have been doing this, every bait site we have shut down on Tuesday. My expierience has been just before hunting within anywhere from 1 to 4 days prior to opener, more than 50% of the baits shut down. This has always puzzled me and I have several theories with no scientific or conclusion on why.

With that said, dont worry about it and still hunt. I have shot many bears on our baits over the years with the bait not being hit for several days. Usually, it may take me a few days to get him but everntually, they will show themselves again.

wow, thanks. You should be a inspirational speaker, you got my blood pumping again. I leave work at 3, pick-up my Daughter and hit the woods. cant wait.

thanks,

[jerkbait]

I feel your pain Hookset. None of my baits are getting hit now either.

[TRZ II]

My 2 sites have been dead for over a week. I'm not even going to hunt. Man am I disappointed. I'm officially retired from bear hunting(baiting). Too much work for not even being able to hunt this year. I have some carmel extreme for sale!

[sportsman500efi7]

olden days,

Where abouts are you hunting?

[jerkbait]

I am hunting. For a new spot to put a new bait. Going to try some new area.

[JeffB]

This might not be the case for you, but I think some people over bait early and just put the new bait on top of the old. Eventually you get mold and maggots that can turn bears off. Try filling in the hole and cleaning the area up and move 1/4 mile or less. I have had good luck in the past starting fresh and bringing back bears that had given up on my bait piles. Some say the rotten stuff doesn't bother the bears, but this hasn't been my experience. Also you may want to introduce something new to the pile. You may not return to the same restaraunt to soon if you left with a big belly ache, and some of the things we put on the bait piles may be tasty, but also my be a shock to their system.

[Matt Breuer]

Good point, Jeff. Anyone else notice all the diarrhea around your station? Bears love candy and sweets, but their bowels don't at times. Ha!

[TRZ II]

I hunt area 51. 2 yrs ago I hunted for the first time and had plenty of action but did not get a bear to come in while I was hunting. This year i was hit hard the first 3 days and nothing since. I have cleaned out the sites and rebaited 3 times, hung sacks with carmel extreme and nothing! I'm through. If some one has a site with a bear they want shot in area 51 let me know!

[sportsman500efi7]

oldendays,

the only reason i was asking is because i thought earlier in the year you said you hunted in Kettle River. If that was the case i was just curious where abouts in Kettle river. I know of 3 other bear pits just outside of town, just curious if you guys are competing over the same couple of bears.

[leech~~]

This heat and humidity sucks too...tom even worse and maybe rain too....

That's what I'm thinking also. Once it cools down they may get their MOJO back?

[TRZ II]

I'm actually near Automba. I know guys in the area bait but I don't think any are too close it is a pretty desolate area!

[jerkbait]

I am just having trouble getting the bears in. Not a lot of bears in my area, but no other hunters either. Last year had good luck getting the baits hit. Maybe I am just early. Last year the 1st one did not get hit until this coming weekend and the other did not get hit until sept. 14. I am going to close 1 of the 3 and move further south into Beltrami, see what happens there.

[Boar]

dont throw in the towle OD, com on bud, It is hard to sit there an watch baits get hammered an then they dissapear right before hunting. but they know it there an theyll be back, just gota be open for bussiness. Boar Jb get slugging away, I bet u gota lot a acorns up their huh? keep the bag fresh an an the bait ready to, every year is different an it pulls an the frustration strings, if it were easy everyone will do it. Boar

[hookset]

boy, did i sweat my A$$ off last night. hoping for cooler weather.

[Boar]

Aint that the truth, cool temps on the way.

[TRZ II]

Thanks for the encouragement Boar, I baited again this weekend and maybe i can get them to come back. I'll get over this disappearing act and maybe your can get over them pesky deer hunters and we can both have some luck! There is alot of food in my woods right now and my bait is in an area of many large oaks.

[DRH1175]

My problem is my baits have been hot the last two weeks. It was a week since I last baited. My barrel was licked clean. I rebated. And now nothing the last couple nights. Like the bears disappeared. Hopefully the will come again while I am up hunting

[nubbin]

Had 6-8 differant bear hitting the baits 6-10 days in a row and then the big guy shows up and now he is the only bear comming in and that is well after sunset. The berries are now almost gone but the acorns are falling with a vengence. hopefully they will be gone soon.