Advice on baiting

[Lunker]

Well, I got drawn this year for zone 26, not bad for the first time applying! Since I've never hunted bear, I had some baiting questions. First of all, when can we start baiting. Second, how much bait should be used if I am gone for a week or 2 so that it will last a while. I was thinking of setting up a 50 gallon drum and filling it with bait, how long would this last? Any other tidbits of advice that I can use on bear baiting or hunting? I hope you all got drawn, ad good luck!

[Redlantern]

I've found that once I get a bear to start coming in, switch to filling the bait pit in the morning. That seems to help keep them active in daylight. I haven't been to a DNR clinic but think next time I hunt I will attend one. Sure couldn't hurt. I found a book by Dr. Ken Nordberg called something like Do it yourself bairbaiting, to be very helpful. He suggests using logs of certain lengths to help estimate the size of bears. Last year I thought I had a big bear coming in to my pit eating it all up and moving some stout logs around. Turned out to be three cubs or yearlings working together. Fun to watch.

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Erik

[Lunker]

thanks guys, its good to get advice from other hunters being a new recruit of this kind of hunting. I have been interested in this for a few years but this is my first move towards it. I did not know 50 gals were illegal, and i was wondering about the varmit problem as well. I will try the logs i think. Also, about bait, i work at a grocery store, and was thinking that all the fruit, vegetable, and meat garbage that goes out could be used for bait, sound good? Thanks again!

[kelly-p]

Augest 15th is when you can start baiting.
One thing is that using a drum or barrel is illegal unless you remove it when you are not hunting. As I understand it you can only leave bio-degradable things when the bait is not attended. I cover my baits with large straight logs that only a bear can move. Also by how the logs are moved you can tell a little bit of how big a bear is hitting the bait. I try to use straight logs so that they fit tightly together and keep the "varments" out of the bait. When big piles of bait are put out that everything can eat from we end up sending all the coon, skunk, fox, fisher, martin, etc., etc, into the winter well fed. Then we scratch our heads and wonder where have all the grouse and ducks gone to???
Also it seems to me that when a large pile of bait is left the bears soon become nocturnal feeders as they know that bait will be there whenever they get there. If a smaller amount of bait is put out only the first bear to the bait gets to eat so they start to compete for the bait and show up earlier as "the first bear gets fed",,,, and hopefully the biggest bear.
Good Luck!!

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Waskish Minnow Station
218-647-8652

[Ben Nicholson]

Lunker,

If at all possible attend on of the bear clinics the dnr has. The clinic dates are listed on the dnr's site. Last year was my first year hunting, I attended the clinic in Bemidji. They provided tons of info. I got a bear so I'm happy with the results.

Also there is a book by Ken Nordberg that I found to be very helpful.

Where in area 26 are you hunting?

Good Luck,
Ben

[kelly-p]

It sounds like you'll have your choice of a lot of good bait and best of all a lot of different stuff. 2 years ago one of my hunters brought up the leftovers from a salad bar, the bears loved it. If you use meat the bones have to be removed.

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Waskish Minnow Station
218-647-8652

[Ben Nicholson]

My best advise on bait... stay away from fish guts!! Just thinking about brings back the smell of one of our baits where we tried fish guts.

Stick with fruits and pastries. I also used dog food with molases, and popcorn with sugar.

[Redlantern]

Watermelon smashed into pieces works well, as does sweet corn. I tried field corn but didn't have as much luck. They were still on the cob. Fun to watch the bears peel back the husks and nibble on the ears (of the corn). I've also used molasses that I got from feed mills and oats from feed mills. I've used meat in the past but I don't think it's as productive as fruits, veggies, grains and sweets. Plus, the meat really starts to stink and the maggots crawling around in the mess sounds like rain. Too nasty.

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Erik

[Lunker]

Yea, I have bad memories of fish guts as well, we had a bear try to climb into our cabin one night while we slept to get at our garbage. Another time we had a bear rip the lock off our garage for the same reason.

Ok, here's what i've got so far, I also talked to my boss who hunts. I am going to take buckets of old fruit, vegies, and meat trimmings from work. i will also take a bucket of grease/lard from the huge bin of it out by the dumpster from the deli cooking(I mean, there are proabably 75 gallons of that stuff)

i will then proceed to dig a 4by4by4 hole, put bait covered in grease in the hole, and put reasonably sized logs over it. i will then spread the dirt from the hole around the bait loosely to show prints.Oh yea, and i bait in the morning after I get bears attracted.

So if i cannot bait every few days since i live so far away, what do you suggest I do? Bait a large amount when I leave, or only bait in small amounts while I'm there and not bait while I'm gone?

Thanks everybody

[Sand Burr]

Lunker,
Sounds like your on the right path I will make a list of the things I have learned about bear hunting.

History:
I did'nt know squat about bear hunting and moved to an area that had bears so I decided that I was going to be a bear hunter.

Things I have learned:
1. Use multiple baits.

2. Keep your baits 1/2 to 1 mile apart the way the crow flies

3. In most cases when you pick a bait site if you can see more that 40 yards in each direction your not deep anuff. There black and like to stay cool.

4. Use something that smell very strong to open your bait up with to attract them then switch to something very sweet or fill once you have them there.

5. Try to have multiple things you can switch with in your bait.

6. Put a base down under your bait like apples or corn. It keeps your bait off the ground when it rains.

7. Lots of people say to let the maggots flow? True but If you use bread or dog food and it rains and gets all soggy scoop it out to the side and fill it up with fresh stuff.

8. If you have other hunting pressure in the area rule of thumb is "The man with the best bait wins!"

9. Once you have your bait done take a spray bottle fill it with light corn oil and liquid smoke. Shake Shake some more! Does not mix very well. Walk in every direction from your bait site like a spoke wheel a min. of 75yards spraying this stuff up in the trees. Try to do this every time you bait in the begining. After a bear hits it just spray it around the site. This will give you a better chance of attracting a bear to your site. When you start hunting the site bring the same sprayer with you and squirt it every 20 steps or so when walking to your stand. It is a great cover scent.

10. The bugs will eat you alive and you will need a bug suit! Even the cheap ones help.

11. You will be sick of baiting before you even start hunting. Don't loose hope!

12. Remember your not deer hunting you don't need to see the whole field.

13. They are nick-named the "Black Ghost" you will know why when you blink and a bear is on top of your bait site.

14. Go to the DNR class!!!!!!! No excuses!!
You will learn more there than any guy in a bar/internet can tell you for alot less money.

15. Remember the success rate in MN is only like 35% so if you are hunting with a buddy and you go 1 for 2 thats 50% and your ahead of the game.

16.When your first bear comes in it will look like a freight train and when you shoot it it will look like Bambi. Use the log method to tell how big it is before you pull the trigger.

17. Be prepared for the work that follows squeezing the trigger. (getting it out, cooling it down, processing, ect....)

I am sure things can be added this is all I remember at this time.

Moral of the lesson:

It is alot cheaper to hire Kelly Petrowski in Upper Red Lake that to do it than myself!

[Lunker]

Thanks a lot! Any one know of anyone who processes bear in the metro or grand rapids? Or is it better to do it yourself? Not that Not to get my hopes up, but I need to be prepared!

[Ben Nicholson]

I processed mine myself, but there is one in Deer River. I can't remember the name, but it starts with an O. I'll see if I can look it up for you.

Ben

[Lunker]

Well, almost all my questions have been answered so far, thanks. I also am planning to go to a dnr clinic this summer as well. Only question I still have it when I leave for an extended period of time and can't bait, it it better to leave a lot of food at that time, or not?

[icehousebob]

When I baited,I had a 4and1/2hour drive up, so I only got to bait once a week. To bulk up the bait pit, I put in 10 or 15 gallons of oats that I soaked in warm water and let sprout. Then I soaked it all in molassas and let it ferment. On top of that, I put veggies and melons. Topped with jelly donuts[it helps to have a son at a grocery store.] I poured grease from deepfrying turkeys over the logs that covered the pit, and smeared honey on a nearby tree, where the wind could carry the smell. When I came back to rebait one pit, it was licked clean, with only a green pepper left right in the center. I think the bears were telling me not to leave any more peppers. My stand was in dense cover,seven yards away from the pit. The hard part of the actual hunt is not wetting your pants when a bear magically appears seven yards away. Good luck.

[protrapper]

All relly good answers here. One thing I would recommened is using beaver for bait if you can get your paws on it. It is the most attractive meat for all wild animals. The smell of the beaver oils and castors is what is in most major wildlife trapping or hunting lures. Womens perfume too. And now you would ahve the whole beaver. Some can be up to 50 to 60 pounds also. Hell of alot of bait, if you get a bunch of beaver. I trap around a 100 or more a year, except this year it was fewer with the low prices.

I and most trappers will sell carcass fresh fozen carcass's for 25 or so cents a pound. Mine are all sold, but there are guys who advertise in outdoor or local papers. I also wont use fishguts unless I have too, god that smell could gag a dead man. I like to hand coffe cans with small holes in them that drips blood.

I cant believe the amount of animals that I have seen at bait sites, unreal, wolves, fox, coyotes, fisher, marten, weasels, and bears. For the ultimate test use a Bow once.

[Redlantern]

Protrapper, do you have any beavertails? I like to give them as snacks to my dogs. Just freeze them and chop them into pieces. Helps keep them cool. Where are you at in Grand Marais? I have a little cabin near Esther Lake near Hovland. I'd like to buy some tails from you if possible. E-mail me when you get a chance. [email protected]

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Erik