Bear Guide or Do-It-Yourself ?

[bogwalker]

Before I became involved in Black Bear Research I thought using a guide was not very sportsman like. My opinion has changed 180 degrees on the subject. What is your opinion?

[tealitup]

With gas prices being so high I would venture to say many more are going to a guide.

Bear are still wild and the guide is doing what you would be doing. Finding a bait site thats getting hit.

[harvey lee]

I like to do my own baiting as I enjoy the thrill of going to the bait the next day to see if it was hit.

Now days with the price of gas, it may pay to have a guide do the baiting. Really no rocket science to baiting bear though.

[machohorn]

The best part of bear hunting is checking your baits. There are 4 of us that hunt 2 apply every other year. we all go bait together its just you only have to drive once every 4th week

[Hoytmystic]

Really no rocket science to baiting bear though.

I respectfully disagree Harvey Lee.

Hoytmystic

[bogwalker]

Anyone can bait bear but not everyone can consistently draw multiple mature Black Bear to a bait and fewer still can hold a mature boar on a bait.

[kelly-p]

Really no rocket science to baiting bear though.

Maybe if you are only looking for a bear you can carry out over your shoulder, another story if you're looking for one where you call all your buddies to help drag.

[bogwalker]

kelly-p, How is the bear population over your way?

[Boar]

I had my butt handed to me in a five gallon buckett last year thinking baiting was so simple, trying to out smart a mature black bear at a bait site aint no easy task.

[kelly-p]

The numbers are down from 10 years ago. There was a tremendous amount of hunter pressure for 4 or 5 years in this area that we are still recovering from.

[harvey lee]

The years I bear hunted we took some nice 275 plus bears. Maybe we got lucky I guess or I know more than I thought I did.

We never shot one that a person could throw over their shoulder and carry out. Not one.

I always did my own baitng except for the first year and the guy I paid had done it for many years. I asked alot of questions and that really helped from his wise years of attracting bigger bears.

[superbee]

The nice thing about using a guide is you don't have to worry about much, as long as it is a good and reputable guide. If you have the time and enjoy the baiting and getting the whole experience, self guided is great. Mature boars can be very challenging at times, but that is what makes it exciting is the anticipation.

[Boar]

I think thats the funnest part for me, baiting. I just love the anticipation of walking into the bait site an seeing it torn open. After last year I'm paying real close attention to details an consistency, stand location an concealment is a big issue for me this year, last year my stand stuck out like a sore thumb, bad. entry an exit routes, I'm entering in a dry creek bed instead of coming down a ridge spine, low profile intead of high exposure. Shooting lanes cut to minum site picture. If a guy spreads some bait around the crib into the foliege an grass the bear will naturally pad down the tall stuff an still feel comfortable around the site, giving you better site picture. Lots of other tricks to try, I'm pumped an cant wait, i feel pretty confident but not cocky like last year. Good luck guys be safe. Boar

[bogwalker]

I think thats the funnest part for me, baiting. I just love the anticipation of walking into the bait site an seeing it torn open. After last year I'm paying real close attention to details an consistency, stand location an concealment is a big issue for me this year, last year my stand stuck out like a sore thumb, bad. entry an exit routes, I'm entering in a dry creek bed instead of coming down a ridge spine, low profile intead of high exposure. Shooting lanes cut to minum site picture. If a guy spreads some bait around the crib into the foliege an grass the bear will naturally pad down the tall stuff an still feel comfortable around the site, giving you better site picture. Lots of other tricks to try, I'm pumped an cant wait, i feel pretty confident but not cocky like last year. Good luck guys be safe. Boar

How far do you sit from your bait crib ?

[Bowfin]

For me, bear hunting wouldn't be the same without doing the scouting and baiting. Lots of work but as much fun as shooting the bear and sealing the season long deal. I haven't shot a really nice-sized bear myself yet but others in my group have off of baits which I scouted, set and maintained - I think I enjoyed that just as much.

[harvey lee]

I agree Bowfin, without the scouting and baiting, the fun of bear hunting would really be much less.

[Boar]

I have one stand 30-35 yrds from the crib an about 30 feet up the tree. Another is 25-30 an 12ft or so up, both have good breack up an hide me really well, one has my back facing the west so the sun would be in the bear's eyes, wich is my primary stand. Boar

[bogwalker]

Thanks Boar. Bogwalker

[Boar]

This is private family land in which my crib never has to be reestablished only new logs every few years, the trees are picked out preseason an yardage marked off to bow practice in my back yard the stands are anxiously awaiting the ascent, I do alot of trail maintenence in the river bottom as I refer to it, as we also traditionaly deer hunt the land as well. Boar

[bogwalker]

My stands or blinds are 15 yards from the bait. 2 Years ago I was 10 yards from the bait on the ground without a blind, just sat against a big Ash tree. Shot a 5 year old bear that I weighed on a hanging scale at 280 pounds. Dressed bears are 10 - 15 percent lighter than live weight so it was around 300 pounds live weight.

[Boar]

nice job bog. Good luck this year, Boar

[bogwalker]

Thanks boar, same to you.

[charliepete2]

I do all my own scouting and baiting. To me it's a big part of the hunt. Identifying a good spot and placing a stand that will fool a mature bear takes woodsmanship and hard work. Showing up and shooting a bear that somone else figured out wouldn't give me the sense of accomplishment that I'm looking for when I hunt. Of course maybe that's just what us broke guys tell ourselves as we hump thousands of pounds of bait around in 90 degree weather.

[bogwalker]

I do all my own scouting and baiting. To me it's a big part of the hunt. Identifying a good spot and placing a stand that will fool a mature bear takes woodsmanship and hard work. Showing up and shooting a bear that somone else figured out wouldn't give me the sense of accomplishment that I'm looking for when I hunt. Of course maybe that's just what us broke guys tell ourselves as we hump thousands of pounds of bait around in 90 degree weather.

I thought the same thing before my daughter married a bear hunting guide. There is something to be said for a professional guide. No bait purchasing, collecting, storing, transporting, placing and stocking the crib regularly. Saving gas by not running out to check the sites to bait them at some sites every day (I have one site that takes 30 to 40 gallons each day), let alone finding productive sites away from other hunters and guides. You still have to be proficient with your weapon. Be able to sit motionless for hours on stand. Keep your cool when the bears come in etc. If you shoot a bear nothing beats a pro to track, recover, dress out, drag out, and cool down your bear and transport it to a processor. Not everyone is physically able to do these things on their own. I still do my own baiting etc. too but a good guide can give you a great hunt as well.

[harvey lee]

I would agree that a guide would be the easiest and maybe the best for a bear hunter. I just like to do it myself as it is more of a complete hunt. Finding a cooler for the meat and skinning and so forth can be alot of work but it can be done if a hunter would like to do it.

Will it cost me more money and be a larger job, sure will but for me, its worth the extra .