how close do u run your baits

[putter]

we have three guys and im not sure how far apart the baits should be

[HNTNBUX]

I try for at least a half mile, by GPS, but a mile is better. Of course that doesn't mean someone else is not set up closer than your next bait. I know this year we are going with fewer baits, 4 for 3 guys, to try and take care of this problem.

[Outfitter17]

We have our baits about 2 miles apart and we always have 2 baits per hunter to make sure we have the guys on active stands.

[89Bronco]

When the baits are 1 or 2 miles apart like you guys have them, are they far enough apart to get different groups of bears to come in, or is it possible that the same bear or group of bears travel that far from bait to bait?

[Outfitter17]

Bears will travel quite a ways, but we normally get multiples of bears at each site. I am sure that some might travel back and fourth, but not all of them. We put out lots of bait attracting lots of bears (usually). If you use a little bait 5gal pail each day, you may only get 1 at each bait or you may have more come in, but then leave because there isn't enough bait to hold multiple ones.

[charliepete2]

Mine are all a few miles apart, but since I hunt public I always have a bait or two that is getting fairly close competition.

[superbee]

A mile apart is plenty, alot of it depends on the terrain in the area you are hunting as well. Certain corridors will have most of the bears in the area travelling it. If you are using enough bait at site, the bears shouldn't wander off to another bait station. I use 55 gallon drums and they hold about 250# of bait and that is sufficient for 3-5 days depending on how many bears are hitting the bait.

[Outfitter17]

Superbee,

How are your baits doing?, we put ours out a couple days ago and about 1/2 off them are being hit right now.

[89Bronco]

Quote:

I use 55 gallon drums and they hold about 250# of bait

That's my problem. I would love to do that, but 1) Can't have barrels in MN, and 2) even if I could use the big drums, I'm on Federal land so no motorized travel. It's going to be a hike just to get to where I plan on baiting. I have about 4 spots picked out. 3 are within about 2 miles of each other and the 4th is in a totally different spot about 10 miles away. This has been an informative thread...thanks guys and good luck to all of you.

[superbee]

All of baits are up and going good. I posted a picture of one of the bears I got on my trail cam.

[superbee]

Use the spots you have picked and once you get a couple going good or get some trail cam photos of a good bear, focus on your 2 best spots and bait them real heavy. The cribbibg will work good, I have used it alot before w/very good success, but the barrels are so much easier. It is fun watching them try to get the bait out, and it presents alot of different shot angles usually. If you need any other help, email me and I 'll do my best to help.

[glenn57]

you canadians are making it hard on our patience cause we have 3 days to wait to start baiting.

[superbee]

Just want you guys to get really pumped is all. I didn't realize you couldn't even start baiting.Sounds like alot of different rules to baiting down there.

[glenn57]

theres a few but not bad. i think the worst is dealing with other people baiting. we have a few in the area i hunt that have no respect. they think they own,its theres regardless. almost made me quit bear hunting 4 years ago.

[Brownie77]

I did not get a permit this year as I am puting all my energy ito trapping adn ADC work, but now I am startign to miss it. where do you hunt Glenn? What area? where we hunt we are all alone, and the nearest hunter we know of is about 10 miles away. We have 5 baits in about a 8 mile circle.

[glenn57]

we hunt by spring lake, 7 miles west of talmoon. jessie lake is about 4-5 miles south of us. bowstring maybe 10 miles south, and we are 10 miles south of wirt.

[Brownie77]

Wow never heard of any of those towns. We are 15-20 miles north of Hibbing.

[machohorn]

I hunted on the river between big fork and Wirt, same thing, I baited for 3 weeks had a sign with my name, went there night b4 opening it was hit hard, opening day I went to freshen up the bait and sit. My sign was tore off sitting in the weeds and brand new sign was posted, 3:00 pm I repost mine, sit 3:11 Bang Bear is down! Packed him up and called it a season.

[glenn57]

yea theres a guide from wirt that doesnt have a real good reputation up there. i know several groups, including us, that have had issues with him. so have the wardens.

[corysluckylucky7]

superbee: thats a shooter~! too bad he doesnt own a watch.

Plenty of bait will keep plenty of bears around. Totally agree if they hit your bait of 5 gallons of 1 item - they eat and move on. If they come across a bait with 5 - 10 different items and LOTS of it - they eat then go setup camp close by.

[superbee]

There is a difference between just feeding bears and baiting them effectively to keep the big boys coming in. It is a constant learning curve with big bears. It pays to keep experimenting a bit each season with teh knowledge that has already been learned.