Bear Hunting

[Remington]

Well I have put out many test baits so far and am at about 75%. The earliest a bear has hit though, is 9:37 pm. Any suggestions? I had the same problem last year, in fact, the son of a gun would hit 10 minutes after I left the stand. That bear had me down. The baits I have tested this year were food scraps, pastries, bacon grease, and dog food, and they all worked.
Any suggestions on getting them to hit earlier?

[mnwild14]

I thought you could not put out test baits until Aug. 10? Can you use test baits before then? Just nothing consistent or permanent?

[Remington]

You can test bait if you do not establish it, and you do not hunt within 100 yards of the test bait. I have tried various areas, but I stay far enough away from areas I would put a stand.

[Scott]

Does anybody have any ideas on where to be able to pick up bait, and what types of bait to use. I'm pretty new to this so any help would be appreciated.

[mnwild14]

One thing to try if they are coming in 10 minutes after you leave is to bring someone else out with you, and then after you put out the bait and you get in the stand have them walk out. This way they think you have already left and will come in earlier, this does wonders, unless they are smelling you which is a different problem.

[mnwild14]

Scott,
Everybody has there personal preferences, but one thing you can do is stop at a local grocery store and ask them for there meat scraps. You have to get there at the right time though, either someone else may have already picked things up, or they might not be done cutting yet. You can usually get grease from some of the restraunts, they generally have to pay someone to come pick it up so they are usually willing. Some people use dog food. Sweets are very good too, doughnuts, little debbies, everything has to be out of the wrappers though.

[emtbucket]

remington, you may have to take the bait out with you every night after you are done hunting so the bear has no choice but to come in when you are there. the two man approach does work very good, so if you have someone to walk to your stand every night.be sure you make plenty of noise so the bear knows you are there, bang buckets talk to your buddies and make sure to make noise on the way out of the woods also. then the day you start hunting you do the same thing and you may shoot him before the other guy is completely out of the woods. my brother and I used this tactic a couple of years ago and took a nice 250# bear. make sure you bait only once a week if possible so you need to haul out about 150 pounds of bait and that should keep for about 5 days or at least keep him close to your pit. once a bear starts hitting your bait he usually sleeps within 100 yards of your pile. to clarify you take the bait out with you only after the season has started. you can try a honey burn that will bring some stubborn bears in. sounds like you are dealing with a large, very smart bear. good luck, let me know if you get him.

[emtbucket]

remington,forgot to comment on your sent. if the bear is coming in 10 minutes after you leave, your sent is still to strong for him to know if you are still in your tree or not. it takes 2 or 3 hours for your sent to begin to fade enough for sent weary bears to come in to your bait. just sounds like you are going to have to trick him.

[Guest]

Hauling out bait is a great idea if your up to it in the dark and have ATV. Otherwise, I think you will do much more harm then good.
I have done this, but used a small amount of bait and left in pail- then taken with me when I walk out.
The 2 in 1 out really works great. Have taken several bears that were late hitters. Only one problem- You need someone to walk out that is not hunting- Everyone in my group is hunting and doesn't want to be last or late to stand. I know of groups that draw cards to determine who gets this job!
Try this- Determine where bear is coming from- this is pretty easy usually- then lay a bait trail from your original bait site to 50 yards away from where the bear is coming- Bait a little then heavier and heavier until new position. Do this a couple days without being on stand. Then try it. A few years ago, my dad had a bear that would hand out in the woods behind there house until dark to ravage the garbage can. The garbage was next to the house. Dad moved the garbage can to the road- farther in open. the bear then hung around the house in broad daylight, but would wait until dark to go after garbage. I think some bears have a natural instinct to stay away from nonnatural foods until the security of nightfall- other bears have not learned this behavior. Try it!

[Guest]

Scott- with the increase in hunters trying bear hunting, bait is getting harder to find. The larger grocers- Rainbow, cub, ect. Do not give old pastries out any more- state that there is a law against. Others give to local food shelfs.
Outlet bakery stores usually have hog farmers asking for outdated product year round. Find out who these guys are and contact- These usally will help you out.
One problem with pastries- They spoil quickly- 3 or 4 days unless you freeze.
Some suggestions:
1) Apples- pick up dropped/wormed apples from neighbors, ect.
2) Popcorn mixed without cheap powdered drink mix. this is a favorite of guys that hunt large WMA cause of weight.
3) Fish guts- If you live in Northern Mn- these should not be hard to get from resorts- Obviously must use promptly- The scent will bring in bears- even if they don't eat.

[Remington]

Thanks for the tips guys! I may have a picture to post of this bear hitting the bait. I made a make-shift photo taker for the test bait and I think I got him last night. I was also fortunate enough to avoid the skunk cleaning up the leftovers.

[Scott]

Thanks a lot for the tips!

[Remington]

why did the posts stop?
anyhow, I got a picture of a coons rearend! The coon beat the bear to the bait, but the bear got the hanging stuff. does anybody know if you can accurately size a bear by the claw marks in a tree, similar to prints?

[Guest]

Just waiting for the 10th And hoping I will have alot of things to write. Good luck everyone..........

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[kelly-p]

Remington,
I could have used your camera setup the other night. Saturday morning when I went out to my truck I discovered that a bear had come into the yard and then climbed into the back of my truck to eat a bucket of bait I had left there. He also took my bucket when he left but not before licking the bed of the truck box until it shined. It would have been a great picture to see that bear sitting in the back of the Mazda.
Then Sunday morning when I went over to where we store our baiting supplies by our equipment sheds I found out that another bear had tore the door out to get inside and get at the bait.
I am the butt of a few jokes around here but at least we know the bear are hungry.

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Waskish Minnow Station
218-647-8652

[Satchmo]

Hey Kelly
Bet the back of that "Bionic Mazda" has never been so clean!! Did the Bears leave you a tip or any other presents?? HeHeHeHe
SATCHMO

[kelly-p]

Yo SATCHMO,
Yes he did a very good job of cleaning the box and also was nice enough not to leave anything. Does this mean that I have to register my truck as a bait station? :-)
Tomorrow "Gruff" and I are heading out so he can show me some of his old favorite spots. I have pretty much decided that you will be at either the "cedar field" or "the 4 acre". That is unless I start storing my bait at NINETOE's cabin. If I do that you can just sit on his couch while the bears tear his porch apart. What do you suppose he'll do if next time he's up here I've registered his cabin as a bait station.

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Waskish Minnow Station
218-647-8652

[Remington]

I will be hunting with a rifle and plan to be at least 75 yards from the bait. Does anybody have tips on placement? Downwind makes sense and is what I have read, but what if the bear always comes from downwind?
Does anybody know where I could find a used copy of Ken Nordbergs bear hunting book? I am on the waiting list with Amazon and Powells but haven't heard back on availability of it yet,as it is no longer being published.

[Hubcat]

Remington

I went to one of the Bear clinics and the person putting it on said that they are planning on repubishing Ken's book and that it should be real soon, but I don't think it will be before bear hunting opens.

Also he hunts bear with a bow and is no farther than 18 Yards away from his bait.
according to him the bear almost always knows your there but once the accepts your bait he will have accepted your scent with it.
He still suggest that once you are in the stand you should elimanate your body scent as much as possible.

Any body hear how the natural food crop is this year with all this heat

[Satchmo]

Kelly
The stench of Jagermeister ought drive away any bear within 4 or 5 miles of NINETOES place, and your truck never sits in one place long enough to be concidered an established bait station. Unless of course, you leave it at Westwind too long.
Don't let a big hairy one catch you!!!
Soon--SATCHMO

[kelly-p]

SATCHMO,
I was wondering how long a shot you are going to want so I know where to set the bait tomorrow. I've seen how you fish but never seen you shoot a rifle. Would 12-15 yards be too far or should I move it into about the 5-6 yard range?

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Waskish Minnow Station
218-647-8652

[Satchmo]

Kelly-P
I was kind of hoping for a stand directly above the bait so that if I fall the critters will slow my decent. Have no fears Kelly, I can definately shoot a gun. If you want me to hit something specific, thats another story. I'll do my best.

[mnwild14]

Does anyone have any recommendations for fooling the bear if you are hunting alone? What I am looking at is the bears that come in 10 minutes after you leave. I know you can have two people go out to the stand and then have one leave, but what if you do not have some one else to go out there with you? One thought I had, I don't know if it will help at all, is to walk out there making noise as normal, and then try to leave very quitely. Thinking the bear won't be listening for me leaving but listening for me to come in and then for a while and then come into the bait station? Any thoughts on how to fool the bear, I am not sure if this will be a problem yet, but I am guessing it will be!

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"Everything that lives and moves will be food for you. Just as I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything."
Genesis 9:3

[emtbucket]

remington, I have that book . mabye we can work out something. e-mail me at frankmud@hotmail .com. the book was pretty good, but it tells you pretty much the basics. talk more when you send an e-mail. put my bait out fri. am. and somebody already had bait out. must be the new thing to try to beat everybody else by putting out your bait a couple days early, not very happy about it, but what do you do.

[Guest]

Started baiting on friday got hit sometime saturday.I guess its time to set the timer,how is everyone else doing....