Bear Bait Suggestions Please?

[Suka]

Going on a spring black bear hunt. Any suggestions on bait? I've been told that "bear bait in a can" is no longer available in Canada. Have also been told beaver works best. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[hootie]

My guide on a recent hunt used dog food, table scraps, licorice powder and stale baked goods. By the time the guide got done it looked good enough to eat. The bears loved it!!

[turner1978]

I have a couple of cousins that hunt bears here in Idaho with there bows. They use junk food like twinkies, cupcakes and such with much success.

[hunter1992]

I have heard of people use dogfood with oil or popcorn. I don't know much about baiting, can't bait for anything in Washington:(

[turner1978]

I saw on a hunting movie that these guys were mixing up wheat, sugar, and cooking oil and using this to bait their bears.

[Suka]

Thanks a bunch for the suggestions guys, it's much appreciated. Never actually hunted bear before, so it's all new to me. Used to buy a $6.00 bear tag when we hunted in the hills, just in case, only time I actually saw a bear in close range was at dawn and I was....you guessed it, taking a dump. I've been joking maybe we should just all eat mexican the night before, HA!
On a side note, my son got a nice 3 pt whitetail this morning about 8:30, got his first buck, a 3 pt mulie on opening weekend. Life is good.
thanks again.

[Mark]

Whatever you decide on, make sure you check your state regulations. These rules can get very specific about what is legal or not. No sense ruining a hunt with a fine!
Mark

[watch4bear]

Are you hunting in Canada or US?

[Suka]

Alberta, I live in the SE corner, about 60 mi N of Montana. Not sure where we're hunting yet, trying to find a zone we can hunt bear in next spring, (get to know the area) then return in Oct. for moose/elk. The zones we used to hunt elk in (20+ yrs ago) now have paved roads and campgrounds, complete with busloads of tourists, so the search is on for new zones, mostly for my son. Nearly everythings on a draw system up here now, lot's of the good zones for the large ungulates take up to 7 yrs of applying to get drawn. More for sheep, and forget about goat. There's good hunting up here, but also probably a larger percentage of the poplulation hunts than in most states.
You can see things changing though, in my son's class there's only maybe 4 or 5 kids that hunt out of a class of maybe 40; when I was his age, every 14 yr old boy went to school with a pheasant feather in his cap in mid Sept., and the school just assumed the classes would be pretty empty on opening day. At least both his principal, and vice principal hunt, so when he takes a note to school saying he'll be gone for "a couple days hunting", they're understanding, even envious.

[watch4bear]

Hang a gunny sack of meat or fish parts from a tree limb near your bait, the smellier the better.Don't put them on your bait pile, maggots make a mess, it is for scent.
Bear need water put your bait within a mile of some kind of water, but of course not too close.Donuts,blocks of candy would be ideal,4 way grain with mollases, dog food with bacon greese poured on it. Don't let your bait dry up, if your bear runs out of food he'll leave. Feed him at least every other day.Cover your bait pile with branches brush ect,make him work for it.A little bit of oak brush on your pile and you'll be able to catch some hair,thus telling his color. Scrape up some loose soil at your bait , smooth it out, the next time you go to your bait you'll be able to see a track,now you know how big he is.Look at the toes, long toes female,round toes male.Width of front pad plus 1 inch is approximate length of bear.
The most common mistake guys make is to sit on a bait as soon as its hit.When a bear comes into a bait he will circle it smelling all the time.He winds you once and you've got a nocturnal bear.When your bear takes a dump at the bait hes ready to kill.He is relaxed.He is coming right into the bait with little or no concern,no circling.Always clean up your bait site.Good Hunting

[Suka]

Wow, Thank you Very Much.

[BULLSEYE]

I like the gunny sack idea but i would take an ond 5 gallon bucket and put some fish parts in there then add hunny and nuts with some penut butter then mix it all together and put it in the gunny sack abd hang it in the tree works every time.

Good luck.

[HOGWILD]

i would think a sack of apples would pump them up fast, hang in sack just outta reach and spread some on ground under sack? never hunted bear but it makes me hungry!!

[daddywpb]

Maybe someone can explain this to me. I have never understood the concept of putting out a barrel of bait and shooting the bear when it comes to eat. Not only will you know where the bear will be, but I would guess you will know about what time it will be there. Sounds the same as shooting hogs and deer around timed wildlife feeders. Got news for ya - that's not hunting! It is, at best, shooting. I have never understood why it's legal or why anyone would want to do it that way. After the bear is on the ground, what have you accomplished. It's kind of like my son playing tee ball. There's not much question whether or not he's going to hit the ball, the only question is when.

[HAIKU_RODNEY]

I have never hunted bear. I have friends who did. They told me that they used to use a "honey pot". Put a can of honey over a sterno stove and let it cook away.

[hunta124]

bear are scavengers so theye will eat pretty much anything just put out anything thats left over from supper or whatevers lying around and you should bag a bear.

[jcat]

daddywpd

You are right they do come in and you do shoot them at the barrel. I just must be kinda stupid it I cant kill something so easy. See I have been bear hunting on 4 different trips including one in Canada. What I found was that it is a game of cat and mouse. On all of the trips I never hunted a bait pile that was not being hit---and even during the day. As soon as I started hunting they must have caught me while doing there circles. All the bears became nocturnal and I did not have success "EVER"

It is not the shooting of the animal at the bait that is hard. It is the outwitting the bear and getting to come in during daylight without him detecting you when circling.

ONE POINT I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE IS: We as hunters really need to understand the different practices used out there even though we may not be interested in that type of pursuit.
"If you use a gun and not a bow and arrow"--is it really hunting? I mean come on, "shooting a deer at 300 yds instead of bringing him in close."

"If you use a compound bow and not a stick bow is it really hunting?
"If you hunt out of a tree and not walk and stalk is it really hunting?

These and many other examples are very unwise!!!! The anti-hunting groups love it when we as outdoorsman go against eachother cuz we think what we do is really the only way. Trust me they are getting bigger and bigger everyday and we need to stick together. So I will reserve the right to say this is totally ignorant because "DADDYWPD" I think you are on our side..

[Range]

A product called 10 dead horses is the best bait I have used and its RANK, any Grizz where your going?

[Range]

If you ask me about baiting bears I believe its a humane way of harvesting the bear you want. In Montana we cant bait or use dogs so lots of small bears or mom with cubs get shot because hunters dont see the cubs. baiting allows a hunter to choose the best animal to harvest. Lets me honest as hunters we are also keeping the population in check its a good thing and if hunting bear over bait keep the young bears from getting shot prematurely then I am for it. Hunting is not just stalking and harvesting an animal especially if you shoot a cub becuase he looks big until you see him close up. We have to many predators in Montana and they really need to be kept in balance bait would help. Hunting is the enjoyment you get out of spending quality time with friends or by yourself harvesting the game of your choice using any legal means possible.

[Bogwalker]

Daddywpb, In Minnesota we have a lottery system for bear licenses. If you are drawn every 2-3 years you are lucky. Every year the hunter success rate is close to 30 percent. The only way you will see a bear is by using bait. Every hunter baits but annually only 3 out of 10 hunters get a bear. Bears are nocturnal animals for the most part. I am an avid bear hunter and out of the last 4 years I hunted, I shot 1 bear. Bear hunting over bait is highly criticized by anti-hunters. Don't listen to the anti-gun, anti-hunting minority, they simply do not know what they are talking about.

[BEARBOB]

JCAT have my vote, its not always easy and is often like a game of cat and mouse or like a good chess game.

Some of the best beat hunting trips I can remember were not when the bear came right in (which does happen) but were the ones that I spent days trying every trick in the book I could think of trying to get the bear to stop being nocturnal and come in during the day. And some times you do not win.

As for bait my first choice is beef scraps, (has been for years).

[henpecked]

Maybe someone can explain this to me. I have never understood the concept of putting out a barrel of bait and shooting the bear when it comes to eat. Not only will you know where the bear will be, but I would guess you will know about what time it will be there. Sounds the same as shooting hogs and deer around timed wildlife feeders. Got news for ya - that's not hunting! It is, at best, shooting. I have never understood why it's legal or why anyone would want to do it that way. After the bear is on the ground, what have you accomplished. It's kind of like my son playing tee ball. There's not much question whether or not he's going to hit the ball, the only question is when.

Its better than shooting at a black blur running thru the woods then finding out you shot a sow with cubs.
Its not like shooting cattle in a pen, they are highly intelligent creatures its no wonder that they are seldom seen in the wild. Last year was my second bear hunt and after 7 days I was lucky enough to
shoot one.


Steve

[aussie21]

A mountain of junk food ( twinkies, ding dongs, doughnuts, anything sweet.) Or a honey burn. Both together is best however. Never heard of any problems with that set up.

[On-The-Fly]

Please forgive me if this is a silly question but I'm new to the whole topic ---> Do people eat bear meat? just wondering becuase I've never heard about it before. I've seen Elk jerky etc. but not bear. Thanks for any insight.

[Tracker 88]

You can use most any type of food scraps or use cooking oil from a resturant works well but I've found Beaver to be the best by far.

[will79]

leaving for my first bear next week in minn. not sure what bait my guide usses. i have heard beaver is the best. i have also heard bacon and mallossas cooked until it looks like tar and smokes like a freight train works great

[BEARBOB]

On-The-Fly, bear meat is delicious if you take care of the carcass. You have to avoid the fat going rancid (turning liquid or slimy) or it will taint the meat.

If you can not cool the carcass down quickly (much much faster than deer) remove every piece of fat quickly and the meat will be great. You will loose a little more meat as the crust will for on it but it beats losing all the meat to a rancid taste if you do not.

The steaks can be a little tough (because you have to kook it well like pork) but the roast , stew beef and hamburger are great, I much prefer it over deer.

[Bogwalker]

Maybe someone can explain this to me. I have never understood the concept of putting out a barrel of bait and shooting the bear when it comes to eat. Not only will you know where the bear will be, but I would guess you will know about what time it will be there. Sounds the same as shooting hogs and deer around timed wildlife feeders. Got news for ya - that's not hunting! It is, at best, shooting. I have never understood why it's legal or why anyone would want to do it that way. After the bear is on the ground, what have you accomplished. It's kind of like my son playing tee ball. There's not much question whether or not he's going to hit the ball, the only question is when.
I think Zumbo might be starting a "Foot-In-Mouth" chapter. He might have some advice.

[windstalker]

daddympb,Ever strung a worm on a hook, I'll quote this from Ted Nugent"if ya got something against baiting game"SHUT UP PUNK" Now i didnt say that , it was on "spirit of the wild" but i do agree,