Just out of interest, I was wondering of how you guys actually bait for bear? I gather the site is pre baited? How long before you intend hunting is the bait placed out? Can you bait in the close seaon and have the bait staion active ready for the opener? Guides excepted, does the average hunter need to top up his bait or will he but out what he thinks will be enough in advance? What are the best baits and how are they presented?

Regards,

Pete

We are allowed to bait approx two weeks before the season opens.The only successful way to bait is to run baits before you intend to hunt.Baits must be checked and topped up regularly which is almost always done on a daily basis.The reason more people do not bait is because of the work that is involved.

Stubblejumper is correct. More people don't do it because of the hard work and committment involved. If where you live gives you two weeks before opener start baiting two weeks before opener and then check daily for activity. When I lived in Alaska I had to hike in two miles every day with a loaded down pack after work to fill the bait after it became active. I got stuff from the local grocery store, scrap meat, and day,week old donuts etc. Sprinkling a cheap box of jello or two on the bait probably would not hurt either. It puts off a great scent and even a slight breeze will carry that fine powder.
Just my 2 cents.

Doug

Not to mention that most guys run more than one bait station. Around here, densities are low enough that you can have several baits set out that never get hit.

It's hard work for those willing and able to commit the time. FWIW, Dutch.

Thanks guys! It suddenly does not sound like a walk in the park any more!

In Wisconsin We could bait year around if one wanted to. It is really a waste to do it much more then a month before you hunt. I lot of hound hunters run baits in the summer to train dogs off of they bait for about 3 months.

In Manitoba there are two type of bear hunters. Outfitters and do it yourself hunters. Outfitters have time and equipment to check daily. Do it yourselfers generally check every second or third day, 3 day max allowed by law. Hunters will set up a site, chain & bait barrels, hang tree stands, and clear shooting lanes 2-4 weeks before the hunting season. Generally once the snow is gone its time to start checking bait. Once a site has been hit, you had better keep food at the site, or bears will quickly change patterns and go somewhere else. If hit regularly you will probably have to bait daily. As for bait, it all depends on your connections. We know owners of a large Robins donut shop, a candy manufacturer, and a number of restaurants & rinks that supply us with fryer grease. Now collecting all the baits is also a job. Donuts need to be collected daily, fryer grease weekly from each location, spoiled candy bi-weekly. So when people claim that baiting is easy, it must be someone who has never actually ran a number of bait sites. We run 3 bait sites for 4 hunters. And that's in a province known for it's bear hunting. Goose hunting/spotting fields and deer hunting/food plots and scouting are a cake walk when compared with bear/bait hunting!

[ 05-16-2003, 08:28: Message edited by: tikka300 ]