Baiting Bear - Advice Needed

[quacksmoker]

I am hunting in Idaho.

So I started baiting on August 30th. I dropped a couple hundred pounds of food once a week. I did this for 2 weeks until I realized all the bears were nocturnal. I than began baiting twice a week with less food to create more competition. On top of this, I burned honey, Jello, and bacon on different occasions. Baiting in this fashion had the bears coming in around 10pm, little bears first and then the bigger bears around 1-2am. Starting a week and a half ago, I once again cut the bait size down (around 20lbs) and began baiting every other day, but sometimes 2 days in a row. This change got the bigger bears to come in between 8-9 pm. Since then I have been unable to get them to come in any earlier. I have a large boar that will camp on the bait all night. When he leaves for a few minutes one of the smaller bears will sneak in, but he will be back within 30 minutes. He does not eat the bait right away, but has a few nibbles and then comes back.

I identified what direction the bears were coming in from and moved the bait site about 300 yards in that direction, just in case they were staging in that area before hitting the bait. I have changed my stand location a number of times. I am 100% certain they are not winding me based on their approach to the bait.

In regards to bait, I started out with just dog food. I have since moved to English muffins covered in something sweet like syrup, sugar, jello, etc. I have also started adding a bag of Fruit Loops for more sweetness. Despite all these attempts, I am unable to get them to come in while its light. Bait site is about an hour and half from home.

Here is a pic of the bear I am after. There is another chocolate one almost as big but based on the feeding pattern is second in line. Recently, the big boar has been showing up with another smaller bear and I have a few pics of them eating at the same time. I have another bear that is REALLY old, but he doesn't come by often. Then there is a little guy that usually shows up once all the feed is gone.

Any thoughts or suggestions? The last trick I have up my sleeve is setting an alarm clock to drive the bears off the bait at night in hopes they come during the day. All told, I have probably hunted the bait 15+ times so far.

[Kc_Kracker]

they know its there and easy, take it away when you leave at night? 

[snowpack]

some kind of a timed release feeding system and associate it with a sound.  they'll learn it at night, then when you use it during the day, they'll come looking when they hear the sound.

[Blacktail Sniper]

Does where you are baiting at allow placement of a container such as a 55 gal drum?   If so, containing the bait and restricting their ease of access to it, will force them to stay on site longer in order to eat. 

One example is a 55 gal barrel with lid, turned on its side and partially buried or otherwise secured so they can't easily roll or move it, with about a 5" x 7" hole cut in it, can do one hole or up to three.  This forces the bear to reach in with its paw and scoop it out, as opposed to just laying there eating it off the ground.

Dog food with feed store molasses or wet cob works great for this.   

Are you fairly consistent when you place the bait?  When we could bait, I always arrived at my barrel  inside a 2 hour window.  Dumped a couple of 5 gallon buckets of fresh feed, dropped some type of treats outside the barrel...fruit, raw meat, etc., or smeared peanut butter, honey, jelly, BBQ sauce etc. on the outside or trees & stumps close by.  Just to give them something different.

Then, as I left the site, I would take one of the buckets and pound it against the barrel, LOUD.  Kinda like ringing the dinner bell!

Then when I came back to hunt, I would arrive in the same window period I had previously established, dump a fresh bucket into the barrel, ring the dinner bell, only this time I stayed and waited.

Since your site is already established, probably your best option right now is to try and contain it some how to limit how quick & easy they can get at it, and make them stick around working for it.

[quacksmoker]

some kind of a timed release feeding system and associate it with a sound.  they'll learn it at night, then when you use it during the day, they'll come looking when they hear the sound.

That's what I was thinking and actually tried with disastrous results this last weekend. Think breaking branches with Fruit Loops and Captain Crunch flying everywhere. HAHA! That is my plan for the Spring Season next year.

[quacksmoker]

Does where you are baiting at allow placement of a container such as a 55 gal drum?   If so, containing the bait and restricting their ease of access to it, will force them to stay on site longer in order to eat. 

One example is a 55 gal barrel with lid, turned on its side and partially buried or otherwise secured so they can't easily roll or move it, with about a 5" x 7" hole cut in it, can do one hole or up to three.  This forces the bear to reach in with its paw and scoop it out, as opposed to just laying there eating it off the ground.

Dog food with feed store molasses or wet cob works great for this.   

Are you fairly consistent when you place the bait?  When we could bait, I always arrived at my barrel  inside a 2 hour window.  Dumped a couple of 5 gallon buckets of fresh feed, dropped some type of treats outside the barrel...fruit, raw meat, etc., or smeared peanut butter, honey, jelly, BBQ sauce etc. on the outside or trees & stumps close by.  Just to give them something different.

Then, as I left the site, I would take one of the buckets and pound it against the barrel, LOUD.  Kinda like ringing the dinner bell!

Then when I came back to hunt, I would arrive in the same window period I had previously established, dump a fresh bucket into the barrel, ring the dinner bell, only this time I stayed and waited.

Since your site is already established, probably your best option right now is to try and contain it some how to limit how quick & easy they can get at it, and make them stick around working for it.

I like the idea of making some noise while baiting. Initially, I would drive my ATV to the bait site, dump bait, drive away, and then walk back in. That didn't help with the timing. Other times, I would park 1/2 mile away and then walk in and drop the bait. Despite differing the methods of dropping bait, they still came in starting at 8pm.

Once the bears come to the bait, they all tend to stick around for a while. Perhaps a bait bucket would only allow one to feed at a time increasing the competition. I may have to give that a try. Thanks!

[Blacktail Sniper]

It certainly worked for me:

[Machias]

Can you get a beaver?  Make sure it's skinned and put it in a burlap bag, drag it into the stand and hang it up.  Amazing how fast that draws the big boys in.  Beaver for bait is legal in Idaho as long as it's is skinned.

[quacksmoker]

Can you get a beaver?  Make sure it's skinned and put it in a burlap bag, drag it into the stand and hang it up.  Amazing how fast that draws the big boys in.  Beaver for bait is legal in Idaho as long as it's is skinned.

I was was talking to Indy about that yesterday. I don't have access to one but I might see if I can get one from someone on the Trapping forum.

[RadSav]

I would keep reducing the amount of bait and feed as close to noon as possible.  I would also start placing .5 to 1 pound of burger at the site (as long as it is fall).  Give a week or so of them getting used to fresh burger and then start cutting back on that too.  As you start cutting back on the burger start spraying the area with coyote urine.  Once you start with the urine you will want to make sure you are packing a weapon when dropping off the bait.  We've actually gotten run off the bait a few times while spraying the urine.  Big boars know the little guys are afraid of them and follow a pecking order after a while.  But coyotes stealing their food sometimes will drive them nuts and they will charge and/or come in early.

Even if you run out of bait at the site these bear will continue to return until they realize their sugar daddy is no longer coming home.  So as long as you keep dropping off bait early and regularly you can drastically reduce the amount of bait.  And as long as you give them what they want and what they need for the time of year the big boy will try to be the more dominant and be the one coming in regularly. 

The other thing that helps is to have a baiting partner and a routine.  In this case you bait the exact time each baiting day.  You approach with a partner making all kinds of racket.  Bang buckets, wear bells, sing, whatever it takes to let the bear know you are coming and when you are leaving.  On the day you plan to hunt approach the site with the business as usual attitude.  Only this time you get into the stand while the baiting partner continues to play the "here I am, here I go" role.  If the bear have not shown after an hour spray a little coyote urine out of the tree.  Don't cover the area, just a little squirt.

If that doesn't work...find some dumber bear

[BullCrazy24]

just before dark or when you come out of your stand hang a few 12 hour glow sticks from some branches around you bait. it should help keep them out during the night.

[quacksmoker]

I would keep reducing the amount of bait and feed as close to noon as possible.  I would also start placing .5 to 1 pound of burger at the site (as long as it is fall).  Give a week or so of them getting used to fresh burger and then start cutting back on that too.  As you start cutting back on the burger start spraying the area with coyote urine.  Once you start with the urine you will want to make sure you are packing a weapon when dropping off the bait.  We've actually gotten run off the bait a few times while spraying the urine.  Big boars know the little guys are afraid of them and follow a pecking order after a while.  But coyotes stealing their food sometimes will drive them nuts and they will charge and/or come in early.

Even if you run out of bait at the site these bear will continue to return until they realize their sugar daddy is no longer coming home.  So as long as you keep dropping off bait early and regularly you can drastically reduce the amount of bait.  And as long as you give them what they want and what they need for the time of year the big boy will try to be the more dominant and be the one coming in regularly. 

The other thing that helps is to have a baiting partner and a routine.  In this case you bait the exact time each baiting day.  You approach with a partner making all kinds of racket.  Bang buckets, wear bells, sing, whatever it takes to let the bear know you are coming and when you are leaving.  On the day you plan to hunt approach the site with the business as usual attitude.  Only this time you get into the stand while the baiting partner continues to play the "here I am, here I go" role.  If the bear have not shown after an hour spray a little coyote urine out of the tree.  Don't cover the area, just a little squirt.

If that doesn't work...find some dumber bear

Great idea!!! I will add that to the playbook.

[jackelope]

I am hunting in Idaho.

Great opening line to this thread. I thought this one would have some potential for sure.
 

[quacksmoker]

I am hunting in Idaho.

Great opening line to this thread. I thought this one would have some potential for sure.
 

HAHA! I edited it after I posted. I should have said WA to make it interesting.

[Machias]

I could be wrong but that bear sure looks like a sow to me.  Has a sow type head.  You'll have to zip an arrow through and let me know if I'm right. 

[RadSav]

I could be wrong but that bear sure looks like a sow to me.  Has a sow type head.  You'll have to zip an arrow through and let me know if I'm right. 

I was thinking the same thing. 

[CAMPMEAT]

I know a guy, great start huh, that would bury a pipe in the ground and fill it full of treats. Then he would scatter tidbits around the pipe so the bears would come in eat the tidbits and have to stay there and work the site trying to get the food out of the pipe. 6 inch pipe buried 3-4 feet in the ground.
He said it worked great.......

[quacksmoker]

I could be wrong but that bear sure looks like a sow to me.  Has a sow type head.  You'll have to zip an arrow through and let me know if I'm right. 

I was thinking the same thing.

What do you base that on? With that in mind, are they all sows coming in?

[RadSav]

I could be wrong but that bear sure looks like a sow to me.  Has a sow type head.  You'll have to zip an arrow through and let me know if I'm right. 

I was thinking the same thing.

What do you base that on? With that in mind, are they all sows coming in?

It's a bit difficult to see the whole body in one picture, but combined I think we get an ok view.  Maybe not enough to be 100% certain though.  Shoot'em and find out for sure    Can't say about all of them as we only have those pictures you posted to judge from.

Generally a sow has a narrow nose, flat forehead, and larger ears than does a boar.  Also, in mature animals a boar will have shoulders larger than the rear, where a sow will have small shoulders and a large posterior.  Mature boars give a sense of intimidation by the broadened head and large shoulders.  Rarely do you get that feeling when looking at a sow.

I have witnessed a few sows that go against everything you think of about sows.  One such 350# sow in BC was about three seconds from taking a 150 grain slug from my .308 when her cub wandered into view.  Just moments before I would have bet a months wages that was the most beautiful bad arse of a blackbear boar you'd ever see.  She had it all and then some.  Luckily I was waiting for a perfect shot just long enough to find out I was wrong and was able to back out of the shot.  One more step forward with the right front leg and she would have been sausage.  But, she was an exceptional specimen unlike any sow I have ever seen.  After you watch hundred of bear it gets quite easy to tell the difference.  Until it's not of course

[Machias]

What do you base that on? 

Years of watching bears up close and checking facial features and body type.  I've been wrong before, but that bears body says sow and that face.  Not very broad in the face, bigger ears, body is thick but not very long, looks like a sow to me......but then again, I could be wrong, you'll have to let us know.

[quacksmoker]

Machias and RadSav---thanks for the help. This is only my second year hunting bear so I have a lot to learn about differentiating sow from boar. My thoughts were the head just looked smaller based on the body size of the bear but based on the thinner shoulders and broad rear end method I would say it is a sow.

Thank you to everyone for the feedback and ideas. I hope it works!

[RadSav]

Sows eat really good in the fall!  And that one probably will have a faint taste of Fruitloops   Sounds yummy to me.  I'd say she should be one heck of a first bear.  And camera seems to be lacking in the presence of cubs so I'd say tag her!  Absolutely nothing wrong with that bear.

[MLBowhunting]

Good luck.  Hope you get one 

[quacksmoker]

Sows eat really good in the fall!  And that one probably will have a faint taste of Fruitloops   Sounds yummy to me.  I'd say she should be one heck of a first bear.  And camera seems to be lacking in the presence of cubs so I'd say tag her!  Absolutely nothing wrong with that bear.

I got one last year in the same general area. The biologist that pulled the tooth said it was one of the oldest bears he had ever seen and estimated her age at over 20 years! She tasted like hamburger buns. Haha!

[RadSav]

I've yet to find a bear that doesn't think Snickers are the best dang food on the planet!  Cut one in half length wise and tie it just out of reach from a branch as far away from the base of a tree as possible.  Set up a camera or sit in your tree and enjoy the show.  Although it makes some bear so mad they've climbed into my treestand and left a rather stinky present for me.  Think it was there way of calling me the name from which it came 

[sebla]

get a small radio and keep it on at night real low they will stay away. when you come in to the bait turn it off and give it 30min bear down. GOOD LUCK that is a good lookin bear

[cody29]

I thought you cant bait bears in washingtion

[h20hunter]

I thought you cant bait bears in washingtion

you cant legally. Go back....first post....first line...idaho.

[RadSav]

Very first line of the OP..."I am hunting in Idaho."

We've got quite a few Idaho bear hunters on the site.