Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Bear Hunting => Topic started by: Machias on April 19, 2021, 10:39:35 AM

Title: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Machias on April 19, 2021, 10:39:35 AM: Went in yesterday and set up my first bait site. Will add bait later this week or may wait until Sunday to put out bait. I'm always chomping at the bit to get bait out and then, MOST years when I bait on around about the 15th, I end up dumping the bait because it gets all moldy and nasty. They never seem to start hitting my baits until the last couple of days of April. Should be two more tags hanging there, but I had a friend from England come and kill his first bear in this spot so I sent him the bait site tag for that year, 2018. The 2017 tag was eaten off. :)
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Cougartail on April 19, 2021, 11:25:10 AM: The good old days in Washington we did that! Best of luck to you! Hows the knees holding up?
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: huntnnw on April 19, 2021, 10:02:29 PM: Was up there yesterday as well. Probably have the same bears on cam :chuckle:
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Machias on April 20, 2021, 09:53:41 AM: They do get around!! :chuckle: What are you feeding them this year? I'll try and get a better bait. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: idaho guy on April 20, 2021, 12:01:55 PM: looking good :tup:
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: BULLBLASTER on April 20, 2021, 04:22:44 PM: Quote from: Machias on April 20, 2021, 09:53:41 AM
They do get around!! :chuckle: What are you feeding them this year? I'll try and get a better bait. :chuckle:
He told me he found a barrel in the woods and is just gonna grab some from there and take it to his bait!
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Machias on April 20, 2021, 09:15:13 PM: :chuckle: :chuckle:
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: huntnnw on April 20, 2021, 09:59:18 PM: :chuckle:

I have unlimited meat and grease from a smoke house. Should be getting breads shortly
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: outdooraddict on April 21, 2021, 09:24:23 AM: how far are you packing it in, or can you drive a quad/dirtbike close, how close is too close to drive a quad, wanting to bait this fall, and trying to figure out some logistics
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: n_mathews13 on April 21, 2021, 02:40:05 PM: Good luck.
We are heading over this weekend also.
Sounds like the snow will be a issue
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Machias on April 21, 2021, 09:04:51 PM: Quote from: huntnnw on April 20, 2021, 09:59:18 PM
:chuckle:

I have unlimited meat and grease from a smoke house. Should be getting breads shortly
Good luck!!
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Machias on April 21, 2021, 09:05:15 PM: Quote from: n_mathews13 on April 21, 2021, 02:40:05 PM
Good luck.
We are heading over this weekend also.
Sounds like the snow will be a issue
You as well, be safe!
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Machias on April 21, 2021, 09:07:02 PM: Quote from: outdooraddict on April 21, 2021, 09:24:23 AM
how far are you packing it in, or can you drive a quad/dirtbike close, how close is too close to drive a quad, wanting to bait this fall, and trying to figure out some logistics

I have one spot I have to pack bait in about 300 yards, mostly straight up. Sucks, but it's such a good spot. My other spots I drive an ATV up to 75 yards.
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: elkrack on April 21, 2021, 09:33:46 PM: Glad to see this thread again! :tup:
Good luck this year
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Dan-o on April 21, 2021, 09:35:22 PM: I've never baited bears nor hunted bears over bait, but I always really enjoy following this.
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: carlyoungs on April 22, 2021, 06:15:31 AM: Love this annual thread also. I can't remember if you got a bear last year or not?
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: bearpaw on April 22, 2021, 06:43:04 AM: Good luck Fred, hope you have another fun and successful season! :tup:
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Machias on April 22, 2021, 09:09:24 AM: Quote from: carlyoungs on April 22, 2021, 06:15:31 AM
Love this annual thread also. I can't remember if you got a bear last year or not?

I passed on a few mid sized and smaller bears. Nothing big enough.
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Machias on April 22, 2021, 09:09:37 AM: Quote from: bearpaw on April 22, 2021, 06:43:04 AM
Good luck Fred, hope you have another fun and successful season! :tup:

You as well!!
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Rainier10 on April 22, 2021, 10:40:25 AM: Quote from: Dan-o on April 21, 2021, 09:35:22 PM
I've never baited bears nor hunted bears over bait, but I always really enjoy following this.
:yeah:
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: hunter399 on April 22, 2021, 11:02:54 AM: I also enjoy your Bear Baiting thread.
I can remember doing it here in Washington when I was a kid.
Goodluck to you and your adventures. 👌
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: huntnnw on April 22, 2021, 10:23:08 PM: We’re you loading up a side by side today with bait ?
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Machias on May 03, 2021, 09:16:28 AM: Quote from: huntnnw on April 22, 2021, 10:23:08 PM
We’re you loading up a side by side today with bait ?

Nope not me, sorry, I just saw this!
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Machias on May 03, 2021, 09:18:25 AM: Finally got some bait in my barrel yesterday. You know it really sucks to face plant, but I can tell you it is even less fun doing a gravity check with 55 pounds of bait strapped to your back and carrying two 40 pound pails of peanut butter and catching a toe on the downhill trail to your bear bait. That is a real bitch trying to get back up once you assess nothing is broken!! :chuckle:
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Machias on May 03, 2021, 08:18:55 PM: Less than 24 hours out and bear on the bait, but holy smokes he's already naked!! :yike:
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: jrebel on May 03, 2021, 08:34:18 PM: That is one uuuuuuuuugggglyyyy....BEAR!! :chuckle: :chuckle:
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: HillHound on May 03, 2021, 09:07:26 PM: Yikes, Definitely not doing a hair on tan with that one
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: bearpaw on May 04, 2021, 06:18:16 AM: Amazing he's already rubbed, I wonder if he has lice?
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: nwwanderer on May 04, 2021, 08:18:55 AM: Agree on the parasite diagnosis, do we have the two bear mange mites here?
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: bearpaw on May 04, 2021, 08:42:19 AM: In that one photo he almost looks like a gorilla, maybe a cinnamon squatch? :chuckle:
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Machias on May 04, 2021, 09:18:02 AM: Pretty sure he had a bad case of mites. I bet that was a loooong miserable winter in the den!!
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Machias on May 05, 2021, 07:16:45 PM: Back again
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: carpsniperg2 on May 05, 2021, 07:18:59 PM: You had good luck with the link micro? I am thinking about grabbing a few.
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Machias on May 05, 2021, 08:48:52 PM: I have.
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: huntnnw on May 05, 2021, 10:03:32 PM: Ill see tomorrow if that manging thing hit mine :chuckle: I have a bait about a mile north of yours. I walked up on your barrel the day after you set it
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Machias on May 06, 2021, 08:24:45 AM: Quote from: huntnnw on May 05, 2021, 10:03:32 PM
Ill see tomorrow if that manging thing hit mine :chuckle: I have a bait about a mile north of yours. I walked up on your barrel the day after you set it

Please shoot it. :) Let me know sometime you are up there and I'll swing by and say Howdy!
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: huntnnw on May 06, 2021, 09:09:41 AM: Won’t be me, maybe wife. :chuckle: I’ll be up this afternoon. Depends what’s on cam if I’ll be up hunting this weekend
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Machias on May 06, 2021, 09:32:55 AM: Good luck!! If you ever need help packing one out, I can PM you my cellphone number. Be happy to try and help. I live about 4 miles away.
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: huntnnw on May 06, 2021, 12:39:41 PM: Same for you . I live about 6 mi away
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Machias on May 07, 2021, 08:48:37 PM: Little nicer bear, with all of his hair showed up. I fixed the camera angle. Love the photo of him ghosting in the background.
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: bearpaw on May 08, 2021, 09:47:32 AM: This one definitely has much nicer fur, much better than the naked bear! Beartivity is definitely picking up! :tup:
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: bearmanric on May 08, 2021, 05:10:46 PM: Good luck miss the good old days.
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Machias on May 09, 2021, 09:14:00 AM: Got bait site #2 up and running yesterday. First time baiting this spot, so we'll see if they find it and if so how long it takes.
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Machias on May 10, 2021, 08:39:56 AM: Pretty exciting night last night on bear bait #1. Was walking the road in and a nice young couple came by on their ATV. They stopped and chatted for several minutes and then headed off. I was about 100 yards or so from the bait. I was slipping into the stand an as I was about 20 yards from my stand I look up and there is a decent size bear coming into the barrel from the other side. I had him broadside at 40 yards but decided to pass. He had a decent size body, nice looking hair but big ears and a small head. I got a few seconds of video I'll try and post shortly. It was a first for me. I think he heard the ATV start up and leave and figured the coast was clear.
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Machias on May 10, 2021, 09:02:44 AM: https://youtube.com/shorts/oDmycdrwXh0?feature=share
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: huntnnw on May 10, 2021, 09:08:21 AM: Cool video.

I’ll be later today to rebait spots
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Seabass on May 10, 2021, 11:13:51 AM: Quote from: Machias on May 10, 2021, 09:02:44 AM
https://youtube.com/shorts/oDmycdrwXh0?feature=share

That's a cool video! I should be an Idaho resident by this time next year. I look forward to baiting bears again!
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Machias on May 12, 2021, 08:02:32 PM: There is nothing more frustrating than finding a half empty barrel, swapping out SD cards, going home with high anticipation of all the photos and not getting a single damn photo. Grrrrrrrr :bash: :bash: :bash: :bash: :bash: :bash: :bash:
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: huntnnw on May 12, 2021, 10:23:11 PM: I stopped swapping years ago. I keep the same card in cams. I had way to many of those issues
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Machias on May 15, 2021, 09:59:11 PM: Disregard the time stamp on the first photo, it was from this morning. Bait #2 has been found. :)
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Machias on May 15, 2021, 10:00:58 PM: The bear in the last photo came in at 2030 last night. If he does that again tomorrow night, he might be coming home with me. :)
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: redi on May 16, 2021, 08:08:10 AM: That last picture looks like a good one hope you get him
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: bearpaw on May 16, 2021, 09:08:50 AM: :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle: That second photo reminds me of "The Great Outdoors" when they blew the hair off the bear's butt! :tup:

The blackie looks like a keeper! :tup:
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Machias on May 17, 2021, 08:01:42 AM: Boy what a beautiful afternoon yesterday, sunny and warm, wind was perfect, bears have been slamming the bait...and I spent 4 lovely hours by myself. :) Fine, I didn't want to see any bears any ways!!! :chuckle: :chuckle:
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Machias on May 22, 2021, 08:29:43 PM: First time I've been able to get out this week and check baits nd swap out SD cards. The one camera had a 1000 photos of the wind moving the trees and a few crows and 11 photos of this bear. Not sure if the SD card was full or the batteries are dead as I only got two days of photos on both cameras. I fixed the time and date today. The small hairless bear is a real scrapper. He ran the bigger bear off the bait three times before the bigger bear finally had enough. I guess he really liked the Butter Creme Frosting!!
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Machias on May 22, 2021, 08:31:51 PM: A few more
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Machias on May 22, 2021, 08:33:58 PM: Plus an guy out mushroom hunting
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: snake on May 24, 2021, 09:36:44 PM: I think you should take the hairless monster and get a full body mount.
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: huntnnw on May 24, 2021, 10:36:49 PM: The ole “ hyena” has made it up to mine
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: teanawayslayer on May 25, 2021, 06:50:00 AM: Quote from: huntnnw on May 24, 2021, 10:36:49 PM
The ole “ hyena” has made it up to mine
don’t forget the raven lol :chuckle:
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Machias on May 30, 2021, 06:26:46 PM: Bait #2, only one small bear has been coming in. Nice looking coat. Couple of coyotes.
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Machias on June 08, 2021, 09:51:52 AM: My spring is over this year. Pretty uneventful season. I had so much going on I only hunted for 5 nights and passed on two smaller bears. Hopefully I will not be quite so busy this fall and will probably run a bait. I'm also going to begin the search for a new spot. I will still bait the one not far from my house, but the quality of the bears is going down it seems to me. I had more rubbed bears right off the bat than I have had in all the years combined. Not sure if this is just an odd year or a foretelling of things to come.
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: brew on June 08, 2021, 05:53:57 PM: well that sux for your spring season...hope you have better luck this fall. I always look forward to following your threads and hopefully you can get on going later this year. Keep it up and let us know how it goes.

thanks
brew
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: seastrike on June 08, 2021, 06:17:37 PM: Hope you get into them this fall Fred.
Enjoy your threads.
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: huntnnw on June 08, 2021, 10:37:33 PM: lotta 100-200 lb bears this year. I got 1 that might be 225 -250 after almost 60 days of dumping food. I think way to many people hunt it and bears really never get a chance to get any age
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: idaho guy on June 09, 2021, 03:01:15 PM: thanks for the thread again Fred. Even though I have my own baits I really enjoy following along with your pics etc. I know you could take a bear every year off your bait but its nice to see someone let a few walk for a change. I am not pointing fingers at other hunters because I cant say I haven't misjudged a few over the years ha ha. Nice to see a little restraint anyways. I would agree that used to be a really good area but just based on the number of people that tell me they are baiting that general area its probably over hunted now days :dunno:. You know that area better than me but I think it is just a function of the massive increase in the population and everybody immediately wants to run a bear bait(I don't blame them) and its just a lot less chance for bears to grow. That's in addition to the bears just having way more food available with all the baits. On a high note we jumped to a new area last spring and ended up with some really nice coat big bears. It was a lot further away and out of the main thoroughfares everybody seems to hit. I wouldn't totally abandon your better spots- one of my really old bait sites paid off pretty good this year despite a lot of new hound hunters and seemed like baiters pounding the general area. Want to buy some frosting for fall? :chuckle: I only ran the 1 old bait this year and overestimated my bait needs. We are done and I am glad sick of feeding bears lol. Me and my son got 2 pretty good ones :tup:
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Machias on June 10, 2021, 09:52:30 AM: Thanks guys!

Awesome Ron, I might just hit you up for some frosting. These guys that did come in really like the Butter Crème Frosting!! :) Ya, I think I am going to try to find someplace, even if it is a bit of a drive and out of the way....those places are becoming harder and harder to find. But there are still places out there that are not convenient to get into and should be fun to hunt, even if they are a bit more work. It was not my best spring, but it was still a LOT of fun, heck even on the nights nothing came in, I really enjoyed myself.
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: bearpaw on June 10, 2021, 10:01:15 AM: It's always fun hunting bear, if you can watch them and get all that enjoyment sometimes it's better than pulling the trigger and creating a lot of work! :tup:
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: huntnnw on June 13, 2021, 10:05:39 PM: Quote from: Machias on June 10, 2021, 09:52:30 AM
Thanks guys!

Awesome Ron, I might just hit you up for some frosting. These guys that did come in really like the Butter Crème Frosting!! :) Ya, I think I am going to try to find someplace, even if it is a bit of a drive and out of the way....those places are becoming harder and harder to find. But there are still places out there that are not convenient to get into and should be fun to hunt, even if they are a bit more work. It was not my best spring, but it was still a LOT of fun, heck even on the nights nothing came in, I really enjoyed myself.

I can tell you a area that never gets pressured. Cant even get to it until early july most years. Then I never see a rig for days sometimes. I am going to bait it this year
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: hunter399 on June 14, 2021, 04:12:18 AM: I always end up looking at your pics.
I know that baiting is Alot of time,money,work,when it pays off for ya it will be epic.
Thanks for posting.
I see a biggin in your future.👌👌👌
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: SpicyTacos on June 25, 2021, 06:13:54 PM: I’ve really enjoyed this thread. Good job and good luck this fall.
Title: Re: Machias' 2021 Idaho Bear baiting
Post by: Machias on June 28, 2021, 11:16:26 AM: :tup: