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Author Topic: Master Baiters - Looking for some bait strategy  (Read 4404 times)

Offline luvmystang67

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Master Baiters - Looking for some bait strategy
« on: April 07, 2021, 10:47:12 AM »
Hey guys, I plan to get some bait barrels going in Idaho this year.  I have no experience with this, but have done some reading.  I'm hoping our collective brain power can help.

Barrel Cuts: I'm allowed 3 baits, so I may try different barrel styles. Some people love the small hole in the bottom, some make a big rectangular cut in the side of the barrel and shove logs in there.  I've read that many people have problems with the removable lids on barrels once the bears dent and bend them, so people often install their own loading doors on the top.  I've also seen some people who let them roll around, and some that fix them to trees. 

My current plan is probably to do two with smaller holes, and one with a big rectangular guy to see what works.  I'll probably start just removing tops to fill them (for the small hole ones) and for some reason I like the idea of fixing them to a tree so they don't roll around.

Baits: I get that bears love most anything sweet, I'm not here to talk the best or worst baits.  I WOULD like some input on the best way to source bait.  While I've not yet made the rounds, I get the feeling that most bakeries and grocery stores probably already have a connection with other local rednecks to either bait bears or feed pigs.  I'm kind of trying to set up a more reliable option for myself as backup when those visits/phone calls fall through.  Also, it'd be really easy to pick up and pack in a bag of feed or dogfood if I just purchased it.

I've seen that maple syrup (fake stuff) is super cheap at costco.  I've also found some dogfood bags for $18/40lbs.  I recently walked through North 40 and thought that hog feed @ 18% protein for $14.50/50lbs could be a pretty good starting point, perhaps better than oats or corn (although, I have no real idea). 

So I guess my questions are kind of as follows:
1) Is there a better bet for cheap sweetener than costco syrup if I end up having to buy things?
2) If I use some kind of animal feed, any input on oats, rolled corn, hog feeder/starter, or dog food?
3) I do think there's probably enough cooking oil in the world that I can find some of this, would you just add to the mix or spread on trees and the ground around the site?
4) Any input on bait barrel design or config?  I feel like the big rectangular hole could be good for breads and sweets, even if I have to buy them at the Franz outlet.


Offline Limhangerslayer

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Re: Master Baiters - Looking for some bait strategy
« Reply #1 on: April 07, 2021, 11:26:41 AM »
If you go with feed, rolled Cob with molasses is hard to beat.  You can usually order five gallon bucket’s of straight molasses too.  A good starter bucket is half a five gallon bucket of cob mixed with three apple juice concentrate and three grape juice concentrate.  Then add molasses to slurry it up.  Do it now and close it until you’re ready to use it during season.  Very potent and a great attractant.  You better pretty much chain it to a tree or they will rip it off in no time!

Offline Wolfdog2314

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Re: Master Baiters - Looking for some bait strategy
« Reply #2 on: April 07, 2021, 11:50:50 AM »
Call around to gas stations/restaurants/ball fields for their used cooking oil. Ball fields is a great place to get it assuming they get back up and running. A lot of places have contracts to have their oil picked up.

Franz outlet for the win. You can get carts or flats of breads/sweets for cheeeeap. Sometimes you score on some sweets in the baskets. I wouldn’t worry tho if it’s all or mostly bread. Seems to always work just fine. Add some Ole Roy cheap dog food in there too. I like to mix syrup or grease throughout the barrel. Wet Cob is great too. Cheap vanilla and anise oil for some extra scent if u want.

Grab a few bags of big marshmallows. Set them on top of and or around the barrel. U can use this as a good indicator from a distance if a bear has been on the barrel.

Offline steeleywhopper

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Re: Master Baiters - Looking for some bait strategy
« Reply #3 on: April 07, 2021, 12:32:51 PM »
Cooking oil from a restaurant or gas station would be my first item to get, after that add popped popcorn, bread, pastries, Marshmallows, and anything else you want your bears chomping on.
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Offline STIKNSTRINGBOW

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Re: Master Baiters - Looking for some bait strategy
« Reply #4 on: April 07, 2021, 12:36:31 PM »
Don't know about what time/space you might have but back when it was legal in Washington an "old timer"
Showed me that taking 2 tires, one with rim, one without, and cabling to a tree.
Fill with whatever you had, then putting the one with rim on top, place large rock or log to keep weaker animals out, then using a paintbrush dipped in molasses to paint outside of tire...
.
Use a sterno stove to do a honey burn, and that thing was hit before the weekend was over..
.
About the 3rd time it was hit, he would pull the "old 2 men in, one out" trick....
.
The bears would be on the bait before he could even walk back to his truck...
.
Bigger bears preffered fresh meat, but if any legal and pressed for time...
.
Larger bait set-ups created issues with multiple bears nd competition at the bait sight...
.
Simple smaller baits resulted in faster action, and easier set up.
.
If you got time to establish bait sights, and want to be selective, never mind.
.
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Offline SpicyTacos

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Re: Master Baiters - Looking for some bait strategy
« Reply #5 on: April 07, 2021, 06:49:17 PM »
Doooood. Best subject line seen for awhile. 😂

Offline ASHQUACK

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Re: Master Baiters - Looking for some bait strategy
« Reply #6 on: April 08, 2021, 08:10:27 AM »
Always used glycerin and soaked it with cinnamon we used to buy 5 gallon  buckets of it for cheap also mixed star anise (licorice) with some. I always used the blue plastic drums from a local food producer (stretch Island fruit). They also had a mash that was super sweet and stupid cheap. But they are no longer.

Offline Dan-o

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Re: Master Baiters - Looking for some bait strategy
« Reply #7 on: April 08, 2021, 08:32:42 AM »
I always thought an undertapped bait source might be a Mongolian Grill restaurant.   

They are forever scraping oily food off the grill.

I imagine some sacks of that would catch a bears nose.......
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Offline Ridgeratt

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Re: Master Baiters - Looking for some bait strategy
« Reply #8 on: April 08, 2021, 08:53:22 AM »
I always thought an undertapped bait source might be a Mongolian Grill restaurant.   

They are forever scraping oily food off the grill.

I imagine some sacks of that would catch a bears nose.......


Back when I was baiting bears I was making a pick up from a local Chinese Restaurant here in Spokane.  I was getting all the chicken carcass and the pork trimmings along with the left over noodles.  I hit the gold mine!!! But I had to have them put it in smaller containers. My first time I stopped I had a 55 gallon barrel full. and that was a pick up every other day.

Used to go the cash and carry and buy the powdered flavored drink that would make 5 gallons or more. There was a peach flavored one that you could smell with in a hundred yards.  But the powdered drink mix was an easy choice packed in dry and then a couple of bottles of water and you could make a paste to smear on a dead stump. Cherry, Peach, and Grape were the best.    :tung:
« Last Edit: April 09, 2021, 02:28:04 PM by Ridgeratt »

Offline Woodchuck

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Re: Master Baiters - Looking for some bait strategy
« Reply #9 on: April 08, 2021, 09:00:56 AM »
If you go with feed, rolled Cob with molasses is hard to beat.  You can usually order five gallon bucket’s of straight molasses too.  A good starter bucket is half a five gallon bucket of cob mixed with three apple juice concentrate and three grape juice concentrate.  Then add molasses to slurry it up.  Do it now and close it until you’re ready to use it during season.  Very potent and a great attractant.  You better pretty much chain it to a tree or they will rip it off in no time!
:yeah:
Antlered rabbit tastes like chicken


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Offline luvmystang67

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Re: Master Baiters - Looking for some bait strategy
« Reply #10 on: April 08, 2021, 09:40:56 AM »
Alright, thanks for all the input here.

I think my best contingency plan is the molasses cob mix, north 40 has those with 5% molasses for $12/50lb.  I could add additional molasses to that (only $25 per 5 gallon bucket).  Adding juice concentrates and things would be fairly easy.

I'm still going to go out on a "quest for freebies", but wanted to ensure I had a good base level plan if that didn't work out.

Any input on the bait hole?  I'm thinking small if I'm doing something like molasses rolled cob (like 4"-6" or so), however I don't want it to get jammed up in there.

The big rectangular model (with a hole like 2'x1') seems to be good for breads and things, with some branches/logs shoved in it to make life difficult for them. 

Anyone have a firm preference or recommendation on that?  They have to be 55gal steel barrels or smaller (no plastic) in Idaho.  You can also just dig a small hole and pile logs over it for a more natural approach, but I think bears would crush that too quickly.

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Re: Master Baiters - Looking for some bait strategy
« Reply #11 on: April 08, 2021, 09:54:43 AM »
A bear is what it eats, bait according to that.

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Offline luvmystang67

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Re: Master Baiters - Looking for some bait strategy
« Reply #12 on: April 08, 2021, 09:59:44 AM »
A bear is what it eats, bait according to that.

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This might be too philosophical for me...

Offline Woodchuck

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Re: Master Baiters - Looking for some bait strategy
« Reply #13 on: April 08, 2021, 10:10:19 AM »
Alright, thanks for all the input here.

I think my best contingency plan is the molasses cob mix, north 40 has those with 5% molasses for $12/50lb.  I could add additional molasses to that (only $25 per 5 gallon bucket).  Adding juice concentrates and things would be fairly easy.

I'm still going to go out on a "quest for freebies", but wanted to ensure I had a good base level plan if that didn't work out.

Any input on the bait hole?  I'm thinking small if I'm doing something like molasses rolled cob (like 4"-6" or so), however I don't want it to get jammed up in there.

The big rectangular model (with a hole like 2'x1') seems to be good for breads and things, with some branches/logs shoved in it to make life difficult for them. 

Anyone have a firm preference or recommendation on that?  They have to be 55gal steel barrels or smaller (no plastic) in Idaho.  You can also just dig a small hole and pile logs over it for a more natural approach, but I think bears would crush that too quickly.
We always used smaller holes so it held them at the site longer than if they could stuff their whole head in the barrel.  :twocents:
Antlered rabbit tastes like chicken


Inuendo, wasn't he an Italian proctoligist?

Offline idaho guy

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Re: Master Baiters - Looking for some bait strategy
« Reply #14 on: April 08, 2021, 05:45:15 PM »
Alright, thanks for all the input here.

I think my best contingency plan is the molasses cob mix, north 40 has those with 5% molasses for $12/50lb.  I could add additional molasses to that (only $25 per 5 gallon bucket).  Adding juice concentrates and things would be fairly easy.

I'm still going to go out on a "quest for freebies", but wanted to ensure I had a good base level plan if that didn't work out.

Any input on the bait hole?  I'm thinking small if I'm doing something like molasses rolled cob (like 4"-6" or so), however I don't want it to get jammed up in there.

The big rectangular model (with a hole like 2'x1') seems to be good for breads and things, with some branches/logs shoved in it to make life difficult for them. 

Anyone have a firm preference or recommendation on that?  They have to be 55gal steel barrels or smaller (no plastic) in Idaho.  You can also just dig a small hole and pile logs over it for a more natural approach, but I think bears would crush that too quickly.
We always used smaller holes so it held them at the site longer than if they could stuff their whole head in the barrel.  :twocents:
       

 :yeah: Unless you enjoy going broke feeding ravens or crows go with smaller holes plus keeps the bear there longer. We still build cubbies just using  logs and that works great but once its opened up everything will be eating your bait(birds mostly)-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 


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