Big Game Hunting
When do you start baiting bear?
3/29/15 @ 3:19 PM
Displaying 1 to 11 of 11 posts
Started my first bait Monday. Checked it at 5 PM Thursday and found it had been hit. Camera showed it was hit a mere two hours before I got there....shortly before 3PM. Plan on baiting here every third day for the next couple weeks, ramp that up to every other day, than hit it daily from early-mid August on. Also plan on starting another site or two on public land in a month or so.
As you can see these answers are all over the board. There really is no right answer. Success can come in many ways.
Can you start a bait today and be successful tomorrow? Yes, but the odds are lower.
I believe longevity, and consistency are more important. However, this does no good if in the wrong areas. What the heck does that mean? Well it's quite simple, and clearly already been stated. I think zone C is a prime example of this, and what I was referring to. In a interview with local TV station last year even stated it. Often times folks overlook setting up for fall food sources. This can be difficult in Zone C. You set up a bait early on a nice chunk. Got bear all summer long. Then come fall they are gone. Not your bait, other hunters messing with things, or hounds. The bear just moved to a more abundant food source. You bait may be in a stand of oaks next to a swamp surrounded by private lands. A large cornfield is 2 miles away. Well that's where those bears are going to go. Maybe one will venture to your, but most likely not.
One scenario I recall a few years back. 7 baits around the edges of this block. Not one bait being hit. One of the guys for some reason takes a walk into the center of the block. Runs into a large patch of blueberries still ripe in late fall. Kicks 5 bear that he seen out of that patch!! A real eye opener.
So when is the best time? Again, no real right answer. I like to start my as early as possible. A fine line between to early and rotten bait, or getting hit. Can start April 15th, but does not mean bear are out, or ready to start eating bait. They first have to clear the plug and get the guts moving again. They will eat green grasses during this process. A good indicator of them being ready is when activity level begins to pick up at bird feeders, etc.
I do believe baits that are active longer, and baited more. Provide more exposure to more bears. Even if that big boar that was wondering looking for love in June. Hits a few times, and does not return. He will remeber that bait when food gets low, and come for a look. His travels will also carry the scent of that bait around the woods. Potentially exposing its locations to more bears. I dont like coons in my baits of course. But I do like they help spread the scent of that bait around. Making it easier for bears to find them.
Like everyone else. My baits will shut down. Bait more, and bait more often is my theory. I see this firsthand every single year. Where my baits being baited daily. Are far more active come fall then those of friends that are only baited on weekends. With the same exact bait year after year all season long. Been that way for over 20yrs!!
Biggest thing hands down. HAVE FUN!!!
I like to start brand new baits that have never had a bait in the area-in June. Existing baits can wait till July. But this year the season starts later- so if you know there are bear in the area and your in an area that the bear don't have to leave there core heavy foliage and swamps range to access your baiting spot-August will work. It depends on your budget- people pay me to bait early-so I do. But if it was my tag only-I would wait until mid July to conserve bait and gas money. JIM
Everything I have read is some guys start early and some start late. The info I got from a guy I know well and has over 20yr of bear hunting experience told me both ways work and each way has its plus and negative sides to it. He runs his baits starting in May and told me the key to keeping a early bait from going cold before season starts is to always keep changing up the bait all season. He tells me he likes starting early for 1: Longer he baits the more bears he has hitting a bait (even if some of them is just once every few days or weeks). Feels more bears hitting the bait the better your odds of seeing one. 2: Gives you more time to notice if other guys are in your area as well. Gives you time then to relocate or move a site if need be. Yes the down side is cost more and takes more time. Again he told me that guys kill a lot of bears every yr both ways when it comes to when you start your baits and do what fits you best.
For me I started 4 baits this past week and will start 2-3 more in late July or Aug. Im in zone C and knowing there is a lot of other bear hunters out there have put 2 of my baits in 1mi hike in and the closes spot to get to my bait site is 1mi. Hopefully this will put me far enough away from someone else finding my sites. Did get one bait hit already.
I had my first tag in zone c and started baiting in June, by opener i didn't have any bears coming in during shooting hours. I went without a bear that year. The next year a friend told me a week and a half before season that he needed a bait sight so i set him up. opener he shot the first one to come in a #170. I had a tag two years later and started baiting mid Aug, had them coming in daylight but nothing over #100. I did end up getting one end of September that year tho #233!
I agree with gotacarp no need to start til August. in my experience if you start early they'll hit it good at first then you'll start getting more and more night pics the closer it gets to season opener. I like having the "fresh new bait" feeling still when season opens. Seems to work better for me that way...
Displaying 1 to 11 of 11 posts
