Only a week to bait… Suggestions???

For a number of reasons, I am getting a late start this year with my WI tag. Any suggestions for a guy that will only have about a weeks worth of time to bait before the season? I don’t have a lot of bait sites to make/bait/keep baited… Only 2-4 as it sits right now… I know it would have been nice to start earlier, but I’m trying to make the best out of the situation at hand….

BTW, thanks for posting all of the info about baiting (the primers and how-to posts)… GREAT info! Thanks!!!

Any other quick and dirty tips about last minute baiting would be appreciated!!!

Also, where can I pick up some of these attractant scents?? e.g., the strawberry extracts, liquid smoke, bbq sauce, etc?? What sort of outlets/stores/etc might I seek out to obtain this stuff in quantity sufficient for my needs???

Mike

whittsend:

Hopefully these are legible, if not I will pm you my email address and I can send the larger pics. I know it might be a bit further to go, but they got lots of good stuff. Only tip I have is to get lots of scent into the air and as Gursky said have the bear track it around, heck become the bear and track it yourself!!!

Mark

Sounds good. Not sure if I’ll make it up there or not, but its good to know it there.. Thanks!

How much bait (granola, cookies, whatever) should I expect to buy / go through over the course of 2 or 3 weeks, assuming I’m running 3 bait sites and 1-2 are getting hit?

Another way to phrase this question… How long might a 55 gallon barrel of bait realistically last me? Should I start buying a couple of barrels and go from there as needed?

Thanks!

Mike

HERE IS A NUMBER FOR BEAR BAIT IN CHIPPEWA FALLS 715 289 4856 I CANT REMEMBER THE GUYS NAME SORRY

His name isn’t Matt, is it? I got a different phone number from Will at Mouldy’s for a guy named Matt… Mostly just sell bait by appointment out of whatever his normal job is I guess…

I’ll give that number a call, too. Thanks!

Mike

whittsend:

You don’t need more than one barrel and some additives. The biggest thing you need to do is get the smell going. I probably would only run two sites, but if you feel you got another one that will work, go for it. The other thing you want to do is get them there, not feed them!!! An almost full ice cream bucket or part of a 5 gal pail is more than enough at each site per trip.

Mark

Sounds good… by “additives”, I assume things like fryer grease, liquid smoke, bbq sauce, and other aromatic conconctions?

Maybe a supersoaker squirt gun spraying liquid smoke into the tops of the trees??

Thanks again!

NO fryer grease, any animal parts are considered illegal in WI…

Mark

I guess I knew that, but is it that big of a concern??

Is it the fact that the grease could be animal fat, or moreso that it could have bits of chicken or whatever in with the grease?

Thanks again for the info….

whittsend:

Good question actually… If the fat is animal, defintely a no, no!!! From the regs:

“Contains any animal part or animal by-product. Animal part or by-product means honey, bones, fish, meat, solid animal fat, bacon grease, animal carcass or parts of animal carcasses, but does not include liquid scents or cheese.
Note: Attracting bears by the methods commonly referred to as “honey burns” or “bacon burns” is not legal.”

There I just learned something new… The honey burn is not legal in WI…

So back to the fryer grease, could canola oil be used??? There I guess I got to ask a warden friend of mine…

Mark

Thanks!!

I knew the law wordage, but its still confusing… I might just go cook/burn a bunch of popcorn and throw it out there.. That really brought the bears in on our last fly in to northern Manitoba!!!

Any other commonly available scents that I might be able to find around the area without 1) spending a fortune to obtain large quantities and 2) having to drive hundreds of miles to it?? (e.g., available in/around EC)

Thanks again!

Mike

Mark –

This is may chat with the DNR call (chat) center…

“Adrienne:
Hello Mike, how may I help you?
mike:
Quick qestion about bear baiting….
mike:
I know no animal parts may be used…
mike:
what is the legal status of grease / fryer oil ??
mike:
(assuming it is free of food bits/pieces and is of vegetable origin)
Adrienne:
Let me look, one minute please
mike:
Thanks!
Adrienne:
Would any meat or animal products have been cooked in the oil?
mike:
possibly…
mike:
will that make it illegal?
Adrienne:
You would have to make sure there is no soild fat left in the grease
mike:
So as long as it is liquid at room temperature, it is ok?
Adrienne:
For example when it cools you would not only have to strain out the solids, but if any fat remains on top you would also need to remove that
Adrienne:
Yes, as long as it is just the gease or fryer oil you are okay to use it
mike:
Sounds good. Thanks!!
Adrienne:
You’re welcome,have a good day
Chat Session Ended, Goodbye. (5010)”

Sounds like it possibly could be a pain and/or messy, but possible…. (unless you know for a fact animal parts were not used/cooked in the grease)

Mike

Liquid smoke, molasses, anise, had a friend tell me he would fill a nylon with gummy bears hang it in a tree 6-8 feet up, when it rained, it drip and draw bears.

Mark

Ok. So here is what I have done so far…

Tuesday pm I had off work and headed to the stand site. I took the chainsaw, stand, bait, etc… Walked the area a (very) little (new property for me that sort of fell into my lap, but I know the neighbors have been baiting for a while and have been seeing 13+ different bears at their bait sites less than 1/2 mile away from mine)… Saw some bear poop and what I assumed were possibly bear beds and/or trails coming out into an alfalfa field. They had some tall marsh grass really trampled down between some thicker woods and the open field. In a somewhat thicker area, I found a decent pine tree suitable for hanging a stand with a downfall closeby to use to build a bait crib. I hung the stand, cut the crib logs to about 6 foot sections, built my crib, dumped some bait inside, and dumped some molasses in the crib as well.

I also had Wednesday off, so I put a second bait site out behind my house (maybe not a smart move, but I know there are bears in the area, so why not… Just don’t tell my neighbors… )

I also went to pick up some bait materials (cookies, chocolate covered pretzels, icing, etc…) and then went back to the first bait site. Hasn’t been hit yet (one day old, not expecting miracles), and I took some sugary/strawberry smelling syrup and sprayed/dumped that around the area. Then I took about a half gallon of liquid smoke and sprayed the bait site/foliage/tree tops of small bendable maple trees and trail all the way back to the truck… Hopefully leave a scent trail to follow to the goodies.

Also smoked up the bait site at my house. I cooked/burnt a few big turkey fryers worth of popcorn to throw out at each bait site, too.

Anyway, that is about the extent of my progress. Fun to recap my first baiting efforts, and might help me remember the hunt a little better.

I’ll always welcome more suggestions!!

How often do you guys “smoke” a site, assuming its not getting hit?

Mike

Usually we only need to smoke or scent spray the area once and they find it, but we start our baits earlier in the year. I see you mentioned an alfalfa field was nearby. Is there any corn fields around? They will start to hit the corn pretty hard soon, if they haven’t already. Maybe throw a bait somewhere near one if that is an option.

There is a good sized cornfield adjacent to the alfalfa, and immediately behind my stand (15 yards from my stand tree). I walk right down one side of the cornfield to get to my stand, and I figure its a great source of cover for bear travel (the corn connects two good sized wooded areas), not to mention a good food source. I saw some trails (bear or deer?) coming out of the woods into the corn. Saw some tracks along the corn edge and bear crap closer to the alfafa edge. Figured it was a decent place to try.

There is a creek about 500 yards away through some thick woods from my bait site, which should be a good water source. Might be some other low lying areas with water closer, although I’m not sure. I know there are other baiters in the area (maybe a half mile away), but I’m hoping the bears are willing to wander over to my site on occassion and check out the alternative buffet.

Anyway, I’m hoping its starts getting hit!

If the bait doesn’t get hit and it is getting later in the season and you are up to it, if we get a day with some wind, a cornfield stalk might be an option. Work across the rows looking down each. They will stay in the corn all day if they don’t get bothered.

ooooo, that sounds like fun!!!

Mark

Check out the update to my 2009 season!! Cuddeback bear pics