# Bear Baits--starting to get nervous



## AF CYN

Hi All, 

First a huge thanks to everyone who has helped me with this hunt so far. I've had lots of guys share advice, pack in bait, etc...

I put my bait out on Memorial Day, so it has been 8 days. I haven't had a single hit on either bait site. Both are in the AF Canyon area about 3.5 miles apart. This is what I've done so far:

1. Packed in 100-150 lbs. at each site of grain/candy/dog food/baked goods/old fruit all covered in butter, sugar, honey or molasses, and cherry jello. I also dumped about 2.5 gallons of bacon grease laced with butterscotch pudding and anise extract at the base of each bait site. 

2. Hung a dead fish/rotten fruit in a game bag at each site

3. Hung call scent (some trapping stuff, plus anise, beaver castor, gold mist from Northwoods Bear Products)

4. Refreshed each bait site 3 times, did a honey/marshmallow burn at each site, cooked bear crack at each site (today). 

I would love to harvest a bear, and I'm starting to feel the pressure since the hunt starts on Saturday. 

Any advice? How long should I wait before abandoning these sites? I really don't want to do that because clean up will be rough and getting bait site approval takes some time and effort, but I also don't want to waste my time. 

Thanks for the tips or words of assurance. LE hunts can be so stressful. :neutral:


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## BigT

Sounds like a ton of work!

I understand the frustration which is why I am a terrible fisherman! I think patience here is the best route until you have no action over an extended period of time. 

Did you place the bait stations in areas you've traditionally seen bear or bear sign? Assuming you did, then you're likely to get some hits on it.

Good luck! I drew one of the Spot & Stalk permits this year and am pretty excited. I am hoping for some success as I've seen so many bears where I'm headed. Plus there's the perk that I can pick up a spike elk permit and hunt them at the same time.


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## AF CYN

I know there are bears in the general area, but it's certainly taking longer than I expected. Good luck on your bear hunt. My hunt has been tons of fun so far just prepping for it.


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## silentstalker

If there are bears in the area they will find your bait. They always do regardless of what bait you use. Be patient and keep burning your bacon grease and bear crack. They will come. 

This time of year I would be putting out some meat scraps as well.


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## johnnycake

Hang in there, my buddy i helped in the past bait in the wasatch west area took more than 3 weeks for bears to show up. But once they did, it was pretty incredible. He went from 0 bears to about a dozen different bears and ended up taking a gorgeous strawberry blonde boar that squared 6'. Just be patient and have fun!


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## AF CYN

Thanks, guys. This helps put my mind at ease. I was scouting for new bait sites last night. Maybe I'll hold off for a while. 

AF


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## AF CYN

Update: it took almost twelve days, but I finally got a bear on one of my baits. Hopefully more to come....


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## silentstalker

How about a pic? Good luck!


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## hawkeye

Yes, let's see a photo and good luck.


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## johnnycake

Awesome! We told you to wait it out....glad we we were right!!! (and of course, pics please!)


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## 35whelen

Hope you get a big toad on it soon


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## AF CYN

Had a bear at ten yards last night. Didn't provide a shot, never settled in at the bait, and left. Going out again tomorrow. I think I'm gonna get him. I'll try to remember to switch out the sd card so I can share pics.


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## longbow

Oh boy! Things are going to get exciting now! Good luck.


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## Mr.CheddarNut

pics pics pics please!


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## swbuckmaster




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## Huntin8

First swbuckmasters bear thread and now this! I cant wait to draw a tag! Good luck! Look forward to seeing some pictures.


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## 35whelen

Good luck!!!


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## AF CYN

Here are some pics. I believe they are all the same bear. I was at full draw on the third picture, but he never provided a shot. He keeps winding us at the bait, and hasn't been back since last Wednesday. I hope we haven't spooked him permanently. 

He isn't the biggest bear, but I believe he is a boar.


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## AF CYN

Does this pic identify him as a male or is that just his tail? There is a steep learning curve to this whole hunt, but it sure is a lot of fun.


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## johnnycake

He is a gorgeous bear, and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by him if you get him. As for spooking him off, I bet if you give it a bit he'll be back


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## 35whelen

Awesome! Hope he comes back.


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## AF CYN

Bears have come back. I can't tell if this is the same bear or not. I hope not since this one has a little fella' in tow.


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## johnnycake

Definitely not the same bear. look at the mickey mouse ears on her, telltale sign that she is a younger bear. Despite some of the earlier comments on this thread, you want a bear with ears that look tiny on its head.


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## AF CYN

This is the biggest bear I've had so far. Unfortunately, he was a no show tonight.


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## 35whelen

Hope you see him again


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## goforbroke

sweet thread. good luck. Shoot the bear!!!!


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## swbuckmaster

Did ya tag your bear?


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## AF CYN

Been at scout camp. I've missed most of the past two weeks between this and a family vacation. Going back tomorrow, and going to hit it hard this last week. . Bought some sow in heat attractant. We'll see if that helps.


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## martymcfly73

Good luck!


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## Mr Muleskinner

my best trick:

banana flavored flavor burst that goes into the Arctic Circle shakes. Sounds crazy but bears go nuts for it. A human can smell the stuff from a couple hundred yards if the wind is right. There is a distributor in downtown SLC that sells it downtown. Some Arctic Circles will sell the stuff outright.

Put it in a squirt bottle and spread it on the pine bows and leaves. not on the food. It's just to bring them in but it is double sweet and triple smelly.


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## NHS

Word on the street is AFCYN killed this morning.


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## Markthehunter88

Lets see it!!!!


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## Bowhunter50

Let's see it! This thread has got my pumped to go on a bear hunt! I've got a few points built up now. Can't wait!


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## AF CYN

First of all, a huge thanks to everyone who helped me with this hunt--I had folks on this forum tell me where to get bait, share tips, loan their mules to pack bait, pack bait themselves, sit in the blind with me, offer words of encouragement, etc...

Second, this is them most challenging hunt I have ever experienced, and thus the most rewarding. 

Now, the story. While at Scout Camp last week, the bears came with a vengeance. I had six new bears in two days. Most were big, one was huge. I noticed that all the action was between 6am and 11am, so this morning I recruited my neighbor to join me. We snuck into the bait site and there were two bears on it--a huge black boar and a black sow. The sow took off, the boar wasn't going anywhere. He woofed and stomped his feet. I estimated him at 30, put the pin on his shoulder and waited. He finally turned and I released when he was broadside. The arrow barely went over his back. I later ranged it at 33 yards. Don't ask me how that happened. Needless to say, I was bummed. This was a legitimate beast of a bear. 

We quickly poured the bait and fixed up the blind (the bears had become very familiar and comfortable with the blind). We walked thirty yards away to relieve ourselves before the long sit when a third boar came in to the bait. He must have been watching us from the trees and came right in when we left. He spooked when we returned, but didn't run far. He came back within seconds once we were in the blind. We had barely zipped up the door, and I hadn't nocked an arrow yet. 

He settled on his hindquarters and began eating. His elbow was covering his vitals, so I waited until he shifted his leg forward. I released and the arrow zipped right through the sweet spot. He spun and roared/growled before taking off through the brush downhill. We heard crashing, silence, then more branches breaking. We gave him twenty-five minutes before retrieving my arrow. 

It was impossible to find any blood or tracks. The blind is right at the edge of a timber patch and the undergrowth is 3-4 ft. tall and very thick. I wandered downhill, while my neighbor flanked me on the trail the other bears had gone down. I couldn't find anything--no blood, no tracks. I was looking down the canyon when I heard something behind me (the sound of air being released). I turned and he was right there, just five feet away! Fortunately, he was stone dead. He had only gone 40 yards or so. I think the air was just moving out of his lungs. 

NHS came up to help with the chores and we got everything out in one trip. Thanks again to everyone who helped. Bucket list item #4--Bear with a bow, check.


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## silentstalker

Nice work! Very cool bear!

Edit**. Any trail cam pics of your bear and the others? I love to see them and compare to actual size for judging.


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## BigT

Nice job AF CYN! Great bear


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## willfish4food

Awesome job AF! Congrats on the bear! Definitely sounds like you put the work in for it.


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## elkmule123

Congrats!!!


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## longbow

WHOA! Five feet away!? I hope you had an extra set of undies. 
Congrats to you on a well-deserved bear. You had the whole forum rooting for you.


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## AF CYN

silentstalker said:


> Nice work! Very cool bear!
> 
> Edit**. Any trail cam pics of your bear and the others? I love to see them and compare to actual size for judging.


Here are the two bears who were on the bait when I showed up. Still can't believe I missed the big one.

I believe the second picture is the one I harvested. The guy at the DWR said he was probably a 4 year old boar. He has a pretty good head on him, but not as filled out and massive as the black one. Still, I'm as happy as can be with him.


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## martymcfly73

Congrats!! Glad your hard work paid off!!


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## Packout

Great story and lots of hard work over the past couple months. Time invest back into the the "Wife-Capital" account! Congrats on the bear.


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## GeTaGrip

Cool story. Congratulations on the bear, sounds like it has been trying and rewarding.


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## torowy

I bet it was pretty spooky walking through that brush after a wounded bear. Congrats.


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## swbuckmaster

way to go on a nice bear! Hows the hide on the summer bears?


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## AF CYN

swbuckmaster said:


> way to go on a nice bear! Hows the hide on the summer bears?


It was fairly thin, but not rubbed off anywhere. It seemed to be in pretty good condition to me. I'm having the hide tanned, but I'm not doing a rug.

I had pictures of bears that had bald arms. Others, like the big black bear, look pretty thick.


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## johnnycake

Gorgeous bear, glad it worked out.


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## USMARINEhuntinfool

Way to go man! It's been fun to follow the adventure.


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## cosmo71

Way to go AF CYN!! I'm glad you got the bear and not vice versa. Your hard work and stinky bait paid off. Congrats!!


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## swbuckmaster

AF CYN said:


> It was fairly thin, but not rubbed off anywhere. It seemed to be in pretty good condition to me. I'm having the hide tanned, but I'm not doing a rug.
> 
> I had pictures of bears that had bald arms. Others, like the big black bear, look pretty thick.


I think if I ever get another bear it will be a half mount or full mount. The rugs take us some wall space. My bear rug went 78" from pad to pad and 75" from nose to tail.


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## swbuckmaster

If you haven't taken your skull somewhere I took mine to skull designs in salem. He used beatles and it turned out great


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## AF CYN

swbuckmaster said:


> My bear rug went 78" from pad to pad and 75" from nose to tail.


Our bears are very similar in size. I took mine to Packout--I'm doing a tanned pelt (no rug), and a bleached skull. I can't wait to see how it all turns out.


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## bowgy

Hey AF, thanks for sharing, sounds like a great hunt, congratulations, couldn't happen to a better guy8)


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## 35whelen

Congratulations! Glad your hard work paid off!


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## AF CYN

That's a nice offer, winglesh. Unfortunately the hunt ended yesterday. I knew of one other group hunting up there. They killed the bear I posted earlier that looks like a grizzly. They got it the night before I filled my tag. It's a great bear.


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