# Operation feed my bear has begun



## Bucksnort (Nov 15, 2007)

I have always enjoyed reading the bear hunt narratives others have shared so I am going to try and do something similar. I have a fall archery tag so it will be awhile until much picks up but as many of you know bait accumulation starts early.








Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk


----------



## AF CYN (Mar 19, 2009)

Smart idea--it's amazing how much food you can save/find when you're planning a bear hunt. It goes away quickly, though. :grin:


----------



## 35whelen (Jul 3, 2012)

I started that last fall, hoping id draw. ill just keep hoarding


----------



## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Just throwing this out there but you have started putting bread in your freezer ect. Those are things you can get for dirt cheap a week or two before your hunt. I bought bread by the truck load almost every week for less than 30 bucks. A freezer will only feed one bear a day or so. 

I'm not sure I'd even freez anything except carp. I'd also put a few carp in a five gallon bucket with a little water. Put a lid on it and set in the sun on side of your house. Don't open it until your hunt. 

I'd get two five gallon buckets and fill them with apples. Put a lid on and set in cool spot in garage or crawl space under your house and let them ferment. Don't open until your hunt. 

Buy some molasses. 5 gallons worth. You can buy it somewhere for pretty cheep. They mix it with grain for horses. Molasses makes good burns and bears love it on bread. 

I got old fry oil and hamburger grease from a few resturants. 

Cant wait to see your hunt unfold. Just keep adding to this one so we can follow it easier. 

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


----------



## Bucksnort (Nov 15, 2007)

I am curious. Where did you buy a truckload of bread for $30? That seems like a great deal. As of right now I am buying bread for $.15 a loaf of french bread. The problem is I can only buy about 25 loafs at a time. Thus I am saving it. I am also scooping up cheap crackers and cookies. I have a little pork from a pig a raised last year too. 

I plan on using a few carp and they will get a spot in this freezer. I am waiting until I am closer to my hunt to get used oil, popcorn, frosting, ect. I don't want vermin running through my house for the next 4 months. I will be looking for cheap fruit too.

Right now, I figure if I get the super cheap stuff as I can it will save money in the long run because when it comes time to put it on the ground, I will have to find more bait fast. 

I will be making some bear suckers too.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk


----------



## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

There are bread and donut places arround the state that sale older expired stuff at a discount rate. The really old stuff gets sold to pig farmers ect. You just have to be there before the pig farmers. I can't remember the stores name where I got mine but it was in AF. Albertsons also sold me their throw away stuff for cheap. Ha ha you could also dumpster dive if you don't mind dirty looks from people. 
I found it easier to say I was raising pigs then hunting bears. Most people don't like bait hunts for bears. 

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


----------



## highcountryfever (Aug 24, 2009)

PM Sent. I am also gathering for the summer hunt. Sent you a few ideas, some of what swbuckmaster has told you about.


----------



## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

Bait hunts are a ton of work. People think it's easy to just go up and dump some bait out and hunt. It's not true! I lost 25 lbs and hit the trail almost every night of the week except sundays. Most bears hit at night. Very seldom did they hit in the day time. So a bear that did hit in the day time may not do it again for several days. If your not sitting and waiting when he comes in you may eat tag! In the end I hunted for a month straight and killed my bear on the last week. Best hunt of my life but man it was a ton of work!

These post are fun to watch! 

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


----------



## swbuckmaster (Sep 14, 2007)

It's good your doing some leg work now! Meaning locating sources of bait. I had sources that dried up because of competition from other baiters or the stores decided to simply not sell to me for some reasons.

If you wait until the day before your hunt you will be screwed. I have a friend with a fall tag. He helped me pack bait a couple of times and I don't think he's even doing anything to get prepared for his hunt like I've told him to.

Even if your not getting bait get in shape. Nothing worse then packing bait out of shape. I rember crying inside trying to keep up with silentstalker on a few ocations. I rember not going into work the next day because I was so exausted. Luckily my job is flexible or it wouldn't have happened. 

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


----------



## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

swbuckmaster said:


> Bait hunts are a ton of work. People think it's easy to just go up and dump some bait out and hunt. It's not true! I lost 25 lbs and hit the trail almost every night of the week except sundays. Most bears hit at night. Very seldom did they hit in the day time. So a bear that did hit in the day time may not do it again for several days. If your not sitting and waiting when he comes in you may eat tag! In the end I hunted for a month straight and killed my bear on the last week. Best hunt of my life but man it was a ton of work!
> 
> These post are fun to watch!
> 
> Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk


Just think of how much better shape you were in by the time the hunt rolled around.


----------



## AF CYN (Mar 19, 2009)

swbuckmaster said:


> Buy some molasses. 5 gallons worth. You can buy it somewhere for pretty cheep. They mix it with grain for horses. Molasses makes good burns and bears love it on bread.


This was the key for me--the bears LOVED molasses. Another thing that I used is grain--old food storage, chicken scratch, etc.... It's cheap, the bears love it(especially when doctored up with molasses or jello/sugar), and they can't drag it off into the woods.

The one thing the bears didn't eat a lot of was dog food, which I thought was interesting. I thought it would be a big hit.

Good luck on your hunt.


----------



## elkantlers (Feb 27, 2014)

I'm in the same boat, My Kid drew a June bait tag. We have been collecting bait ever since we learned that we had a tag. I have a few locations that save all their old bread and pastries for me and I go pick it up every couple of days. I have a big chest freezer that is about 1/2 full. I think I have a source for fry grease. should be able to get five gallons in the next week. ( is that enough ? ) I bought a gallon of Honey at a yard sale for a buck. 
If anyone has a good source for the molasses I would be very interested. You can PM me. 
We are very excited. Hopefully we can find a couple of good spots for a bait.


----------



## Bucksnort (Nov 15, 2007)

I went and scouted a bit last weekend. I had chosen about 30 potential bait sites based on map/imagery. about 90% of the turned out to be too steep to effectively set up a bait site. I did see some good bear sign and an albino mustang mare. She had pink eyes and white hooves. I will head back in a few weeks to scout some more. Here are some pics.









I found a bear bed. It looked like I may have ran it off.













































Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk


----------

