# Bear hitting my bait



## TheHunted (Feb 22, 2016)

My dad finally drew a bear tag with 12 points, pretty sure he was at max points. Crazy because I drew the same tag with 9 points and I had max at the time. He was only one year behind me when putting in but wound up taking 3 years longer to draw. Point creep is killer. 

He drew a summer baiting hunt which started last Saturday. This is our third bear hunt together and we had two great spots picked out well before the hunt started. Last Saturday brought snow and rain to our area so we held off setting up bait sites until Monday (Memorial Day). Set out on Memorial Day to get bait sites set up only to find the area we planned to hunt wasn’t accessible due to construction. Come to find out the area wouldn’t be accessible to us at all during our hunt. Frantically we searched for new sites, sites we knew nothing about but knew there were bears a few canyons away. Settled on a couple of locations not too far apart from each other and only a few miles from the original spots. My dad is over 60 and requested we keep our bear sites fairly close to a road.

We were able to set up one bait site on Thursday. Walking in we found bear skat less then 100 yards from where we were going to set up. Set down donuts, left over cake, bread covered in syrup, popcorn mixed with brown sugar and jello powder, homemade bear sucker, marshmallow cream on logs, honey on logs, and stinky chicken in a tree. 

My dad went back in early this morning to put more bait down and to his surprise the bait had been hit pretty good. Looks like a sow and her cub have come in the last two nights. They came in after sun down and practically stayed all night, left at around 4:30am. There is one pic that kind of looks like a boar but I’m honestly not sure. It’s 30 mins after the last pic of the cub. 

The last pic is for sure a sow. The only picture I’m not sure about is the second to last pic, is that the same bear? 

I don’t know how to embed pictures within my story so pictures are from beginning til today.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

From what I can see it looks like all the pics are of the same bear.


How did you get the DWR to sign off on a bear bait station if its "close" to a road? Depending on how close to the road it is, you have a great possibility of a hound picking up the sent of the bear as they cross the road to hit the bait.


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## TheHunted (Feb 22, 2016)

Maybe my definition of “close” differs a little bit from others. It’s at least 1.5 miles off a bend in the road. DWR didn’t take long to approve it. If dogs find it so be it, we’ve got the whole month of June.


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## AF CYN (Mar 19, 2009)

I think it is the same bear, too. Still, where there is one there will eventually be others. I think 1.5 miles is a LONG way from the road when baiting!:smile:


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

Same bear. She's pretty, hopefully you can find her big brother


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

OK, 1.5 miles is not close to the road in my book. Close to me is when I can throw a rock to the spot. (I cant throw a rock that far anymore either):sad:

I like the bear sucker you made and how its placed! You keep it up and before you know it, you'll be packing a bear out.:grin:


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

Along debated and contemplated question is answered here. Yes, in fact, a bear does poop in the woods! 

Cools stuff here! Can’t wait to see what you guys end up with. And it seems like you have the right mindset, in my opinion. Good luck.


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## snw_brdr10 (May 20, 2014)

Cool stuff man!


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## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

She looks like she wintered well, hopefully an interested Boar shows up for you soon. I think you've found a good spot, just need the bears to cooperate.

Sent from my SM-N976U using Tapatalk


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## TheHunted (Feb 22, 2016)

Another check this morning and still the same sow and cub hitting the bait site at night. Nothing during the day. They are pretty much there all night and leave right at first light. Probably going to set up the second bait site tomorrow.


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## TheHunted (Feb 22, 2016)

Second bait site, lots of the same stuff. Found what looks to be a bear rub not far from the set up.


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## TheHunted (Feb 22, 2016)

Boar? Sow and cub haven’t been on the site since this bear showed up.


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## AF CYN (Mar 19, 2009)

I think it's a boar. Good bear.


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## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

A bit hard to say. Ears are kinda close together and tall off the head but its got short legs and neck so it looks like a good, healthy bear.

If it doesn't have cubs with it I'd probably kill it.

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## TheHunted (Feb 22, 2016)

I can never tell. Dad is planning on sitting the site for the first time early tomorrow morning. If this bear comes in he said he’s taking it.


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

It looks like a Boar to me. It has the furrow between the ears and sure is a chunk. The snout looks to be a little longer like a Sows though. When you actually get to see it and the way it behaves, that will be better indicator to help identify the sex. 


Nice looking bear though!


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## TheHunted (Feb 22, 2016)

taxidermist said:


> It looks like a Boar to me. It has the furrow between the ears and sure is a chunk. The snout looks to be a little longer like a Sows though. When you actually get to see it and the way it behaves, that will be better indicator to help identify the sex.
> 
> Nice looking bear though!


How does a boars behavior differ from that of a sow? What kinds of things should we be looking for.


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## TheHunted (Feb 22, 2016)

With all this rain we are having will bears still eat wet bait? We placed a bunch of bait this afternoon and afterwards it rained. The bait piles are somewhat covered but certainly got wet. Got me thinking maybe we shouldn’t have baited today because of the rain. Not sure if bears will still eat mushy bread and soggy popcorn.


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## johnnycake (Jul 19, 2011)

Hard to say on that one, but I think I lean to the sow crowd. Very nice looking bear, and looks to be a good sized one, boar or sow. 

As for the bait and rain, I wouldn't worry a bit about it. Bears come in to the bait even after it gets drenched in downpours all the time in AK, ID and MT


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## taxidermist (Sep 11, 2007)

When "your bear" comes in to the bait, a Boar, not all the time but more than likely will posture and have a swagger. If the bear spends a good amount of time on the bait, you'll have an opportunity to see the sex organs. Depending on the view it gives you.


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## KineKilla (Jan 28, 2011)

TheHunted said:


> With all this rain we are having will bears still eat wet bait? We placed a bunch of bait this afternoon and afterwards it rained. The bait piles are somewhat covered but certainly got wet. Got me thinking maybe we shouldn't have baited today because of the rain. Not sure if bears will still eat mushy bread and soggy popcorn.


I found this spring that rain will not stop bears from coming to bait but it might throw off their routine. Also, if they have not already committed the site as a reliable food source, the rain and wet weather will minimize the scent getting out to attract them.

Boars will usually walk in to a bait site they are familiar with like they own the place. If they come in slowly and are hesitant or stop eating frequently to look around, there may be a larger bear in the area.


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