# HELP! baiting bears



## huntaholic (Mar 6, 2009)

I need some help baiting bears. I have been baiting for about four weeks and they are just coming out of hibernation in the area we are in and we are seeing tracks and scat within a hundred yards of the bait but nothing will touch the bait. we have been baiting with doughnuts, carp, sugar, and bacon grease. any ideas will help we only have one week left to hunt.


----------



## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

*Re: HELP! baitng bears*

I'm in the same boat. Using the same stuff as you and nothing. I think that when they are first out all they want is green grass. They are trying to get their digestive system back on track. I've been told that after they go number 2 for the first time then they will start scavaging for other foods. 
I'm just going to use dogs now as I only have four days left to hunt.


----------



## pheaz (Feb 11, 2011)

*Re: HELP! baitng bears*

Try hanging a syrup bottle in a tree with a small hole in the bottle. Set the bottle up so it drips down the trunk. The smell usually pulls them in.


----------



## nickpan (May 6, 2008)

*Re: HELP! baitng bears*

pm'd you both


----------



## 4pointmuley (Sep 18, 2007)

*Re: HELP! baitng bears*

I have had the same problem. No bears! Yesterday, I was over to the Springville dwr office changing to a new bait site. A hunter came in who had a bear. He said he had taken it in southern Utah with a rifle. It was the only one he saw, after hunting a week. I then asked the dwr how many bears have been brought in to the office. They said just a few, the weather has made it difficult for most hunters this year! I think the bear are late from coming out of hibernation? Too bad the dwr wouldn't extend the season! All I have had on the trail cam is skunks, coyote's, foxes, and magpie's in my bait! One thing I am using is liquid smoke. I removed the cap and drilled a small hole in the bottom and then ran a small shoe lace through the hole with a knot behind the cap. Then take a wire hanger from the closet and cut the hook end off the hanger and then duct tape it to the bottom of the bottle. Then screwed the cap on tight, allowing the liquid smoke to slowly saturate the shoe lace, once turned up-side down and hung in a tree. It really gives off a good scent! Good luck!


----------



## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

*Re: HELP! baitng bears*

I talked to a few other hunters and they have all written or called the DWR and requested a extention. They said it sounds like they might do it. I told them don't hold your breath.
Lucky for me I have a unit which was already extended before the draw and can hunt till this sunday.


----------



## 4pointmuley (Sep 18, 2007)

*Re: HELP! baitng bears*

I called the dwr in Springville. I asked about providing an extension to bear hunters. She said a lot of hunters had called in to ask about an extension. She said it was discussed, due to the weather, and the amount of bears taken. The wildlife biologist decided not to offer a extension. Why would they? The state got our money! Which will allow more permits for next year with more bears afield!


----------



## longbow (Mar 31, 2009)

*Re: HELP! baitng bears*

I've used liquid smoke on big bags of popcorn or cheap dogfood. Last year we had bears come in the day after we set out a couple bags of dogfood smothered with molasses from the feed store.


----------



## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

*Re: HELP! baitng bears*

ethyl mercaptan

be sure to read the MSDS


----------



## Cooky (Apr 25, 2011)

*Re: HELP! baitng bears*

That has to be the scariest smell on earth.


----------



## svmoose (Feb 28, 2008)

Those bears have got to blow their plug before they start hitting the baits very hard. I haven't been watching any this year and have no idea how long they've been out of their dens. 

Try a honey burn, I've had that work in the past. 

Get a camp stove and a pot or an old tin can or something - as the honey will stick to whatever you use. Then put some honey in the bottom and let it cook. It will give off a smoke that smells kind of sweet. Works best when he wind is going the direction you want it to. Sometimes it can bring a bear in to find the bait.


----------



## mikevanwilder (Nov 11, 2008)

Well hunts over and no bear. Oh well I had a ton of fun hunting. Would be nice if they extend it but not going to count on it. 
The thing is now that there are going to be these extra bears, the sheep and cattle herders are just going to be killing and leaving more bears this summer/fall.


----------



## svmoose (Feb 28, 2008)

Sorry to hear that. I don't know anyone with a Utah bear tag that got one this year. I really think they ought to extend the season a bit if they didn't get the harvest that was expected.


----------



## Yahtahay (Jul 3, 2008)

It would sure be nice if the DWR would extend the season a few weeks at least as there are still bears denning up. I also baited and I never had a single bear come in and the scat we noticed everywhere was grass until yesterday when we found one that was eating beatles and ants. I seen a total of 3 bears the whole hunt and with the week long baiting process it is very hard to change your bait station location so relocating was not in the agenda. All in all though I had fun, was pretty neat seeing the 3 bears that I did see and if I was rifle hunting one of them would have been down and tagged. I learned a valuable lesson...if it's a late snow pack or even predicted you are better off forfeiting your tag and taking the point. Lesson learned.


----------



## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

*Re: HELP! baitng bears*



Cooky said:


> That has to be the scariest smell on earth.


Yeah, Methyl Mercaptan is what gives skunk pee it's odor.

Ethyl Mercaptan is a man-made compound used to odorize natural gas and propane.


----------

