# Bear Baiting



## bearhntr (Oct 6, 2008)

Anyone have any suggestions on bait for bears. I should say does anyone have experience with bear baiting? What do you use and what seams the best to attract bears. Thanks I have done spot and stalk in other states but have never hunted over a bait station. I am fairly certain that I will draw this year seeing that I have the top bonus points in the areas that I applied for.


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## truemule (Sep 12, 2007)

I've heard of people using dog food, day old donuts if you can get a bakery to sell them. Honey in a can with a candle underneath is alos a very great attractant. I haven't read the bear proclomation in a while and I believe there are some restrictions on what you can use. So read that before you going using just anything.


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## bearhntr (Oct 6, 2008)

I do know that the bait if meat has to be certified and you can not use any container to hold the bait. So I am a little weary about the scented baits in a can. Thanks for your advise.


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## nickpan (May 6, 2008)

PM Sent


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## bird buster (May 25, 2008)

So let me get this right? If I drew a bear tag, I can't use a container to hold the bait in? Everytime I see a bear hunting show they tie barrels to trees and stock it full of bait. What would it matter, or why does utah say "no" to bait containers?


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## Kevin D (Sep 15, 2007)

bird buster said:


> So let me get this right? If I drew a bear tag, I can't use a container to hold the bait in? Everytime I see a bear hunting show they tie barrels to trees and stock it full of bait. What would it matter, or why does utah say "no" to bait containers?


In some of the states where barrels are used to contain bait the hunters get lazy and leave their barrels there year round. Bait barrels even during the season are unsightly and the Forest Service will field lots of complaints......hence the law.

I have never baited in Utah, but for several years I assited in running a couple bait stations in Idaho. Our baits consisted of two parts, a stink bait to attract the bear to the area initially, and a food bait to keep them coming back. The stink bait part was usually some kind of dead animal. We collected the skinned mink carcasses in the fall and barrelled them up until spring to use as baits, we used dead cows from dairy farms, and we used the offal and waste by-products from a custom slaughter operation. All of this would be difficult to do in Utah because of the addtional restrictions, but legal in Idaho.

The food based part was easier to administer but fairly expensive. Dog food soaked in either grease or molasses was the staple, but we experimented with beet pulp pellets and rolled corn used the same way as well. We also used out of date bread and doughnuts from the Hostess distributer, but that was a pain because everything was still packaged. One of the guys I was teamed with even got a hold of some 40 lbs blocks of Sugar Daddy carmel which worked well.

Not only did we feed the bears, but we also fed every magpie, raven, and coyote in central Idaho with our baits as well (this was in the pre-wolf days). We went through dog food by the truck load and it was pretty much a full time job to maintain it, but there was never any shortage of bear hitting our baits.

You can do a similar bait station in Utah, but it will take a lot of work and a lot of money.....more than it took us in Idaho because of Utah's additional restrictions. Is it worth it?? Not for me, but you can decide for yourself.


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## bearhntr (Oct 6, 2008)

bird buster said:


> So let me get this right? If I drew a bear tag, I can't use a container to hold the bait in? Everytime I see a bear hunting show they tie barrels to trees and stock it full of bait. What would it matter, or why does utah say "no" to bait containers?


The second part of the containers is that they don't want the bears to associate food with containers. 
Kevin- Thanks for your info. I have been toying with different ideas from meat scraps but like you said the restrictions are huge. I thought of using some out of date popcorn and potato chips with molasses or some other sweet stuff. I will keep on researching further options and hopefully find something that will work out for me financially.
Did you refresh the bait daily, and how long did you bait until you had bears hitting it. 
I have the chance of doing two bait stations so I am planning on setting up trail cameras to give me a good indicator of what animals I am seeing and if bears are present which one holds the bigger bear.
Thanks again, Oh what out fitter in Idaho did you work for? Where are they located? Are they still in operation? You said central Idaho. I have hunted Bears in the Bitteroot area and up by Lolo Pass. This was just spot and stalk. No baiting just in the fall when the berries were on. We actually cut a set of grizzly tracks! That made the hair stand on the back of my neck stand on end seeing I had my archery equipment and my buddy had his muzzle loader.


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## bird buster (May 25, 2008)

I understand the problems with leaving a bait barrel around. People are just lazy. Too bad. Seems like you could legally use logs and make a bait barrel out of them. Cut a 12 x 12 hole in the side so bears could stick there head in but not be able to empty the stash as fast. 

Sounds like utah is a pain to work with if you plan on using some kind of meat.


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## elkaholic226 (Feb 13, 2009)

i used meat scraps,fruit, grease and any other stinky food i could find and cooked it (outside!) and had it in a barrell!. i also had fish and game check it out and o.k'd my site. they just told me i had to have it all removed from my kill site within 48hrs of my kill!, i also used a honey burn. shot my bear second night on my stand and had my site clean within my 48hrs.


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## bearhntr (Oct 6, 2008)

How long ago did you hunt bear elkaholic? What reagon were you in? I am surprised that they allowed the barrel and did you have all of the documentation to show your meat came from an animal that was disease free, showed how the animal died and was certified by a vet? I was wondering if I was able to get scraps from a butcher shop say at smiths or even a slaughter house I should be ok because the animal parts came from animals that are meant for human consumption. I guess I have a lot of questions for the fish and game.


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## Kevin D (Sep 15, 2007)

We set up most of our baits in the Salmon area of Idaho Bearhntr. There was no outfitter involved, just a group of houndsmen that pooled our resources to set up bait stations to run our dogs off of (legal in Idaho, illegal in Utah). One of the houndsmen was from Salmon and he went up 2 or three times during the week to refresh the baits plus we generally hauled more barrels of bait up every weekend when we came up to hunt. We'd set our baits out April 15 every year and kept them going through July when the summer dog pursuit season ended. We'd move our baits around a bit during the season so we could run some fresh bear, but we always had at least two active bait stations. Like I said, it was a lot of money and a lot of work.

The hard part is keeping the bait station stocked with enough food to keep the bear coming back. You let the the bait station run dry, the bear will move on. If you get 3, 4, or more bear hitting a bait, they'll go through a lot of groceries in a hurry and they'll clean you out in no time. I remember dropping off dead 1500 lbs dairy cows only to return a couple days later to find it totally consumed. What they don't eat they'll drag off.

If I was going to try a bait in Utah, I'd head down to a farm feed store and buy several gallons of feed grade molasses and a couple hundred pounds of rolled corn. Soak the corn in the molasses until you get giant popcorn balls and set it out in a hole. It's too flaky for the bear to pack it off, coyotes will generally leave it alone, plus the molasses will put out enough scent to attract the bear to the area. I wouldn't bother with a meat bait, there's just too many restrictions. Anyway, that'd be my suggestion.


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## bearhntr (Oct 6, 2008)

Thanks Kevin, I really appreciate all of your advise. I figured it would be a lot of work but you really put it into perspective. Thanks for all of the advise. If I get a bruin I will put pics up on the site.


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## WasatchOutdoors (Sep 26, 2007)

If I draw a tag this year I'm planning on using a similar strategy. I put in for the fishlake area, and I figure i'll bust out the old boy scout lashing skills to make some kind of container, box, what have you, for containing the bait. The bulk of the food in there will be dog food, the cheaper and stinkier the better. But as an attractant, the proc says you can use non game fish. I figure a mess of carp bowfished from the creek near my house ought to stink PLENTY. And if they get eaten early on, I've never had any trouble finding carp in the shallow parts of fish lake. 

The biggest thing I'm worried about is the part about how you have to remove all of it as soon as your hunt is done. I don't mind packing the excess dog food out (if it hasn't been completely eaten by all the other critters that will surely be attracted) but by the time the fish starts to really rot, I would SOOO rather bury it. I guess that what industrial weight garbage bags are for though right?


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## nickpan (May 6, 2008)

you don't need a container. If its a shooter bear you don't need more than a few seconds to get a shot of most of the time. A shallow hole with some decent size rocks or logs will do plenty.


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## bearhntr (Oct 6, 2008)

If you are near a bunch of downed logs you can make a container out of them by stacking them strategically so there is only one way into the bait and make it only large enough that they can fit their head or front leg. This will allow you plenty of time to judge an animal and it will keep them occupied on the bait and not as much on you. Also it should help to keep the bait there longer with out them gobbling it up and run out bait the same day as you baited. I believe you have 72 hours to removed either after the kill or after the season is over so this will give you a little bit of time to hopefully let the animals eat the rest of what is there.


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## nickpan (May 6, 2008)

bearhntr said:


> I believe you have 72 hours to removed either after the kill or after the season is over so this will give you a little bit of time to hopefully let the animals eat the rest of what is there.


If your bait is getting hit pretty good by more than one bear and it doesn't get cleaned out within 72 hours you are using *WAY* too much bait. Basically wasting a lot of time and money and feeding the squirrel and crow population. About 10 gallons of bait per day is more than plenty. Had six bait sites with no more than two five gallon buckets full of bait stocked every day for 2 weeks and it was cleaned out every night. On some of the baits that had more than about 4 bears hittin it we'd up it to about 4 five gallon buckets per day, and almost always returned the next morning to find bait left. Guys think you need to create a landfill and that is definitely overkill. Quality not quantity


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## WasatchOutdoors (Sep 26, 2007)

SO how long before the hunt do you want to start baiting your site to attract bears? And what helps you determine what area to set up a bait site in?


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## elkaholic226 (Feb 13, 2009)

By law you can not start baiting till the first day of bear season. and to answer your ? Bearhntr, I got all my scraps from the butcher and was never questioned about my scraps at all. i did have to apply for my baiting permit,give gps cords,what kind of scraps,etc. remember that you are allowed to have 2 bait stations


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## Kevlar (Oct 4, 2007)

I baited bear in Utah last spring and had a blast! When you apply for your bait station with DWR, you need to declare what type of bait you plan on using. I declared everything that I could think of just in case. I didn't mention any dead horses or cows because of the stipulations on them and getting them certified. I did declare butcher scraps and figured if a butcher is going to sell the non-scraps for human consumption then the scraps were ok for the bears.
A DWR friend provided me with several hundred pounds of white suckers they caught in gill nets (non-game fish). I used alot of restaurant scraps that consisted of everything bread, meat, vegies. Had alot of doughnuts from Crispy Cream that my friends wife got (they wouldn't give it to me but she had no problem). I used fryer oil from a restaurant to create scent trails. I used grease drippings from restaurant grills. I hung suckers in a pillow case high up in a tree to advertise the site. I did not spend a dime for any bait. 
What I found is that early on when they were comming out of the den they liked the sweets and then like turning a switch they prefered the meat/fish. I think their stomachs need to adjust when comming out of the den. First they eat grass and grains then sweets, then meat.
Other things I would do different when I draw again is to put baits closer to the road. Wait closer to the end of the season before I let the arrow fly. Also try the ground blind instead of the tree stand.
You need to have alot of time, live close to your bait sites, start early gathering you bait. Have good trail cameras that are bear safe. Have a friend to video the hunt. Be prepared cause it will create an addiction that is hard to satisfy living in Utah. 
I will try to post some pics.
Kevlar


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## Kevlar (Oct 4, 2007)

Boar & Sow. The sow is blonde










This is the one I took










View from tree stand










Bait pile










My Bear


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## Kevlar (Oct 4, 2007)

A friend gets bears comming into his feed block used to attract elk. Some kind of molassis and corn stuff.


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## Kevlar (Oct 4, 2007)

I heard its good to be close by water. I think DWR and Forest Service want it at least 100 yards away. After a good meal they need a drink. 
Here is one that came in while I was hunting elk just to swim and get a drink.


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## bearhntr (Oct 6, 2008)

Those are some fantastic pics! the block is also a good idea. Hey did you square your bear? If so what was it. I took 5 footer in Idaho a few years back but it was a self guided spot and stalk. The berries were in full bloom and man they were thick! Quick and hard to get a shot at but quick. I tried several days with a bow but it was way too thick so I switched to my riffle.


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## bearhntr (Oct 6, 2008)

This is it. My spot and stalk Idaho bear.


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## Kevlar (Oct 4, 2007)

My bear is still at the taxi but I plan to measure it when I get the rug back. Hopefully soon. It was no monster but it was my first. If I recall it was 5'8" nose to tail after I skinned it out.
Your Idaho bear is nice! I see very few black ones where I live in NE Utah. If I ever get to hunt them again I hope to get a black one.


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## Chief Squatting Dog (Oct 23, 2009)

did you try a picnic basket, works for the jellystone ranger


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## bearhntr (Oct 6, 2008)

Now that was funny Chief!!!
Where we hunt in Idaho there are a myriad of colors! Everyone had chances (except me) at different color phase and we all ended up with variations of blacks. We had a Pure solid all the way down to the muzzle, one with white on it's chest, one black with brown muzzle, and mine that actually has brown that is like a Mohawk that was longer than the rest of the body and also had some brown that went down it's shoulders. It was a good looking bear. Just after I shot this one a giant cinnamon ran out of the bottom and made mine look like a squirrel. At first I thought it was a grizzly until it stopped and took a look at me. I will find a pic of me working on it's feet and you should be able to see the color. This is my first one as well and like you said if has created an addiction that you can't fix in Utah.


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## bearhntr (Oct 6, 2008)

If you want to square a bear you measure from the nose to tail and then tip of the front paw to the tip of the other front paw. Add those together and then divide by two. This will give you the square. I squared mine at camp and it was just 5 foot. After the tanning process it lost three inches. It looks good over my gun safe with its skull on top of it. Kevlar did you get the skull bleached? I am glad I did.


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## Moostickles (Mar 11, 2010)

This may have already been said (I was too lazy to finish reading every reply), but for the stink bait you can use any unprotected non-game fish (ie - carp).


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## flinger (Nov 19, 2007)

Just curious...in Utah can you bait with a fall archery bear tag? If so has anyone here had success with it?


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## bengoosed (May 29, 2010)

Bearhntr, I send you a PM.


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