Long distance baiting

gznokes · Apr 16, 2013

Does anyone have any tips about running a bear bait that is located a long way from where you live? How have you done it in the past? What is the minimum # times you can get by with checking and refilling it? I'm hunting ID this year and metal containers are legal, so I was thinking something like the max size barrel with something filling like grain and molasses with a small opening to slow down consumption, paired with a nice scent attractor high in the trees might work. Is it possible to run a bait if it can only be checked once a week?

WAPITI39 · Apr 16, 2013

I believe you are on the right track for sure, a company called bearscents makes a scent ball ( bacon scented is what i have used)you can hang high in the tree as mentioned that has worked realy well for me in the past. Good luck and keep us posted.

lang · Apr 16, 2013

LAST EDITED ON Apr-16-13 AT 04:05PM (MST)[p]You are right on track. Once you get hit we try for every other day, but twice a week absolute minimum. Even with a barrell once several bears hit you'll run out of bait in a couple days at the most. Also you can hang a few strands of chain over the hole that will keep the crows out, otherwise they clean out a ton of bait every day. Without the chain they jump right in the hole. We've fed a lot of crows over the years and think thier constant calling actually help attract bears, but they do take a lot of bait if you are limited on trips.

Smiley · Apr 17, 2013

It depends on where you are some areas if you put enough bait out that will work other areas it will not . You may need a couple bait sites close together with the drums . I think you will probably get something figured out that will work for you .

gznokes · Apr 17, 2013

Thanks for the feedback. Something else someone proposed to me was the idea of trying to consolidate all the bear hunting days I have available into one 5-7 trip. Do any of you have any feedback on how long it usually takes a bear to start hitting a bait? I know it depends on a lot of stuff, but perhaps one of you with more experience coud put it in perspective by thinking about, in the last 5 spring seasons you baited bears how many times did the bait get hit within the first 3 days? How long will you try a bait before you move it to a new location?

UGAhunter · Apr 17, 2013

My personal experience is as little as 6 hours in high bear density to as long as 10 days. Of coarse, I have had some baits not get hit in 5 weeks, bears never never did find them.

lang · Apr 18, 2013

I would say put out bait and them wait about a week. We've been hit within hours of putting stuff out, but that is rare. You have better odds getting stuff out, then come back a week after to hit it hard. Most times even if they hit it early it takes several days for it to get good.