freddyfour
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Brant County, Ontario
Going to head up next week to start my baits, much earlier than the last spring hunt we did but spring came early this year. Who else is started?
Spring bear?
- Thread starter freddyfour
- Start date
- Location
- Blaster land, Okanagan BC
Been out looking for sign along some power line cuts and area’s I usually see them but nothing has greened up enough yet, not a bear track or turd to be found. They’re out though, friends have seen signs on their property.
Nothing in the Bulkley/Nechako area yet. Lakes in the vallies still have ice on them. First waterfowl in greater numbers just came back about 10 days ago or so.
When the dandelions come out it's starts to be good for bear, thats another 3-4 weeks away...
When the dandelions come out it's starts to be good for bear, thats another 3-4 weeks away...
freddyfour
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Brant County, Ontario
Doesn't open till May 1st here but with this weather I wanna get going soon. People already mowing there lawns at home, gotta be close to greening up at camp I imagine.
I've always hunted bears by spot and stalk, however for the first time I'll be hunting over bait. I'm a 6 hour drive from where I will be hunting, the same place I hunt whitetail bucks. A fellow hunter who I share the private land with and the landowner will be conducting the baiting. They are to start on the 20th of April, baiting with skinned beaver cadavers until the end of May. I'll be bringing-up 250 pounds of rolled oats, barley and cracked corn, along with 20 litres of sugarcane molassas.
I'll be using my dangerous game rifle in a ground blind about 40 yards away from the bait site, it should be a hoot!
I'll be using my dangerous game rifle in a ground blind about 40 yards away from the bait site, it should be a hoot!
I'm still relatively new with bear hunting. Have shot two fall bears, but never a spring bear. What bait works well for spring? I have about 10 liters of fryer grease...just not sure what to put down for the main dish. Does cattle feed or oats work for spring?
freddyfour
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Brant County, Ontario
I tried cattle feed one season and they just picked all the corn out and left the rest, was just a big mess. We have had luck with corn and molasses, popcorn spayed with oil and jello powder on it is good. Best luck we have had is with dog food, but that is getting to expensive.
I've only been baiting for bears for 6 seasons now, we are still learning every year. Just trial and error mostly.
- Location
- AB foothills
Some bears out here now for sure. No baiting here though. Season open now so time to start watching.
Whatever you can find in bulk for cheap or free gets my vote. Popcorn is probably one of the easiest, lightest, and most common baits. If I were a rich man, reject cookies, breakfast cereals, trail mix ect can be bought via Kijiji, marketplace, or bear bait suppliers.
Nothing beats beaver for an attraction scent.
bearkilr
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nowhere, ......just past the middle
Don't leave whole beaver carcasses at the bait, chop them into bite size pieces. Also ground blinds might invite some curious bears that you wouldn't otherwise shoot, they're naturally inquisitive. Better to be elevated.
- Location
- AB foothills
Years ago we used to nail beavers high up in trees by the tail. Was always entertaining!
I failed to mention that there will be two bait site's, with two blinds per site. Each site will have a ground and tree stand blind, I perfer the ground blind, however; may go to the tree stand if required. I'm not concerned with the beaver baiting, hence the land owner is a trapper, I'm sure he knows what to do.
Forgot to mention, ground blinds will be made from natural material: tree branches, sticks, coniferous limbs/branches,
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freddyfour
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Brant County, Ontario
I lost a blind last year to a sow and her cub. Wasn't bear hunting then, was set up for late season whitetail. Expensive Lesson learned!
My first time baiting for fall bear i setup my bait station before building my stand....got half way done building a small platform just a few feet off the ground when it started to get dark. I decided to leave my tools there and finish up in the morning. When i got back the next day, my generator was rolled down the hill, my gas can was chewed all up (and empty), seat ripped apart, and my skillsaw was about 20 yards in the woods with teeth marks all over it. I had wrongly assumed that my human smell would keep them away.
Made lots of mistakes that year...I also thought it would be a good idea to bring my bait in at night, so that i wouldn't scare anything off by bringing bait during shooting time. Decided to light a cigar every time i dropped off bait so the bears could smell me from a long ways off. On the day I shot my bear, nothing had been coming in, I got frustrated and was about to leave. I lit up a cigar and about 15 min later a bear walked right up to me. 15ft away when i pulled the trigger. Not a big bear, but it was my first one, so pretty intimidating all the same.
A more experienced hunter told me that I had been training the bears to come in to the smell of the cigar.
freddyfour
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Brant County, Ontario
^^^ well that is exciting, we just finished up 4 baits. Fingers crossed
No baiting allowed out here, but I'm hoping to make my first trip into the woods in search of a bear this weekend. There was still snow preventing access to my favorite spot when I was last out, but that should be gone by now.
Big bore dinosaur
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- NORT OF COW.TOWN.EH
Nice lookin bear on that bait. Weather should warm up next week ,gett that snow melted and green popping. Spring fever2.0
