Bear hunting, bait vs. spot and stalk?

[cam1936]

Agree with you ......... over bait = bear shoot. No hunting involved.

Maybe the definition of the words 'hunt' and 'chase' have different meanings for those that like to remain comatose for long periods of time, waiting for something to 'fall into their lap' ...

The amount of work and skill that goes into selecting a bait site, setting it up and maintaining it takes just as much, if not more, skill and effort than any spot and stalk hunt. How is it not fair chase?

I don't hunt over bait. I don't find it enjoyable. However I don't look down on those that do where legal.

We as hunters need to stop crapping all over each other by slamming how others HUNT.

Same goes for long range hunting. If free range game is harvested legally, in a way that does not cause undue suffering, it is hunting. Period. We all need to stick together and stop judging one another.

 

[Wentrot]

The amount of work and skill that goes into selecting a bait site, setting it up and maintaining it takes just as much, if not more, skill and effort than any spot and stalk hunt. How is it not fair chase?

I don't hunt over bait. I don't find it enjoyable. However I don't look down on those that do where legal.

We as hunters need to stop crapping all over each other by slamming how others HUNT.

Same goes for long range hunting. If free range game is harvested legally, in a way that does not cause undue suffering, it is hunting. Period. We all need to stick together and stop judging one another.

I hate to break it to you but I am near 100 percent sure that backpacking in for a black bear is a heck of a lot more work than using a bait site also way more rewarding. Just sayin.

 

[track]

It's still a fair chase hunt....no different than hunting whitetails feeding on a green field...or fowl feeding on grain fields.

Wrong! Hunting in a crop field is not the same as hunting over a bait pile. Over the bait pile there is "intent" to bait for the purpose to attract the animals, crops are there for the purpose as an income for farmers. A person hunting in a crop field did not bait with "intent", only "intent" to hunt. Sitting in a tree stand/ground blind over bait is not hunting, where is the skill or challenge?

 

[surplusshooter]

I hate to break it to you but I am near 100 percent sure that backpacking in for a black bear is a heck of a lot more work than using a bait site also way more rewarding. Just sayin.

you realize many people baiting do have to hike into their bait site every day to bait right? so not doing just once, but 30 times. in other words 30 times he hiking in

 

[hawk-i]

Wrong! Hunting in a crop field is not the same as hunting over a bait pile. Over the bait pile there is "intent" to bait for the purpose to attract the animals, crops are there for the purpose as an income for farmers. A person hunting is a crop field did not bait wit "intent", only "intent" to hunt. Sitting in a tree stand/ground blind over bait is not hunting, where is the skill or challenge?

Wrong, it is the same thing....lots of crops are seeded for the sole purpose and intent of attracting specific wildlife to the plot.....AND....they are on "Private" land where the competition from any other hunters can be controlled. Hunting bears over bait on crown land is more of a fair chase hunt than hunting Mulies on private land that has controlled access.

 

[hawk-i]

I hate to break it to you but I am near 100 percent sure that backpacking in for a black bear is a heck of a lot more work than using a bait site also way more rewarding. Just sayin.

Did you ever pack a 100 pound bait in for black bears? Hunting over baits for black bears normally takes more of a commitment in time and energy than spot and stalk hunting. Its all fun, enjoy!

 

[tracker]

Shot many bear in spring off a bait and I challenge anyone to try and stalk a bear in the woods we hunt and in less time than a week. While going north to our camp I have seen the odd bear feeding in farm country and not sure where this would be a fair hunt. We pulled over and took pictures if I were to walk off road it would be the same shot as on a bait but a little farther? Maybe spot and stalk should only be allowed after you walk a mile or two off a road. Some of the spot and stalking is done by driving around to spot but I know there are a lot that put fair chase first.

 

[track]

Wrong, it is the same thing....lots of crops are seeded for the sole purpose and intent of attracting specific wildlife to the plot.....AND....they are on "Private" land where the competition from any other hunters can be controlled. Hunting bears over bait on crown land is more of a fair chase hunt than hunting Mulies on private land that has controlled access.

Lots of crops? Do tell me where these fields are? I have been hunting big game for 45 years I never witnessed such lands, moreover, there is not one farmer who I know who grows crops to attract deer for the purpose hunting. Farmers prefer to have no deer or very little deer on their property eating or trampling their profit. If there are people conducting such procedures then it is unlawful, unethical and does not show sportsmanship as fair chase. 99.9% of crop is operated for the sole purpose of harvesting a crop, not wildlife.

Therefore, your conclusion that hunting in a crop field is considered baiting is.................

 

[Macarena Man]

The amount of work and skill that goes into selecting a bait site, setting it up and maintaining it takes just as much, if not more, skill and effort than any spot and stalk hunt. How is it not fair chase? .........

Skill ?? .......... picking a spot to set your 'picnic basket' for a bear? Packing in your Thermos and a stack of sandwich's ........ climb the ladder and doze off ....
Fair Chase ?? ....... what did you chase ?

Try a 'spot & stalk' hunt ...... try a Trapper Nelson load with hide and backstraps ...... then another trip for the boned remainder.
There's real hunting, and then there's your definition of 'hunting' ........ just because your endeavour is legal, doesn't make it hunting.

 

[Macarena Man]

Did you ever pack a 100 pound bait in for black bears? Hunting over baits for black bears normally takes more of a commitment in time and energy than spot and stalk hunting. .......

Ahhh ..... how much do you think a hide and straps weigh ...... along with your rifle and gear ? 20lbs ? 40lbs ? 80lbs ? you tell me ....

 

[medvedqc]

guys i ve done both as a hunter and as a guide. i do not judge what is better ethical or what, if we start to put hunting or shooting in everything we do not like what will stay at the end?

i find it challenging for baiting as bear sometimes are not going straight on sweet or food. spot and stalk is challenging on a different way of course.

put the challenges where you can while you can the way you want if it is legal of course.

do not like the idea of baiting in grizzly country lol ....

by the way bear meat is so good ... spring is coming soon.

 

[freddyfour]

All the guys who say baiting is not hunting, I wonder if you could tell me how you would hunt black bears in the dense northern ontario forests? If you can not spot it is pretty hard to spot and stock. Should ontario close bear hunting because almost all black bear hunting here is done over bait?

Please, thoughtful answers only. This is a serious question.

 

[blasted_saber]

You can't. They wont be able to give you an answer.

All the guys who say baiting is not hunting, I wonder if you could tell me how you would hunt black bears in the dense northern ontario forests? If you can not spot it is pretty hard to spot and stock. Should ontario close bear hunting because almost all black bear hunting here is done over bait?

Please, thoughtful answers only. This is a serious question.

 

[hawk-i]

Lots of crops? Do tell me where these fields are?

Yes lots of plots (crops) have been planned as attractants for specific wildlife....and it is not illegal to do so! Not all private land is owned for the purpose of farming.
and I said Hunting Black Bears over bait is just as much a fair chase hunt as hunting whitetails in a green field and I"ll add, IMO more so than hunting mulies on private land where all other hunters are denied access.

 

[track]

Yes lots of plots (crops) have been planned as attractants for specific wildlife....and it is not illegal to do so! Not all private land is owned for the purpose of farming.
and I said Hunting Black Bears over bait is just as much a fair chase hunt as hunting whitetails in a green field and I"ll add, IMO more so than hunting mulies on private land where all other hunters are denied access.

Enjoy your nap or texting time over your bait..........

 

[track]

All the guys who say baiting is not hunting, I wonder if you could tell me how you would hunt black bears in the dense northern ontario forests? If you can not spot it is pretty hard to spot and stock. Should ontario close bear hunting because almost all black bear hunting here is done over bait?

Please, thoughtful answers only. This is a serious question.

Don't know the country in northern Ontario, however in northern Alberta there are cut lines, old logging and oil roads, open meadows, lake shores............

 

[freddyfour]

Don't know the country in northern Ontario, however in northern Alberta there are cut lines, old logging and oil roads, open meadows, lake shores............

There are some clear cuts one could hunt for sure. But a lot is relatively flat thick bush. Not sure how you would spot and stock the majority of the land.

 

[hawk-i]

Enjoy your nap or texting time over your bait..........

Actually Track, I don't hunt over baits for bears....its illegal here in BC.

I did however grow up in Alberta where it is legal to hunt bears by baiting. It takes just as much knowledge to set up a bait in a good location, as it does to pick a grain field to watch for mulies. One of the differences between baiting bears in alberta and hunting mulies is that your bear bait location normally isn't in a spot where you can drive your pickup truck to.

Enjoy that comfy seat while listening to your tunes!

 

[Ardent]

If it's legal, it's respectable, don't really care how you guys hunt yours. I've always done only spot and stock, as sitting in a stand is something I'll never be able to do on account of boredom (I don't icefish either!). This said we're spoiled in BC with a third of the country's black bears and most of the Grizzlies, and you're usually driving around bears on the way to work, so where that doesn't happen I could see bait having its place.

 

[surplusshooter]

Lots of crops? Do tell me where these fields are? I have been hunting big game for 45 years I never witnessed such lands, moreover, there is not one farmer who I know who grows crops to attract deer for the purpose hunting. Farmers prefer to have no deer or very little deer on their property eating or trampling their profit. If there are people conducting such procedures then it is unlawful, unethical and does not show sportsmanship as fair chase. 99.9% of crop is operated for the sole purpose of harvesting a crop, not wildlife.

Therefore, your conclusion that hunting in a crop field is considered baiting is.................

yes but people plant crops that attract deer on hunting land. I know of one duck hunting club which owns a large amount of farm land they rent out and flood after harvest, attracting thousands of ducks.