Bears at deer bait

[300_savage]

Op even if you tag a bear right on top of the apple pile I wouldn't give up on the spot as it can be surprising how little effect it sometimes has on the deer, especially the ones hooked on Macintosh apples.

Ive got quite a few apple trees and I've watched plenty of deer eating apples & run off as bear arrived to feed on apples and the deer often return to feed just 15 minutes after the bear leave, I've also watched deer feeding close by just hours after I've shot bear as if there was nothing out of the ordinary going on. I've never really thought of bear being much of a hinderance during deer hunting season other than eating apples & driving the deer away temporarily. A couple years ago I saw a mature buck standing about 40 yards from where I shot a bear just hours earlier.
I save our vegetable peels for the deer, carrot, squash, turnip, potato and the bears dont seem to touch the peels but the deer always clean them up. The bear in my area seem only interested in apples, grain feeds, gut piles and garbage.

Good luck.

 

[FishHog]

agree with the above, bears aren't much of a concern to deer. Fawns in the spring are a different story, but not for adult deer.
I get all kinds of deer pics at my bear bait sites. Consistent bear activity doesn't seem to stop them from walking by just because, there isn't even deer food there.

 

[Bulldog26]

Op even if you tag a bear right on top of the apple pile I wouldn't give up on the spot as it can be surprising how little effect it sometimes has on the deer, especially the ones hooked on Macintosh apples.

Ive got quite a few apple trees and I've watched plenty of deer eating apples & run off as bear arrived to feed on apples and the deer often return to feed just 15 minutes after the bear leave, I've also watched deer feeding close by just hours after I've shot bear as if there was nothing out of the ordinary going on. I've never really thought of bear being much of a hinderance during deer hunting season other than eating apples & driving the deer away temporarily. A couple years ago I saw a mature buck standing about 40 yards from where I shot a bear just hours earlier.
I save our vegetable peels for the deer, carrot, squash, turnip, potato and the bears dont seem to touch the peels but the deer always clean them up. The bear in my area seem only interested in apples, grain feeds, gut piles and garbage.

Good luck.

I believe you when you say this. Last year my son shot a decent buck, we left to get the truck and when we got back there were three deer feeding on the Mac apples, one of them was standing directly over the dead deer my boy shot. After seeing that I don't think there is much that will keep deer away from food.

Update, after spending 13 hrs/day for the past few days in the blind, no sign of bears. Not sure if they have gone into their dens already or just moved on. Now that i have the tag, i was hoping for one to walk in.