late september ontario bear
- Thread starter brybenn
- Start date
Species8472
CGN Regular
- Location
- Nipissing Township + 82a
Hope to be tagged out by mid September. Running baits on crown land - access by canoe only. Going to be starting up the baits this weekend.
Last year heading out:
At the put in:
Third week of September loaded in my 17' 6" kevlar canoe. Bear was about 150lbs (he dressed out at 101lbs at the butcher) and is right about the size I target when solo by canoe. He was shot from the ground at about 40 yards.
Bait Barrel. The barrel has four 1.25 inch holes in the bottom and if filled with whole corn, molasses, jujubes and a little bit of peanut oil. Call lure is a rag tied in a tree saturated with carmel, vanilla and anise extract.
Last year heading out:
At the put in:
Third week of September loaded in my 17' 6" kevlar canoe. Bear was about 150lbs (he dressed out at 101lbs at the butcher) and is right about the size I target when solo by canoe. He was shot from the ground at about 40 yards.
Bait Barrel. The barrel has four 1.25 inch holes in the bottom and if filled with whole corn, molasses, jujubes and a little bit of peanut oil. Call lure is a rag tied in a tree saturated with carmel, vanilla and anise extract.
Bait Barrel. The barrel has four 1.25 inch holes in the bottom and if filled with whole corn, molasses, jujubes and a little bit of peanut oil. Call lure is a rag tied in a tree saturated with carmel, vanilla and anise extract.
With that bait set-up, it is likely that is the size of bear that you will get every year. If you want a bear bigger than a 2 1/2 year old, you need to provide real food that they can get at, and that is supplied consistently. You might get lucky and have a bigger bear drift through while you are there, but that bait set-up will not hold a good bear, so you would be relying heavily in luck.
I just can't get excited about baiting and have long thought of a late August-early September spot and stalk type hunt on a lot of the clear cut areas I see when up hunting grouse and exploring by atv. Anyone done this type of hunt in Ontario? Glossing long distance and trying to close th distance?
Thoughts?
Thoughts?
We do both... harvest wise, probably 60/40, bait vs. spot n' stalk. First week of September is ideal to catch them feeding in the berries during daylight hours. About half of the spot n- stalk bears are with archery gear.
I'm taking a complete newbie so my priority is to get a bear under him. He's packing a 32 special with a new firing pin. Bullets are on the way so we have time to work up a good load and get him used to shooting
I have 300+ lbs of carp and 100 lbs of dog kibble and will pour molasses over it. I'm going to try smoke stix this year to
A few other treats as well. I use washer tubs to house to baits and bury them in natural material like rocks and logs
I've never actually shot a bear over bait. Shot them walking in to the area though
I'm bringing a 45/70 sxs a 458 wm and a 300 wm. Not sure what I'll use mainly.
I'll. Ride with a Jrc for grouse and rabbit. I'm also bringing a shot gun for waterfowl
No previous baiting have been done for us so hopefully we will get lucky
I have 300+ lbs of carp and 100 lbs of dog kibble and will pour molasses over it. I'm going to try smoke stix this year to
A few other treats as well. I use washer tubs to house to baits and bury them in natural material like rocks and logs
I've never actually shot a bear over bait. Shot them walking in to the area though
I'm bringing a 45/70 sxs a 458 wm and a 300 wm. Not sure what I'll use mainly.
I'll. Ride with a Jrc for grouse and rabbit. I'm also bringing a shot gun for waterfowl
No previous baiting have been done for us so hopefully we will get lucky
the spank
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Planet Earth Wearing My Tinfoil Hat
I understand that you have guided and have a wealth of experience but at some point you have to come out from under that cloud of doubt that follows you and post something in a little more encouraging manner instead of always "that will never work."
I understand that you have guided and have a wealth of experience but at some point you have to come out from under that cloud of doubt that follows you and post something in a little more encouraging manner instead of always "that will never work."
I am being helpful... we tried using many types of fish for twenty-five years... with little to no success... the OP is taking out a newbie hunter and probably feels a lot of pressure to get a bear in front of him... I would hate to see him lug 300 pounds of disappointment 300 miles North... I have repeatedly posted a tutorial on bear baiting NorOnt style (will work anywhere)... I saved it for reposting as required... but it is a long diatribe and I would not post it here without the OP's permission.
Go ahead and post it Hoyt. Won't bother me
Gar Pike won't get touched but they seem to love the carp in the area I hunt. It's worked every year I've used it. The only thing better I've used is a Beaver. Trying to tie a 60 lb ish rotting Beaver up in a tree is a real treat but my buddy shot a bear under 6 hours later.
Only year we didn't come home with a bear was last year. It was a last minute hey let's take off for a week. Our baits weren't touched until we added fresh fish guts from some locals but the newbie I had last year made a few mistakes. Got a lot of pics on the trail camera about an hour after he left the stand 3 days in a row. We ran out of time and had to leave early
I wish I was only going 300 miles lol. More like 550
If we aren't successful at least we weren't at work. I'm sure he will enjoy the bourbon by the camp fire and clean air
Gar Pike won't get touched but they seem to love the carp in the area I hunt. It's worked every year I've used it. The only thing better I've used is a Beaver. Trying to tie a 60 lb ish rotting Beaver up in a tree is a real treat but my buddy shot a bear under 6 hours later.
Only year we didn't come home with a bear was last year. It was a last minute hey let's take off for a week. Our baits weren't touched until we added fresh fish guts from some locals but the newbie I had last year made a few mistakes. Got a lot of pics on the trail camera about an hour after he left the stand 3 days in a row. We ran out of time and had to leave early
I wish I was only going 300 miles lol. More like 550
If we aren't successful at least we weren't at work. I'm sure he will enjoy the bourbon by the camp fire and clean air
I started this thread to get discussion on late season Ontario bears. Any baiting or spot and stalk tips can be shared. Pix always welcome
Where I hunt theyve cleared some small patches. None over 200 yards wide and there hasn't been any blueberries for several years in the area I hunt. They spray it from helicopter to kill off competition for the spruce and pine trees
So spot and stalk is hard as there's no open areas or fields
I do walk a lot of old logging roads and have come up on several moose but never shot a bear this way yet. I have caught up with them while they were moving toward my bait site though
I've used 12 ga slug gun 25/06 45/70 and 458 wm to shoot 7 bears with the largest being around 300 lbs
I have baited and helped others take many bears over the years though
In my area nothing is given away not even old donuts. Meat is expensive and cost prohibitive for some new hunters and when camping from a truck for a week we don't have the luxury of pre baiting. I enjoy getting my buddies into hunting and a northern get away gets them some grouse and waterfowl and possibly rabbit and hopefully a big game animal in a place where there's no traffic no phones. Just clean fresh air and relaxation
Where I hunt theyve cleared some small patches. None over 200 yards wide and there hasn't been any blueberries for several years in the area I hunt. They spray it from helicopter to kill off competition for the spruce and pine trees
So spot and stalk is hard as there's no open areas or fields
I do walk a lot of old logging roads and have come up on several moose but never shot a bear this way yet. I have caught up with them while they were moving toward my bait site though
I've used 12 ga slug gun 25/06 45/70 and 458 wm to shoot 7 bears with the largest being around 300 lbs
I have baited and helped others take many bears over the years though
In my area nothing is given away not even old donuts. Meat is expensive and cost prohibitive for some new hunters and when camping from a truck for a week we don't have the luxury of pre baiting. I enjoy getting my buddies into hunting and a northern get away gets them some grouse and waterfowl and possibly rabbit and hopefully a big game animal in a place where there's no traffic no phones. Just clean fresh air and relaxation
I don't bait anymore, only hunt oat fields as it's a win-win for me and the farmers.
I have had alot of success in the spring with various meat based baits but come the fall i've seen animal carcasses, freezer burnt meat etc go untouched all season when other food is available, in the fall I would stick with sweets, pastries, bread, grain etc. In the fall if it doesn't smell good to me then I stay away from it haha
OP, how far north are you coming?
I have had alot of success in the spring with various meat based baits but come the fall i've seen animal carcasses, freezer burnt meat etc go untouched all season when other food is available, in the fall I would stick with sweets, pastries, bread, grain etc. In the fall if it doesn't smell good to me then I stay away from it haha
OP, how far north are you coming?
If you're going out late in September, try to find the mountain ash (at least that's what I think they are called in English - "cormier" in French). The bears like them more than cherries or blueberries, and when it's quiet, you can hear them from a long ways tearing up the shrubs to get at them. And if you look at bear poop where there are some of those berries around, you'll see that it is full of the pits. Seems like that's all they eat when they are ripe - at least where I used to live that was the case.
