Popcorn kernels

jongun said:
Got 10kg of kernels n gonna start popping tomorrow. Being my first time baiting with popcorn I'm curious to see how far the popcorn will go. I'll be mixing in some sweet stuff with the popcorn for sure and will also be hanging out suckers at my bait sites. Start baiting next weekend and can't wait to get out.
Click to expand...

ive been buying $1.49-1.57 per bag (1KG) at walmart & No frills. I have been mixing it with melted marshmellows i check my camera's tomrorow / refresh the bait

really wondering how corn would do at $10 a bag
50lb
 
Damn did I pay too much for my kernels. Anyways got the 10kg popped today and made up some suckers too. Probably leave the popcorn at home for next weeks trip up to my spot and just scout for another couple spots to set out baits, as season is still another three weeks off.
 
Superbrad said:
You are try to to create scent in the air etc....... Bears are much like us...... Would you be attracted to a pile of kernels?
Click to expand...

Not to be rude Brad but if a bear can as they claim smell the food inside canned goods and will go claw it's way through a camp window or door to get those canned goods it can surely smell feed corn dumped on the ground. And if you really want to make scent leave a bit of corn in the bag, wet it good and place it in a garbage can with the lid on. You'll quickly understand exactly what gives pig manure its odour!!
 
I have had blackies rip the walls of a small shed apart to get at 2 corn bags stored inside. I have also seen them ravage my 5 gal pails of motor oil, they must be in heaven eating molasis and popcorn!
 
Well had some good and bad luck with the suckers I made yesterday. First pour I made I guess I didn't get the temp up high enough and the suckers turned out soft and sticky. My second pour turned out perfect and the 10kg sucker is hard as a rock like it should be. The failed suckers were thrown back in the pot with more sugar for a total of 10kg. Poured the full 10kg in the same ice cream tub I'd used for the first successful sucker after first coaxing it out with a hot water bath and giving the inverted bucket a couple smacks. Expect this one to turn out well as its setting up nicely without any liquid oozing on top. Will see tomorrow after its had enough time to properly cool. Must say working on baits preseason is at least a little something to take the edge off while waiting to get out to the woods.
 
Popcorn is really popular with the fly out bear baiting areas, due to the bulk/weight return you get.
If you're not weight restricted and can drive to your bait, feed oats can be had for $2.00 per bushel, about 35 lbs. on average per bushel. Pretty cheap and much easier to get into drums than popcorn. Pour used fryer grease (free) over top and you're set. Add any scents like Anise around the bait, along with beaver meat chunks.
All these things like popcorn,oats,corn,barley,etc. are really just "carriers" for whatever you're adding; molasses, fryer grease,jam,etc. Bears don't really care for them plain, so there's no reason to buy something expensive like steam rolled corn. I've even heard of guys using sawdust as a filler. Probably not good for the bear's digestion and may very well be illegal, so avoid that.
 
^^^^ good advice...... And why I mentioned making sure you pop the kernels...... The kernels themselves have next to no scent as compared to feed corn...... You aren't looking to draw them into the popcorn or kernels, you are looking for cheap filler with a big rough surface area that holds the scent of the coating and gets dispersed individually.....
 
IMGP1274.jpg

Barrel mounted on a pipe between two trees, with half inch holes drilled in it.
Barrel spins when the bear paws at it, and corn falls out a bit at a time. We put some popped corn in it with the feed corn, to draw them in.
Makes the bait last much longer, and has the bear standing up for ID.
 

Attachments

  • IMGP1274.jpg
    IMGP1274.jpg
    100.1 KB · Views: 72
That barrel set up looks pretty decent.

I've found that suckers are good, but last much longer in cans or buckets. I use the 1gallon coffee cans. Easy to pour and much harder to tear apart than a sucker exposed on all sides, on a chain say. A sucker with no "packaging" will get chomped up fast. A bucket means they have to lick it down from one end. (TWSS!)

Myself, I just hung a 1 gallon tin of bacon grease from a branch 15' up. It's got a small hole in the bottom so on warm days it provides a drip. I'm sure it leaves a nice scent trail wherever the wind blows. The tree is scarred up from bears trying to get at it last fall. I've got another couple gallons of bacon grease to refill over the coming weeks.

I also did a maple syrup burn while I was setting everything else up today. Let them know the restaurant is open.

Now we just need to melt off a couple feet of snow...
 
Bulk barn is a great source for popping corn.

TLC or other feed stores are great for feed corn or cracked corn.

The local feed store is advertising Trophy Bear Bait on their sign. No idea what it is though. But it's got trophy right in the name so it's gotta be good.
 
Maybe a little late but I'll see if I can source a barrel or two in the next couple weeks. JYC that does look like a nice set and would think the limited access would have the bears working the bait harder and longer without the need too rebait.
 
Just reinforce the barrel ends with a chunk of plywood if the barrel seems too weak, and don't put too much weight in it. The one pictured has about 2/3 a bag of corn, and about four large coffee cans of popcorn in it. Cut a small flap in the side for loading, a three sided cut in the drum is what we use. Push it in to load, and use a hook to pull it back to place. I forgot my hook, but was able to use a six inch spike to pull it shut easily.
 
Here's a pic from last year:
PICT0015_.jpg
 
Yep thanks for the info and pics JYC. Think I'd like to try this out as it wouldn't be too much of an extra cost to set up as opposed to just chaining the drum to a tree.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom