IF there are other baiters around, bears are notorious for hitting the best baitpile, and no other ones. If your smorgasboard(sp?) is the best around, you have a better shot at him. When the season starts, there is more activity everywhere in the woods, so it may not even be you that he is keying on, but if his home area is near another bait site, and he is traveling to yours, it could be completely out of your control. We are starting a similar saga with a giant bear, we've got pics 3 years in a row now, he's a genuine 500 pounder and probably will square upwards of 7.5'but we've never laid eyes on him, only have pics at night, from about 11:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. BEst of luck with your bear and hopeuflly you can get him, big ol' melon on him, definitely P+Y.