You'd better be careful in putting anything out to attract bear. Fish, honey or peanut butter would surely be deemed as bait in my opinion. The DEC needs to be contacted when a bear is shot and I have heard stories that they sometimes want to be taken to the location of the kill when they come to check the bear. Any evidence of baiting and the hunter will surely be deader meat than the bear they just shot!!


From the DEC website:

Southern Zone Bear -- DEC wildlife staff would like to examine bears before they are skinned or butchered. Wildlife staff will make every attempt to contact hunters in order for the bear to be checked. At no time is a hunter expected to sacrifice the quality of the meat or hide of a bear for examination.

When reporting a bear, hunters will be asked to provide name, phone number and location or address where the bear can be examined. If staff are not available in the Catskill region, bears can be examined at cooperating taxidermists and meat cutters. Bears may also be examined in Sullivan County at the Monticello Fire Department.