hey douglas, here's some more ideas: like it was mentioned, in different areas of the country, bears like different things. here in vt, since we can't bait, we know they love apple orchards, beach trees, and CORN fields. a friend who guides in maine says they don't seem to care for those things as much where he is, they like the blueberries, hate fish. try grease and grain,w/molasses. sweets are like candy, you don't even need to open the packages after the bears are established. peanut hearts are good. my friend like to use either a 55gl drum cut in half, with something heavy placed over the plywood on top, or 5 gal. buckets tied to the tree, loosely. he also likes to make up a concoction of anise oil and fish, placing it in a spray bottle, then spraying the trees after baiting about 6' up, he calls it his calling card, so that in theory the bears learn that after smelling this, they know the bait has been freshened. no smell, no food.