zxBear

Hi everybody,

Is anybody using any artificial scent in addition to doughnuts, bacon, etc for black bear bait?
I believe I read once on the forum about some scent that stinks like hell, and is very efficient for black bear.
Thanks for all postings.

Nomercy

It' s been a long time since he told me how to do it all, but my uncle used to do some creative bear baiting like you' re asking about....like I said, I' m kind of foggy on the exact details, but it involved rubbing bacon grease on a pair of boxer shorts, putting them on, stuffing them full of raw hamburger and running out into the woods with your boxers, boots, and rifle, of course.

Vince_Ryz

If you want stinky bait it fairly easy. Go fishing and whack the heads of the fish you are going to keep. Put them in a black 5 gallon bucket with holes drilled in the side. Then hang the pail off a thin branch 20' in the air near the bait site. But just remember, you will be sitting down wind of this stink!

skeeter 7MM

Fish, chicken or beavers work well to spruce a bear bait up. Beavers would be my first choice then followed by fish and chicken, either way as Vince said one must keep in mind that you' ll have to sit downwind of your bait. One thing that we have used and know many who still do is ansine oil (licorce extract). Also blueberry jello powder packs works well on top of the grease and mixed with a bait, this will also help in laying down a very sweet (pun) trail for others to follow.

Personally in the last few years we have completely laid off the meat in our bait sites, we have stayed with a base of donuts, sweet breads or oats mix with grease and molasses(sp?). We always lay down lots of fryer grease around in a circle on the major trails near the bait side and literally lay it to the ground right at the barrel, we also hang the thicker grease pails off the ground out of reach with a small hole in the base to allow the sun to drip it down and create fresh scent. You can always tell when we are getting close to our bait as it smells like a greasy spoon, so I think we have accomplished what any bear hunter wants and that is lots of good scent blowing around. Once a bear finds it he/she will track it all over and the other' s will pick up on the scent and come on in. Our bear sighting have not decreased since we don' t have meat, but the yotes, wolfs and foxes have certainly stopped coming as frequently, which is the main reason we tried this way. Both ways work equally well, the real key to any bear bait is location, if you place your bait in an area that bears travel and frequent you' ll have much more success (ie: Ridges, lakes, funnels around land structure, etc.)

Vince, I was hoping you' d post a pic of your Blackie? Good Job, sounds like you had a good hunt and spot! I am still looking for Mr. Chocolate, went last night but he never showed...booooo. Good news is the baits are getting rocked, last night I had a nice blackie in but he wouldn' t give me a shot with the bow, always next time!!

Vince_Ryz

Skeeter,

I must be the last guy in the world not to have a digital camera. I am waiting for one of my partners to take a nice bear so I can finish off the role. I was out tonite with one of the guys, had a nice boar coming in, but just as the bear was clearing the last two trees he winded us and split. For some strange reason there has been a constant south wind for the past two weeks. Unfortunately we setup our bait sites for a NW wind. Go figure. I promise as soon as get the film developed I' ll post the pic' s! Good luck on the color phase, I hope it works out.

LPD17

No one has mentioned anise, I have hunted bears in New Brunswick and anise oil was always utilized. Both as a cover scent once in my stand and as an attracant. Try it, I' ve had luck with it and you don' t end up smelling like dead fish.

skeeter 7MM

Vince, Same here with those darn south winds[:@]. Always set up for the N, NW or at least W. Today it was finally blowing out of the N but they are forecasting a SW tomorrow and guess who' s going bear hunting[:' (]!
Thanks, I hope the bear gods are smiling tomorrow night, since I am do for something good to happen. I have thrown all caution to the wind and spruced the baits with beavers on sunday, so fingers are crossed the caster oil will bring out the big boys. No big whoop on the pic, just giving it to you, I still have the roll on my hunting camera from last years whitetail hunt...so I am much worse.

Are you doing a rug, full mount or tumble with your hide? Been thinking about doing a full mount if I connect on a colour phase. The wife says no way but I figure I got a year to ease her concerns. However thats putting the horse before the cart, since I need the problem before I worry about the solution...always good to sew the seed in advance.