Update on our bear hunting issues..
#41
#42
In my humble opinion baiting bear is nothing like baiting deer and is much harder than with hounds, if the dogs are any good anyway. Bears learn quick where the bait is coming from, and unlike deer bears WILL climb into tree stands and blinds. Sometimes it might look easy, but if that bear winds you its over. And they are much better at the game than we are. Dogs on the other hand all you need is fresh sign and big acreage. If you can follow them they will tree your bear.
On another note hunting them by stalking or sitting is very difficult and will not be a good conservation tool as far as keeping numbers steady.
Iv got land in Northern NH and baited 5 years in a row on it. The first year it worked great. Then I just fed them for 4. They came, but they knew about me and when I was there. Trail cameras are cool toys for seeing things and seeing bear show up a half hour after you leave, time and again at different times of day says a bunch.
On another note hunting them by stalking or sitting is very difficult and will not be a good conservation tool as far as keeping numbers steady.
Iv got land in Northern NH and baited 5 years in a row on it. The first year it worked great. Then I just fed them for 4. They came, but they knew about me and when I was there. Trail cameras are cool toys for seeing things and seeing bear show up a half hour after you leave, time and again at different times of day says a bunch.
#43
I agree with what you are saying about baiting bears.. I know quite a few where the sites were active just before hunting started as well.. Then once hunting started they had already changed their ways.. Sometimes they go after berries and apples.. This year it has been a great year for both of them making baiting even harder to do..
In some cases like yours where the bears only comes in at night they change the amount of bait which sometimes works well.. Other times forget it they just tend to move away.. Others have moved some bear droppings from another area to set in by their sites as well. The idea behind that is to get the bears to think another bear is visiting the site. With less food out gets them moving sooner to try and catch the other bear at it thinks is getting the food. But there is no guarrante that this will work either..
In some cases like yours where the bears only comes in at night they change the amount of bait which sometimes works well.. Other times forget it they just tend to move away.. Others have moved some bear droppings from another area to set in by their sites as well. The idea behind that is to get the bears to think another bear is visiting the site. With less food out gets them moving sooner to try and catch the other bear at it thinks is getting the food. But there is no guarrante that this will work either..
#46
I am sorry to hear that but it does happen.. The hounds can not be used until after the second week of baiting season.. I still hope you get to at least see a decent bear if you have no luck at all. Naturally I am hoping you get to tag a nice bear though..
#48
I agree baiting is a good way to hunt bears for the reasons stated, it's not easy though you can't just throw out a few donuts and come back and shoot one. It's not easy with hounds either, a lot of work. The anti hunters seem to keep coming back till they get there way!
#49
Yeah, bear baiting is nothing like going to the candy store and sometimes you have to wonder if coyote baiting is easier.. Both are predators with keen hearing and smell.. A bear may have poor eye sight but can smell and hear for miles it seams..
Thanks Jay!! I have heard nothing from that other guy. But, I surely hopes he has some great luck this fall..
Thanks Jay!! I have heard nothing from that other guy. But, I surely hopes he has some great luck this fall..
#50
Fork Horn
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 162
Hunting with hounds or bait is no where near a given. We hunted hard all week and one of the guys in camp didn't tag out with hounds. If an anti wants to come and say hound hunting is unfair , have them run in the woods with those dogs for a few days and still not catch up with a bear. Love to see them try it because it kicked my behind
Last edited by bikerman9967; 09-14-2014 at 03:55 AM.