Wisconsin bear baiting season
 

Well, today is the first day we can place bait for the fall bear season and mine is out. I put bait in three different locations averaging about 10 miles apart. Each location has two hollow stumps half buried in the ground. One stump at each place has mixed bear bait in it and the other dog food and table scraps. All of the stumps are covered with large rocks. Each location also has two rags of anise and liquid smoke thrown into trees, plus lots spread around. Two sites are on the edge of wetlands with a creek and the other a hardwood ridge in an agricultural area. I have cameras at each site. I know some of you think it is way to early to bait for september, but it takes many years to get a tag in Wisconsin, so I want to take advantage of it to the fullest. I will check my cameras next weekend and post pictures if I have any.

RE: Wisconsin bear baiting season
 

Wow! I didn't know you could start baiting so early. I just started putting in for points so I have a few years to wait. Sounds like you have a good plan though. Which zone are you hunting in? Good luck! Post some trail cam pics if you get a chance!

RE: Wisconsin bear baiting season
 

I'm in Zone C. I had been applying for up north, but I didn't feel like waiting for four to six more years to get a tag. I also figured since I live in zone C and have five months to bait, I should be able to locate and get some bears trained in to my baits.

RE: Wisconsin bear baiting season
 

I checked all three for the first time today. No hits at any, so far. One of my cameras had 124 pictures of racoons trying to get into my bait. One of the later pictures shows two of them working together to move the rock on top of one of the stumps. Thy didn't get it completely off, but they got it to fall partially in the hole in the stump. I guess I need heavier rocks. You would think 30 to 40 lb rocks would be enough to keep coons out. I am posting pics of two of my sites, I forgot the camera in the car at the third, and a coon pic. I will check them again some time in the next week. If anything shows up I'll post pics.
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RE: Wisconsin bear baiting season
 

I decided to stop by one of my bait sites on my way home from work today. On my way in I saw something black running away from were my bait was. It got my heart pounding pretty good, until I realized it was just a realy big Fisher. Pretty cool anyway. As I approached the site I could see that the stumps I had half buried had been ripped out of the ground. I was pretty excited. I went to check my camera to see the pictures, and the stupid thing isn't working. I spent about ten minutes trying to get it to work, to no avail. This is the new infared one, piece of S$^%!! In the frustration I forgot to take a picture of the ripped out stumps. So I went to Walmart bought a 100 dollar moultree camera, came back, set it up and rebaited. It would have been nice to see pictures, but it is still exciting to have my site hit. Today would have been alot of work if I was hiking my bait into the mountains like some of you. At this site I drive a quarter of a mile off the road across my field and then I only have to walk 100 yards down the ridge through the woods to the swamp edge. It would have also sucked if I had driven five hours to get there instead of five minutes. It might be a while before I check this site or the two others, as my wife is pregnant and the baby was due Monday. Exciting times:)

RE: Wisconsin bear baiting season
 

[hr]



Emily Rose was born Friday Morning at 5:34. 7lbs 4.5oz
What a wonderful day

Today I checked my sites. Here are a few of the over forty pictures one of the cameras took before the bears ripped it down. The cool part is that the first pictures were taken during daylight a few hours after I dumped the bait. I think there are pictures of three different bears. I know there is two for sure, since there are two in one picture. I also developed some 35mm film from a different bait site and there were two bears that came in, or the same one twice, but it didn't eat any bait. Since that film was taken I put out a digital camera there. I checked that today also, and it had been hit. Unfortunately the 300 pictures of coons filled the 128mb card before the bear came. I guess I have to adjust the camera settings.
Sorry, these pictures are in reverse order.

RE: Wisconsin bear baiting season
 

wow I cant bait till August, looks like you got a good season ahead.

RE: Wisconsin bear baiting season
 

It is against the law in Wisc. to bait with any animal product, most dog foods would fall in that catagorie, as well as most table scraps. Just letting you know so you don't get in trouble. Good luck in your quest.

Iarrowed a 500 pounder (My biggest bear)in unit "C" a while back. It was near Wausau. Here is a pic.



Here is an article about the hunt:

http://www.bloodbro.com/articles/archives/2006/02/the_bathtub_bea_1.php

RE: Wisconsin bear baiting season
 

I made sure there was no meat or cheese in the leftovers, I do appreciate the advice though.

RE: Wisconsin bear baiting season
 

I just looked it up. It says: cannot contain animal parts or animal by-products... Pretty sure your safe with donuts and cake... But most dog food contains animal bi-products...

RE: Wisconsin bear baiting season
 

The bears really like themix of candies and sweets I bought in Medford by the 55 gallon barrel.

RE: Wisconsin bear baiting season
 

Here are some pictures from one of my sites that I checked today. I had to lighten some of the pictures because the flash didn't do that great of a job. The date also seems to be a day fast. I think I had better slow down how often I check my baits, otherwise it is going to cost me a ton to feed them until september.:D

RE: Wisconsin bear baiting season
 

Having chased and baited bears for many years here in WI, it is definitely a no-no to use dog food, a good choice on your part, to stop using the dog food as bait. The DNR has it written in the regs as such to include dog food but doesn't specifically say it. If you look on just about any dog food bag it will say exactly what the DNR has written. As for the fryer oil, most places have screens on the fryer's so when it's drained all meat particles are seperated from the oil. If you want a good alternative thats cheap but slightly time consuming, go to the grocery store and buy the bulk popcorn, its light to haul in and bears love it when mixed with sweets, all it takes is a hotplate and a big pot in the garage some garbage bags and your all set. Try it

RE: Wisconsin bear baiting season
 

Just a bit more info. to help you out in case your new to this, so don't get defensive if you already know. As you bait through summer into fall, if it stays dry this year again, your two baits by the swampy area and creek will probably get more productive, as bears like to be near water. Also as your baiting, and patterning these bears try to figure out where there coming from they'll typically come in from the same general area as they become more comfortable with the setup, then set your stands accordingly. When a bear comes to bait he'll circle it and you may not see him, but trust me he's going to be smelling for you, its not as tough when your the one baiting and hunting because the bears will become used to your scent. The real problem is when we bait and then put a client in a tree and add a new scent that the bears aren't used to. As for the hardwood ridge set, depending on wind direction the ridgetop is probably best for stand placement, otherwise when the bear circles if your down in the bottom he'll wind ya. So anyway just thought I'd throw out a little friendly advice, it takes a long time to draw a tag and I like to see guys harvest there bear.

RE: Wisconsin bear baiting season
 

I won't be using any dogfood. Thanks guys, I'ld hate to shoot a big bear and have it confiscated.

Crosshairs,
I appreciate the tips. I had figured that already, but it never hurts to have others oppinions as well.