Better bear bait brings bigger bounties

[ricka0]

I found 4ked Horns first bear. very interesting.

My approach take borrows heavily from the old cliche "You can attract more flies with honey than vinegar - but dead squirrels work even better /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif " I never considered dunking the dead squirrels in honey.

My recipe: Catch a bunch of fish – throw them into a burlap bag with a few squirrels/rabbits. Climb a tree and hang off a branch so the yotes can't get them (burlap bag keeps the crows at bay).

3sixbits recipe seems much better than mine. I might add the Mormon church is a good source of bulk honey.

Now my thinking is – why not have 2 or 3 bait stations and hit them all each day/night?

questions <ul type="square"> [*]recommendations for trail/game cameras? [*]2 or 3 bait stations v. one [*]Where can I get a suitable steel drum (no oil) [*]I found bear meat spotty (some excellent, some gamy/poor) [/list]

3sixbits writes: [ QUOTE ]
<font color="purple"> In your home town there has got to be a few fast food joints, you need to lay in a stock of used fryer grease. If you can find some bee herder and work a deal for cheap honey the poorer the better, you will be on your way to bear hunting bliss. What you will need beyond the bait is cheap to get your hands on and will produce good results for you. You need a empty steel drum that has not had any oil or oil products in it and enough chain or steel cable to secure it to a tree. The drum is secured to the tree right side up a small hole is punched in the base (bottom), the contents is poured through the bung opening in the top. You will mix the deep fryer grease with the honey and let it drip from the barrel on to the uncleared ground under the barrel. This is where that trail camera will come in handy. You will need to keep your drip up until that magic moment. Yea, it's a lot of work, you've got to stay with it checking ever week, besides you will want to check on the trail camera anyway, to see what's been happening. Just remember by using a big drum you will always have room to add to the barrel each trip out. a shooting blind or a tree stand should be on your and your hunting partners to do list for fall. You will have a great time doing this and you'll love the pic's of the bears going nuts and the fights over the drip.
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[Buffalobob]

Steel drums

You might think about the plastic drums. They are pretty thick and tough. The two places that you can get them that I am familiar with that are not poisonous ( you do not want to poison all of the wildlife) are fruit juice concentrate places where they convert concentrate into juice. They sell them for $5. They other one is muriatic acid for concrete washing/ swimming pool tile cleaning. You can wash the acid out fairly easy. People use these plastic drums for building home made floating docks at lakes and rivers.

It may be that the palstic ones are not tough enough, I do not really know about that point.

 

[sniper2]

Oil of anise, strawberry extract,decaying fish,honey buns,syrup...

 

[ricka0]

I know where to get the plastic barrels, I use them for water storage at my cabin. I can assure you they would be no better than wet toilet paper against a black bear. I doubt a steel barrel would hold if the bear wanted in. Bears have no problem eating tins (in english parlance) (or canned food in yankish).

 

[nickbracewell]

GUYS
Picnic baskets work every time. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

BRIT.

 

[4ked Horn]

[ QUOTE ]
questions
recommendations for trail/game cameras?
2 or 3 bait stations v. one
Where can I get a suitable steel drum (no oil)
I found bear meat spotty (some excellent, some gamy/poor)

[/ QUOTE ]

The camera we were using was of the 35mm film style set for a 4 minute delay. That lets us know how long the bears are hanging out without burning up all the film. Use at least 400 speed film for the night exposures. The pictures may be a bit grainy but you will be able to see the bear instead of just shadows (even though the have a flash). Buy one that gives a time <u>and</u> date stamp. Ours only gives one or the other and having both would be much nicer. Digital cams are very neat and have many cool functions but they are very expensive and should be secured against curious (strong) bears and theft with a custom made camera box of your own design.

My neighbor started the year with 3 stations and reduced it to two as the season went on simply because the maintainence was too much. It was also the middle station so we figured the bears hitting that bait would move to one of the others. The neighbor and two of his hunting buddies were sharing the rotation so the baits were filled every other day. They would bring a pickup load of twinkies and pastries and meat from the local butchers and buckets of grease from the local family diners or cheap dog food every other day. 100 pounds of bait at each station 3 times a week gets to be alot of work even for 3 guys.

No idea on a source for the barrel. I'll ask the neighbor. You might strongly consider steel since state laws might require that it be chained in place. Drill big holes around the circumfrence of the bbl and lace another chain throuh it. Then when the bears come to it it will make a clatter alerting you from a suitable distance that the bears are there. (Thoughts from the neighbor on what he will do next year. Sounds reasonable to me.)

As for taste, all the bear meat I have tried which isn't much yet has been great. My neighbor says smoked hams taste better than pork and he likes bear better than any other game meat except elk. He wont eat duck meat because of the gamy flavor. But I have talked with others that find bear meat greasy and too gamy for their tastes. As we find recipies we like I will be sure to post them.

 

[4ked Horn]

I talked with the neighbor and he said a heavy plastic barrel would work great if it is legal in your state.

 

[turko77]

Been bear hunting about 15 years,don't use a barrel, make a hole in the ground and cover it with logs. Use a trail timer tied to a tree and then the string going to one of the logs,when he moves the logs, you have your time. I get my bait from the local deli(fried chicken corndogs,lasagna...)I bring them 5 gallon pals and they just empty their trays and cover it and fridge.(this does cost me a couple packs of polish and steaks). No raw fish or meat,won't use it. Also get donuts and bread from the local bakery,bears love sweets.I always soak anything I put out with fryer grease and go through about 30 gallons a season. I bait at the same time EVERY DAY! and they get into your habit. I had one young male that would be waiting for me to feed him(boom) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif. Bear meat is great, but I have had a few tough ones. I bait 2 stations that are fairly close, half mile and if both get hit will continue, but if I get irratic hits, I will abandon one(same bear).Only one year without getting a bear,(didn't put in the proper time). I have one over 450,son has one over 400 and he shot one last year that went 279.hope this helps /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[3sixbits]

Hey guys, dis ain't rocket science! Just go with the honey drip. It works every time it's tried! The key to the whole drill is keepem coming back. This is known as habitualism. Also guys, checkout Cabela's for digital gear they've got a load in all price ranges. The pics are more fun than the killing as these bear can be real clowns on the honey drip. Also the images allow you to see a good heap of animals with the motion sensor. You for sure want a date and time stamp to look for patterns. This is one of those deals you can really have fun with. ENJOY!!! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[turko77]

Easy to say living in Alaska. Plus I have competition from other hunters and guides. My rocket science produces bears yearly .I think I will stick with it. The "master" baiter always wins /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[Pete Lincoln]

well i dunno about baiting bears, i shot one once in CA, back in 95, and it tasted great, best game meat i've had, like best beef, but gamey.
For baiting pigs i use an empty guiness barrel.brown sugar, honey, and a beef stock tasting spice from maggi( tastes a bit like worster sauce(sp) .mix 5kg sugar with 1kg honey and 3 pints maggi, 8 pints hot water and 56 lbs corn in plastic barrel and let it ferment for a month.transfer to the guiness barrel and hey presto
it goes alchoholic and the pigs love the stuff.. i gues it would work for bears if we had any.
Pete