Nocturnal Bears on a Bait

[GillieSuit]

Howdy Folks,

Just a quick question. I've got one really big boar hitting my bait in the dark. Always around 10:30pm to about 2:00am. Is there anything that can be done to switch this guy around so he comes in during legal shooting light?

So far all our daytime bears are little guys. 3 year olds and smaller.

Anyway I am having a blast, but we are having trouble finding shooters on the bait during legal light.

Regards,
Gillie

[elkhunter11]

In the past we have had success by putting out less food, so that the large bear had to show up earlier to get some before the other bears ate it all. It didn't work every time, but it did work on some occasions. We don't use barrels anymore, we put out a five gallon pail or two every day if the bait was hit, and it helped to get the bears to come to the baits earlier. We had bears that were showing up within ten minutes of us leaving the bait site.

[Bushmaster]

Less food and bait daily....he'll learn to show early for the fresh eats.

[Dick284]

Get your re-baiting done before 10AM.

Bait less, and create more competition.

Do this for at least 5 to 7 days. (start a routine)

Don't do a morning re-bait the day you plan to sit.

When you do sit the bait, make sure it's a two man trip in, one takes the stand the other baits as per the routine, and leaves the site.

good hunting

[GillieSuit]

Thanks folks, I'll have a look at the food cache today and see how full things are. If its still up there I'll leave it for a day and then restock with a small amount of freshies on Sunday.

Regards
Gillie

[elkhunter11]

When you do sit the bait, make sure it's a two man trip in, one takes the stand the other baits as per the routine, and leaves the site.

We had one bear that was like clockwork, about 15 minutes after we left the bait. My partner sat for him twice after baiting, but the bear did not show. The next night I went with him in a second vehicle, and soon after I left, the bear showed up. The bear was smart enough to wait until he heard a vehicle start up and drive away before coming to the bait.

[albertadeer]

We had one bear that was like clockwork, about 15 minutes after we left the bait. My partner sat for him twice after baiting, but the bear did not show. The next night I went with him in a second vehicle, and soon after I left, the bear showed up. The bear was smart enough to wait until he heard a vehicle start up and drive away before coming to the bait.

X2

Get someone to come in with you, make it sound like your putting out bait and get your friend to drive away, quads are the best for this! its like a dinner bell.

Also, set up a new stand that is well hidden. Bears know where the stand at a bait is at. Big old bears will look at the stand as soon as they come in. And get very very scent free, no smoking or farting.....


Big bears are tough to kill this early. They get a little dumber near the end of the season when the rut hits. But he might wonder off following a sow in heat.

[GillieSuit]

Thanks again everyone. Some great tips here. I'll try a bunch of this stuff out over the next week to 10 days.

Regards,
Gillie

[35 whelen]

take your bait in with you and out when you leave ,leave just enough to keep him interisted .good luck.

[JohnB]

I found once the rut starts they seem to show up before dark.

Good luck getting your bear.

[GillieSuit]

Hopefully get to see something tommorrow.

I'll sit from 5 till dark.

[Bushmaster]

If he's been there afew times, he'll have a trail made. Go out on thr trail and intercept him.....he likely comes fairly close before dark, then just waits for darkness.

[GillieSuit]

This is a new bait. First time for my partner and I. So we are learning as we go. The bait was hit hard for the first two weeks by four different bruins. Then we got a pic of a large cougar. Then nothin for a week and then we got two bears comin consitant. A dink in the day and hog in the dark. I checked baits and restocked on Saturday. We sat monday night. The bait hadn't been hit at all since saturday morning around 5 am. I will be going out tommorrow to sit again. Anyway I am not sure what is happening. We keep getting the odd pic of this cougar and on Monday evening I had an encounter with a timber wolf wandering down the road while I was walkin into the access trail for our bait. Unfortunately the wolf was out of range for my bow and by the time I got the rifle off my shoulder he was back in the bush.

Anyway just lookin for some thoughts and advice on the ups and downs we've been observing in our bear routines and activities.

Thanks,

[McLeod Valley]

If he's been there afew times, he'll have a trail made. Go out on thr trail and intercept him.....he likely comes fairly close before dark, then just waits for darkness.

Very true , I've taken a couple like that. Placing a new stand out to 60 yards from the bait on well used trails and taking him just before dark. It turnes into a game of chess after a while.:)

[aulrich]

I may be late this year, but most of the time when I got night feeders it wa on baits where the bush was not thick enough. My best baits were where I had to make a clearing/shooting lane and the surrounding bush was so tight you could hear them sniffing before you saw them.

I have heard of guys taking the bait out with them at night (ick)

[Pioneer2]

For the nocturnal bear try leaving a battery powered radio on all night.Also try and figure out where the bear is laying up and waiting for you to leave.Place an ambush site there or sneak into your stand from a different route.All the city folks seem to think baiting is easy.Cause they never tried it!..I saw an outdoor archery show years ago where a big boar knew where the shooter was in the stand and wouldn't come in till after they left so they placed a second stand .Set up a ski-doo suit stuffed dummy on the first stand and wacked him as he thought he was watching the "hunter" .....good luck..........out think him.......Harold