ULTIMATE Bear Bait Thread!

[wildwoods]

Well folks it’s that time again. Might be a good distraction from all the craziness of our planet these days. I am unsure of my sources this year due to this pandemic. I will follow up and update as I know more.

With more and more folks feeing the financial pinch, let’s try and help each other source cheap and free bait sources.

Feel free to post what you have.

As always, there will be new baiters this year. Let’s add tips for those inexperienced so they can be successful. We are a fraternity and always looking to help people get in on a really fun time. It’s great to start the hunting season early and kick the cabin fever.

I’ll add a few tips: don’t be discouraged when you fire up a new bait. It may take a couple years to get it established. When it does, it should start producing nicely. Google maps satellite is your friend. Spring bears like water sources for a nice drink after they feed. Find water in a low “traffic” area where re-baiting access is relatively easy (bears can eat a lot).

Stay safe and have fun. I’ll start another thread for target bear trail cam photos.

[Bigjohn87]

Picked up my first bait barrel yesterday and a 50 lb bag of Purina dog chow for free of Kijiji last night from a guy name Braedon, so if he is on here thank you.

Then today I picked up 100 lbs of cookie dough pellets in Red deer off of a Jim from Kijiji, so if he is here thank you

I figure I willl pick up a a Turkey fryer from the Canadian tire outdoor store and fill the rest in with popcorn and strawberry jello powder.

Should I chain the barrel to the tree tight so it can’t be moved? Or should I do it loose so he can roll it back and forth a bit?

Should I put logs all around it and on top or not even bother?

[wildwoods]

Originally Posted by Bigjohn87

Picked up my first bait barrel yesterday and a 50 lb bag of Purina dog chow for free of Kijiji last night from a guy name Braedon, so if he is on here thank you.

Then today I picked up 100 lbs of cookie dough pellets in Red deer off of a Jim from Kijiji, so if he is here thank you

I figure I willl pick up a a Turkey fryer from the Canadian tire outdoor store and fill the rest in with popcorn and strawberry jello powder.

Should I chain the barrel to the tree tight so it can’t be moved? Or should I do it loose so he can roll it back and forth a bit?

Should I put logs all around it and on top or not even bother?

You're on the right track.
For barrels with popcorn, being able to roll it around with one small hole is a bait saver. Most of my barrels get ratchet strapped to a thick tree with a small hole cut for access.
Restaurants will typically be more than willing to give you waste grease. Pour that all over your bait and on the ground by the barrels. It will leave a "scent trail" for other bears to follow- straight to your bait site.
Another barrel trick is to suspend a drum from above with a rope at a height that only a mature bear could reach. Again a small hole with popcorn is key here. They have to bat the barrel from below to release their prize. Again, just a good way to save bait.

[Jays toyz]

I made like 50 pounds of popcorn and candy popcorn last year and everything went to crap and I couldn't get out to bait. I'm gonna try and feed it to the bears. Year old popcorn still likely to bring in bears?

[wildwoods]

Originally Posted by Jays toyz

I made like 50 pounds of popcorn and candy popcorn last year and everything went to crap and I couldn't get out to bait. I'm gonna try and feed it to the bears. Year old popcorn still likely to bring in bears?

Yes 100%

[Grizzly Adams]

I've always been a confirmed meat fan. Nothing like a good rotten smell to draw feathered scavengers , which in turn attract bears.

Grizz

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by Bigjohn87

Picked up my first bait barrel yesterday and a 50 lb bag of Purina dog chow for free of Kijiji last night from a guy name Braedon, so if he is on here thank you.

Then today I picked up 100 lbs of cookie dough pellets in Red deer off of a Jim from Kijiji, so if he is here thank you

I figure I willl pick up a a Turkey fryer from the Canadian tire outdoor store and fill the rest in with popcorn and strawberry jello powder.

Should I chain the barrel to the tree tight so it can’t be moved? Or should I do it loose so he can roll it back and forth a bit?

Should I put logs all around it and on top or not even bother?

Might have to put a lock on it to keep out hoarders. Amazing what people are caching away.

Grizz

[wildwoods]

Just changed the thread title. Then we can keep it rolling annually and have older resources posted right at our fingertips.
5 deg today. Spring is just around the corner and a lot of is are thinking about bears!

For anyone looking for grease: just about every restaurant will let you ladle it out of their grease traps. All you need to do is ask

[SouthWestRanger]

I’ve got a garbage bag full of dog food just outside Calgary, free if you come pick it up. Have another bag full of scraps from a butchered Steer.

[nimrod]

Id your starting to set up the bait site, start with meat scraps, when they start to decompose the bears need this to remove there butt plug, then they look for the dog food popcorn stuff like that, when Was baiting bears, I bought a truck load of past due bread, add cool aid to it and the bears loved it, and also beavers hung out of reach keeps them coming back to try to get the beaver, this was great to watch when hunting bears.

[TrapperMike]

I have beavers and bait pails for sale. Send me a pm.

[wildwoods]

Originally Posted by TrapperMike

I have beavers and bait pails for sale. Send me a pm.

Wow do you ever!

[wildwoods]

Originally Posted by nimrod

Id your starting to set up the bait site, start with meat scraps, when they start to decompose the bears need this to remove there butt plug, then they look for the dog food popcorn stuff like that, when Was baiting bears, I bought a truck load of past due bread, add cool aid to it and the bears loved it, and also beavers hung out of reach keeps them coming back to try to get the beaver, this was great to watch when hunting bears.

Agree with the beavers. Hang them in a burlap sack in an upside down 5 gal pail (to keep the birds off). Works really good. Just drips those castors to the ground and you also get good photos of bears standing up to try and reach the beaver. Gives you a good look at your target bears height

[reddeerhunter]

My experience by May 10 every bear is awake.


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[Smoky buck]

Well I got barrels set up in a location to try out baiting bears for the first time. Location has a slough near by, mixed mature timber, natural feeding areas close, and the wind should be in my favor most days




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[leo]

I’ve a 5 gallon bucket with chicken guts, plus 1 chicken who didn’t make the winter. Must pickup this weekend or I’ll toss them to the coyotes. I’m just North of Edmonton. PM for pickup

[ramonmark]

Anyone have a handle on oats new at Albert? Or even dog food? I'm looking for something to add to my second barrel. It'll be mixed with used grease mixed with gold rush.

[gray7mag]

Originally Posted by ramonmark

Anyone have a handle on oats new at Albert? Or even dog food? I'm looking for something to add to my second barrel. It'll be mixed with used grease mixed with gold rush.

Where are you getting gold rush from? Looks interesting.

Peavey Mart sells both oats and large bags of dog food.

[treeroot]

Whats the best way to pop a large amount of pop corn?

I've tried barrel over a turkey fryer, but the pop corn would shoot out of the barrel, lots of un popped corn (almost 50/50) etc..

Air poppers take awhile, but seems to give most consistent pop.

Anything secrets I'm not aware of?

[Jays toyz]

Originally Posted by treeroot

Whats the best way to pop a large amount of pop corn?

I've tried barrel over a turkey fryer, but the pop corn would shoot out of the barrel, lots of un popped corn (almost 50/50) etc..

Air poppers take awhile, but seems to give most consistent pop.

Anything secrets I'm not aware of?

Buy 4 air poppers from Sally Ann or goodwill at $5 each.

[gray7mag]

Originally Posted by treeroot

Whats the best way to pop a large amount of pop corn?

I've tried barrel over a turkey fryer, but the pop corn would shoot out of the barrel, lots of un popped corn (almost 50/50) etc..

Air poppers take awhile, but seems to give most consistent pop.

Anything secrets I'm not aware of?

You can find used air poppers for $5-10 a piece. Run 3 or 4 on a power bar. Duct tape some carboard into the shape of a chute into a tote. Once the popcorn is cool toss it in your garbage bags. If you run the hot popcorn straight into the garbage bag it will make little melted holes in it.

[HunterDave]

Originally Posted by ramonmark

Anyone have a handle on oats new at Albert? Or even dog food? I'm looking for something to add to my second barrel. It'll be mixed with used grease mixed with gold rush.

Bag ‘N Blok feed store in Morinville.