Are the bears gonna come???

[Ryan R]

So, I've set up a bait station this year... I think it looks pretty good. I set it up along a stream, nice mix of evergreens and aspens, a little elevated, two barrels, one with meat/grease, the other with dog food and oats, crammed some logs in the openings, spread grease and veg oil on the ground, hung a beaver from a line about 6 feet up... the works.

So, I've given it a week and checked yesterday (April 26) - no bears.

How long do I wait to find out if I've got it set up in a bad location?

[Lefty-Canuck]

I know guys getting hits mid day and mid evening....they will come if they are there.

LC

[tony d]

In my experience every bait gets eventually hit . Its a bit early and what seems to really turn on a bait is when the daytime temps get consistently over 15 that way the thermals help getting the odour out so I'd give it another week of warmer temps and if still no go Id move to better area

[SBE2]

This is the third year for our baits in 507, had about 10-12 different bears visit it last year. Put bait out first weekend in April, buddy checked yesterday and nothing yet. Thousands of crow pics though.

[Dick284]

New baits often take a while.
Is there old bear sign in the area?

[Ryan R]

Originally Posted by Dick284

New baits often take a while.
Is there old bear sign in the area?

Some.

I haven't found anything in the area with more, and it is an area that should hold bears, I would think.

[Dick284]

Originally Posted by Ryan R

Some.

I haven't found anything in the area with more, and it is an area that should hold bears, I would think.

Old claw marks in trees are a dead give away.

I've had some baits over the years that I figured would have been awesome. Guess what, they were awful. All the indicators screamed great area, but alas it was a lousy site.
In retrospect some baits a guy figured would be marginal, turned out to be over achievers.

If there are no bears in the area, then all the best looking location, terrain etc. isn't going to magically produce bears.

That's why it's called hunting.

[NBFK]

Is there a lot of smell coming off your bait? I set a new bait this year and within two days I had my first bear roll in. I must of been pretty close to where some bears yarded up all winter. I figured it would take a few weeks. I used butterscotch flavouring I bought from Jimbows edmonton to add to the grease. It really let's off a lot of scent at the bait. You just add 1-2 ozs to a 5 gallon bucket of grease. Sounds like you got all the fixings you just need boo boo to do his part.

[Popcan]

You'll have a by the end of this coming weekend... Me too I hope !

Best of luck

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by Popcan

You'll have a by the end of this coming weekend... Me too I hope !

Best of luck

Patience my Sons, All will be well, Soon.

Grizz

[Bushmaster]

Build it, and they will come !

[edmhunter]

Be patient, and let the small ones grow up to be worthy.

[shovelheadtn]

Haha don't you worry they will come there still not out in all areas. I have a well known bait to the Bears and they still haven't been out yet soon very soon. Cheers

[cpppark]

Over the years I found mid May is when we really started to see a lot of bear activity. Warmth and greenery seems to be the trigger for movement.

[muzzy]

Yup have some patience unless you luck out on setting a new bait near a den it usually takes a bit of time to get hit. I think the early warm weather got us more excited than the bears. I've baited for 40 years now and found as a rule, but not set in stone by any means, that the baits usually started to get hit about the same time the poplar buds would just break open which on average was around May 8th in my neck of woods.
Sounds like you have everything set perfect so just wait Im sure in a week more it'll get clobbered.
I see small groves of poplars are just starting to break open now but around here looks like about 80% are still a week away, so another week and you should be in action. When you check the baits take some more used fryer grease and meat scraps and splash more around. You want it nice and stinky
A squirt bottle mixed with water and anise and sprayed around also is good

[curtisb]

I'm in the same boat. Set mine on the 19th, nothing had hit it by yesterday (27th).
I think the guy hit the nail on the head when he said I might be a bit more exited than the bears. One more week and we'll see...my old man tells me I"m wasting my time before about the 4th-May. lol

[Ryan R]

Originally Posted by muzzy

Sounds like you have everything set perfect

Well that's good, because you're actually the one who gave me all the advice so far! I have those meat sacks hung up around the bait station too.

[Stumpslayer]

Couple of things, if you have one soak an old smelly deer hide from last seaon with cooking grease and drag it down the trails and cutlines in the area or beaver carcass, and for added scent, buy some vanilla extract, load up a couple water pistols and hit the trees as high as they will shoot, the scent lingers as long as there is no rain...works great.

Got this bear last Tuesday on a well established bait, but over the time I've had it some years didnt get hit until the scraps were pretty much eaten by maggots, only the last couple years that I have bears in before May. Frogs are out, bears will be cruising now for sure, if you get a sow on and pour the grease to it, she will walk trails in with her greasy feet and the boars will come soon!

Your set up sound great, just be patient, they will be along shortly...

[edmhunter]

Glad to see you got him, really beautiful bear so congrats on that one!

Bow or rifle?

[Ryan R]

Originally Posted by edmhunter

Glad to see you got him, really beautiful bear so congrats on that one!

Bow or rifle?

x2. Great colour!

[Ryan R]

Originally Posted by NBFK

Is there a lot of smell coming off your bait?

There actually wasn't, but I topped it up with fish scraps and rancid bacon fat, so I'm thinking it should get stinkier now.

[CBintheNorth]

Great bear Stumpslayer, love the colour.
Huge congrats!
I really can't wait to get out to the cameras now.

[J55]

Bait will sure hit..give it time

[ResidentSpokesman]

Sometimes a bait just isn't a winner, it can be for a huge variety of reasons but the end result is no hits.

Sometimes the most unlikely baits turn out to be the best ones.

Even though Spring was early this year it's still too early to pull a bait due to lack of activity. I'd give it until next weekend. If it's still dead rig in a new one at least 5 miles away but keep the existing one functioning.