Baiting

[maros91]

All right. I will re-bait tomorrow with just one, maybe two things in the bait. I'll put my grease on the logs and around the area on the ground like I have been. Hopefully it works.

[Boar]

Thanks antler, when I log off I shoot ya some info too. I whent out tonight an was very pleased with a good hit, I have had three different types of hits, The first one, had laid the crib wide open an he got my first bear ball, then came scoopers with no logs rolled, cubs I'm sure, then came a tumbler, where he just tumbled over a few logs to get to the bait, now tonight it was laid open again an had very wide claw marks on the logs, man am I pumped. I like to burn a variety of thins but only one at a time. One thats easy an cheap is to take a couple of packets of cherry jello mix an mix with about two cups cold water, shake it up in a jar on the way to your site. burn this an oboy! It really puts out cherry scent or any flavor you use. I also burn a anise syrup, one cup sugar one cup water, bring to a boil, 210 degrees I think for one minuet, let simmer an add two teaspoons of anise from your grocery store, very potent. Boar

[charliepete2]

The wife is on a plane to see her mother, my camo is hanging on the line, the bow is shooting dead on, and I've got 5 productive baits for two guys. I don't know how I'll be able to gut out two more days of work until my vacation starts. I think I'll be holding out for a big boy this year or nothing at all. Last year I took a smaller color phased, but this year I'm going to try and stick to my guns regardless of color. Man am I pumped to get in the woods!

On a side note....to the guys with unproductive baits. It doesn't matter what you put out if there aren't any bears in that area. Instead of trying to invent new ways to pull bears in, you might be better served to try a bait in a different area. You don't throw every bait in your tackle box if the fish aren't biting, you try other spots.

[roosterslayer]

Hey Antler are you pouring your plums right into the bait and covering with logs or are you placing them next to the bait. I just picked a ton of wild plums on my friends property and was going to put them out this weekend, and was just curious where you placed them.

Thanks.

[Antler_Creek_Taxidermy]

Rooster,

I like to cover them up to make sure I know the bears are eating them and not coons. I would recommend not mixing all your bait together in the log crib. Put little piles of each seperate, that way you can see what they like. Another thing you can try is mixing oats,plumsor (other fruit you have), water, sugar and yeast in a pail and sit it out in the sun for a few days. It will smell very sweet.

[roosterslayer]

Thank you, also i see the pics of the nice bears that you have coming into your baits. and i also see you are in Santiago, is that the same santiago that is near Becker? And do you know of a good taxidermist in the area??

[Gopher_Man]

Hey Guys,

Nice bears you guys have coming in. Question for everyone, What is your plan for Saturday? Hunt in the morning? Check Baits and then hunt in the Evening? Don't check baits and just hunt in Evening? Just wondering what everyone's plans are.

Our baits haven't been checked since Saturday and we won't get up north until Friday Night. So I am leaning towards checking baits Saturday midday and then Hunting in the evening.

[Antler_Creek_Taxidermy]

That is the same "big" town you are refering to. I know a really good taxidermist but I can't give out my contact info. (sorry)

I just got back from baiting and 2 baits were tore up but the 3rd bait where I moved my camera to was hardly hit at all. The logs were rolled and some bait was eaten but no pics were taken. I don't know if the camera didn't work or what but it should be a fun weekend anyway! Good Luck Hunters!

[Boar]

Man do I need a camera, 3rd day in a row I've been hit hard. I got some great claw marks of the logs, all five claws wider than my hand when it's relaxed, Those claw marks are at least six inches wide, I'm sure their splayed a little while working the logs. I'm guessing his pad at at least five inches wide. Oboy!!!!! Antler, did ya get my email?

[maros91]

I would move my baits but I'm kind of handicapped on where I can go. The one acreage I have to hunt is surrounded by corn and hayfields, and the other is a nice section of swamp land the landowner owns but there is only one piece of high ground and I don't have permission to go on the other side. Other landowner said no. I have faith. Re-baited today with just donuts, grease on the logs and on the ground. I am busy this weekend with baseball so I couldn't hunt opening weekend anyway. 1 more day for you fellers with good hits on your baits. Hope you guys get a good one!!!!

[maros91]

Here are some pics from my buddies bait station near Marcell.

Looks like he has plenty of bait out there

You think this is the same bear as the one with the cubs?

[roosterslayer]

hey Antler email me at [email protected].

[Antler_Creek_Taxidermy]

Boar, I recieved your e-mail (very interesting idea). I have to give it a try. Thanks for the info!

Biff, WOW thats alot of bait he has out. Hard to tell if its the same bear or not. Keep us posted on how he does.

Good luck hunters!

[fireman]

Just wishing all you bear hunters good luck tomorrow. Its been 2 years with no license for our party, so I need to live vicariously through all you hunters, so lets see some pics of your success.

[maros91]

Well one of my baits is getting hit. 2nd straight night it got hit. One of the bigger logs was slid to the back and more donuts were taken. Going to hunt it tomorrow night after work.

[sm54]

Boar- I saw you gave Antler some bait gather "secrets" I'm having a devil of a time finding enough bait. If you would be willing to share ANY helpful hints with me I will give you any info in return that I can. If you are up for this, pm me at smccollum at cableone (Contact Us Please) net.

SM54

[Boar]

This is what I primarily do sm, I get beef scrapes from butcher shops, Your bigger shops will have more to go around, The shops that cater to the local venders or ther shops where you can buy half beef or hole beef an hogs but pig meat you cant use unless its cured. I get my beef scrap for 6 bucks per 50 lbs. I go to any old cafe an ask if they can save throw out food sometimes they dont because of state codes an such but smaller mom an pop cafe's generaly do. Stop an go stores that deep fry foods have a grease dumpster that will generally let you dip out grease, some might save it in the containers that they dumped the new out of. Feed store are great for molasses an sweet feed an dog food, the big guy I'm currently hunting like name brand pedigree chunks an gravy, 6 bucks for twelve cans, thats tvelve feedings. Grocery stores like hugo's up here save me doughnuts for a small price an I have tons. You have to spend alittle money but for the variety it's worth it. Feed stores are the best for price anything that horses like a bear will generally like, oats an corn mixed with mollasses type stuff.Alot of times just your every day leftovers from the fridge work great, I sometimes keep a icecream bucket ready after supper for table scrape, like we used to slop the hogs. A fifty lb bag of dog food at wall mart 15 bucks. I get 95% of my bait this way. Doughnut now will be hard to come by right now for the competition. so your best bet is feed stores an wall mart. Boar P.S "contactusplease.com" dosent work right now please try later. You can call me too at 218 253 4051 for futher details. Boar

[sm54]

Thanks Boar!!! I will follow up all of those great tips! Thanks for all of the advise, I have a bacon burn going right now in the garage! Wheeeew sure smells like maple bacon in the whole house. (wife is not to happy about it) I never thought of canned dog food either!? Great tip!!!! One question taht I have had for a few years and can never seem to get a straight answer is, Why no part of any swine unless cured? Anybody know?

Thanks, sm54

[Boar]

Oh' by the way, I think I'm screwing up. Tonight when I baited, I was hit again same big boy, I seconed guesse my opptional stand i placed lastst night. I moved twice tonight. If I did'nt spooke him away I probably turned him tottaly nocturnal, My high anxiety is always my doom. I did'nt make alot of noise but I spent too much time at my site, This weekend will tell. Later, anxiety boar

[Boar]

Pigs an bear are a related species for one thing,there might be more to it but not sure. Boar

[Swamp Scooter]

The main reason is due to the possible spread of Trichina(sp) worm from the pigs to the bears.

[maros91]

Dang. Who turned on the wind machine? Friday night I hunted and the wind was terrible all hunt long. Saturday the wind was calm all day and I get to the stand at 5:00 and 5:30 the wind starts howling again. Just to windy the last two nights. Rain off and on Saturday, nothing heavy. Not a big deal on stand. Was tolerable. Anyone having any luck? Talked to some guys hunting the Mille Lacs WMA and I guess a couple big ones got taken on opening weekend.

[maros91]

Here are some more photos of my buddies bait station near Marcell. They have not harvested any bears yet this season. Their neighbors party of 2 harvested 2 opening weekend.

[Boar]

Cool pics biff, No go for me last night but a wet butt. Whent in at sunrise an he hit during the night. So he's a confermed nocturnal bear. I'm gonna strt pulling bait tonight. If that dont turn him by the weekend i might have to move on with other things. Boar

[Gofishleech]

Those are great pics!! Our bait was dead all week and finaly got some action friday evening when three 2 year old or older cubs came in. It was very exciting for my son, he could hear a fourth bear that would not come in. The three were growling and hissing at each-other at the bait. Yesterday rain all day and it was the first day my son missed going sence opener. Looking forward to tonight.

[Mnfisher]

Great pics!! What kind of camera are you using?

[Antler_Creek_Taxidermy]

Well my brother decided to pull the trigger on an average size boar last night. (I will try to post the pics later) It came in about 7:00 and wouldn't come into the bait. It laid down for a while about 20 yards behide the bait and when it got up it just decided to walk away and thats when he let him have it. After dragging it out another hunter stopped and informed me that his bait was only a few hundred yards for ours and his buddys bait was less than 1/4 mile in the other direction, he then accused us of "stealing" bears from his buddys bait. I informed him that this was public land and that I have no control over where the bears go. You come to expect some competetion from other hunters when you hunt publc land but this guy was acting like he owned the whole county and every living thing in it . I didn't think there was very many bear hunters around that bait but I was wrong. So I now know why the bears we see come in but they don't hit the bait, they aren't hungary with all the other baits. I can't believe the # of hunters in that area this year. Last year there was one other hunter and this year there is 10 others(that I know of). I guess I shouldn't complain because the baits have been getting pounded eversince we started baiting. It just makes it harder to get the big boys in during shooting hours with all the other baits. Next year I may have to find a new place to hunt with less pressure . I put the trail cam back out yesterday and hope to post the pics if they still come into that bait. It should be a good week of hunting with the cooler weather!

[maros91]

Congrats on the bear. What area are you hunting Antler?

Hunted Fri, Sat, and Sun evening with nothing to show. I went out to hunt Monday morning before work and the bait had been hit anywhere from 9 p.m. Sun to 6 a.m. Mon. I hunted tonight with nothing to show. I pulled my bait when I left and will place it out there again tomorrow morning. When I get done with work(5pm) I will go out there and pull it and keep this routine up until the bait gets hit again. With these cooler temps they should be active during the day.

[Boar]

Congrates to your brother antler, I'm still working on one, this sucker is smart. Boar

[Antler_Creek_Taxidermy]

We are hunting South of Mcgregor. I am driving my dad up to hunt this evening (I hope the wind dies down).