Good Fall Bear Bait?

[Rick Wiltshire]

I met a fellow Trad Ganger on a Trad Gang bear hunt last fall and am fortuante to head to Idaho this September for elk with him; I will also be carrying a bear tag. I was thinking about setting out a bait for a few days when I first got to camp for a couple of hunts later on - after I tag my bull   .

So my question is - what is a good fall bait?

Rick

[Conner Parry]

you should do a honey burn, Take an old pan with you and pour a good amount of honey mixed with molasses. turn your backpacking stove on high and let that stuff just boil and burn, it will spread that sweet smell all around and any wind will carry it. this works well for the bears in utah so i would imagine it would be good. mostly we do it here right when you get to the stand burn for a minute and then get in your stand. good luck.

[Tim Fishell]

Go to a near by bakery and ask them for all their left over stale donuts a bagles.  This stuff works awesome.  Then go to a butcher and ask them for meat scraps.  Most places like these will gladly give you what you need since they just throw them out anyways.

[woodchucker]

How about woodchucker's "Liquid Bear Bait"?????

Take a bottle of cheap pancake syrup,a small jar of honey,and a large bottle of pure vanilla extract.

Pour the ingrediants into a sauce pan and warm over low heat stirring untill they are well mixed.While they are warm (and using a funnel) pour the "liquid bait" back into the syrup bottle,and pour any leftover mixture into a container for later.

Carry the "bait" into the woods and find a rotten stump or log in a good stand location. Pour the "liquid bait" over the stump or log and allow it to soak in.

Bear in the area will be attracted to the sweet smell,then when they attempt to lick and eat the "bait" they will start to pull apart the stump/log exposing the insect grubs an bugs living inside of the stump/log.

Good Luck!!!!!

[Brian Krebs]

apples.  spray botlle with apple juice - spray it up into leaves for an attractant.

honey burn will bring them in; apples will keep them there.

[bbassi]

Hey Woodchucker - how's that bait work in NY?            :D

[Ted Fry]

Carcass of your dead elk.

[Rick Wiltshire]

Thanks guys - a lot of good stuff here.

I gotta say that I like Ted's idea best  

[woodchucker]

REAL Good!!!!!!!!!!  

[tomh]

yes the carcass of the dead elk! I like that, thinking positive!

[ishiwannabe]

I was thinking a trophy bull elk gut pile would be worth sitting over...

[Brian Krebs]

In Montana using an elk carcass for bait or a deer carcass is what we call "Montana baiting". Here in Idaho; the use of an elk carcass or deer carcass; or a spawned out salmon on a creek bed is illegal bear baiting..

[killinstuff]

Bacon grease. A little goes a long ways. Smear it into pinecones and hang from tree limbs. Can smear a little on some old shoes (not your hunting boots) and leave sent trails to your hunting spot too.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

Beaver carcases...... Bears can't get enuff Beaver meat....

[Bill Carlsen]

Dry dog food mixed with molasses and/or syrup. We have also had good luck with oats and marshmallows mixed in. People  have  been loosing their bird feeders so frequently l thought I just might set up a bird feeding station instead of a typical bear bait.

[Dave Huff]

Second the bacon grease, or cook the bacon on the camp stove and pour it about.  I've used honey, almond extract, anise extract, anything sweet smelling. Any kind of donuts.  Soak terry cloth rags in the almond and anise extracts with cinnamon and hang them on trees. Pour the honey on a stump or log where you want the bear to stop for the shot. We would have PVC tubes onthe side of the tree and fill them with bacon grease. Also a good way to measure the height of the bear. Put it 5 or 5 1/2 foot up the tree, small bear can't reach it.