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Are You Making These Bear-Baiting Mistakes?

Blunder 1:

Picking A Bad Bait Site

You can whip up the most tempting baits in North America, but if they aren’t situated along traditional travel routes, you’ll see few bears and even fewer book bears. After all, who thinks “any tree, anywhere” when they’re after trophy whitetails? Likewise, it’s imperative to do everything possible to bump the odds of intercepting bears.

It doesn’t matter if I’m hunting Arizona or Manitoba, I can’t expect my baits to re-route nomadic bears; I’ve learned the hard way to set up along natural corridors the animals like to use when traveling from Swamp A to Ridge B. Baits within a traditional line-of-travel always heat up quicker and keep bears hanging around longer.

An essential ingredient of all of my hunts is a creek bottom; bears drink a lot of water and prefer the coolest temperatures and densest vegetation available. So think creeks and ridges when studying topographical maps to help prioritize potential bait sites. Then and only then are you ready to scout for tracks, fresh scat and tree markings. Once you find the sign you’re looking for, set up close, but not too close, to clear-cuts and woods opening, where bears feel safe because they don’t have to expose themselves.

Blunder 2:

Ignoring Natural Food

Brian Bachman chairs the North American Bear Foundation (www.nabf.org) and runs a popular bear camp in northern Minnesota. He admits bears enthusiastically consume just about anything, but they have definite preferences. So why not start with what they’re already eating, he asks.

“Early in the spring, look for the first signs of green-up,” says Bachman. “Later on, concentrate on lush vegetation. If it’s on the menu it won’t be a mystery, because bears [defecate] a lot and make a trampled mess wherever they’ve been feeding heavily.”

Manitoba outfitter Ed Balan (E & D Outfitters; 204-234-5531) is dogmatic when it comes to starting a bait site and keeping a trophy in your hunting area. “Nothing beats beaver,” he insists. “I think it’s the castors [perineal glands] bears go for. I do my own trapping, but you can buy beaver carcasses for next to nothing and store them in the freezer till you’re ready to go hunting.”

In some provinces, such as Ontario, fish can be effective (fish are illegal in states like Wisconsin, so check local regulations). I discovered this when I set up a bait near an inlet that attracts spawning suckers. Talk about constant bear traffic…

Blunder 3:

Focusing On The Bear’s Sweet Tooth

While some bears appear to be infatuated with carbohydrates such as pastries, Jell-O and candy, empirical evidence suggests that meats, grains and fats are more effective over the long haul. Why? Because these food sources enable bears to pack on weight quickly, whether they’re emerging from a den or storing up for the winter.

Grease is great. It’s widely available (many restaurants and fast-food chains change oil supplies daily), and it’s handy (mixes conveniently with wheat and oats in a five-gallon bucket). Moreover, get grease on the pads of baited bears, and you’ll advertise your bait’s location to the rest of the clan.

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