Dans 2015 bear season...

[remmag]

looks like there's a nice bruiser around there. Getting into bear hunting, love the thread and updates Dan!

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[BassBoysLLP]

Nice first round of pics!

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[dan]

This one looks like a good one!

[stash59]

Nice pics. Whens the hunt start?

[dan]

Nice pics. Whens the hunt start?

September

[stash59]

Nice pics. Whens the hunt start?

September

Wow!! that's a long time to keep up baits.

No baiting allowed in Montana, so alt of this is new to me. Gonna have to read the bear hunting threads.

[TJS]

Nice pictures!! Good luck this fall guys. I have 2 bait stations, one gets hit daily the other not very often. My first bear tag this year I am getting very excited!!

[olivertractor]

Here is what the baits look like now, with a thick slab cut for a cover on each bait. Baits will stay dryer during rain, are better contained, bears will have to work to get all the bait out of the log, and they have been eating and destroying the logs covering the pits... MUCH better, but a lot of work carrying those heavy weights to the bait sites. Also notice behind the baits is cribbed so bears don't walk straight in from behind offering no shot.



Many of the baits looked like this with logs missing, eaten, or destroyed...


We spend hours packing 5 gallon buckets with donuts, bread, pastry's, candy, nuts, sugar, syrup, etc. every week. The amount of time and work that goes into this is staggering "if you do it right"... We need to out bait the outfitters in both quality, and location if we want to succeed. Most of the outfitters in that area are baiting right next to the road, don't start baiting till right before the season to save money ( its a business to make money) and are using one type of bait rather than giving variety.

Those hollowed out logs are only way to go IMHO

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[Chris Conroy]

That was the first time I ever carried logs into the woods. Setting baits up properly is a lot of work. Once the bait stations are in place, re-baiting will be easier. Just for reference, we leave at 6 or 7 am and get home around 11 pm. On top of that we put close to 500 miles on the truck. Even with all of that I can't wait for Saturdays to put out bait and check the cameras.

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[jmaas07]

That is a ton of groceries!! You have to spend quite a bit on bait leading up to season..do you have anything worked out with any local markets/grocery stores to buy expired food to cut down on costs?

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[dan]

Yes,
I buy expired foods, or bait buy the barrel, save some, etc... And Chris works in the food industry so that helps a lot.

[Mike Foss]

I see Dan is using a hollow log or logs. To preserve those logs from rot for future use don't be scared to saturate those hollow logs with grease scent.

[Trailcamaddict]

For the real long hauls we use popcorn as bait. It's super light weight and the bear love it. Especially with some sauce or frosting on top.

Buy 50# bags of popcorn at Sams then use an air popper into a garbage can. Don't pop directly into a plastic bag, the hot kernels will melt through. Pop first into the raw garbage can then dump the cooled popcorn into bags.

[BassBoysLLP]

Yes,
I buy expired foods, or bait buy the barrel, save some, etc... And Chris works in the food industry so that helps a lot.

That surprises me you have to buy it. I figured dumpster diving would be the way to go as long as you asked first. Do you have contacts in the local bakerys, movie theaters. etc. Im not a bear hunter but I assume even buying reduced bait would be expensive after a few months.

Another I thought of is local fruit growers, I know here in MO there is a market that has a dumpste rover flowing every year with apples peaches veggies.

One mans trash is anothers bait : )

It isn't as easy as you think to get "free" bait unless you have a connection. Especially GOOD free bait. The demand is a lot higher these days.

I've done the free bait/dumpster diving thing. In the end, I spent more money this route driving around and picking it up. It was cheaper to buy GOOD bait in bulk, load up the truck and trailer, and store it.

[stash59]

What's the law on fermented grains? I met a guy from Washington that used corn and oats that he basically used what was a starter mash for whiskey. He said that it had plenty of smell and the bears loved it!! He brewed it up in 55 gal drums. He hunted on Prince William island I believe.