Next strategy

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Elite
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Next strategy

Unread postby Elite » Tue Sep 13, 2022 2:20 pm

I had a shooter boar coming to my bait consistently during daylight the days prior to opener. A switched was flipped on 9/7 and none of the bears came to the bait, not even at night, for the next 24-48 hours. I hunted 9/7 (pm) and had my thermals pulling down the ridge away from the bait. I’ve been watching the wind direction and direction of travel from the boar. Like others have said, he would always approach the bait downwind no matter what direction.
I rebaited Sunday around 11am and also put up a cell cam to keep eyes on activity, and didn’t hunt that evening. I had a sow with 2 cubs return about 15 minutes before legal ended. The boar returned at 10pm and again at 4am. Now with dogs starting tomorrow or Wednesday I’m not sure how to approach targeting this boar or any shooter for that matter. I’ll be rebaiting tomorrow (Tuesday) and will hunt because it’s an ideal wind direction.

What do you recommend for the next strategy? Do I bait every couple days and hunt, or bait every couple days and wait until one comes in during daylight? This is my first year so any help would be appreciated!


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Re: Next strategy

Unread postby Uncle Lou » Wed Sep 14, 2022 1:22 am

What area or state are you hunting? Do you have acorns near by? Could that be pulling them away?
We were concerned in Red Oak in Michigan (Northern lower) with oak drop interferring, and we went to peanut butter early to try to not lose them to the acorns. The 2 baits stayed pretty active.
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Re: Next strategy

Unread postby Mike Foss » Wed Sep 14, 2022 3:32 am

Cut back on the bait to about 5 gallons, don’t worry about the hounds, monitor bait station and hunt as usual.
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Re: Next strategy

Unread postby Elite » Wed Sep 14, 2022 4:08 am

Uncle Lou wrote:What area or state are you hunting? Do you have acorns near by? Could that be pulling them away?
We were concerned in Red Oak in Michigan (Northern lower) with oak drop interferring, and we went to peanut butter early to try to not lose them to the acorns. The 2 baits stayed pretty active.


Sawyer co, WI. The experienced hunters I’ve talked to said it’s likely the acorns and not other hunters. I’m surrounded by private land (I’m hunting private as well) and didn’t notice any hunting pressure from others.
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Re: Next strategy

Unread postby Elite » Wed Sep 14, 2022 4:09 am

Mike Foss wrote:Cut back on the bait to about 5 gallons, don’t worry about the hounds, monitor bait station and hunt as usual.


Is it best to wait for a daylight pattern?
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Re: Next strategy

Unread postby dan » Wed Sep 14, 2022 4:23 am

Bears often circle the baits to check them before entering. They often just dissapear after being hunted. this is especially. in my opinion, the case with new baits... sometimes they come back, sometimes they get Nocturnal... The older the bears the more they do this.
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Re: Next strategy

Unread postby Mike Foss » Wed Sep 14, 2022 5:18 am

Elite wrote:
Mike Foss wrote:Cut back on the bait to about 5 gallons, don’t worry about the hounds, monitor bait station and hunt as usual.


Is it best to wait for a daylight pattern?
Its hunting, bears are very unpredictable, just hunt, don’t wait too see them on camera before you hunt it again, it only means they have already been there, hunt hard and hopefully you will be rewarded. If you have to hunt latter in the day so boredom or frustration doesn’t get you like it already has. Good luck
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Re: Next strategy

Unread postby Findian » Wed Sep 14, 2022 5:32 am

Mike Foss wrote:
Elite wrote:
Mike Foss wrote:Cut back on the bait to about 5 gallons, don’t worry about the hounds, monitor bait station and hunt as usual.


Is it best to wait for a daylight pattern?
Its hunting, bears are very unpredictable, just hunt, don’t wait too see them on camera before you hunt it again, it only means they have already been there, hunt hard and hopefully you will be rewarded. If you have to hunt latter in the day so boredom or frustration doesn’t get you like it already has. Good luck


I agree keep hunting it ever chance you can. Or pick up and move 100 yards or so towards the assumed area of travel. and just scent it’s up and hunt it.
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Re: Next strategy

Unread postby Elite » Fri Sep 16, 2022 9:53 am

Thanks guys. The bears became daylight active yesterday as I had a good boar in at 1:30pm and a smaller bear in at 6:30pm. I baited at about 10:30am today and got in the tree at about 3pm. I’m hoping the kickbacks from the high winds done screw me….
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Re: Next strategy

Unread postby Mike Foss » Tue Sep 20, 2022 3:37 am

Elite wrote:Thanks guys. The bears became daylight active yesterday as I had a good boar in at 1:30pm and a smaller bear in at 6:30pm. I baited at about 10:30am today and got in the tree at about 3pm. I’m hoping the kickbacks from the high winds done screw me….

Any updates Elite?
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Re: Next strategy

Unread postby Elite » Tue Sep 20, 2022 5:06 am

Mike Foss wrote:
Elite wrote:Thanks guys. The bears became daylight active yesterday as I had a good boar in at 1:30pm and a smaller bear in at 6:30pm. I baited at about 10:30am today and got in the tree at about 3pm. I’m hoping the kickbacks from the high winds done screw me….

Any updates Elite?


My thermals screwed me Saturday evening. The wind was supposed to be south at 5-10 mph but ended up swirling a decent amount. My thermals were pulling east and down the side of the ridge at about 7pm, and that’s when I heard two deep huffs from a bear. Almost like he was taking in air and then exhaling. I never saw him, however, but I guarantee it was a bear. He was within 50 yards.
I hunted Sunday morning with no sightings and prepped two trees to use my mobile setup in. I essentially moved to the other side of the ridge and am hoping with my minor adjustment that I catch him off guard. The ridge is only about 20 yards wide and I can still shoot the bait.
He was at the bait at 8pm last night and guarded it until 10:15. I also got more bait from a friend. I plan on baiting tonight and Wednesday, and hunt Wednesday and Thursday.
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Re: Next strategy

Unread postby Mike Foss » Tue Sep 20, 2022 5:17 am

Kill time is getting closer…. We are pulling for ya, good luck
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Re: Next strategy

Unread postby Mike Foss » Tue Sep 20, 2022 5:17 am

Kill time is getting closer…. We are pulling for ya, good luck
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Re: Next strategy

Unread postby dan » Tue Sep 20, 2022 9:40 pm

When we set up camp this year several baits were getting pounded in daylight daily. We met a lot of local hunters the day before opening day that expressed the same. I told Rick and Eric to watch how all this enthusiasm and talk of active bears turns to "its the acorns, its the berry crop etc... Happens everytime... Hunters have very active baits every year leading right up to opening day, then walla... Opening day suddenly there are acorns. This year was no exception as the same hunters came back complaining of acorns and pressure, and weather, etc.

I got news for everyone, acorns have been dropping for a moth and a half... The only thing that changed opening day is added presence and scent at the bait site. Anybody can get bears to come to bait, even big bears... Killing them is the hard part. They are much more intelligent than given credit for. If it were not for there insatiable appitite You would have a very hard time killing one. Its more about hoppw the bait site is set up, than what you have coming in. Hard to kill a bear if he knows your there.

We have a great video of our hunt so far dropping later today... Its interesting to watch as we hunt the baits how they go dead for several days, and how the bears keep circling us to smell our wind and/or entrance trail... But, as Mike says, keep hunting cause they make a mistake here and there, or just get used to you as they got used to the bait to begin with. And eventually a combination of hunting time and not giving up- collide and offer up the eventual shot opportunity.
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Re: Next strategy

Unread postby Bearman13 » Wed Sep 21, 2022 1:53 am

Just keep watching them cameras. A lot of times it’s just an waiting game. Eventually all that food will be gone and people will give up. I just told a buddy of mine who hunts in MN this. Took him 16 days before he connected in a high pressure are with tons of baits and natural food.

One thing people don’t realize is bears know what treestands are, they will sit back and watch or look to see if someone is in the stand. I have left stands up and moved my clients to a natural ground blind or left the stand in place and hung another.

Good luck!


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