Re: Follow along on this year's bear hunt
[Re: BernieB.]
#6611232
09/07/19 08:35 AM
09/07/19 08:35 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,192 ID-40
johnsd16
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 2,192
ID-40
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Re: Follow along on this year's bear hunt
[Re: BernieB.]
#6611635
09/07/19 09:01 PM
09/07/19 09:01 PM
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Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 733 Mt.Iron MN
Ken Mclellan
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trapper
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 733
Mt.Iron MN
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Thanks for the update, good stuff, makes me want to bear hunt again.
Im thinking the belly dragger will be tough to kill now. It’ll most likely circle the bait from a distance checking for your scent. More than likely it’s heard you exiting by now.
Sometimes a honey burn helps.
I used a plastic bottle filled with liquid smoke to fog the bait site before climbing in my stand.
The biggest tip I can share with you is to bait a river edge and hunt from the opposite side. Placing stands along lake shore so your back is tight to the lake is also a good setup.
Nothing is more frustrating than to watch a big bear hang up just out of bow range. Sometimes they’ll just sit down and wait you out.
You’ve got some beauties coming in. Good luck!!
Time and tide wait for no man
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Re: Follow along on this year's bear hunt
[Re: Sask hunter]
#6611848
09/08/19 07:49 AM
09/08/19 07:49 AM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,220 Northern Minnesota
BernieB.
OP
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OP
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,220
Northern Minnesota
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Good luck! Does your odds go way down as the season progresses? Big bears tend figure out the program more but also, other people who are baiting quit so it's a tradeoff. Days are also getting shorter which means legal shooting hours activity is tougher.
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Re: Follow along on this year's bear hunt
[Re: yousowise]
#6611849
09/08/19 07:50 AM
09/08/19 07:50 AM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,220 Northern Minnesota
BernieB.
OP
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OP
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,220
Northern Minnesota
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I’ve heard of people leaving a shirt or something with sent in the stand so the bears get “used” to your smell. Is that a valid tactic or do you just risk ruining the whole bait? I’ve never hunted for bears before but called a small cinammon bear in to 10yds today while archery elk hunting. There was a bush between us so didn’t have a shot before he bailed. Good luck!!! I’ve enjoyed following along. I know a guy who does that and he has shot quite a few bears but not many mature ones. Personally I think it's best to minimize the amount of your scent to make the bears feel more comfortable. They know how old your scent is.
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Re: Follow along on this year's bear hunt
[Re: BernieB.]
#6611937
09/08/19 10:16 AM
09/08/19 10:16 AM
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Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 9,325 Northern MN
Osky
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 9,325
Northern MN
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Ken mentions it above, best if you can set up so the bears cannot jump your back trail at all. Ken points out some ways, there are others. I had a fellow here some years ago who looked back from his stand and saw a large bear checking his back trail about a half hour befor sunset. The next evening I went up with him and made a somewhat noisy exit about 45 minutes before sunset. He shot the bear half an hour later coming in to the bait. Big bears hole up nearer the baits they like than you think, particularly if you set them up properly. They hover, hear, and know. They can be fooled.
Osky
* to be clear I try to leave a bait as quiet as possible. In the above situation when I say noisy I mean snapping a branch here and there, gently shaking a bush... Get too crazy and I think you'd spook the bear good.
Last edited by Osky; 09/08/19 10:26 AM.
"A womans heart is the hardest rock the Almighty has put on this earth, and I can find no sign on it" Jabless in Minnesota www.SureDockusa.com
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Re: Follow along on this year's bear hunt
[Re: Osky]
#6612633
09/09/19 08:05 AM
09/09/19 08:05 AM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,220 Northern Minnesota
BernieB.
OP
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OP
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,220
Northern Minnesota
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Ken mentions it above, best if you can set up so the bears cannot jump your back trail at all. Ken points out some ways, there are others. I had a fellow here some years ago who looked back from his stand and saw a large bear checking his back trail about a half hour befor sunset. The next evening I went up with him and made a somewhat noisy exit about 45 minutes before sunset. He shot the bear half an hour later coming in to the bait. Big bears hole up nearer the baits they like than you think, particularly if you set them up properly. They hover, hear, and know. They can be fooled.
Osky
* to be clear I try to leave a bait as quiet as possible. In the above situation when I say noisy I mean snapping a branch here and there, gently shaking a bush... Get too crazy and I think you'd spook the bear good. I have written about that quite a bit both in my book and in magazine articles. In this particular area, there's no way to block off your back or use an obstruction. I really love the way this bait site is set up and the fact that I have 8 bears including 3 big ones coming proves it. Bottom line is this: the bears do what they want. I'm being very patient and staying out of there except to bait for the time being. It seems to be paying off as the bears are more comfortable and starting to come in earlier. The wind should be good today so if it's not raining I may make my move tonight. Appreciate the input.
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Re: Follow along on this year's bear hunt
[Re: DadN3Boyz]
#6615524
09/12/19 08:25 PM
09/12/19 08:25 PM
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 137 MN
4fisher
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trapper
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 137
MN
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When a Bear is taken on a bait station, how soon will other bears return?
I was fortunate enough to shoot a dandy on opening night. The bear didn't go more than 30 yards from the bait. We had an atv and 8 people In there where we recovered the bear and eventually got him out. The next day I went back to get my stand, camera, sign....the bait was cleaned out and the camera showed that another bear was on the bait about 2 hours later.
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Re: Follow along on this year's bear hunt
[Re: Moosetrot]
#6615581
09/12/19 09:12 PM
09/12/19 09:12 PM
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Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 16,951 OH
Catch22
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trapper
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 16,951
OH
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Congrats to your son on the nice bear, backroadsarcher!
Moosetrot X2, that's awesome!
I wonder if tap dancers walk into a room, look at the floor, and think, I'd tap that. I wonder about things.....
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