What works best for you? Do you do anything different to get the 1st bear coming to your bait

I saw a show one time were they took a clean soup can and burned marshmallows in it right before getting in the stand. I think they had like a candle under the can.

https://youtube.com/shorts/6rrD61u-4_c?is=OI3iIuZTpFUtx_GG

Soak a rag in anise oil and hang it in a nearby tree. They can smell that from a long way away.

Anything will work, they got good noses and will find it and it doesn’t have to be the most rank gut wrenching smell coming off it. If there’s other baits around, the best bait will usually get the most action so it can be tougher competing with outfitters using Reece’s Pieces and that kinda stuff. There is a trick I use that seems to work, but it only works in late spring. You can probably guess what goes on in the bear world in late spring ……lol

Make sure you always keep bait at the bait site.

Too many visits and no food they'll start looking elsewhere.

If you can use old deep fryer grease, they'll keep coming all summer. A little 1/4" hole in a 55G drum chained to a tree. They'll dig a deep pit fooling around with the stuff. they don't stick around long, but the resident bear will be checking it out all summer.

I baited for many years. My diaries show I've been in on over 400 bears taken.

Other than not putting a bait where there are no bears, THIS is the single most important "tip" about baiting. They need a reason to come back.

Pete

A bottle of Liquid Smoke. Soak a rag with it. Universally, bears are attracted to the smell of something smokey. It holds well too. If your in a ladder stand 25 yards out, and the wind is right, you can smell the rag yourself.

Killed a book bear two years ago and a 232 lb Idaho spring sow/ ( no cub this year)
If you wouldn.t eat it,, don't give it to the bears,,

As far as starting a bait bears have a good nose,, set the bait up wind.

Some guys like grease to track, Some will do a honey burn some spray fragrant oils or scents.


I just set bait,, generally with in 3 days any bear willing to work the bait will show

Get on this guys YouTube channel he's got alot of good info.

Not that it is legal in WA, 5 GALS of COB ( corn, oats Barley) 16 Oz jar of softened creamy peanut butter, 16 Oz of Raspberry Jelly, 8 Oz honey . Take half the cob put in separate bucket add half the other ingredients mix well in each bucket and away you go

This year in AR, get near a creek - it is dry and they need water. Sweets here, nothing that rots. Beaver carcasses that might work up north will not work down here. Dog food and corn mix, pour imitation maple syrup over it. Get all the day old sweets from bakeries you can lay your hands on. Pray for no acorn drop until after you have your bear.

Got a friend up North and he always told me the dollar general store is his secret when baiting. All the tips given above in previous responses are spot on to what he does. He hooked up with a couple local bakeries and it didn’t have to be just donuts he took about anything they were tossing. Old sourdough loaves, cookies, but even standard white bread loaves and rolls. He provided a couple big containers with lids and he just backed up and loaded them from back of their shops.
He hit dollar general for things like grape jelly, pancake syrup, and he liked to buy jars of molasses and even jello mix too. Any of that he picked Up he added to the old bread and that was his go to. He used barrels for bait stations but other containers too. The tuff empty feed tubs from cattle I saw him use. He ran multiple stations and put cameras on them to monitor visitor activity. He kept the stations going and bait loaded.
And yes he set up where there were bears. He did a lot of scouting.
I was always interested in his explanations. I thought it was similar to what I do with prepping areas for quick coon harvests, but on a much, much bigger scale.
Jim

One other thing, AR bears are not northern bears. They are much more cautious when approaching a bait site - especially a big bear. I have had my best success when getting a steep hill directly behind my hunting position, or even hunting from the side of a steep hill - I find them much less likely to circle me. AR hunting can be brutally hot. I have walked into the hunting location when it was 103 degrees. When it is hot like that - bring a big ice chest with full of ice to cool one down if you happen to get lucky

My bear hunting guide in Canada just set used burnt popcorn. And It worked.

Thanks for the replies so far.

Any barrel tips? Is the barrel a must have? Steel or plastic

Yes, a barrel is a must. Dont want rain ruining your bait. Bears will chew a plastic barrel over the season - but they should last all season. We normally used steel. You dont want a hole so big they can stick their whole head in - let them rake it out with their paw - makes them stay at the bait longer. Strap or chain the barrel to the tree to keep them from tipping the barrel over and spilling the contents. Barrel can set on the ground strapped or chained to a tree.

Dont set in the middle of the bear trail like my son in law did


https://youtube.com/shorts/X_otceHhge8?feature=shared

I used plastic for the first time this spring. Very happy how they’ve stood up, surprised actually. Use chain. Buddy used cable cable on one barrel and it’s all screwed up. If you got tons of good bait and can keep it stocked, every few days, big holes are ok. I used small holes, they had to muscle the barrel around to get treats out. On barrel was full of deep fryer grease and a 1/4 hole. They’re still coming into it. An outfitter about a mile from our bait has easy access with big holes and good bait, we’re the 2ndary site they visit……lol
The white barrel has the cable and oil. If you use a cable, keep it tighter to the tree.

Only tip I got is be sneaky, hope the GW dont find the bait site, if its illegal in your area....lol

We worked bear baiting relentlessly here in southern Georgia back in my GW days.

55 gallon barrels.....honey buns and other pastries, bulk peanut butter, candies, shelled corn with old honey poured over it.....