Posting "bear bait ahead" sign...do or don't?

[goaty]

So what do you guys do? Do you advertise where your site is and risk people going there to take your camera's etc.? or do you just hope nobody finds it? Where I have done it in the past was in a pretty secluded place so I didn't. I am trying a new place this year that is more populated by baiters.

[fishingyoda]

I try to keep them a little discreet. I was wondering that same question I have a camera and 2 tree stands I'd rather not get stolen so I put my signs close by the bait site and keep them low in the tree so I'm not advertising but still warning anyone that stumbles acrossed it. In one of the other posts I commented that I think how I hung them last year led someone to set up their own bait in that spot this year. I think it's good to use them but I have very mixed feelings about them. About 8 years ago I baited with a friend a few hundred yards passed the end of an atv trail and parked our ats at
The end and hung signs right there and still had someone drive around and trail blaze right into our bait site looked around then looked up to themtree stand we were sitting in and drove away.

[blasterak]

I put up my signs about 100 yards from my bait, on the trail leading in. My bait site is secluded so I never really worry about anything getting stolen, they'd have to really look hard to find my trail. I have had the bears eat my bait signs and permit though so i usually bring extras with me to put back up.

[Marc Taylor]

I include:

Active black bear baiting station ahead!
Warning! Unruly large brown bears in the area that are fed with human food!

Taylor

[AGL4now]

[QUOTE=blasterak;930731]I put up my signs about 100 yards from my bait, on the trail leading in. QUOTE]


In MY opinion this should be mandatory. @ 50 feet and also at 100 yards. I came off the mountain two or three years ago on a trail coming in form the back of a bait station and was (5) Five feet from the active barrel before I saw it. I think bear baiter's will be found liable & maybe criminally liable if someone unarmed or even armed gets mauled near their station. I also think it should be illegal to have a station with-in 1/4 mile of the power lines.

The other risk baiter's face is someone like me having to DLP a bear near your station. I am in support of bear baiting; However I feel it needs to be re-evaluated, and some changes made.

Some of the baiters have "Built" their own trail off the powerline to their station so they can drive up to it. It seem to me if they built a trail, they now have to be some (???) distance off the trail that they built or their station is illegal.

[BEARBOB]

I put mine at the bait site and 100 yds from it. I do this to make sure nobody stumbles into the bait by accident, that could get hurt and as a warning to others hunters that I am baiting.

I appreciate it means that I can open myself up to people stealing my equipment but knowing that it may stop someone from getting hurt pleases me and I figure who would steal from a mean ass bear hunter with a bad attitude who is armed to the teath.

So far so good but touch wood

[pike_palace]

Some of the baiters have "Built" their own trail off the powerline to their station so they can drive up to it. It seem to me if they built a trail, they now have to be some (???) distance off the trail that they built or their station is illegal.

The trail would have to be publicly maintained in order for the rule to be enforced.

[Matt]

I try to be discreet about my location but I do put a few up just because I think I have to.

[AGL4now]

The trail would have to be publicly maintained in order for the rule to be enforced.

Tell that to the guy who got fined off the unknown trail near cooper lake last year. Is the Power Line Publicly Maintained........I would say it IS.
I know of dozens of stations with-in 50 yards of the power line along Hope Road........???????????????

If nothing else the Chugach National Forest would NOT be giddy happy about un-aurthorized trail building.

[AlaskanOutdoorsman]

I make my own signs, laminate them, and post as required by law; nothing more or less.

[roadapples]

We posted ours about a quarter mile away from the stand, 1st sign lasted 24 hours, second sign lasted less than that, quit when we ran out of printer ink...

[akdd]

I put one up on the main trail just after leaving the road. That way anybody that is hiking down the trail is aware that there is a bait station ahead.

[skybust]

I make my own signs, laminate them, and post as required by law; nothing more or less.

I second that

[AKDoug]

My baits have often been off a main trail by the required 1/4 mile. I post a sign along my access trail 200 to 300 feet off the main trail. I've never lost a single sign. In fact, one year there was quite a well worn ATV turn around by one of my signs, proving it to be pretty effect. Thost signs keep away non-hunting ATV's and hikers (which I never see anyway off of most trails around here).

[akmike30]

correction i made our signs.... but hey you can make them this year..... also I there brite color so you see them....

I make my own signs, laminate them, and post as required by law; nothing more or less.