pike_palace
New member
... Where are all the bears early birds? 
Almost 10 days since the opener...
Almost 10 days since the opener...
So...????
- Thread starter pike_palace
- Start date
stick+string
New member
There is no such thing as an early bird If you put bait out at the opener it will sit untouched for close to a month. Then you'll waste a lot of time and gas and get discouraged. There are more black bear still in the den than out of the den right now. I'll put my baits out the weekend of May 14-15. Maybe, just maybe, I'd bump it up to May 7-8 if I hear good reports of bears down out of the mountains.
If you put bait out at the opener it will sit untouched for close to a month. Then you'll waste a lot of time and gas and get discouraged. There are more black bear still in the den than out of the den right now. I'll put my baits out the weekend of May 14-15. Maybe, just maybe, I'd bump it up to May 7-8 if I hear good reports of bears down out of the mountains.
fishingyoda
New member
Went out to my bait in 14a today to finish making my ground blind and.... Nothing yet. It's only been there since the 18th. But I do have a very good reason to be an early bird besides just getting out of the house early and enjoying the woods. The early birds get to their spots first and won't have anybody else stealing them plus I getta put a little mud on the tires.
plus I getta put a little mud on the tires.arrow99508
New member
Im with you yoda. Had mine out since the 16th. Checked on the 20th and 22nd. Nothing yet. Im in 14A as well. Put out early because we found a great spot and did not want anyone else to take it.
Also get to ride, which is nice.
Going back tomorrow (27th) and May 1st. Will let you know.
Also get to ride, which is nice.
Going back tomorrow (27th) and May 1st. Will let you know.
stick+string
New member
Hey, if you want to get your bait out early, more power to ya. Getting set up in a great spot you found before anyone else sets up there can be a bit of an illusion though... When some jackass sets his bait out 150 yards from you and there's nothing that can be done about it.
arrow99508
New member
Just set up motion sensing loud speaker near their stand. LOL
terbear747
New member
I set mine up last year on May 2nd and first bears hit it May 8th. I went over and set same spot up again this past weekend....a week earlier then last year. Lots more snow in the woods this spring then last still. This is in 16B.
Tim Murphrey
New member
Can't see getting out to the woods as a waste of anything, let alone time and gas. If you get out early (we did) and set things up, get to know a new area, and have a blast doing it... well, the worst day out there beats the BEST day at work.
stick+string
New member
Fair enough, I can't argue with that.
Rob B
New member
I'm running my boat over to Gary to have my battery box welded back in place today. Not sure if it will be done by then, but either way I'll be there Monday.
pike_palace
New member
I admire the enthusiasm and totally understand staking claim to a spot. But after my little fiasco 2 years ago, I won't be baiting on the opener ever again. I picked a bad spot and had a 55 gallon thing of bait and scent sit for two months.... never had bear one come to it.
And I plan on being somewhere this year where it's not Hope road 2.0
And I plan on being somewhere this year where it's not Hope road 2.0
fishingyoda
New member
I wanna hear the story
pike_palace
New member
2 years ago my friends and I decided we wanted to bait here in the valley. We scouted an area in 14A that is a popular area to bait, but not too overcrowded. We picked out a spot that was legal to bait and that we THOUGHT would be remote enough that we could get a few bears off of. Went in and established a stand in March in preperation for the upcoming season.
April 15 rolls around..... my buddy wants to bait it up, he's all hot shot to get going.... I say no, there's 3 feet of snow on the ground..... no bears out yet.... he pleads with me to bait it up......... so I finally say ok lets do it. Spent all day of the 15th getting the barrel in and baiting it up, putting scent out, etc. I'm not real happy because I feel we are just going to be wasting time.
April 16 comes.... said friend goes "I won't lie. I'm just dying to see if something has hit it". I tell him I'll give him half of my paychecks for the rest of my life if a bear has hit it. Won't happen. I don't want to waste the time...................... and so we go up there and gee, no bear has found it yet, imagine that!
I tell him I'm not coming back till May 1st to check it. He says ok.
Around May 1 we check it. No hits.
Around May 8 we check it. No hits.
Around May 15 we check it. No hits. All the while adding more scent and other stuff. I'm getting worried.
June 15 rolls around. Time to clean the stuff up. All 100# of nasty, moldy cob and Jess' scent gel balls........ wonderful. Just a D*mn good time had by all.
Nope. Notta bear one came in. Knowing what I know now, I could in the same area and almost certainly get a bear if I had gone in another 2 or 3 miles. But not in that spot. I talked to other hunters in the area who got bears 'around' us........
And so I have made it my mission to make sure my bait is in an area that is PURE HELL to get to. Last years stand certainly was, but there were not many bears around in that area so I'm moving this year. I don't care if I have to walk my stuff in a mile or two. I'm going where the bears are and the people aren't.
fishingyoda
New member
Sounds discouraging. Do you still bait in the area? I know my tactics for next year are going to be lots different from this year. I'm also going to set up 2 new locations and hike in instead of use my atv. Since I know theres a better chance of getting away from people.
pike_palace
New member
NO. But I have thought about it if my current plan doesn't pan out.
OK, I'll respond to this. Speaking as a NON-baiter, but as a closet-naturalist. a.) I do 3 to 5 miles a day in the area of Hope Cut-off up to maybe mile 12 Hope Road. I have Not seen one 2011 bear track yet spring 2011
b.) about three years ago I developed a interest in bear behavior relative to bait-stations. Not because I wanted to bait, but bear behavior has always interested me.
c.) It appears that the bears are "Smarter" than the "Baiter's". Which is both interesting and shocking.
d.) The bears will build a new trail between bait'stations. Yes this was a shocking surprise to me.
e.) Conclusion is the success is more relevant to time at your station, than how remote the station is. Note: I am an OLD Fool.
b.) about three years ago I developed a interest in bear behavior relative to bait-stations. Not because I wanted to bait, but bear behavior has always interested me.
c.) It appears that the bears are "Smarter" than the "Baiter's". Which is both interesting and shocking.
d.) The bears will build a new trail between bait'stations. Yes this was a shocking surprise to me.
e.) Conclusion is the success is more relevant to time at your station, than how remote the station is. Note: I am an OLD Fool.
Frostbitten
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You make a good point there...I recall a couple years ago, while my bait station was remote (and a long drive from home as well), it was woefully and completely ignored by bears for the duration of the season. At the same time, folks in Anchorage and Eagle River (and Wasilla, and Palmer and Willow, and...) complained about bears eating their trash, bird feeders, dog food etc.
