Sugar and Bear Tooth Decay

[Mountain Man Jack]

I was just thinking about the bears that come back year after year and feed on one's (or many folk's) sugary bait. This could cause havoc on their teeth, resulting is a shorter lifespan potentially. So over time, you get bears with rotten teeth who can't eat their normal diets and look for the easy meal (more bait). Maybe in the long run baiting will lure in bears more and more resulting in more harvest numbers. Just wondering.
It could cause brownies to die prematurely too.????

 

[Dodgefan01]

I think i mix enough dog food in there to help off set the sugar

Just in case though, maybe next time i'll set a bowl of water out there so they can rinse after words

 

[Mountain Man Jack]

Then you can tuck them in to their resting place.

 

[Daveinthebush]

Bullet and arrows

Bullet and arrows

Bullets and arrows cause early death too. Since it happens over such a short time period and the bears eat a lot of vegtables in between.... I'd worry about other things.

 

[baitem907]

Mountain Man Jack,
I just have one question. Do you moose hunt?

 

[Snyd]

A couple weeks a year of a few sweets causing tooth decay????? I don't know. Sounds pretty far fetched to me. Although, those who sterilize wolves might be willing to brush bears teeth every summer.

 

[Mountain Man Jack]

I'm definitely not a bear dentist and really don't care about their personal hygiene. Yes I moose hunt along with most other species of game and I am definitely willing to help reduce some bear numbers by putting one in my freezer.
I was just wondering (not worrying either) about it even though it probably is pretty far fetched. I was making some really sugary sweet concoctions the other day and was just thinking about it. It would rot some teeth pretty quick. LOL.
Good luck everyone. I'll be checkin bait on Saturday. Hopefully posting some pics.

 

[Tucker]

I too have been concerned with tooth loss in bears and baiting, that is why I add toothpaste to my bait. To my surprise they like it, it works well as a attractant also. One more thing I started doing this year is putting a bucket of Listerine on the trail leaving the bait. I not am sure how that is working yet. ADF&G would like to study any bear taken off my stand and do a comparison to non hygenic stands.



This is a joke for those who may think I am serious...

 

[gristec]

Forgot

Forgot

You forgot to tie some dental floss up somewhere

 

[Vince]

I too have been concerned with tooth loss in bears and baiting, that is why I add toothpaste to my bait. To my surprise they like it, it works well as a attractant also. One more thing I started doing this year is putting a bucket of Listerine on the trail leaving the bait. I not am sure how that is working yet. ADF&G would like to study any bear taken off my stand and do a comparison to non hygenic stands.



This is a joke for those who may think I am serious...

may be a good idea..... ya never know when you will have a big one breathing down your neck.... some listerine goes along way towards making the end less scary

 

[Snyd]

Wait a minute here.... if they rot their teeth out this summer.... then they can't eat us in the fall!

 

[Erik in AK]

Sugar doesn't rot teeth. Sugar feeds the bacteria that secrete the acids that rot teeth.

As was already said, a brief sweet binge in the spring probably has no long term impact on a bear's health or longevity.

 

[LuJon]

Sugar doesn't rot teeth. Sugar feeds the bacteria that secrete the acids that rot teeth.

As was already said, a brief sweet binge in the spring probably has no long term impact on a bear's health or longevity.

There you go spouting your intelligentsia again and ruining an otherwise perfectly flawed thread...

 

[northway]

I think the...

I think the...

copper in my barnes tsx has a "longer lasting effect" than sugar!

 

[coyklr]

Milk Bones

Milk Bones

That is why I add a Box of the large Milk Bones to the bait pile, be sure to use the large ones, wouldn't them to choke on the small ones.

 

[caseymarre]

Are you serious right now? Listen to yourself.

 

[hiline]

Although, those who sterilize wolves might be willing to brush bears teeth every summer.

Now that would make a great video for youtube, who timothy tredwell's understudy.

 

[Bryan19alaska]

Bad breath

Bad breath

I think that maybe instead of honey, syrup, or sugar we should start baiting with tooth paste. This will help fight cavities, prevent tooth decay, and improve their breath.
I hate killing bears that have bad breath, just ruins the moment.

HAHAHA.

 

[Mountain Man Jack]

Just give them a sugar replacement like Spenda or Sweet and Lo. It will cut down on the calories too and get them in better shape.
Nah we like those fatty bears.
I had a handfull of my popcorn blend the other day and it sure is tasty. I think I got a new cavity.

 

[akbearb8]

This just in

This just in

Its not the tooth decay thats harmful to the bears, its the "lead poisoning"!! Bears beware!! My bait sites are completely saturated with high consentrations of lead. You may get lead poisoning if you enter these locations. Enter at your own risk.