Bait problems

[IrishnId]

I have baited for a few years and had minimal success. My biggest problem I feel is my ability to check bait and replenish baits. I work a schedule that allows me to be home for 6 or 7 days in a row, then I'm gone for 8 or 9 days. I've had baits cleaned up then bears move on. I was thinking this year about a very long running drip type bait system I have a hundred gallons of liquid caramel in 55 gallon barrels, and 400 gallons of dry bait. If I ran a pit type bait with the dry, and a smaller hole in a barrel with the caramel do you think I could get the caramel to keep the bears around licking what melts out of the barrel during my long week away? This so far is my best idea. Any tips would be appreciated.

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[bigsky_hunter]

Oats in a barrel with 1 small 1'' hole. Beaver cage with a 3'' hole hung 6' up in tree. Establish bait site and then when on days off top up on first day off and sit 2-3 days later as long as you can. Hope this helps

 

[lang]

Get a friend that wants a bear to help. Baiting is expensive time consuming and a ton of work so having multiple guys investing helps considerably. And there are usually multiple shooter bears at each bait yearly.

 

[BigMuleyHunter]

I experienced similar issues with by bait being cleaned out before I could replenish it. I've started making a hard candy sucker in a metal coffee can and hanging it up at my bait. They can't bite it and can only lick it so it keeps the bears in the bait longer too. It has helped as far as having something at the bait at all times so it's never completely empty but the big boars won't always stick around just for something sweet to lick on. It's still worth the effort though in my experience.
Makes for neat pictures too if you hang it at about 5 feet.

 

[Reeper2019]

Try making large homemade flavored suckers in a big pan with a rope put in it before it hardens. Hang them hig enough that they can lick it or javelin to work a little hard to get it. That will help keeping them coming back until you can get there to re-bait.

 

[IrishnId]

I remember the bear suckers idea. Any recommendations on recipes.

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[BigMuleyHunter]

This is the recipe I have used.

 

[IrishnId]

Thanks!

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[Kushtekaa]

My buddy puts a handful of quarter size holes in a 55 gallon drum chained to a tree. Use enough chain so the bear can bat it around & get out kibble or oats or whatever. He says there is a balance as to keep the black bears interested but not enough of the food falling out to keep brown bears around (which we can't take with bait). This is my first year hunting under bait, so I can't comment on first hand experience. If you had any questions about this method I could ask him.

 

[Carrera72]

I have put dry dog food in a barrel with small holes. I would suspend it from a tree that way they can shake the food out. Also, I had two barrels at the site to allow for a lot of food to be placed before I went to work. I had same problem with my work schedule and was able to keep food at the site this way.

 

[bluetick78]

I have put dry dog food in a barrel with small holes. I would suspend it from a tree that way they can shake the food out. Also, I had two barrels at the site to allow for a lot of food to be placed before I went to work. I had same problem with my work schedule and was able to keep food at the site this way.

OP wouldn't be able to use multiple barrels in Idaho, only one barrel is allowed.

 

[IrishnId]

That's always been my problem! One barrel is not enough! Think I've got a few things figured. We'll see.

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[SLDMTN]

Cob with molasses with the 1” bung removed seems to keep bait around for quite a long time for me. It’s cheaper for me to get compared to dog food which is a plus. I also use Bait Em 907 (I’m not sponsored) products to really bring the scent.

 

[Carrera72]

That's always been my problem! One barrel is not enough! Think I've got a few things figured. We'll see.

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Have you consider using an overpack drum? They can be a little pricey but you can have an 85 gallon capacity.

 

[IrishnId]

Never heard of such a thing. I'll be looking into it. Thanks.

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[bluetick78]

Assuming, once again, that the OP is baiting in Idaho; bait containers are not allowed to be any larger than a 55 gallon capacity. Not trying to rain on any parades here, but getting a citation or multiple citations is not a fun way to end a bear season.
The "bear sucker" idea actually works really well to keep bears around for an extra day or two if your bait runs out. Be careful with extremely sugary bait though, I've had black hornets set up camp on piles of candy canes and licorice before and it got really dangerous trying to get close to the bait to check cameras or replenish.

 

[Southforkguy]

Bear baiting is time consuming hard work. We get to bait 10 gallons a day per site, it usually gets dumped in a hollow stump and covered with a big rock. The bears flip the stump and eat a bunch of the bait, usually sweets like expired donuts, sticky granola, etc. Thats the norm in Wisconsin. I like to bait three times a week for the 2 weeks leading up to season and leave one of my sweaty cotton tshirts in the stand while im gone. Another trick is to always bait with an atv, and when the hunt is on have somwone drop you off. The atv noise acts like a dinner bell

 

[jhm2023]

I bait a few hundred miles from where I live and learned how to make my bait work longer for me the hard way. I typically go up a week in advanced to set baits and then return to hunt a week later for about 10 days. I use 35 gallon drums (easier to carry in thick woods) with about a 1 inch hole on each end near the rim. Using those holes I suspend the barrel slightly off the ground but on its side. This allows the bears to swing it some but not be able to dump it. I cut a 4 inch square hole in the side then I Place a 5 inch u-bolt over the hole on the inside. This really limits how much they can get out and they cant dump it either. My baits are a bit off the road and motorized vehicles aren't allowed so I fill two 5 gallon buckets with dog food and mix in about 1 gallon of used restaurant oil. This is all I put with the exception of some oil on the ground in front of the bait and some anise oil in the trees. By the time I return a week later there is still a very small amount of food in the barrel but it isn't cleaned out completely. This method works for me every year and the bait is still active when I return often times killing a bear on the first evening.

 

[Gobbler36]

OP wouldn't be able to use multiple barrels in Idaho, only one barrel is allowed.

You sure?
My site permit came with three tags

 

[idelkslayer]

You sure?
My site permit came with three tags

You can have up to 3 sites but you can only use one container per site.
From IDFG:
"Containers: No bait may be contained within paper, plastic, glass, metal, wood, or other nonbiodegradable materials, except that a single metal container with a maximum size of 55 gallons may be used if securely attached at the bait site. "