Utah Bear Bait Sites

[Uintah]

I drew a summer bear tag here in Utah this year and went out this past weekend scouting for potential bait sites for my upcoming bear hunt. I marked several locations, and narrowed the possibilities down to 2. For those with far more bear knowledge and experience then I have, I wanted to ask for thoughts, feedback and suggestions on the two spots and whether or not they seem like they will be productive or how I can make them more productive. Does one site seem better than the other? Sites are approx 9 miles apart (as the crow flies). Any advantages or disadvantages to being that far apart? Are there any advantages (or not) to baiting above the canyons on shelves or ridges vs from down in the bottoms of the canyons?

Site 1 -
This sight is located at the bottom of a small clearing in some thick pines and aspens about half way down a good sized ridge which leads to the confluence of 2 rather large steep and deep dark thick pine canyons. The pin is the site, the numbers are the big canyons. The thick side of canyon 3 is north facing. My thought is that this location would allow for scent to travel up and down all those big canyons and draw bears out. Elevation is about 9500 ft

Site 2 -
This sight is located on the edge of a small shelf along the side of a very large canyon system with lots of cover, not sure about water/springs but am sure there's something in there somewhere. Also feel like a bait on the shelf would allow for great scent dispersion. Pin is the potential site. Elevation is about 8000 ft.

 

[PathFinder]

Site 3 on the first picture is what I'd pick. Remember, the bears need to be comfortable there during daylight. The thicker the cover, the better. Especially on the summer season.
Post up some scents of some kind on points/benches near the bait, then walk/mark scent trails down to the bait. Caramel extract in sugar water works for spraying scent trails, beaver castor (or similar) works for call scents.

 

[wildwilderness]

Too hard to say with just a map, I would be looking at 3 first.- Are you bowhunting? a bit more site specific for that.

Cover and water are pretty important. Prevailing wind too- can't have your scent blowing into the bait or bedding area.

For an actual set up an ideal to me is to have a creek running between my stand and bait- usually gets a steady wind, and noise cover. bears usually will be on the same side of the creek as the bait so no worries of them walking up behind you ( has happened to me before )

Elevation change is nice- I like the bait in the bottom and my stand above if possible. On a cliff or cut bank above the bait is nice. I prefer a ground blind- contain scent, more comfortable, and insect control better, and in AK for Brown bears its an all night sit so I have slept in the blind a number of times.

Also you don't want a path between the bait and your stand. Always backtrack out of the bait and loop back around to the the stand.


So which ever area has a better set up I would choose that. If you call scent is strong, and consistent they will find it. But always quicker to hit and more in normal travel corridors.

All that said a lot of black bears don't really care and the young ones if hungry will walk right up to you.! The big boars are a completely different matter- and in my experience in June are looking for the sows....