Volume of bear bait for best results?

[Idaho_Potato]

Never baited before, but have a spot where I have sighted multiple large bears in the past that I want to bait this year. The only issue is that its on the other side of a 1,400 ft ridge off the main road. No other roads get closer. How much bait do I need haul up there realistically to make this work?

Can only hit it on weekends. I was planning on hauling in a 40-50 lb bag of dog food every weekend along with a little bit of bacon grease and fry oil and putting it in a hole covered with logs. Should I just find a different spot where I can set up a barrel and use a lot more bait?

 

[swampokie]

U need to build a roller barrel to release the food slowly. 40-50 lbs won’t last a couple days if several bears or one large on is hitting it. Corn is the best bear bait there is. Dog food good as well. Just higher

 

[VernAK]

I don't try to feed bears. I want to tease and tempt them only, as a bunch of bears can eat bait faster than I can replenish it. A rolling barrel with smaller holes that dribbles bait when being rolled is good. For hike-in baits, I prefer to use a beer keg with a paw hole cut in it. I fill it with dog food and then pour sticky stuff.....sweet on it so some of the dog food will stick to the inside of the keg. The bears will work hard at getting those morsels out.

One of the better sweets I've found is outdated soda fountain syrup........pour it on the bait but also on trees and stumps near the bait.

For odor, I prefer fish meal scattered around as it can't readily be consumed yet it doesn't leave a mess for me to clean up at the end of season.

 

[Idaho_Potato]

I don't try to feed bears. I want to tease and tempt them only, as a bunch of bears can eat bait faster than I can replenish it. A rolling barrel with smaller holes that dribbles bait when being rolled is good. For hike-in baits, I prefer to use a beer keg with a paw hole cut in it. I fill it with dog food and then pour sticky stuff.....sweet on it so some of the dog food will stick to the inside of the keg. The bears will work hard at getting those morsels out.

One of the better sweets I've found is outdated soda fountain syrup........pour it on the bait but also on trees and stumps near the bait.

For odor, I prefer fish meal scattered around as it can't readily be consumed yet it doesn't leave a mess for me to clean up at the end of season.

Awesome, thanks. I'll see if I can scrounge up a keg on craigslist.

 

[black dawg]

100-150 lbs dog food per week. Yes, I would find a different spot and use a barrel, you can get those bears where you want them to be.

 

[Downeaster]

I dont use dog food anymore, just old bread, grease and other tidbits. A small hole in the barrel is your friend. Something they can easily get a paw through is gonna wipe you out quick. Experience will give you insight into what works. Keep us posted

 

[VernAK]

Beer kegs can be carried on a pack frame whereas a barrel is cumbersome and are usually serviced by vehicle.

You may need a plasma arc to cut a hole in a keg.

I've used all sorts of baits including oats covered with fish gurry but we must leave our site very clean at end of season and picking up oat kernels is a PIA...long story.

 

[Hudge]

I like to use popcorn, instead of dog food. The popcorn is a lot lighter to carry in to the station than the dog food is. If I am hunting it more than once a week, then I take a few small bags of popcorn each time I go hunt. Also, sweets are the ticket. As far as grease, I used it last year, but will not use it anymore. It seems to draw the brown bears in, and when they come in the black bears stay away.

 

[Idaho_Potato]

I like to use popcorn, instead of dog food. The popcorn is a lot lighter to carry in to the station than the dog food is. If I am hunting it more than once a week, then I take a few small bags of popcorn each time I go hunt. Also, sweets are the ticket. As far as grease, I used it last year, but will not use it anymore. It seems to draw the brown bears in, and when they come in the black bears stay away.

Popcorn sounds a lot easier on the knees than dog food. I might rotate some of that in and see how it goes. I don't hunt in brown bear country so thankfully don't have to worry about that.

 

[black dawg]

We tried popcorn on a couple baits a couple years ago. One bait they pulled all the popcorn out until they got to the dog food and then left the popcorn. On another bait (about a mile away) a roll around barrel full of popcorn would only last a couple days. We have just stuck with the dogfood mainly, Have been able to get through a week with over 5 bears on it.


One thing to remember when restricting the bait is that the bears tend to get pretty rough with stuff when the food runs out and they are trying to get more out. If you don't have stuff built with this in mind you may end up with destroyed/lost barrels.

 

[Idaho_Potato]

We tried popcorn on a couple baits a couple years ago. One bait they pulled all the popcorn out until they got to the dog food and then left the popcorn. On another bait (about a mile away) a roll around barrel full of popcorn would only last a couple days. We have just stuck with the dogfood mainly, Have been able to get through a week with over 5 bears on it.


One thing to remember when restricting the bait is that the bears tend to get pretty rough with stuff when the food runs out and they are trying to get more out. If you don't have stuff built with this in mind you may end up with destroyed/lost barrels.

How big of a hole in the barrel for a roll around setup using dog food? More than one hole?

 

[black dawg]

1.5-2 inch. We have gone away from roll around barrels to just chained tight to a tree with one 6-8 inch hole with chain welded around and across the hole...…..without it they will make the hole bigger.

 

[bigsky_hunter]

I use oats in a plastic 45 gallon drum. Easy to drill one 1'' hole in the side. They are clean and I can get them cheaper than dog food.

 

[WGW]

1.5-2 inch. We have gone away from roll around barrels to just chained tight to a tree with one 6-8 inch hole with chain welded around and across the hole...…..without it they will make the hole bigger.

Black dawg, I’ve seen pictures of chain welded around the hole but what do you mean by welded across the hole? Thanks Warren

 

[black dawg]

chain welded around the hole that they reach through, and then a chunk of chain welded straight across that hole.

Have not seen a bear get its head in the hole since adding the chain across. Works as a noise maker too.

 

[WGW]

chain welded around the hole that they reach through, and then a chunk of chain welded straight across that hole.

Have not seen a bear get its head in the hole since adding the chain across. Works as a noise maker too.

So you’re welding a chain straight across your 6” opening ( horizontally ) dividing your opening in half? Is that enough room for them to get their arm into barrel? I have a 6” hole located half way up the barrel. Thanks for the info.