Best bear bait
Contributors to this thread:Bears
From: JayR
25-Feb-18
With spring bear season around the corner just curious what you other bear hunters use for baiting
From: Ibow
25-Feb-18
If you know any trappers up there in Ontario, beaver carcasses are terrific.
From: Bigdan
25-Feb-18
donuts
From: Buffalo1
25-Feb-18
Beaver = filet mignon !!
From: JayR
25-Feb-18
I agree beaver are the best for bringing in bears an I have been baiting with bakery good for 7 years but now I have access to lots of corn an grain
From: TravisScott
25-Feb-18
This has been said in the past I believe but the most important thing is getting them to the food. Where you are hunting is most important, then get something that will draw them in. At that point what’s in the barrel doesn’t matter as much, dog food, popcorn, bread etc... are all great. I have had success with bacon scents in AK and maple and anise in both ID and AK. Beavers are a great thing to have if they are legal. Good Luck!!!!!
From: LKH
25-Feb-18
tourists?
From: Bou'bound
25-Feb-18
it's not what they eat it's where they eat
From: flyingbrass
25-Feb-18
as usual the the first reply nails it, beaver for the win
From: HUNT MAN
25-Feb-18
I like a 125 pound hot sow!! Best I have used. Hunt
From: Bowboy
25-Feb-18
Yep, definitely beaver. Also a hot sow is nice also!
From: Buffalo1
25-Feb-18
It has been my experience that the hot sow bait occurs around early June till the end of season.
From: t-roy
25-Feb-18
Any pics of you guys packing that hot sow in to the bait?!?!
From: HUNT MAN
25-Feb-18
Troy. I told this one if you leave I will turn the Nebraska boys on you. It work and she let her boyfriend come join the party! Hunt
From: t-roy
25-Feb-18
8^} ^^^^^ Lesser of 2 evils I guess!
From: Shug
27-Feb-18
Variety... Donuts.. Beaver ... fish... are the three I use most.
That being said IMO beaver is the best but nearly impossible to get enough of to keep s bait going . A barrel full of donuts is easier to come by and lasts longer than a beaver naturally.
I get my donuts from DD and I go the extra step of removing bagels.The bears won’t eat them until the donuts are all but gone and the bagels mold quickly which can also sour your donuts.
Kept dry in a barrel donuts can last s long time without molding
From: Mike Ukrainetz
28-Feb-18
Big volume and variety are the 2 most important things. That way you outcompete other baiters AND natural food sources. We use 6 types, meat scraps, beavers, honey, popcorn, oats and used fryer grease. If I could get it in large amounts I would use cookies and donuts. Each area is a bit different too, like they may prefer fish or a nut source.
From: SBH
28-Feb-18
I wish I could find a good cheap donut source. Everyone place around town sells out or the day olds go to the food bank. Which is a good thing for sure, but I would love to get my hands on a 50 gallon barrel worth of cheap donuts!
From: JayR
28-Feb-18
I have access to large amounts of bakery goods not so much on sweets or do I go with oats drowned in fryer oil
From: TEmbry
01-Mar-18
I strongly believe scent products are what matters (secondary to a good location in the first place). After that as long as you keep sufficient quantity of food available they will keep coming back either way. I use dog food for ease, and popcorn to lessen the bill of dog food.
From: APauls
01-Mar-18
If there are a lot of baits around, you need to have the best bait around. This generally means you need to have sweets, and the food should be filling. Trail mix is great, donuts, pastries, etc. If you're just running oats and grease, or corn and grease, and the guy a mile over has donuts, he'll have 75% of the bears.
From: shortstop
01-Mar-18
I've been told by guides that meat (beaver) too early in the year won't work. Need to hold it until stomach's are ready. Been told bakery products early. I dunnooo!
From: TSI
01-Mar-18
Shortstop your guide might have got it backwards.meat early sweet late.First thing bears eat is meat and grass as they scavenge winter kills.
From: TSI
01-Mar-18
Shortstop your guide might have got it backwards.meat early sweet late.First thing bears eat is meat and grass as they scavenge winter kills.
From: APauls
01-Mar-18
Ya beavers are the best thing ever hung in trees to kickstart a bait.
From: TSI
01-Mar-18
Honestly you would get the same interest if it was beef or pork vs beaver.Never seen any difference between meat varieties.Beaver works,pork works and beef works ,chicken not so much.
From: Ogoki
01-Mar-18
Been bear hunting Ontario since 2005. Last spring was my first Ontario spring hunt ( hunted Manitoba once in spring). We had 7 spots to bait and pick from . Had great results with Nothwoods Bear Products. Had cameras out ,so we experimented. The beaver castor spray and Gold Rush were the best for us. The Gold Rush we bought was in liquid and the guy we bought from said to only use a cap full ( very small cap) in a 5 gallon container of used cooking oil. I could not believe that was enough to scent up a 5 gallon container of cooking oil , but it was. He said bears would track it out in all directions . We had multiple bears on baits and we both got very nice bears. Wifes was largest as it normally is . Good luck! We leave 12 weeks from tomorrow, not that I am counting . Enjoy your hunting !
From: Ibow
01-Mar-18
Keith... good to see you posting here. I remember all our good chats about Ontario.
From: APauls
02-Mar-18
If you have chocolate covered almonds in your bait make sure you look before you shoot - there could be a 5'10" camo clad bruin coming in regular. Man I have a weakness for chocolate covered almonds!
Even when we dumpster-dive for doughnuts for bear baits there's always a lot of goodies that don't quite make it to the bait-site...
From: swampokie
02-Mar-18
Mainly bread and donuts soaked in brisket grease
From: t-roy
02-Mar-18
I thought I’ve read somewhere that chocolate can be toxic to bears. Any truth to that?
From: BullBuster
02-Mar-18
Can I buy frozen beaver in a Safeway???
From: WV Mountaineer
02-Mar-18
Benn my experience that a tree stand seat is gonna be hard to beat.
From: Ogoki
02-Mar-18
Ibow, Enjoyed our visiting also. I don't post much but read here eveyday. The scent we used worked well, so I couldn't help but pass it on . We are hunting out of Armstrong . Been up last three years. Long !ong drive , but we are familiar with the area , so keep going . Keith
From: spike buck
02-Mar-18
From: spike buck
02-Mar-18
The Best Bear Bait.....a hot sow.....and prime Spring Dates.
From: Mule Power
03-Mar-18
I was pretty surprised to sit next to a hung beaver for a week and then a fresh one and not see a single bear interested in them. There were plenty of bears showing up but they walked right past the beavers to get to the dinner rolls and donuts.
