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on your back?

I've got this spot in mind for a bear site...everything has to be packed in. about 4 mile round trip. My desire to escape other hunters, wheelers and trucks....is also bolstered by gas prices...wear on truck etc. What I have is lots of time. What I dont have is lots money lol. Plus....for some reason....I like doing things the hard way aka SBWMS ( Strong Back Weak Mind Syndrome). I prefer to call it sense of adventure. So I suspect I've been in most of the typical bear situations where one tends to pucker up a bit. So I'm reasonably good around bears. But like many ideas.....the idea/dream phase is the easy part. The reality is the hard part. So kinda gearing things up for this pack back remote bear hunt. The thought hit me this morning....running the idea in my mind, I realize the bait will have to be strapped to my back to access the area I have in mind. Over the years....I'll admit that I've had to drop some bait short of the barrel on a few trips....cuz I couldnt move the bears at the bait....or I just had too much nearby company. Last year, I dropped some bait at the start of the trail...moved my truck 100 yards up the road ( to avoid detection from those pesky wheelers lol) ...total time...3-5 minutes.....when I went to my bait....a bear had come in and run off with a bag. Again....not overly scared of bears...or at all for that matter really. But the thought occurred to me ( and I almost hate to ask...as I know folks are gonna tell me " nothing to be worried about". And I agree. Mostly. So...all of this....in a remote area....and I suspect this year will have hungrier than normal bears because locally here in NS...we had killing frosts and berry/fruit crops have been severely compromised. Severely. Would you strap the bait to your back and hike in. And in reality, a hungry black bear is the only real threat imo. Remember....you will also have to strap that smelly pack on your back on the way out after dark. Looking for your thoughts. And yup....I know bears are timid. I know bears dont like us. Likely more scared of us than vice versa. Been there and done most of that over the last 30 years as outfitter, hunter, and client of messing with bears. I've run sow off their cubs. Ive baited with cubs treed above the barrel. I'm use to bears. I'm strictly asking about having bait securely strapped on your back, that you can't drop, if u meet that one in a million hungry bear....thoughts?

ps- suffering thru brutal heat wave here lol....just looking for some conversation...

Will add a bit of adventure for sure. Might need a rear view mirror attached to the pack frame so you can see the ones coming up from behind! Have fun with the bears!

Get your brother-in-law to pack the bait in. Problem solved !

Bring a shotgun and you'll be a lot more comfortable about it.

If we could bait here I'd pack a barrel in on my back for sure. I'd probably wait to mix it until I was at the site. And maybe make a few trips in with the rest of the gunk.

I often fantasize about baited hunts when I cannot find a bear in thick shit. Lol

You've got way more experience than most, so chances are your gut is the best bet. If you get 30 other people that have 10% of your experience to chime in does that really help? I've only hunted bears 5-10 years here in Manitoba, and the only thing I'd say is I can't imagine trying to keep that bait up. Lots of bears eat lots of food. That sounds like 1 day / week is booked hauling bait. I've hauled bait on my back and never given it a second thought. Well, that's not totally true. Maybe haven't given it a 4th thought ;)

U NUTS

Good luck... I’d venture to say you could find a closer place and still avoid others. The couple of mile hike can get old if you get so many bears on the bait that refilling is a 2-3 day a week deal. Also a jet sled is a decent way to drag some bait in depending on terrain. Againgood luck... knock a big down!!

I spent 20 years in Alaska and have had run-ins with blacks, interior grizzlies and Kodiak Brown bears. The only bears I ever really feared were the ones in places like Denali National Park as those bears have lost their fear of man. In hunted populations and/or away from civilization they have a healthy respect for us. I also baited bears and killed two with my Recurve. I had one of those old tech string trip timers that showed me bears were coming to my bait around 2 am one year, so I headed to my bait one June night about that time. Either I was late or the bear was early and I was by the bait barrel when the bear came in. He was at about 8 yards and my bow was leaning against the tree my stand was in about 6 yards the other way. Luckily I saw him first and there was lots of blow down between us. In the low light I was able to hunker down, get to my bow, slap on an arrow and with no arm guard or finger tab swing around just as he rounded the corner of the blow down. When he saw me, he hesitated and we had a momentary stare down. He could have charged me and had me, but he turned to leave and as soon as his front shoulder moved forward, I snap shot and got him. Only thing I’d worry about is the sow with cubs scenario and if you ran into that, the pack on your back might serve to protect you if she decides you’re a threat to her cubs. Also, I don’t think you need to hike that far to get away from others. My theory is that most people are lazy and if you’re out of sight and your set-up is such that the bear traffic has a way to get to your bait without attracting attention, then you’d probably be better off using your energy to make more trips with bait. Just take a different path for the first 100 yards or so from the road so you don’t wear a noticeable path. Have fun and good luck.

Sounds like you have plenty of bears at the trailhead if you can't leave your bait un-attended for 3.5 minutes. What's the need to hike way back in?

bigred.....that was a diff area where i was baiting using my truck. this area I'm referring to is literally in my backyard....but its a non motorized area. Hunting is allowed but no gas powered anything. To a couple other posts...I say two miles because the road in is good enough you could drive a new car in ( but its gated). But the good road and allure of a basic wild area close to the city draws lots of walkers...runners....dog walkers etc. But they dont generally go in too far. The other reason I selected this particular spot is I thought ( wrongly) I could use a non motorized boat in a big lake back there....but I was wrong.....no boats of any kind permitted in the watershed. So I did my original scouting with that in mind. like some have said....with bait....no doubt I could lure them out closer to the gate...but with the walkers ( and off leash dogs)...I'd rather just avoid the conflict for me...the bears...and the dogs. Just from what I have seen back there ( I often go back there for walks etc - I have never hunted there) the general 2 mile mark seems to be the cutoff for most folks. I figure its the closest point I can (maybe) manage on my back....but yet far enough to avoid the others who use this piece of wilderness....more or less in a city's back yard.

+1 drycreek Sounds like an adventure in the making.

If it's a walker, road way use a Deer hauler. I used mine a few times baiting & you can haul a pretty big load, especially the 1st trip. (I always loaded my bait 1st time out with lots & then tapered off after they stated hitting it. Always tried to get mine in my Barrel or wire cage (depending) around 2-3pm as I would get into my stands then. That way they knew new was there "only" afternoons. I never had a road or even a 4 wheel path but managed ok going in about 1 1/2 miles paralleling a small river with my cart. Paid off the 3 hours into my 1st sit. A long time ago when I "could" do those things. Good Luck & be safe. Blackies have done the most killing of humans ya know. I'm like you, I never carried anything with me & I've had some hair raising events going in & out.. Enjoy.

I have no idea who or where that photo came from. If it works this is my Bear I was talking about

ahunter55....yes....will use some type of wheeled cart once i get it out to the road.,

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