Bear hunt question

is it possible without pre-baiting ? what are the chances to see bears ?

my idea was to take a couple days, sit in a tree stand, and use honey burn, and hang some smelly Lake ontario salmon carcass on trees ....and hope a bear comes along ?

I could go up to the area and bait for a couple weekends, and go back to hunt it on 3rd weekend maybe, but not sure how effective the bait site would be, if left empty for a week in between ?!

secondly, I was planning to do this in crown land north of Bracebridge area.... or north of Huntsville, anyone have experience with bear population there ? or should I head up north more to avoid garbage dump bears ?

any tips are apprecaited as Im lost with this. but hope it helps me get familiar with the climbing tree stand and all that before the deer season.

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Originally Posted by Ata83

is it possible without pre-baiting ? what are the chances to see bears ?

my idea was to take a couple days, sit in a tree stand, and use honey burn, and hang some smelly Lake ontario salmon carcass on trees ....and hope a bear comes along ?

I could go up to the area and bait for a couple weekends, and go back to hunt it on 3rd weekend maybe, but not sure how effective the bait site would be, if left empty for a week in between ?!

secondly, I was planning to do this in crown land north of Bracebridge area.... or north of Huntsville, anyone have experience with bear population there ? or should I head up north more to avoid garbage dump bears ?

any tips are apprecaited as Im lost with this. but hope it helps me get familiar with the climbing tree stand and all that before the deer season.

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There are dumps up north too, so do not consider the sourthern bears as dump bears.

There is minimal food right now for them, I would think that if a a blind honey burn would work any year it would this year.

If you can get up early though I think it would be your best bet. Another thing, bring an old dirty shirt of yours, like throw on the shirt and sweat in it, go for a run, play sports in it, anything to get it good and sweaty. Then bring the shirt with you when you go up 2 weeks before, leave the shirt where your blind will be, tie it in the tree or from the tree stand. We never did this but I was told to years later, the bears then know your scent and associate you with food.

Be careful with the honey burn though, the bush is very dry right now, make sure you are safe.

thanks for the feedback. glad to hear about minimal food ! so hopefully the extra scent would attract them to come check it out until refilled.

I have read about the dirty shirt method ... do we want bears to associate me with food ?!
this makes me worried about walking out after darkness ... I guess I can take a bear spray along though.

I usually get there 1.5 hours before sunrise, takes me an hour to climb tree and get set up. will try to go as early as possible so I can avoid the late night walk out.

A shirt is used more often when tending a baitsite that you've been baiting for a few days. The idea is to climatize him to your odor.As for bait I'd go more for a bacon grease burn. The last bait I'd use is rotting fish because bears seldom show in interest in rotting food unless they're really starving. Too, unless bears live in an area where fish is a periodic staple (like a spring sucker run) they tend to ignore the stuff. For a last minute bait it's simpler
to go with any type of sweet syrup poured over a log.

Agree 100% regarding not to use fish or any meat for that matter. Rotting food is a big turn off for bears in our area

Did not think that would be the case ! but I guess I can finally trow out the fish carcass ! thanks for letting me know.

ill stick to sweat stuff. I know a breakfast joint I can probably get bacon grease from

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Originally Posted by sawbill

A shirt is used more often when tending a baitsite that you've been baiting for a few days. The idea is to climatize him to your odor.As for bait I'd go more for a bacon grease burn. The last bait I'd use is rotting fish because bears seldom show in interest in rotting food unless they're really starving. Too, unless bears live in an area where fish is a periodic staple (like a spring sucker run) they tend to ignore the stuff. For a last minute bait it's simpler
to go with any type of sweet syrup poured over a log.

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I poured some black strap molasses over a few logs after I stopped baiting to see if it would bring in bears on the camera for fun. I got bears, deer and Moose all poking around for the molasses, but the big boar licked the area clean after a visit or two.

I was talking to a neighbor and he shot one of the three yearling bears I had coming in with the mother. He was a boar and weighted 110lbs and he shot it on the last day of the hunt at around 10 am. Surprised him and me as almost all sightings of
this clan was after shooting hours. I think the mum had just kicked him out of the house and he was hungry and on his own.

liquid molasses right ? or powder can work too ?

wheres the best place to buy it in bulk ?

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Originally Posted by Ata83

liquid molasses right ? or powder can work too ?

wheres the best place to buy it in bulk ?

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Feed mill. Last spring I was paying $0.33/pound or about $1/ litre. 20 litres ends up at about $20. No tax either at the feed mill.

Bring your own container as they fill it off the molasses pump on their bulk tank.

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Originally Posted by Ata83

liquid molasses right ? or powder can work too ?

wheres the best place to buy it in bulk ?

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I get a 4lt jug from Club Warehouse here in the city for $10.00, if you get an almost expired jug I get it for $5.00

A decent size piece foam cushion sponge soaked in old fryer oil hung high enough between two trees the bears can't reach, will drip for a couple weeks.
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Originally Posted by Ata83

is it possible without pre-baiting ? what are the chances to see bears ?

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In response to the original question, your chances are very low if you only have a couple days. It takes time to establish a bait site and condition the bears. Walking is more fun than sitting. I've had luck hunting oak ridges in September when they are after acorns. The bush is less thick on the ridges. Move very slowly into the wind and use your binos a lot.

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Originally Posted by Fox

bring an old dirty shirt of yours, like throw on the shirt and sweat in it, go for a run, play sports in it, anything to get it good and sweaty..

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So basically any shirt of mine....... (my wife insisted I write this...)