Things are looking better for fall season bears!

[dean.f]

So maybe some of you guys can give a bit of insight, 2 years in a row now the bears just stopped coming around the end of September, we haven't changed our behavior at all. Baits are full and no pictures for 2 weeks at least on the barrels. We didn't even get busted in the stand this year that we know of.

[Species8472]

My guess is mother nature is out competing you with either acorns, beech nuts or apples or a combination of the three.

[Pioneerfreq]

My guess is mother nature is out competing you with either acorns, beech nuts or apples or a combination of the three.

Agreed! Also cranberries. Then there's goose hunters, a little later duck hunters, grouse hunters, woodcock hunters, no bugs in the woods so dog walkers. In my experience, if you bait in the fall, you need to really have your bait site humming and get your bear as early in the season as possible or end up waiting until November and then you are competing with deer hunters. Having said that, a late season bear has the best hide and the most fat. Plus, the longer you bait and hunt, the more the bears pattern you so it gets harder. What helped me be successful was Dr. Ken Nordberg's book "Do It Yourself Black Bear Baiting and Hunting". His "2 men in, 1 man out" trick really works.

[dean.f]

Thanks for the book suggestion, I haven't had decent reading material for a bit so I'll check it out.

We've really focused on keeping a baiting schedule this year and only hunting when it's ideal conditions instead of just sitting every evening on the weekend. Last year's bear was shot very early in the season by my friend.

As for competing with mother nature's food sources, I guess it's not much of a competition.

[bellerivercrossbowhunter]

Finished our late season bear hunt this past weekend.

Zero bear activity.

We had multiple bears on the bait 2 weeks ago. Since then zero bears on camera so we were not surprised... lol

This is telling us we waited too long, and they are hibernating, or they found another reliable food source.

Will change things up for next year's fall hunt if we don't connect in the spring...

cheers!

[dean.f]

After having no pictures on the baits since early October the barrels still sitting half filled, I just got a picture of a bear eating carrots we put out for the deer.

There's still some hope to fill a tag.

[DanE]

my buddy has pictures this week with bears with an inch of snow on their backs

[dean.f]

That's awesome! I was glad to see snow on the ground when I got my pictures yesterday.

[Horridfiber101]

Apples are just pure magic for baiting in our area.
Put out 4 bins so far; and it is calling them in from a long way off.
Not sure if we will take a Bear before deer starts on Monday, but the traffic around the apples is excellent

[dean.f]

Maybe that's something we could try next year, at this point just staying out of the bush until Monday rifle opener.