spring bear 2024

[Species8472]

Being a forum novice,I hope my spring bear picture attached okay. My young boar came in during both day and night hours. A surprise afternoon visitor was a single hen turkey, that proved useful as a sentry, should any bears arrive. Finally, quiet as a ghost around 7:15pm my young boar cautiously approached the barrel, but stopped short behind the trees and just nosed around. After what seemed an eternity, it appears he didn't like something and started slowly going back into the bush. Waiting for an opening in the trees, I fired a broadside rifle shot and it ran across me and up a hill. After a long wait, we did an increasing larger loop looking for blood sign, as a light rain started to fall. It wasn't until next morning that we made the recovery. I immediately punched my bear tag and thankfully, dragged the bear downhill to the bike. I'm guessing it went about 50 yards. The bugs weren't too bad this early. I didn't even have my Thermacell on. Good luck too, to all you other bear hunters !!

Sent u a pm.

[wknwrur]

Thanks for FFF and Species for your help. I am one old dog who doesn't mind learning new tricks . I'm still mind stuck with the old desk typewriters. Okay, back to bear hunting !!

[Species8472]

Posting for wknwrur - congrats:

[bellerivercrossbowhunter]

Congrats man. Good eats!! :0)

[LowbanksArcher]

So I made the 5 hours drive to open up baits on Saturday. Decided to save on gas and get some exercise. Left the truck and quad at home and took the Toyota bait buggy. 3 barrels inside and 1 up top
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Worked away on baits from 6:30am to 9:30pm. 3 of us got 6 baits prepped.

Took about 24hrs for the first visitor. The lollipop was the first thing to go. I'd made a lollipop with banana candies added on top before the candy syrup hardened. Seems they worked on that for a day and it's gone now. (2nd to last pic)

We'll see how long the bait lasts. Not planning to hunt til the end of the month and hoping to avoid a re-bait trip before then
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[FishHog]

Love it lowbanks. Good amount of work you put in there

[wknwrur]

Good exercise delivering your bait by bike trailer. Your crib setup looks great too. Hopefully the bears keep cooperating by coming in for your hunt during the day, and you're good to go !

[bellerivercrossbowhunter]

Looks good!

Smart move using the Toyota. My Hemi Ram truck fuel bill will be outrageous this spring season! ugggg!!!!

[Species8472]

So I made the 5 hours drive to open up baits on Saturday. Decided to save on gas and get some exercise. Left the truck and quad at home and took the Toyota bait buggy. 3 barrels inside and 1 up top
20240518_061819.jpg
20240518_072722-EDIT.jpg
Worked away on baits from 6:30am to 9:30pm. 3 of us got 6 baits prepped.

Took about 24hrs for the first visitor. The lollipop was the first thing to go. I'd made a lollipop with banana candies added on top before the candy syrup hardened. Seems they worked on that for a day and it's gone now. (2nd to last pic)

We'll see how long the bait lasts. Not planning to hunt til the end of the month and hoping to avoid a re-bait trip before then
Spypoint_20240519_073502.jpgSpypoint_20240519_072319.jpgSpypoint_20240521_065131.jpg

So 5 hours from your home base is somewhere between North bay and Temagami or perhaps the north side of Sudbury? Looks good man. That first guy mid day looks about the perfect eating size. I only have one bait set this spring and it is on my own property. Have a busy schedule for the next bit (2 of my kids are getting married this summer and putting the hit on my time and wallet) so will take it as it comes. I am hosting 2 stag weekends at the cottage and have been made the designated sober guy who will be driving the boat pulling the tubes, wakeboards and skis. I never hunt the spring too hard anyways as there is always the fall.

[LowbanksArcher]

So 5 hours from your home base is somewhere between North bay and Temagami or perhaps the north side of Sudbury? Looks good man. That first guy mid day looks about the perfect eating size. I only have one bait set this spring and it is on my own property. Have a busy schedule for the next bit (2 of my kids are getting married this summer and putting the hit on my time and wallet) so will take it as it comes. I am hosting 2 stag weekends at the cottage and have been made the designated sober guy who will be driving the boat pulling the tubes, wakeboards and skis. I never hunt the spring too hard anyways as there is always the fall.

Ya maybe I should say 4.5hrs. Depends on how much I take my time on the back roads. Over by the Grundy/French River general area. A fair amount of other hunters and not many BIG bears unfortunately.
You got a busy summer ahead! I'm not fall hunting in this area anymore. The bears seem to leave the baits by the time the season finally opens after labour day. And also, with kids age 4 & 7 at home, that's back-to-school time. NOW is the best time for me to put the effort into taking a bear. Prepare over the winter and hunt a few days when the bears are most active on the baits. Kids have soccer (and i'm coaching) Mondays, Tuesdays, & Wednesdays. So a Thursday to Sunday hunt it will be next week.

Now, if only this bait would last until then. I dont know why, but the bears are really liking my elevated barrel this year. I put some caramel shake powder seasoning stuff that i'd picked up from https://www.sweetbearbait.com/ on the popcorn in that barrel and maybe they're liking it a little too much. There's 4 sight glasses in the side of that barrel so i could see the level and it's now down to the bottom 1/3. I added a threaded rod out the bottom of the barrel as a stir stick so bait wouldn't get clumped up and not reach to small bottom hole. I figured they'd accidently bump the rod now and then and loosen the popcorn. Well shoot, it almost looks like they're stirring it with their paws now
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The green barrel has NO holes in the side at all. Only one 1.5" hole in the MIDDLE of the lid. Bears will need to try to tip it up to get bait out after the first half is empty. It should be impossible to completely empty and there should always be SOME bait left in there to keep their interest. But I think i'll need to make another trip up this weekend afterall, just to be sure.
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