Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Fall black bear in unit 16

Well I should be migrating back from Afghanistan in late SEP early OCT and was curious as to everyone's thoughts of tagging a fall blackie in unit 16. Last year I was on the predator control program and managed to pull 1 blackie in july (meat was great). near my bait site I had set up. But after being gone for a year with minimal baiting done on the site I am concerned that I may be too late to keep the bears coming in at my site. I know I went up to the bait site in Sept/Oct last year and we had some signs of activity but I had not been baiting it since july/august (we went up there to cut some brush back and widen the trail in). What are your thoughts if I go all out with some high stench bait to pull in a fall blackie? I really want to test out my new rifle AlaskanMatt picked up for me (Tikka T3 Stainless LH 30-06).

Can you bait in 16 in Sept/Oct?

I'd expect better odds up in the berry patch that time of year.

bender if I run the pred control again you can bait that time but it will be for a very limited time frame due to when the season closes. my site is literally in the middle of a blueberry patch so we do have high traffic but last year most of our visitors were brownies

There is a fall bait season. However, a permit must be applied for at least 15 days prior to the July 1st opening. So, if the OP isn't returning till September, that pretty much rules him out for this fall. But, he could still hunt the berry patch, which would've been my suggestion, too. I would imagine that late in the fall (September/October) most of those bears are going to be somewhat high.

Many people believe that the majority of black bears go up high for the late fall to feed then den up. It's easier to see them there than down low, certainly. I have come into contact with many dens down low and much black bear scat and other spoor during the Sept/Oct time frame. I believe that, if food sources are abundant enough, these bears will stay with the vittles, with no need for migrating upward.

With that said, I don't see baiting as an overwhelming problem. If the poster has a pard that can register the site and get it started (he/she must have the baiting certificat of course)any other hunter may be allowed to hunt it at any time...they need only have their name and address listed on the State permitting documents.

As a side note- perhaps take the Tikka and bag one of the brown bears as well. UE("ungulate enhancement") is a good thing anywhere

BearKiller, be safe, return to us safe, and fill that freezer with sausage when you get back!

best,
bhtr

I've heard that chili bear-de is a good use too.

Works for me...

I have yet to try that.

I usually make at least a few bears worth every year... it doesn't suck...

I'll be hunting around Seldovia in mid-May for blackies and if I get one I'll have to hit you up for the recipe. I love chili, especially if it has a bite to it. And we actually last week just finished the last of the previous black bear that was in the freezer. Jalapeno and cheese bear hot dogs rock.

Yah that's the main goal is to fill the freezer 3 kids+wife and myself on 1 income it really does help to fill the freezer up. We went through 2 bears worth of meat last year and the kids refused beef for about 2 months because they loved the bear meat so much more. I am planning on bringing my brownie tag just in case a target of opportunity rears its fuzzy face.