Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Bear baiting.

To get baits started, we used to catch suckers during the spawn, slice then stem to stern, and throw them in a 55 gallon barrel to ferment. After they turned to a maggot soup, we shoveled a scoop full onto a 12" square of burlap, tie it off with a piece of wire, then go to the chosen spot, bend over a small sapling, tie it to the top branch, and let it go.

We also used a concoction of vanilla, anise, syrup, coolaid, etc and shot it up into the trees with a super soaker. I also used a small sprayer while in the stand to help get the scent out, and maybe help cover my scent.

We use fresh beavers to get them started, and 50 pound blocks of licorice and a pail of Skittles to keep them there. A bear can't eat a block of licorice very fast when he needs to get it out of the barrel one twizler at a time. Fryer oil and oats work too