Time to prepare for bear is now

    Since bear hunters can begin rigging bait sites a month before opening day, that means baiting begins this week. With the price of gasoline and bait, many sportsmen are talking about waiting a week or two before starting to bait, and perhaps save a few dollars. A handful of hunters say they can’t afford to set out baits at all this year due to the poor economy, and some guides are cutting back as well.
For those outdoorsmen who are planning on baiting, especially rookies to the effort, I have a few suggestions that will increase the chance of success, decrease bait use, and save a few bucks. First and foremost, whether you use a barrel, bucket or bag to hold the bait, suspend it off the ground and away from trees. Nuisance animals, especially raccoons, eat or taint any bait they can reach, so suspending your bait receptacle from a cable or rope between two trees and at least five feet off the ground eliminates a lot of problems.
Consider the setting sun’s location in the evening and predominant winds when selecting a site for a tree stand or ground blind. Be sure to set up the shooting station well before opening day so visiting bruin have a chance to become accustomed to its appearance. Make sure there is a clear, open shooting lane between the blind and the baiting station. Also be sure to sight in and practice with your weapon of choice be it bow, handgun, or long gun, the big bear are wary and usually there’s only one short span of opportunity for the perfect shot.
Selecting a location to set up a bait and stand isn’t as difficult as it seems. There are so many bear throughout Aroostook that most any wooded location away from regular vehicle, farming and human traffic will attract bear to an easy food source. Initially drawing bear to a bait site is often regarded as the first big step toward success, and it almost always depends on the bruin’s extremely keen sense of smell.
Hanging a mesh bag of fish or lobster from a high tree limb, creating an anise drip, spreading used cooking oil around the bait site, or doing a honey burn are all proven attractants. Once the breeze picks up and distributes the strong aroma, bear will smell it for miles and come to investigate. Upon arriving they will discover the real food source, have a snack, remember the location, and return over and over. Often several bear will frequent the same bait barrel.
Several years ago, I chanced upon a commercially available attractant and used it with great results. Thanks to its ease of application, convenience, assortment of scent and multiple modes of dispersal as well as consistent success, creator Brad Hering’s Bear Scents have become my annual secret to success. There are sprays, scent balls, gels, powders, and gravies in over 15 varieties of bear-luring aromas, including blueberry, raspberry, apple, anise, honey, and my consistent favorite — bacon.
Hanging a scented bait ball from a high limb near the bait barrel will allow the wind to disperse the fragrances over long distances. Using the same scent of spray around the bait site will also attract bear, then get on their feet and fur so other bear that cross the scent trail can follow it back to its origin. This season Bear Scents, LLC has a new product called Caramel Extreme, just add two ounces of this potent, sweet scented lure to five gallons of used fryolator grease and spread it on the brush, trees, and ground near the bait site. If it’s as good as Brad’s other creations, bear will visit like a free buffet just opened.
Ben’s Trading Post in Presque Isle carries a wide selection of Bear Scents products. Accept no substitutes, Bear Scents really makes sense for local black bear enthusiasts attempting to bag a bragging size bruin.
There’s plenty of time to find a likely location and begin baiting, or even find a local guide who has done all the work and has room for another client.
Either way, fall is in the near future and bear hunting close at hand.