Mainely Outdoors

All you need to do is spend some time driving the back roads, or just read the stories in local newspapers and it’s plain that Aroostook harbors a bumper crop of black bear. Complaints from area residents to game wardens, and requests to have nuisance bear in urban edge areas trapped and transported far away skyrocketed this spring and summer. Spells of either very wet or very dry weather curtailed many natural food crops, so hungry bruin seek other options, and this raises safety concerns around local towns and villages.
On the other side of the coin, hunting guides, outfitters, and regional sportsmen are ecstatic with the opportunities offered by a burgeoning bear census. Crown of Maine outdoorsmen who have always desired to bag a bruin, or novice field hunters or baiters yet to succeed should find this season very rewarding. Time is of the essence however, since baiting season actually got under  way July 28 and hunting season begins less than a month from now on Aug.27.
It is by no means necessary to drive long distances from home, or head deep into the North Maine Woods to hunt black bear. In most cases a sportsman will be able to find a productive location within a 15- to 30-minute drive and sometimes even closer. Bear love to eat grain, so it is possible to scout area farm land for tracks, trails, matted down feeding sites or even spot an actual bruin. Then it’s a sneak and shoot, or set up a stand or blind and wait proposition. Success rates for this tactic prove just so-so.
There is also a trapping or snare season and another for using dogs to tree bear, but without question baiting a bear with food yields the greatest percentage of success. Some folks question the fairness of this tactic, most of them have little or no personal experience. Black bear tend to be mostly nocturnal, they are a smart, cautious quarry, especially the older, larger specimens and even bait hunters achieve only about a 25 percent success rate each fall.
Bait sites need to be away from buildings, roads, ATV trails and people. Heavy tree and brush cover with water nearby and wild fruit at hand entices bear. Once a spot is selected, it’s time to select how to provide food. While spring bear prefer protein since they’re just arising from winter dens, fall bruin want to build up fat to prepare for hibernation. Favorite autumn foods include carbohydrates in the form of pastries, fruit and oats soaked in molasses.
Food receptacle options include a five-gallon pail wired four feet high on a tree trunk, or an open top metal or plastic barrel wired to a tree and covered with tree branches to keep raccoons and other pests out of the food. A few folks put food in plastic grocery bags, tie them closed and hang them from a tree limb at least four or five feet high so only a bear can tear the bag with its claws to allow the food to fall to the ground.
Intense food aromas and attractant scents should be utilized to initially aid bear in locating the hunter’s bait container. Anise, fish or lobster carcasses, used cooking oil or a honey burn yield strong odors that hang on nearby trees and leaves and disperse for up to a mile on the wind. Commercial gels, sprays and bait balls infused with various intense, long lasting scents currently provide the most effective options.
I’ve experienced great luck using a bacon-flavored bait ball hanging over a tree branch near the bait barrel out of reach of all animals. The ball disperses enticing aromas for up to a month as it slowly melts away in the heat and rain.
Once a bait site becomes active, it’s just a matter of setting up a ground blind or tree stand. Set the distance from the bait to accommodate rifle, black powder gun, handgun or archery shooting, or for those who prefer, a camera or video recorder. Bear are plentiful this year, so whether meat for the freezer, a trophy wall mount, or wildlife photography is the goal, prospects abound. Don’t dawdle, baiting season is under way and bear hunting starts in less than a month and you don’t want another hunter to commandeer your spot.