A few years ago as I was lamenting to myself how quickly the summer seemed to disappear, I came up with a little catch phrase for early August — “If it’s time for the fair, it’s time for the bear.”
Maine’s black bear season begins Aug. 29, which means outfitters, guides and individual hunters could begin setting out bait on July 30. Some sportsmen may postpone baiting for a week or two to save a bit of money on gas and bait, but in my opinion, the early baiter attracts the bear.
Aroostook’s bear population continues to grow annually because success rate for fall hunters remains well below natural reproduction and survival rates. Nuisance bear complaints seem to increase each spring and summer, and bruin sightings by campers, boaters, anglers and travelers so far this year seem well above normal.
All of these factors point to a healthy, growing Crown of Maine black bear population, perhaps it’s time to implement a spring season like we enjoyed years ago. Step one for prospective baiters is to find a location and obtain permission to set up a site. Many Mainers could set up on their own land or at least within a mile or two of their home, at most a 15- to 20-minute drive will put outdoorsmen in a very likely baiting area.
Select a spot away from roads, ATV trails, and any regular foot or farm traffic, and pinpoint a spot to set up a bait receptacle and either a tree stand or ground blind. Usually the shooting distance between the two spots runs 15 to 50 yards depending on the weapon, bow and handgun hunters need to be a bit closer.
Find a five-gallon bucket or small plastic barrel to hold bait and secure it to a tree with wire or chain so bear can’t carry it away and feed in thicker cover. Hang the bait bucket off the ground if possible or at least use a cover of some sort, with a rock or log to hold it in place, so only a bear can gain access. Raccoons and other varmints not only eat a lot of bear bait but they can taint a bait receptacle with unsanitary actions. Use clippers and a pole saw to open a clear shooting lane but leave enough cover to allow a bear security and comfort upon approach.
Now it’s time for the most difficult part of the ordeal – coaxing one or more bruin to not just discover your fake food plot, but to return regularly and ignore natural food options and any other bait sites in the general area. A black bear can ramble five to 10 miles over the run of a day, you need to give him a reason to visit and then stay around the region for an extended period.
Since a bear’s olfactory senses are even sharper than a bloodhounds, an enticing aroma that can waft far and wide on prevailing wind currents usually attracts one or more bruins to investigate. Lobster shells or fish heads and entrails hung from an overhead limb in an onion bag works, if you can stand the stench yourself. Oil of anise dripped on tree leaves and bark, or heating a pan of honey over a can of sterno or on a camp stove until it burns and smokes coating surrounding tree leaves both have a lasting aroma.
These are old tricks, but effective, however there are dozens of even stronger smelling, longer lasting attractants currently commercially manufactured. I’ve tried a truckload over the years, contrasting and comparing different flavors, styles of application and types of solutions and my trail camera photos, personal observations and annual diary notes all favor Bear Scent LLC bait balls and aromatics sprays. The folks at Bear Scents in Lake Mills, Wisc., may just have the oldest marketed product available and they keep coming up with new flavors and applications year after year.
My favorite (and also a whole lot of local bears) is a 30-pound bacon flavored ball that hangs from a tree and dissipates its aroma on the breeze for well over 30 days as it melts away. This year, Bear Scents offers a less expensive, compact version in a rectangle, and round or square, hunters have a choice of over 20 flavors, including honey, anise, root beer, acorn, hickory smoke and a secret blend, to name a few. Along with season lasting blocks and balls, there are concentrated sprays, gravy, powder and gels for use before each outing and even a few cover scents to apply at bait sites while you’re in the stand. Check out Bearscents.com on line or visit your local hunt and fish stores, there are sound alikes and imitators out there, but don’t settle, nothing surpasses the real deal.
Last but certainly not least, you’ve got to have a season supply of tasty, tempting bait. It’s not uncommon to go through five gallons per site each day if there’s a couple of big bear visiting. Fall bruin are getting ready to hibernate and need to put on a layer of fat for the long winter so sweets such as pastries, molasses soaked oats, caramel covered popcorn, honey dipped bread and trail mix sprayed with sugar water are common choices.
Availability of bait can be a stumbling block for individuals running their own location, outfitters and guides often group together and save money by purchasing large quantities from downstate. A 55-gallon barrel of bait can cost from $80 to $100, so popcorn starts to look cheap and simple.
Aroostook’s thick forest pretty much requires the use of bait to harvest a discernible number of black bear to keep our burgeoning population somewhat in check. It’s not a simple process nor a sure bet, as the annual success rate of lower than 25 percent proves, but it can be exciting. Some folks just want to set up baits to observe bear or take photos, and that’s fine too. Whatever your cup of tea, it’s time to get started, because the bear season begins soon.
