As July fades away, two facts are certain: it’s nearly time for the annual Northern Maine Agricultural Fair, and it’s also time for outfitters, guides and hunters to set up their bear baiting sites.
Baiting can begin on Aug. 1 this year, and the sad truth is, in about a month some of the leaves will begin to change color. The century-old Aroostook adage “When the fair is over, it’s time to bank the house” still holds true — fall is near and winter just around the corner.
But there’s still some fishing and a good deal of hunting to be enjoyed, and black bear are first on the agenda. While spot-and-stalk, using hounds and trapping are options, setting up a bear bait offers the best chance to put meat in the freezer.
Even with Maine’s growing bear population, annual success rates for bait site hunters is under 25%. There are plenty of regional outfitters and guides who create, maintain and sell time on baits to outdoorsmen who don’t have the time or inclination to build their own bait site, but when it’s possible, there’s a lot of satisfaction in baiting and bagging a bruin on your own.
Step one to setting up a personal bait site is selecting a location. If you own a piece of wooded land, it’s a simple chore. If not, it’s a matter of obtaining landowner permission. With the number of bear throughout the Crown of Maine, there are few, if any, locations where a hunter can’t find a promising bait site within a 20-minute drive or less from their home.
I live just over a mile from Main Street in Presque Isle, and just as an experiment a few years ago I set up a bait site in the wooded plot less than a 10-minute walk behind my house. In under a week I had photos on my game camera of three different bears visiting.
There are a handful of regulations to heed regarding bait site location, so check a current lawbook or find Maine’s hunting laws online, but common sense plays a big role. Stay away from roads, ATV trails, hiking paths and farming land that gets regular visits from machinery. Vehicle noise, people and canines aren’t conducive to attracting bear.
Select a spot with a sturdy tree to support a tree stand or enough open space for a portable ground blind, then pick another on which to secure a bait receptacle. The distance between the two trees will be determined by your weapon of choice. Archers and handgunners will need to be closer than a rifleman. Fairly thick brush around the bait will make bear more comfortable as they approach, but a clear shooting lane must be open between the tree stand or blind and the bait bucket.
The most popular bait container is a 5-gallon bucket, with 30- and 55-gallon barrels (metal or plastic) a close second choice. It’s important to use wire, cable or chain to attach the bait barrel to a sturdy tree so bear can’t haul it away to feast in a more secluded spot, out of sight and shooting range.
Just dumping the bait on the ground, suspending it in a plastic bag or in the middle of an old car tire exposes it to rain, other scavengers and makes a mess. A closed container with a removable cover, suspended at least 3 to 4 feet off the ground, keeps bait fresher, away from smaller animals and it will last longer.
I began hanging my white, 35-gallon, thick plastic bait barrels horizontally from a cable suspended between two trees more than a decade ago. When they are suspended 5 1/2 to 6 feet high, only larger bear can stand and reach the food inside and I get a good view to judge the animal’s size. The food inside will stay dry no matter how wet the weather, racoons and pests can’t reach the bait, and it‘s simple and quick to rebait.
Fall bear want to fatten up for hibernation, so using sweets for food is the way to go. Pastries, old bread splashed with honey, molasses or used cooking oil, popcorn laced with caramel sauce and trail mix with molasses are all good options.
A month of pre-season baiting and up to a month of hunting adds up to a fair amount of money spent for bait and gas for travel. Some folks postpone baiting until just a week or so prior to opening day to save a few dollars, but if other baits are active nearby, most bear may be already committed. It’s an iffy decision.
In my experience, regardless of when you begin baiting or what food is in the bucket, a strong attractant scent is crucial to lure bear to your bait site, When I first started baiting, I used to hang a mesh onion bag full of lobster shells, outdated fish from the grocery store or the viscera from any trout, salmon, bass or other gamefish caught by myself or friends. The bear could sure smell it, and once they came to investigate they found the bait as well.
I turned to other sources of aroma after a couple of seasons because I couldn’t stand the stink when the wind was wrong. Anise oil or a honey burn are proven options, and there are literally hundreds of commercially produced oils, sprays, jellies, sprinkles, aerosols and solid, dissolvable blocks and balls.
After experimenting for over a dozen years I’ve found that the Bear Scents LLC products really work. I hang a bait ball at each bait site and it lasts for the entire two-month season of baiting and hunting, sending a strong aroma over long distances on every breeze. Bear Scents is located in Lake Mills, Wisconsin, and offers several great products in almost two dozen flavors.
Northwoods Bear products produces Gold Rush, a butterscotch flavored liquid that when added to 5 gallons of used fryer oil and spread on the ground and bushes at a bait site is a wonderful attractant. It also helps cover the human scent of hunters on stand and can be found in local sporting goods stores or online.
Regardless if you’re a rookie or experienced hunter, anyone can set up a personal bear bait. It’s a very challenging, rewarding and exciting endeavor.
There are many tasty recipes for bear meat, but some folks prefer to shoot photos rather than bullets. Whatever your preference, baiting is the best method to see black bear, and now is the time.
