Maine Baited Bear Hunt
01-21-2006, 02:32 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 4
Maine Baited Bear Hunt
I just booked a Baited Bear hunt in Maine for this coming fall. I've never hunted bears over bait before. Anyone have any tips or advice. Just looking for any information from hunters that might have done this before. Thanks.
01-23-2006, 12:49 PM
#2
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Stafford, VA. USA
Posts: 34
RE: Maine Baited Bear Hunt
There are a couple good web sites. Here is one on baiting:
http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=10532
There is a bear hunting magazine also : http://www.bear-hunting.com/index.cfm
Search e-bay for a book by Dr. Ken Nordberg; titled Do-it-yourself Black Bear Baiting & Hunting, it has tons of great info.Available from Amazon also:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1886422516/104-7670895-6567169?v=glance&n=283155
Hope this helps! Good hunting, Rick
http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=10532
There is a bear hunting magazine also : http://www.bear-hunting.com/index.cfm
Search e-bay for a book by Dr. Ken Nordberg; titled Do-it-yourself Black Bear Baiting & Hunting, it has tons of great info.Available from Amazon also:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1886422516/104-7670895-6567169?v=glance&n=283155
Hope this helps! Good hunting, Rick
01-23-2006, 02:37 PM
#3
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 801
RE: Maine Baited Bear Hunt
With who did you book? What area? I helped a guide near Machias for a few years and had a lot of fun helping with baits and running dogs.
As far as advice, be as scent free as possible and sit real still. If you are hunting with a gun.. set up at least 50 yards away, if with a bow... let them settle down before trying to draw. Also, don't be afraid to bring a bottle of maple syrup, or save bacon grease the last month or so of the summer to add near the bait you sit. It worked for a few guys in bringing some of the bigger bears who were waiting till after dark in during shooting light.
Bring a fishing pole, as bear hunting over baits leaves you free time during the day. May be the most relaxing hunt you could do.
As far as advice, be as scent free as possible and sit real still. If you are hunting with a gun.. set up at least 50 yards away, if with a bow... let them settle down before trying to draw. Also, don't be afraid to bring a bottle of maple syrup, or save bacon grease the last month or so of the summer to add near the bait you sit. It worked for a few guys in bringing some of the bigger bears who were waiting till after dark in during shooting light.
Bring a fishing pole, as bear hunting over baits leaves you free time during the day. May be the most relaxing hunt you could do.
01-23-2006, 06:17 PM
#4
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2006
Posts: 4
RE: Maine Baited Bear Hunt
Thanks for all the info. I booked with Spruce Mountain Lodge, they are near Brookton. I'm hoping it is a relaxing hunt. Last fall I spent 9 days climbing the Rockies in Colorado, chasing Mule Deer, so I'm looking forward to sitting in a treestand and letting the bear come to me. I'm definately intersted in doing some fishing while I'm there as well. Thanks again for the info, can't wait til September.
01-25-2006, 05:47 PM
#5
Join Date: May 2005
Location: ATCO NEW JERSEY
Posts: 707
RE: Maine Baited Bear Hunt
WATCH SOME BEAR DVD'S THEY WILL HELP YOU IN JUDGING BODY SIZE, THEY ARE HARD TO JUDGE,WITH OUT KNOWING WHAT TO LOOK FOR -BASIC RULES :BIG EARS= SMALL BEAR, A CUMBERSUM WALK IS A LARGER BEAR, GOOD LUCK LET US KNOW HOW YOU DO!!
01-26-2006, 02:10 PM
#6
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location:
Posts: 480
RE: Maine Baited Bear Hunt
The best advice that I can give you is to make sure that you mask your scent as well as you can. I have had them so close to me that I could smell them without seeing them, being scent free is essential.
Don't expect to hear your bear come in on a bait. Even enormous bears are almost completely silent. A very large bear night break one twig intentionally on the way in, but most bears will come in like a fog.
Practice sitting still. This seems redundant, but maybe you could try sitting in a tree stand for a few hours every once in a while just observing wild life. You are going to be sitting there doing absolutely nothing for quite some time.
When your bear finally does come in you will need to give him the once over to figure out whether or not you want to take him. These are a few good rules.
If the bear has ears that look small and he looks like he has a very wide forehead he is a good bear. Mature boars will have broad heads with the ears way out on the edges of the skull.
If the bear looks like he has very short legs he is usually a shooter as well. Only big mature bears have that belly dragging on the ground look to them. Younger bears will appear to have longer legs, when in actuality they just have smaller bodies.
If you feel the need to spruce up your bait site (which you shouldn't have to if you have a good guide) then I would recommend molasses. It has a very heavy scent that travels pretty well through the woods.
If you have any other questions please feel free to ask. I did a ton of research on all of this stuff before my first bear hunt last year, and between reading books and stuff on the net, and talking to some of the guides on my trip, and having a little first hand success I feel like I'm an old hand now lol. By the way, if you kill a bear be prepared to book a trip for next year. It really is an addictive experience.
Don't expect to hear your bear come in on a bait. Even enormous bears are almost completely silent. A very large bear night break one twig intentionally on the way in, but most bears will come in like a fog.
Practice sitting still. This seems redundant, but maybe you could try sitting in a tree stand for a few hours every once in a while just observing wild life. You are going to be sitting there doing absolutely nothing for quite some time.
When your bear finally does come in you will need to give him the once over to figure out whether or not you want to take him. These are a few good rules.
If the bear has ears that look small and he looks like he has a very wide forehead he is a good bear. Mature boars will have broad heads with the ears way out on the edges of the skull.
If the bear looks like he has very short legs he is usually a shooter as well. Only big mature bears have that belly dragging on the ground look to them. Younger bears will appear to have longer legs, when in actuality they just have smaller bodies.
If you feel the need to spruce up your bait site (which you shouldn't have to if you have a good guide) then I would recommend molasses. It has a very heavy scent that travels pretty well through the woods.
If you have any other questions please feel free to ask. I did a ton of research on all of this stuff before my first bear hunt last year, and between reading books and stuff on the net, and talking to some of the guides on my trip, and having a little first hand success I feel like I'm an old hand now lol. By the way, if you kill a bear be prepared to book a trip for next year. It really is an addictive experience.
