Bear hunting?

Really nice bear Holehopper! Did he come in during the day at all? I am finding it to be a real slow start to the year, thru most of Minnesota they are saying the bear forage is highly available, my old site I took a bear from last year that had alot of activity, took 2 days for them to find and only had maybe 3 different bears visit throught the week and didn't clear me out. Here is the best picture of the largest bear. 14045130_10207715850999900_1556949718_o.jpg
Then I had one new site that wasn't hit at all which was a first in my bear baiting career. Finally at a third site we started on the 13th we didn't get any action till the 18th, nothing huge but a cool dark brown bear.14074332_10207715859640116_1159805034_o.jpg
Looks pretty young. Can't tell if this bear is different or not, my gut reaction is yes, but it has the same dark brown and bear bears can be so deceiving just by changing angles and moving to a slightly different location. I moved the camera for next week to get a better view.
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I had one other spot we planned to bait and just didn't get to it last weekend, my hunting partner wanted to try the location that had a no show and we were short on time. So we went check it out and there was three baits within 1/4 mile area. Obviously a couple other guys had the same idea. So we went and checked out another area and found a spot. We do have an ultimate fall back location we figured we could start late if needed, the cabin. Friday night I left a 20lb box of frosting in the box on the atv and a bear came, climbed up on the trailer and pulled the box out and went to town about 10 yards into the woods.
 
Twolftg, both them bears look good to me. Especially the brown one. I never had an opportunity at one that color. Really cool looking! He just found the bait on friday night. He was there from 10:20 pm till midnight, and I rebaited on Saturday so I wont know anything more till next weekend, IF he even sticks around? You may be right about abundant forage. If you are, they will not tolerate human scent! On a good note, they are laying down cent trails, for both our baits, and things should heat up. There is still plenty of time. Last year it took 6 days for my bait to get hit, then In no time there were multiple bears on it. Every year is different so we will see. Sit tight, be patient, and enjoy the ride. I love this stuff!!! Good luck!
One more thing, I did spread peanut butter on a half dozen trees in the aria as high as I could reach and I am 6'2". He cleaned up every one of them so he told me he likes peanut butter!
 
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Twolftg, both them bears look good to me. Especially the brown one. I never had an opportunity at one that color. Really cool looking! He just found the bait on friday night. He was there from 10:20 pm till midnight, and I rebaited on Saturday so I wont know anything more till next weekend, IF he even sticks around? You may be right about abundant forage. If you are, they will not tolerate human scent! On a good note, they are laying down cent trails, for both our baits, and things should heat up. There is still plenty of time. Last year it took 6 days for my bait to get hit, then In no time there were multiple bears on it. Every year is different so we will see. Sit tight, be patient, and enjoy the ride. I love this stuff!!! Good luck!
One more thing, I did spread peanut butter on a half dozen trees in the aria as high as I could reach and I am 6'2". He cleaned up every one of them so he told me he likes peanut butter!
Definitely can make for long weeks, I hoping these guys start getting the scent out there as well. This rain isn't really helping either, you like a little moisture so scent carries but it has rained saturday both weekends on my baits killing my freshest scents. Well good luck be sure to keep us up dated.
 
Good week bears are really coming into the baits. These pictures are from a site I used last year. I had some trail camera issues alot of bait was eaten but don't have a ton of pictures to show from it.PICT0072.JPG PICT0079.JPG PICT0103.JPG
 
This is from one of the new sites set up this year. This particular one was made on August 20th, it took the bears 3 days to find it but they cleaned it out to dirt in a couple days. But they kept coming around a licking every morsel.
Opening up the bait
PICT0125.JPG
PICT0234.JPG
Then there was two...PICT0247.JPG
Two..How about 3?PICT0633.JPG
Just loungingPICT0708.JPG
Who's coming?
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All joking aside I did get good day time activity it just seems bears like to pose better at night.
 
And my second new site for this year, alot of activity as well. I actually had a run in with a bear while baiting, my hunting partner drove the atv back to the truck to grab some bait while i hung a stand, and apparently he thought we were done for the day and in he strolled. That gets the heart pumping.
mmmmhhh lemon pie fillingMFDC0672.JPG MFDC0768.JPG MFDC0772.JPG
Our most frequent visitor on one of his daily visitsMFDC0786.JPG MFDC0793.JPG
Pie filling then a nice back scratchingMFDC1086.JPG
popular treeMFDC1104.JPG MFDC1116.JPG
 
continued...
Here is looking at you kid...MFDC1375.JPG MFDC1693.JPG
And this is most likely the bear I came walking in on me, based on the time stamp he was at the bait as we started to unload the truck and drive over.MFDC1937.JPG
 
Looking good Twolftg!! I'm glad you got activity!!! This week has been a bust for me. :( Looks like that one was a, Hit and Run! I did notice a lot of raspberry's on my drive out there today. So I just freshened the bait, and am going to hope for the best.
 
Nice! I have two baits getting hit. Our neighbors family/friends group has 4 tags and has a lot of activity as well.
Do you butcher your own, my butcher in Tamarack closed his store front and have not been able to reach him about butchering. Know anybody up that way.

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You guys make me jealous. Bear has been on my bucket list for years , but I have no desire to go to Canada. Guess I should check into some of the bear hunting in the western states. Good luck guys and post if you're successful.
 
I know that when they walk in they sometimes just appear out of nowhere. Takes you breath away, and it dont matter if you are going to pass on one or not. I know my first thought to myself is ...."Oh Jesus!" Bear fever sets in, then its time to try to calm yourself down. Good luck with that!
I will never forget those times.
 
Do you butcher your own, my butcher in Tamarack closed his store front and have not been able to reach him about butchering. Know anybody up that way.

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Yes, I am planning on trimming things up myself. I will likely end up bringing some in to get made into summer sausage, not sure where yet. Could check with Lines over by Cromwell, pretty sure they do bear. We used to get beef done there and it was good, never brought venison in but I know they do a lot of deer: (218) 644-3983 http://www.yellowpages.com/cromwell-mn/mip/line-sons-processing-25711932
 
Yes, I am planning on trimming things up myself. I will likely end up bringing some in to get made into summer sausage, not sure where yet. Could check with Lines over by Cromwell, pretty sure they do bear. We used to get beef done there and it was good, never brought venison in but I know they do a lot of deer: (218) 644-3983 http://www.yellowpages.com/cromwell-mn/mip/line-sons-processing-25711932
Thanks, I guess my butcher was on vacation and although he closed his small grocery store he plans to continue his butchering.
 
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