Ahunter,

Baiting does work and it a good way to go after bears. Only problem is, it is outlawed in several U.S. states that have black bear populations. Do you know if baiting is legal in all Canadian provinces?

So some times you have to make do with stalking and game calls....

Bear baiting is legal in Nova Scotia but the bait site has to be registered by the DNR as well as inspected. I don't hunt over bait because the area I hunt is where DNR dump all the road kill carcasses and as you can imagine the blackie get fairly large in this "all-you-can-eat". I hunt from the ground without a secure blind but have not had any major close calls.

ChesterGolf, you can bait but have to register the site?

That is odd. Usually they either ban or allow baiting. So do you have to wait weeks before a DNR official comes out to inspect the bait site? Can't imagine...

Sounds like the road-kill dump is as much of a baiting site as could be artifically manufactured. Even though I doubt the DNR intends for it to be a bait site.

Either way, baiting in general is becoming a banned practice in at least the western U.S. Colorado doesn't allow baiting...

[ This Message was edited by: moderator on 2002-08-20 17:04 ]

I think most Canadian Provices allow baiting for bear; I never heard anything about registering bait sites though. I'm an Ontario hunter and we don't have to register bait sites.
ahunter.

It is also legal here in the state of Maine to bait them.
I have also found that cooking grease that you get from fast food places works great.
Most places have trouble getting rid of it because they have to pay to get rid of the stuff. You can pick it up for free.

You pour it down the side of a tree, it makes a good scent in the wind. Bears will come a long ways for it. Also pour some on the ground. When the bear come to the bait they will get it in there fur, and they will track it all thru the woods and other bears will follow the trail back to your set.

Give it a try.

I have also used old cooking oils from rest. as well as old donuts from Tim Hortons. They are always looking to give the old stuff away. Produce stands are a good source of cheap bait as well.

ChesterGolf, I have not had good luck with produce.
I just use sweets and grease

Do you guys usually use a treestand within shooting range of the bait area? Or do you just stay on the ground?

I mostly hunt from the ground but have hunted from a home built tree stand once. It is more "intimate" from the ground.:smile:

I hunt from a tree stand.
Most shots are within 20 yards.
Just make sure it is tied off well, I have had bears shake my stand when I have been in it.