BigGameHunt.net Hunting Forums

[45super]

I`m new to forum and bear hunting. Wanting to try Minnesota this fall. I will not be able to bait ( I live in Southern Iowa ). Any ideas? Thanks

[blackbear]

No bait, no bears. You need a guide or someone to put out bait for you.

[WiskeyJaR]

Welcome to BGH.

We can not bait here in oregon. Folks get bears all time without bait or dogs. Im trying me hand at spring bear for frist time too. I would try and find a meadow near water, scout for signs.

Good luck,
WiskeyJaR

[blackbear]

A meadow near water ::-k Let's see 10, 000 lakes, hundreds of rivers, hundreds of thousands of acres of bog and swamp. Sounds easy.

[billythekidrock]

I would study the maps and look for overlapping deer and bear territory and work a fawn distress call.

[blackbear]

45super, You really need to talk to successful Minnesota bear hunters. If someone tells you that you don't need bait, they have never taken a bear in Minnesota. Baiting is expensive and hard work. Even with bait the success rate for bear hunters in Minnesota is close to 35% every year. We don't bait for fun, and it is not like shooting fish in a barrel.

[billythekidrock]

Quote: 45super, You really need to talk to successful Minnesota bear hunters. If someone tells you that you don't need bait, they have never taken a bear in Minnesota. Baiting is expensive and hard work. Even with bait the success rate for bear hunters in Minnesota is close to 35% every year. We don't bait for fun, and it is not like shooting fish in a barrel.

I imagine that was directed at my post.
Tell me this, what makes Minnesota bears imune to calling techniques?
In WA we can not use bait or dogs and our success rate is 7.5%. Most of the bears I have killed or know of being killed are by predator callers targeting bears.

[WiskeyJaR]

Bait and/or dogs will aways help. But its not impossible to score without baiting or dogs, granted is harder. If I could bait, would do it for sure.

Like Blackbear said, talk to local sucessful hunters. They would be able to point you to the better places to hunt.

Good Luck,
WiskeyJar

[blackbear]

Not directed at you. The man asked for information on how to hunt bear in Minnesota. I hunt bear in Minnesota. Most hunters have precious few hours to hunt when they travel from out of state. Experimenting with methods that work a thousand miles away can ruin a hunt. Just offering my opinion. It does seem that with all the predator hunters calling wolves etc., that a bear would show up once in a while. I have never seen it or heard of it though.

[blackbear]

45super, I have not tried it but if you could find a farmer having bear trouble in his oats etc. that might be a good thing for both of you. I don't live in farm country so I can't help locate one.

[Redhawk1]

I have to agree with blackbear, without bait in Minnesota, your not going to do well. I have been in Minnesota and the area is covered with tall grass and a lot of marshy areas. I know if I go on a black bear hunt, I want more than snowballs chance in hell to get one.

There are a lot of area's where spot and stalk just don't work, and calling one in is a slim to none chance also.

Anyway's, good luck on your adventure. :thumbsup1:

[billythekidrock]

Quote: It does seem that with all the predator hunters calling wolves etc., that a bear would show up once in a while. I have never seen it or heard of it though.

Quote: There are a lot of area's where spot and stalk just don't work, and calling one in is a slim to none chance also.

Wow. You guys are missing out. Bears slobbering, jaw popping, grabing branches and running or sneaking in. Been doing it over a dozen years and called in over 2 dozen black bears in WA. They ranged in size from 150 lbs to over 400.

[Redhawk1]

I may have to give it a try on my land in West Virginia, no baiting is allowed there either.
I know I have had a few bear on my land, I have seen the tracks and they have damages a few things on my land.

[billythekidrock]

Here is a link to some bear calling info.

http://hunting-washington.com/.....;Itemid=45

[blackbear]

billythekidrock, You have my attention. I will try calling bear this summer before the hunting season. Maybe this old dog can learn a new trick. If it works I will let you know on this site.