Bear hunting preparations under way

Although summer is doggedly hanging on, many outfitters, guides and sportsmen already have begun preparing for their first big-game hunt of the season. Black bear hunting begins Aug. 25 and carries on through Nov. 25 with certain dates set aside for specific styles of bagging a bruin.

Black bear are taken by use of trained dogs, generally a hearty breed of hound that chases and trees the bear so it can be dispatched; by scouting and hunting over natural bait such as grain fields, clover pastures or apple trees, where they have been spotted feeding frequently; and some are shot incidentally during a random encounter while hunting other game, generally deer or moose.

Far and away the most dependable and productive tactic for filling a bear tag is by developing and maintaining a bait site.

Bear baiting is a very controversial subject, not just in Maine, but across the United States. A bill to prevent baiting on federally owned or controlled lands was soundly defeated in Congress last month. Baiting is misunderstood by many, and certain organizations less than friendly to hunters and shooting enthusiasts take every opportunity to whack the hornet’s nest and stir up controversy.

Suffice it to say that Maine is one of seven states that allows baiting for bear, and with substantial reason, as urban-edge and rural families dealing with regular bear encounters will vouch. We trust our learned wildlife biologists to maintain and control our deer, moose and upland game; shouldn’t we trust them to handle the healthy and growing bear population equally professionally and for everyone’s benefit?

I exit this touchy subject with two thoughts. Nonresident bear hunters flock to Maine outfitters and guides to experience a chance to bag a big bear in a state renowned for its widespread and healthy population. These outdoorsmen spend millions of dollars throughout the state. They also cause far less hassle than certain well-publicized concert events. Second, isn’t it odd that many states allow seasonlong baiting for white-tail deer, but there’s no effort to discontinue that practice!

Site selection

Sportsmen residing in central and northern Maine will have little difficulty finding a spot to set up a bait. Over the years I’ve known many hunters who were able to establish bait sites within a few hundred yards of their homes on their own land and enjoyed consistent annual success. No matter where a hunter lives in the upper half of the state, a productive location for a bait generally can be found within 15 miles of home, within 5 miles for sports residing within the Crown of Maine.

Entire books could be penned on selecting the perfect spot in the woods to set a bear bait, but a good deal of the information would be personal preference. Beginner’s luck and trial-and-error has led to positioning some of the finest baiting sites. One crucial guideline in choosing a stretch of woods to bait is regular sightings of black bear feeding in nearby fields and pastures, but as obvious as this seems, some sports overlook these outright clues.

Tracks, clawed trees, holes dug in search of insects, droppings and fur caught in briars are other often evident signs of bear presence. Avoid areas with heavy concentrations of natural food such as fruits, berries, nuts and sweet grasses and grains. Give preference to forest-edged bogs, swamp edges and dark growth. Steer clear of all softwood forest or wood lots planted with only fir trees. A small cluster of two to four trees of 6 to 12 inches in diameter with a moderate brush background is a perfect spot to place a bait receptacle. Once the barrel is in place, deadwood, limbs, blowdowns and other forest products can be used to build a barricade behind the bait site. By doing this, the bear is prevented from reaching the barrel from behind and must move around the blockade into the open to feed.

A sturdy tree for placement of a tree stand or a brushy area large enough for a ground blind must be available within 10 yards to 40 yards of the bait site. Centerfire and black-powder rifle shooters can be farther from the bait than handgunners and archers. Even photographers or those using camcorders will need to be fairly close, and in all cases brush will usually have to be thinned for an unobstructed shooting lane. By making the bear come around a barricade, size can be evaluated, which is difficult enough in shadowed woods without tree trunks, limbs and brush interfering.

Serving lunch

Spring black bear just out of hibernation are in search of protein, so meat is their mainstay, but fall bear need fat to prepare for a long winter. Bread, pastries, candy, honey and greases previously used for frying are prime tablefare for attracting bruin to feeding locations. The question is how best to present the food. Some just dump it in a pile on the ground among several tree trunks. Although this will work, raccoons, fox, coyote, skunks, crows and other varmints will eat most of it, and since it’s not protected rain will turn it to mush, washing most of it away and making the rest unpalatable for even the scavengers.

Some folks pile up two or three old tires and fill the center hole with bait. Logs or brush can be used to cover the top but rain and small animals still can be a problem, and bear often take apart the tire tower and drag the tires away, thus creating more work for the sportsmen at each visit as the whole feeding site must be reset.

A 5-gallon pail wired to a tree four feet off the ground using a board, with a good-sized rock placed on top, for a cover works well. Only large bear can stand up to reach the food and are strong enough to remove the rock and cover. A standing bear not only offers an excellent target but also allows its size to be estimated better. This situation also presents better photo opportunities. Rain and scavengers are kept out of the food, but the small receptacle requires daily visit for refills.

A 30- to 55-gallon plastic barrel (metal is noisy and rusts) is the most common bait container. A larger barrel allows enough bait for at least two days to be stored, and replenishing is simple. Some folks stand them upright, others tilt them using logs to maintain position. Either way, they need a lid to keep out the water and scavengers, and also a cable or chain attached to a tree so the bear can’t remove them food and all from the hunter’s preferred bait site. Use a white or light blue barrel so the bear’s silhouette stands out. Black barrels, as many shooters have sadly found out, are a bad decision, especially at dusk.

A new trick is to string a cable between two trees 10 or 12 feet apart and run it in the top and out the bottom of a barrel, suspending it lengthwise at least four feet off the ground. Food stays dry and unattainable to anything but a fairly good-sized bear standing up to feed. This setup offers an excellent overview of feeding bruins, although it requires a bit more work to put the open-ended barrel in place.

Working a bait

Experienced bear hunters will ask each other, “Are you working a bait?” They mean what they say; baiting is hard work. Opening a site, setting up the barrel and barricade and establishing and brushing out a trail in humid, insect-filled conditions requires patience and effort. Dedication is needed to make daily trips with heavy loads to replenish the food supply. Setting up a stand or blind and then sitting over the bait, waiting, hoping and suffering the elements is no picnic, either, and often times for naught. That’s the real bear baiting story.

Last season I relentlessly worked two baits for 45 days. Due to work and other commitments I got to sit on stand only seven times. I saw bear, four different ones as a matter of fact, but none that met my criteria. One large bruin did venture into sight one evening, but they don’t get big by being stupid, and he presented no clear shot, especially for my handgun. Regardless, the entire season’s efforts were challenging, educational and exciting, and I’m at it again this year already.

Black bear hunting over bait isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but for those who get involved with their own bait, it’s a rush. Baiting isn’t a sure bet to tagging a bear, and despite what some believe there is skill, marksmanship and a lot of patience involved in even getting a chance at a large bear. It’s not too late to develop a bait site this month, and like a lot of do-it-yourself projects, the satisfaction is rewarding regardless of the result. I saw some great sights and got some wonderful photos last season. That’s why it’s called hunting, not shooting.

Outdoor feature writer Bill Graves can be reached via e-mail at bgravesoutdoors@ainop.com