Giant bear lollipop for bait (hard candy with a chain in it)

[Beardawgs]

A friend mentioned someone using a big block of hard candy with a chain in it as bear bait. The chain is attached to a tree at a bait site and there ya have it. I tried to do this but ended up with 3 gallons of vanilla syrup, don't think we got it hot enough cause we ran out of propane. Several pounds of margarine and a paint mixer later I had a 5 gallons of frosting that the bear loved. Anyways, has anyone tried making a bear lollipop?

[Huntin Hounds]

I use bear suckers as baits. They work pretty good but not amazing. You didn't get it hot enough is your problem. Get a candy thermometer to use (they cost about $10). You need to get the the corn syrup and sugar boiling and it has to reach 320 degrees or the hard crack stage. Don't over cook or you will get a burnt taste. Add your flavoring right at the end and stir until all the bubbles are out. Pour that mix into a metal bucket. You need to leave it in the bucket so the bears are forced to lick it out. If they can get their teeth on it they will just eat it till its gone, which will take less than a day and they are not cheap to make. I hang mine upside down in a bucket from a tree like a tether ball. It also makes for some really funny pics. What recipe did you use?

[Beardawgs]

I don't remember the recipe we used, probably the first hard candy recipe that comes up on google. The bucket is a good idea, I just can't use it at one of my regular bait sites because I use drums. "One metal container up to 55 gallons...." I was a little skeptical when I first heard of it being chained to a tree, but I figured if it was hard enough it would last a while, guess not.

[huntfish8]

I use them and found out Some bears like them more than others.

[temirovich]

I used once jawbreaker candy,drill hole and put coat hanger and attached to barrel,last only 5 nights,all see on trail cam.

[oconee]

This is an interesting topic I need more opinions!!! I have a very good friend that owns a business that mass produces protein tubs for deer, cattle, horses, and etc. He can make any flavor I want in 60, 100, or 200 lb tubs. He's offered to make me some proto-types to try out for him. I felt like the bears would eat them up real quick, which would not make them economical. He has no experience with bears and continued to insist the bears couldn't chew it up because it was baked so hard. LOL But I didn't think about leaving it in the tubs were they can't get their teeth on it. The tubs he uses are plastic, I've used plastic bait barrels without chewing so I wonder if they would chew the plastic tubs up to bad.

Does it seem to hold bears good or do they go looking for something easier? Please share any experiences anyone has had, we may be on to something here.

[Idaho Bison]

I never had problems with them eating them up quick unless they aren't in a shaded area,

[heybearwalker]

The things you boys do to keep boo boo happy. What ever happened to a little corn and molasses?


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