what do you use for bear bait?

[Thunder Struck]

i know there are all kinds of different baits.just wondering what everyone is using.5 gallion bucket or barrel.

[spruce mountain]

I use mostly 5 gallon bucket's.I've used barrel's in the past but bucket's are alot easier to handle, especialy putting them out and picking them up at the end of the season.I used to waste alot of bait to when the bear's would hit them but they would still be standing up and it would rain.If I think I need more bait at a site I just add more bucket's.

[Thunder Struck]

what do you use for bait?

[bob baldwin jr]

thunder struck: I guess it does not matter ,but we always preferred the blue 50 gallon food grade barrells . We use to get them at B&M beans in Portland. Always carried them in in 5 gallon buckets .Cut 1/2 the top off the barrell and transferred the bait into it . kept the site neater.But we were only doing 4-5 sites . If I was a commercial outfitter would have been too time consuming . Obviously keep the bait drier and fresher .Though I have seen them eating out of 5 gallon buckets that were 1/2 full of rain water ,go figure Kid of funny to watch the gyrations they go thru to get bait out of barrells

[spruce mountain]

I have tried about everything but it is hard to beat a donut.JMO

[jbc67]

Idaho doesn't allow five gallon buckets, so its either barrels or pits. WA doesn't allow any baiting, so I bait just over the border in Idaho. The 50 gallon barrels are nice when you can get a four-wheeler close to pick them up and drop them off. But I usually just dig a pit and then cover it with logs--which makes it a lot easier. When it comes to pits, a lot of people worry about the dirt and logs soaking up all the bait, but that actually seems to keep the bears there longer. Once the wood and soil is soaked in grease/maple syrup those bears will feed off the logs themselves and dig all around the pit looking for soaked roots. I've found that soaked logs and tree stumps will keep the bears returning regularly, even when you can't leave food very often.

[bob baldwin jr]

For bear bait we save all the Fat and Grease drippins for most anything we fry or put in oven Best kept outdoors at least that is what the wife says. I buy a 50 gallon drum every 2 years of livestock grade molasses.Then the equilivent of 10 barrels of pastries ,pies, breads for livestock consumption . Yes I smear the molasses in trees as high as I can get it , some goes on stumps near the bait .This especially when just putting out the baits. I have tried the commercial bear attractants the few I tried I would not try again.Molasses seem to be the best as far as attracting and keeping them comming back

YUM YUM

[snowhound]

hog feed with grease, and donuts, but a corn field works better

[bear baiter]

We use a screw top 55 gal barrel black,With a 9'' hole in the side and a 10' chaine to go to the tree.And paint 1/2 white so when a bear comes in late you may still have a shot.We also use GRANOLA BARS as bait.We will fill the barrel to the top so we only bait once a week.Unless you have more then 1 bear coming.then we get about 3-4 days on a barrel.

[big bite]

No buckets or barrels allowed in michigan unless on private land. we use old hollow log burried to the top and then put a bit rock on top so the coon can't get in. Otherwise pit with logs on top.
as far as bait, I use whatever I can get for free or real cheap that you and I would eat and call good. this year i have been getting popcorn, cheese corn, and carmel corn, cull blueberries, bacon/ old cooking grease, and a thing of carmel granola. years past had access to cull pears. Only thing that I have found that doesn't work in our area is salmon/fish carcasses. our bears are to fussy of eaters.
Big Bite
where,
Hounds Rule

[cjohnson1178]

ive used every thing from dog food, licorice, doghnuts, grain,produce, meat, it all works but the key ingredient is fast food grease. on top of what ever else u use. i use a 55 gallon drum and i gets cleaned out every other week. a five gallon bucket wouldnt last the first hour of opening day.

[Thunder Struck]

thanks for all the replies.do many guys use granolaor or whole corn ? everyone use donuts.