Can't get a race off a pounded bait

[imchestnut]

I have a bear bait that is pounded every day by 3-4 bears (maybe 2 per day). Its not a terribly trashy bait (no coons, coyotes, skunks on the camera just squirrels ravens and bears...). I have tried to run it time after time and the dogs can't seem to line it out. Is this a problem with my dogs? There are a bunch of cows in there and I was wondering if that could screw them up. The tracks I am trying to run are anywhere from 5-12 hours old. Do I just need a better start dog to get the job done? If so, does someone have one close to southeast Idaho?

[Ike]

This time of year a five to twelve hour old bear track can be pretty hard to get going. I had a guy back in May tell me they found a dead elk and placed a trail cam on it, then came back and started dogs off it the next day or two. He claimed the trail cam showed the bear had been in twelve hours before they arrived at first light and left. According to him, the only dog that would bark at and move the track was his four year old dog (which is a pretty cold nosed hound), and then as the track moved along other dogs joined in. He claimed the bear wasn't a mile from the kill and popped up when the dogs junped it.

good luck,
ike

[BEAR HUNTER]

Ike the Elk story sounds pretty true to life. Our bear season starts when its still high 90's and powder dry conditions. It can be difficult to get a bear going if the track is more than a couple hours old.

[imchestnut]

Its really not that warm here, I understand a track that sits in the sun above maybe 70 degrees can be tough, at night its only in the low forties, the bear comes in about 2 AM and I get there at 5 when its maybe at warmest 60 degrees. Any tips on trying to warm up a track (I can't turn loose in the dark). If I could get the bear to come at 6 AM I would. But in this country, if you can't run a track from thenight before, you won't run a track most days.

[spruce mountain]

I don't Know what you are using for bait or what your setup is but you could try using bait that will take them longer to get full like maybe popcorn. Use a barrel with a small hole in it so they will spend more time getting it out.Also make sure there is plenty of bait there to keep them feeding longer. And if they get hungry again latter in the night they know there is more food to come back to. Good luck

[larry]

go up there with a buddy that has some bear dogs and see what they get done, that will answer your question.

[kordog]

if it rains the day before you hunt it may help the scent conditions .

[Idaho Bison]

How long are you trailing? Are they jumping tracks?

[Nolte]

From the way you make it sound, you are a little light on a start dog. A good start dog will line that sucker out pronto.

It can be a PITA when you've got multiple bears coming in/out numerous times. There isn't just one in/out trail, there are several. It can be confusing for a dog to figure out, BUT a good start dog knows how to sort it out.

If it were me, I'd try this. Take the one dog you think is the best track dog and let it out alone. Let it work around there and see if it can figure something out. If it starts to line out a bit, then feed in other dogs one at a time. Sometimes less is more. It's better to hunt 3 dogs right, than 10 shitty.

[BEAR HUNTER]

Good answer Nolte. We cant use bait in Ca so I have never had the problem of to many bears however I have see what a ton of coon can do to a coondog. Had a swamp I hunted. Turned the coon dog in and he never could line a track out. Kept going around in circles. Went in to see what he was doing and there were hundreds of coon tracks in the mud. Tried another dog. Same story.

[tylers dad]

cows shouldn't have an effect on your dogs. i have them in my area and I catch bears on a regular basis off a bait. This time of year you can be there by 4 am as it is light and by 5 the scent can be burning off. But not this year with all the rain. If your bait is being pounded, the bears are coming all times of day and night. Set up a trail cam and you will see that. Sounds like you might want to find a buddy with good bear dogs as yours don't sound like they can get the job done. There can be a lot of tracks around a bait as the bears are constantly coming and going and circling all around the area. Usually they bed fairly close by though and shouldn't take long to jump them.

[Bo D]

I agree with what Nolte said that you might be a tad light with your start dog, but if your dogs are somewhat young I can understand them getting a little confused trying to start and line out a runable track.

What you may want to try is leashing your best dog up and walking him in a circle about 75 to 100 yds out from your bait pile and see if he can pick up the track out away from the pile. It might not be as confusing to him there and hopefully be able to line it out.

[radar]

Whats your guys deffinition of a start dog,cuz to me it sounds like he needs a more experienced bear dog.Starting a track a lot of time isn't the problem,the hard thing is when they are inexperienced its hard to stay on that track until its jumped with out jumping another peice of game.An experienced dog would be able to judge what track was runable,but with multiple bears comeing in its going to be hard for a dog to line out thats for sures!!!!

You ever through them up on the box and just drive your area's best bear country and try to get a visual??

[imchestnut]

I have a camera there, thats how I know the age of the track. I have been running it twice a week for 6 weeks or so. In the rain, after the rain, after clear nights, after nights with frost, afternights with dew...all conditions. I have 4-5 bears, 2 come in every few days, two come in almost daily, one just once or twice. I bought an expensive start dog who is seven and I know has seen alot of bear in his life but he seems to not be able to line out tracks lately. I just got him in April so this is my first year hunting him. I've tried the bait probably 10 times without getting what I felt was a decent race. I've tried casting him in from 200-300 yards out, walking him into the bait, and driving the road. He doesn't really open up on anything good for some reason, its like he can't smell all of a sudden. The other issue is that the landowner doesn't allow anyone else to hunt this property procluding me from bringing a buddy with me. Maybe my expensive start dog broke his nose or something. Thanks for the ideas, I'm still lost on what to do other then trying to find another dog to line out the track.

[not color blind]

Hopefully you didn't get 'had' by the guy selling you the 'start dog'. There is a big difference between a dog that's been on alot of bear and a start dog.