Baiting: deer vs bear

[mheichelbech]

Was just curious as to why baiting for bear seems to be an acceptable and common method whereas baiting for deer is looked down upon (including by me to some extent) and illegal in most states.

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[62kodiak]

Because hunters are giant hippocrates. There is no difference. It is the same reason that people don't think running bears and deer with dogs is right but they wouldn't hesitate to use a dog to run raccoons or cougar. Usually this hippocracy is justified in the name of "tradition".

I know that is not a favorable stance to take but there is no better explanation.

[yungbuck]

Great thread....never bear hunted but I will not hunt over bait regardless of the laws in place or the game I am chasing

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[Longbow]

I'd like to know how many bears would be killed in WI without dogs or bait.

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[john1984]

I would think hunting black bears in dense flat forest swamp land is very hard without thee aid of bait. Too hard.

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[Longbow]

I would think hunting black bears in dense flat forest swamp land is very hard without thee aid of bait. Too hard.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

Exactly. I live in excellent bear country and I have deer hunted for 25 years and have not seen 1 bear other than on the road and one in my yard. I would love to spot and stalk one but its simply not realistic in dense cedar swamp cover where most of the bears in my area live. And by the way, anyone who thinks bear baiting is easy, has never done it, at least on public land. Baiting deer is nothing like it.

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[62kodiak]

Don't get me wrong longbow, I agree with you wholeheartedly that hunting bears in the swamp or most anywhere else(except maybe in the mountains out west) is an act of futility, but that is not mheichelbech's question. He wanted to understand why bear baiting is considered acceptable in the hunting community but deer baiting is for the most part frowned upon. For this question, easier cannot be the answer because I know for a fact that if all you want to do is shoot any deer, baiting is a lot easier than scouting. You may not shoot a big buck but you will most likely see deer.

[trad4life]

I would think hunting black bears in dense flat forest swamp land is very hard without thee aid of bait. Too hard.

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I completely agree. Deer are very easy to pattern. They follow trails, have bedding areas, and a food source that is detectable (acorns, crops, fresh growth). Bear are mostly wandering around aimlessly looking for food. I also think believe the amount of bears in Wisconsin aren't as plentiful as deer are.

-Trad4life

[Longbow]

My point is that baiting ,while perhaps not the most desirable way to hunt a bear, is the only viable way in many areas. (As well as dogs) that's why I think more hunters accept it.
I think many have turned on deer baiting for multiple reasons, including the way it has changed deer habits over the years where it is heavily entrenched and the possibility of disease transmission.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[Dewey]

I'll be honest the first time I bear hunted in 2006 there was some hesitation in my mind about hunting over bait. I kept an open mind and it ended up being the most exciting hunt I have ever been on. Can a bear be taken in WI without bait? I'm sure it's possible but your success rate will likely be less than 10%. My ideal bear hunt with the bow would be a spot and stalk but I rarely ever hear anybody doing that here. If I could get a tag every year you can bet I would be attempting that but with very limited tags and only getting a tag every 7-9 years in some zones I'm choosing what is the most succesful tactic. I will be drawing a tag next year and will more than likely hunt over bait again or may even give hunting with dogs a shot. Sounds like that can be very exciting as well and in the end having fun is what it's all about!

[Bowhunting Brian]

Was just curious as to why baiting for bear seems to be an acceptable and common method whereas baiting for deer is looked down upon (including by me to some extent) and illegal in most states.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

without going into detail and sticking to the question, it's a lot easier to shoot a deer without bait. hunting bear without bait would almost be impossible. the bear population would get way to big as yearly kill numbers would be low and not near where they need to be. in my time in hunting stores, bars, small gatherings of hunters, I never hear anything about trophy size bear, but I do hear a lot about pope and young class deer and all the other bar stool biology that goes with deer hunting. deer hunting is just more popular and more accessible.

[yungbuck]

my grandfather used to hunt it all from mushrooms to gills to pike to deer to muley to whitetails... he has been gone for a number of years but my gma shared this story recently. He took a trip to alaska in hopes of taking home a bear. He did end up shooting the bear, but was surprised by the maggots between the fur and the muscle. He did not bring home any of the bear meat due to the amount of maggots living in the coat of the bear. I have never hunted bear, but was curious if you guys who do hunt them, then eat them. I like to live by the rule, you are what you eat. I eat deer because they browse and eat vegetables or fruit. turkeys eat some bugs and some seeds and they taste delicious...bears eating trash has me fooled.

do you eat the bear you kill?
have you noticed maggots in the hide?

one day I will bear hunt but for today its squirrel, deer and turkey!

[olivertractor]

I'd like to know how many bears would be killed in WI without dogs or bait.

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Not many, population would not be controlled

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[Dewey]

my grandfather used to hunt it all from mushrooms to gills to pike to deer to muley to whitetails... he has been gone for a number of years but my gma shared this story recently. He took a trip to alaska in hopes of taking home a bear. He did end up shooting the bear, but was surprised by the maggots between the fur and the muscle. He did not bring home any of the bear meat due to the amount of maggots living in the coat of the bear. I have never hunted bear, but was curious if you guys who do hunt them, then eat them. I like to live by the rule, you are what you eat. I eat deer because they browse and eat vegetables or fruit. turkeys eat some bugs and some seeds and they taste delicious...bears eating trash has me fooled.

do you eat the bear you kill?
have you noticed maggots in the hide?

one day I will bear hunt but for today its squirrel, deer and turkey!

Bear meat is delicious and even better than venison IMO. Most bear do not eat garbage and bait usually consists of sweets and other goodies. Sounds like your Grandfather got a bad one. Never heard about maggots in a freshly killed bear!

Turkey love to pick thru manure spread on farm fields.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[olivertractor]

my grandfather used to hunt it all from mushrooms to gills to pike to deer to muley to whitetails... he has been gone for a number of years but my gma shared this story recently. He took a trip to alaska in hopes of taking home a bear. He did end up shooting the bear, but was surprised by the maggots between the fur and the muscle. He did not bring home any of the bear meat due to the amount of maggots living in the coat of the bear. I have never hunted bear, but was curious if you guys who do hunt them, then eat them. I like to live by the rule, you are what you eat. I eat deer because they browse and eat vegetables or fruit. turkeys eat some bugs and some seeds and they taste delicious...bears eating trash has me fooled.

do you eat the bear you kill?
have you noticed maggots in the hide?

one day I will bear hunt but for today its squirrel, deer and turkey!

Bear meat is delicious and even better than venison IMO. Most bear do not eat garbage and bait usually consists of sweets and other goodies. Sounds like your Grandfather got a bad one. Never heard about maggots in a freshly killed bear!

Turkey love to pick thru manure spread on farm fields.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

X2, bear meat is better as long as taken care of correctly!

[ Post made via Android ]