How long?

[Boo]

How long does it take for a bait to get hit? I put one out last sunday and my friend checked it on wednesday and it hasn't been touched yet. I am going to freshen it up this weekend but I don't know how long I should stay with it. Any advice for a novice bear hunter?

[lungbuster]

I would give it one week, then have a back up bait placed, but keep the unhit bait site out and see if anything has found it. This close to season I would not expect too much from a bait that has not been touched in over a week........ How much scent did you put out with the bait? Did you try any anise or bacon scent, I think that can be key for starting up a new bait site to get bears looking for the smell.

[dan]

My best baits have always been the ones that get hit right away... I always put out multiple baits when baiting for myself.
I agree with what Lung said about scents... Did you use an attractant?
I think scents are very important to draw bear in. Every time you check or set a bait it should be sprayed down with a scent.

[Uncle Lou]

As Lung and Dan mentioned, have you used scents

I was told before my 07 bear hunt that vanilla extract will help start a bait site.

Good Luck Jeff

[PLB]

Anise, liquid smoke or vanilla! Scent the heck out of it! They will be there

[martin peters]

There can be so many variables that can influence this. Including scent used, weather / rain , wind direction, how much human scent was left, has the stand site been baited in years past,other competing baits in the area,availability of local natural food sources,entrance routes into the stand, area bear population,,etc,etc.
I have always liked a fast starting bait but the baits I really like are the consistently hit baits, especially the ones where the bear has my cover logs blown off the bait site every time I'm in to rebait. Its fun to watch the smaller bears clown around and push and pull to get into a bait but a lot of times the bigger bears come in and just swat the cover logs off like toothpick's, usually giving spectating hunter a extra rush.
If you have good baits in an area you feel is a good bait site (good bear sign), I would give it a few days and ask yourself why doesn't the bear like this set up? If your baiting blind (no sign) I would move to a new area.m.p.

[Schultzy]

There can be so many variables that can influence this. Including scent used, weather / rain , wind direction, how much human scent was left, has the stand site been baited in years past,other competing baits in the area,availability of local natural food sources,entrance routes into the stand, area bear population,,etc,etc.

Good post MP! I've saw killer area's go untouched and then come unglued 2 weeks later. Leave It up at least a couple weeks. 3 to 4 weeks Into baiting/hunting baits that have been up for that long that haven't been hit but finally get hit for the 1st time are my favorite baits to jump on. You don't gotta check these as often as the others but keep an eye on baits that haven't been hit because once they do look out.

This past weekend while checking baits we were at our last bait for the day. On the way In to the bait 100 yards from the bait site we found a 4.5 Inch pad In some mud. We got to the bait and It was not hit. This Is no surprise to me. I've saw It happen before. My take Is the wind wasn't right for this bear to get wind of the bait. An east wind would've been needed. We did a scent drag (molasses) from the bait all the way to the pick up In hopes the next time a bear will pick up on the trail and follow It. We always do these scent drags every time we bait and check but we can't remember If we did It or not last weekend at this bait. If we forgot there's a good chance we missed out on what would've been probably the biggest bear hitting our baits this year just going off of the pad size (front pad).

[martin peters]

Depending on the weather in the high country of Michigans U.P., I have had baits that were not active become active later in the season because of the early season hunters thinning out and with their baits now gone the bears again begin to roam in search for new food sources.
Many times I have been going into a bait site not previously hit and caught a track heading away from the bait on my entrance/exit trail and almost always get to the bait site to find the bait opened. Often the bears will track a hunters movement into and out of the bait site. That is why its important to use the same trail in and out of the stand.

[Boo]

Thanks for all the info and help. My bait was hit last weekend and I got a couple of pictures of the bear. Not real big and it wasn't there for very long. I went out yesterday to re-bait and hunt and the bait was destroyed. The logs were all over the place and most of the bait was gone and I found some drug away. The only bad thing was the card I put in my camera was full from this summer so i didn't get any pictures! Nothing showed up last night while I was on stand but I am going to head out and check the bait and hunt again tonight before I have to head back to work for Friday and Saturday. Any advice on making a bear come in eariler?

[dan]

Good luck tonight.

[martin peters]

Boo, What time are you baiting your stands? It's important to not bait too late in the day. I try to bait my stands no later then 2pm. (This is also the time you should be getting into your stand to hunt) This gives the bait site time to settle down from the activity and the scent and conditions the bears that all will be well that last hour of light. M.P.

[Boo]

Thanks for the advice M.P. That could be one of my problems as some days I am not able to bait until 3 or 4 in the afternoon.