Anyone else baiting NH?

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NEbowman
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Anyone else baiting NH?

Unread postby NEbowman » Mon Jul 10, 2017 2:16 pm

With the September 1st opener quickly approaching my freezer is just about overflowing with bait I've been collecting for the last 6 months or so. Unfortunately, we don't have the luxury of baiting before the season opens; we can put our baits our September 1st and the season only last for 3 weeks. This will be my 3rd year baiting in NH and I have seen a bunch of bears over that time, but cubs and rookie mistakes in my setups have prevented me from letting an arrow fly. Interested to hear strategies from others on how you get your baits to heat up quickly in our relatively short baiting season.

My strategy has been to pack in as much bait as possible without killing myself, old fish heads strung above bait, douse the area with attractant, and smear peanut butter and bacon fat on trees all around the bait, let it sit for a week and hunt it hopefully before the acorns start dropping.


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Re: Anyone else baiting NH?

Unread postby Freelance Bowhunter » Tue Jul 11, 2017 2:40 pm

The fish heads don't appeal to me, and you can overdo it with the smells because bears have an amazing nose, so using a few good scents and quality bait is important.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-rQb6cTtJk
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Re: Anyone else baiting NH?

Unread postby BassBoysLLP » Tue Jul 11, 2017 2:57 pm

How much bait can you put out?
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Re: Anyone else baiting NH?

Unread postby NEbowman » Wed Jul 12, 2017 2:11 am

We aren't limited by any state law on quantity of bait. We have quite a hike with close to a 1,000 foot climb in elevation to reach the mountain swamp where we are baiting. My brother and I will take multiple trips on September 1st and hope to drop 400-500# of bait that day. The plan is to wait a week, make another bait drop and then start hunting. Like I said pretty new to this, so any critiques to my plan are definitely appreciated.
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Re: Anyone else baiting NH?

Unread postby BassBoysLLP » Wed Jul 12, 2017 2:41 am

Sounds epic!
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Re: Anyone else baiting NH?

Unread postby NEbowman » Wed Jul 12, 2017 6:09 am

I'm pumped about it! Thanks for posting your YouTube video, I'm going to check it out this evening when I get home.
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Edcyclopedia
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Re: Anyone else baiting NH?

Unread postby Edcyclopedia » Wed Jul 12, 2017 6:55 am

I will go out Sept 1st about 8am and put a 55 gal drum of NH bait (specificaly nonchocolate) I purchase from a dude in Maine. Along with a couple gallons of Molasses and a gallon of caramel.

My spot is elevated about 200' above my camp & 1/3 mile back. I will run back to camp take a sponge bath and hunt for the complete rest of the day...
Expect the Unexpected when you least Expect it...
NEbowman
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Re: Anyone else baiting NH?

Unread postby NEbowman » Wed Jul 12, 2017 9:00 am

Edcyclopedia wrote:I will go out Sept 1st about 8am and put a 55 gal drum of NH bait (specificaly nonchocolate) I purchase from a dude in Maine. Along with a couple gallons of Molasses and a gallon of caramel.

My spot is elevated about 200' above my camp & 1/3 mile back. I will run back to camp take a sponge bath and hunt for the complete rest of the day...


Do you normally see action that quickly on opening day? Whereabouts are you hunting? I'm up in the white mountains directly on the NH/Maine border.
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Edcyclopedia
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Re: Anyone else baiting NH?

Unread postby Edcyclopedia » Wed Jul 12, 2017 9:27 am

1st timer, I'll let you know ;)

Upper CT River Valley area
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Re: Anyone else baiting NH?

Unread postby NEbowman » Wed Jul 12, 2017 11:04 am

Best of luck to you man!
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Re: Anyone else baiting NH?

Unread postby john1984 » Mon Jul 31, 2017 1:09 pm

NEbowman wrote:With the September 1st opener quickly approaching my freezer is just about overflowing with bait I've been collecting for the last 6 months or so. Unfortunately, we don't have the luxury of baiting before the season opens; we can put our baits our September 1st and the season only last for 3 weeks. This will be my 3rd year baiting in NH and I have seen a bunch of bears over that time, but cubs and rookie mistakes in my setups have prevented me from letting an arrow fly. Interested to hear strategies from others on how you get your baits to heat up quickly in our relatively short baiting season.

My strategy has been to pack in as much bait as possible without killing myself, old fish heads strung above bait, douse the area with attractant, and smear peanut butter and bacon fat on trees all around the bait, let it sit for a week and hunt it hopefully before the acorns start dropping.



Yeah I'd sure like to hear some simple yet effective tactics from the big guns IF hypothetically, they were not allowed to bait pre season.

I've been thinking about it personally even though I can start baiting months before Sept.

Day dreaming about a possible tactic, like just starting like 3 or 4 bait sites close to opening day of bear season with just a few gallons of bait and a lot of spray attractant, not even gonna bother with cameras or tree stands or hollow logs. Then hunt each bait once. Then set up new baits if you think you need to and give them each a hunt.

I look at a few guys past 1.5 bear seasons in Zone C WI and I wonder if all this baiting pre season is necessary.

Its just a thought.
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Chuck72
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Re: Anyone else baiting NH?

Unread postby Chuck72 » Sun Aug 06, 2017 7:03 am

I am, I'm headed up tomorrow am to get our 3 stands & barrels and camera's (oh my) out and ready for the 1st. 30 gal plastic drum with a 4" in hole at the bottom chained to a crib of logs. Go in on the 1st to bait, wait a week and get back in for evening sits post refilling the barrels. We use a scent bag as well on the 1st. If you haven't used one, it's your call. Here's how just incase - About two weeks prior take some raw chicken, put it in an onion bag, tie the end of the onion bag to 100' of nylon rope. Place that into a garbage bag and then place that into a 5 gallon bucket, put the cover on it and and leave the nylon rope outside the bucket. Seal up the cover with duck tape to prevent any smells coming out. Place the bucket in a safe place in the sun, it will decompose. Come opening day take the bait bucket sealed, your going to want to hang that chicken up in the air about 50 yard off your bait site. Throw the rope over a limb and then unseal the 5 gal bucket. Pull the bait bag up into the trees and tie it off. Do not get that chicken juice on you... We got 5 bears last year, some nice ones some ok ones. With so many other seasons (geese & deer & youth Ducks) happening, personally I'm not one to wait long for the big one. If he shows up I'll take one.

We pretty much use walmarts cracked corn & molasses and add in some grains too.

Hope it helps and best of luck!!
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Re: Anyone else baiting NH?

Unread postby NEbowman » Wed Aug 09, 2017 2:34 pm

Chuck72 wrote:I am, I'm headed up tomorrow am to get our 3 stands & barrels and camera's (oh my) out and ready for the 1st. 30 gal plastic drum with a 4" in hole at the bottom chained to a crib of logs. Go in on the 1st to bait, wait a week and get back in for evening sits post refilling the barrels. We use a scent bag as well on the 1st. If you haven't used one, it's your call. Here's how just incase - About two weeks prior take some raw chicken, put it in an onion bag, tie the end of the onion bag to 100' of nylon rope. Place that into a garbage bag and then place that into a 5 gallon bucket, put the cover on it and and leave the nylon rope outside the bucket. Seal up the cover with duck tape to prevent any smells coming out. Place the bucket in a safe place in the sun, it will decompose. Come opening day take the bait bucket sealed, your going to want to hang that chicken up in the air about 50 yard off your bait site. Throw the rope over a limb and then unseal the 5 gal bucket. Pull the bait bag up into the trees and tie it off. Do not get that chicken juice on you... We got 5 bears last year, some nice ones some ok ones. With so many other seasons (geese & deer & youth Ducks) happening, personally I'm not one to wait long for the big one. If he shows up I'll take one.

We pretty much use walmarts cracked corn & molasses and add in some grains too.

Hope it helps and best of luck!!


Seems like we use similar tactics. I sling a stink bait up over a tree near the bait also, but I use old fish parts wrapped up in cheese cloth. I hung two stands way out off the beaten path this past weekend. I think my biggest failure last year was not respecting the bears nose and eyes enough. I was winded and spotted and last year only had one bait and that bait really shut down after getting busted a couple times. I really think my stand locations are far better this year. Can't wait to get up there and drop bait September 1st and be on stand about a week later.


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