2017 WI Zone B Strutnrut716

[strutnrut716]

Well it took 12 years of WI Bear hunting preference points and this is my year !! Zone B Wisconsin (in north central WI). We've actually been baiting since July 6th and all I can say is "THIS IS FUN" !! I have learned so much from you bear guys on the beast and I need to say a big thank you ! For those that are still waiting all I can say is START SCOUTING NOW ! Its never too early, even years before your anticipated season.

I would have started this post earlier with some of the best photos but technology took a huge dump on me. Last week my laptop just decided it no longer wanted to bear bait with me and died. So, I bit and bought a new laptop and am back up and running !

I see photobucket is toast. I will try get my best photos up soon.

I have to confess I have some real good help. My uncle and neighbor have been baiting regularly and I'm about to "finally" put my family and social obligations aside and totally commit. We were only running two baits the first week after July 6th. First two are on private land. I had to drive some distance across WI to purchase some more stumps as most bait places were sold out ! I got some stumps but they were bigger than I wanted. Yes, BigHunt, I carried them out to the sites via my uncles deer sled...and I thought of you the whole time !! I would have paid you top dollar for your stump hauling services.

So we now have 4 baits (2 private land and 2 public) and all have been getting hit regularly. And some nice bears !!

My dilemma is I still would like a few more remote baits (closer to water) but my help isn't really up for long walks to bait. My best cyber scouted spot is over 1 mile back in from any vehicle access. I may be on my own on the 5th bait (will keep posted on what I do).

So here I go.... (photos coming soon)
Steve

[BigHunt]

Well it took 12 years of WI Bear hunting preference points and this is my year !! Zone B Wisconsin (in north central WI). We've actually been baiting since July 6th and all I can say is "THIS IS FUN" !! I have learned so much from you bear guys on the beast and I need to say a big thank you ! For those that are still waiting all I can say is START SCOUTING NOW ! Its never too early, even years before your anticipated season.

I would have started this post earlier with some of the best photos but technology took a huge dump on me. Last week my laptop just decided it no longer wanted to bear bait with me and died. So, I bit and bought a new laptop and am back up and running !

I see photobucket is toast. I will try get my best photos up soon.

I have to confess I have some real good help. My uncle and neighbor have been baiting regularly and I'm about to "finally" put my family and social obligations aside and totally commit. We were only running two baits the first week after July 6th. First two are on private land. I had to drive some distance across WI to purchase some more stumps as most bait places were sold out ! I got some stumps but they were bigger than I wanted. Yes, BigHunt, I carried them out to the sites via my uncles deer sled...and I thought of you the whole time !! I would have paid you top dollar for your stump hauling services.So we now have 4 baits (2 private land and 2 public) and all have been getting hit regularly. And some nice bears !!

My dilemma is I still would like a few more remote baits (closer to water) but my help isn't really up for long walks to bait. My best cyber scouted spot is over 1 mile back in from any vehicle access. I may be on my own on the 5th bait (will keep posted on what I do).

So here I go.... (photos coming soon)
Steve

how did the sled work??



good luck ..looking forward to your success

[dan]

[strutnrut716]

Sled was one of those triangular aluminum one wheeled deer carriers. It did work great until I had to carry one stump about 150 yards to the actual site, without the carrier (was too thick). I wasn't beefy enough like you BIGHUNT to just throw it over my shoulders but I got it there !! Ironically one big boar just moved the stump about 30 yards when he ate !! Like that thing was just in his way !!! Geez, I think those stumps weigh about 150 lbs each ! (oak)

[BassBoysLLP]

Subscribed. Looking forward to it.

As far as stumps, bigger is better. I'll never use a stump that doesn't hold 10 gallons. I hate those little stumps. I just sold a pile of hollow stumps. Demand is high right now.

[BigHunt]

Sled was one of those triangular aluminum one wheeled deer carriers. It did work great until I had to carry one stump about 150 yards to the actual site, without the carrier (was too thick). I wasn't beefy enough like you BIGHUNT to just throw it over my shoulders but I got it there !! Ironically one big boar just moved the stump about 30 yards when he ate !! Like that thing was just in his way !!! Geez, I think those stumps weigh about 150 lbs each ! (oak)

[strutnrut716]

So this will probably be my only sow with cubs photo posted. Our bait cache includes: 2200 pounds of cookie dough, 50 gallons molasses, gummy worms, granola, strawberry filling and cherry filling. So far we have had two sets of sows with cubs and they DO get around. This little guy just couldn't keep his head out of the bait!

[strutnrut716]

Trying that photo again

[Stanley]

Thanks for sharing.

[strutnrut716]

So this bear we have nicknamed Boris. He is a very nice size and has a real nice bronze haze on his coat. (I'm still learning on how to judge weight). I will hopefully have more photos of him in the next weeks. Any guesses on his weight ?? At this point I may let Boris go this year as we have seen bigger bears...

[strutnrut716]

And finally Monty.... He is the biggest so far and looking to get some more photos of him also. This is the only photo so far.... He may be my target. This is a new bait site this year on public. The spot was found by my neighbor during week 2 of Wi turkey hunting. Neighbor thought he was coming into a secluded spot , in the snow during turkey hunting (mind you), and he saw tracks going past the roost in the snow. He said to himself... "who the heck was in here before me !!! " lol....only to see HUGE bear tracks.... Well, here we are 3 months later giving Monty some cookie dough., etc... (Note, the tipped over stump)

[BassBoysLLP]

Monty looks like a tank!

[stash59]

[strutnrut716]

Things have been going very well this past week. We are on a bait- every- 3- days schedule. And for the past 9 days all baits have been hit ! I'm really starting to see how this bear baiting happens. Two of the mornings of baiting showed: 1. Sow with cubs hit the bait 15 minutes after we loaded it and 2. Sow with cubs hit 12 minutes after we loaded another. So they basically wait till we leave before its breakfast time.

In true beast fashion, I wanted to scout more. Found some absolute giant bear tracks in another spot so today we loaded up a 5th bait. And that should be all we will be doing. Bighunt, it was a tough stump haul but I got it in there and it sure feels great (but I'm sore) !

Below are two of the regular big bears at two of the baits. The first one is Boris, the second might be Boris but if I could see the other side of him I might be able to say its him. We still have at least 5 weeks to go yet !! It sure has been fun..

[BigHunt]

Dude that is a tank!!! Good luck with him