Looking for a new bait idea , for a spring bear hunt

[alfoldivandor]

Looking for a new bait idea , for a spring bear hunt .

I am thinking of to cooking a corn meal (cooking grits) with some pork lard salt and sugar little jam.

What is the forum opinion ?

[Birdbuff]

I’m sure it will work, but is it expensive and time consuming? You will need a high quantity of the bait to keep the bears around. It comes down to cost efficiency. I’ve always found bears to have a sweet tooth. Anything sweet smelling will bring them in. Maybe instead of Jam try adding jello powder to the cornmeal. Just my thoughts.

[Species8472]

I am sure it will work. In fact i would probably like that for breakfast - add a side of bacon and i would think i was in Alabama). That being said as BB mentioned seems like a lot of work and probably not the cheapest. Bears are pigs and will eat most anything that is easy, calorie dense and not offensive. Doesn't even need to be sweet.

Last bunch of years i have just used whole corn with the smallest bit of molasses added (Like 100 lbs corn to one pound molasses). Dry whole corn is easy to work with as it pours very easily and does not make a mess. Comes in easy to carry 40 kg bags (88 lbs) at the feed mill and is cheap at the mill (was about $10 a bag pre COVID but around $20 now - still cheap compared to most anything else). I also use a bit of anise extract on a stump as a smell attractant. That method has always worked for me. Last season had 11 different bears on my bait 5 days after putting it out. Too many actually as i was having a hard time keeping up. They were going through 300 lbs a week.

You make something fancy like you are talking about and you will have your work cut out for you to keep up. Type of bait may become more critical i guess if you are in an area with a lot of hunters that are also baiting and creating too many choices. In that case where they have a big menu to chose from they are going to go to what ever they like best and my guess is your concoction would win over whole corn.

[huntnmachine]

We simply use dry dog food and molasses. We pick up 20 KG bags throughout the year when on sale, usually around $22 per bag. Couple bags per barrel and stir in molasses.
Pour some molasses on the logs jamming the hole and good to go. Like Species mention we also spray anise on surrounding tree branches

[FishHog]

lots of hunters seem to spend a lot of effort looking for the right bear bait. Yet everyone does it differently and has success.
I just don't think it matters, just give them enough food to keep them coming in.
My spots are remote, I use popcorn as its light, and with small holes in the drum takes them a long time at the bait to get it all.
I do spray the area with vanilla initially as an attractant.

So yes your plan will work, but I don't think it will work better than many of the other easier methods being used and mentioned above.

[bellerivercrossbowhunter]

100% success rate for spring bears in the last 4 seasons.

In our trickle barrels.
Dry Kool aide
Popcorn
Dog food
Whole feed corn

Outside barrels on trees logs etc...
Molasses
Bacon grease
Fryer grease
Vanilla spray
Northwoods Bear attractant spray

Our baits are usually hit within 24hrs then we hunt 7 days later.

[Sam Menard]

When I set up my trail cameras in the spring, I’ll use commercial Deer Chow from the feed store to draw deer to camera sites. I discovered that bears LOVE the stuff and will devour it. I have pictures of bears literally living next to the feeders 24-7 until they eat it all. I think a 50 pound bag can be had for about $15. If I was into bear hunting, that’s what I would use!
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[longpointer]

An Old Timer told me to use a can of Sterno and a tin from canned tomatoes with bacon grease in it. He swore the smell of hot bacon floating on the wind will drive them crazy.

[trimmer21]

An Old Timer told me to use a can of Sterno and a tin from canned tomatoes with bacon grease in it. He swore the smell of hot bacon floating on the wind will drive them crazy.

A buddy is convinced that simply showing up early before dawn and cooking a big breakfast of bacon,eggs and fried potatoes on the Coleman stove sends enough aroma through the woods to attract any Bears within 2 miles. It works particularly well in the spring when Bears are really hungry. In 5 years using this technique he learned from a Tennessee outfitter,he's only been skunked once.