bear baiting gong well

[BALLZ]

Early in june i started baiting up in bancroft,about once a week sometimes i wouldn't get there for two but it keep getting hit. In the last three weeks i have been the 4 times and bought one of thoughs cheap stelth cams $59 with a $14 started kit. I have now fulled two rolls of film all of bear picks. the last time i went my camera was swated off the tree it was open and have the battires were out. i had a claw or tooth mark in the motion sensor. but i tested it and it still works. not knowing if the film was full i brought in in and there were 29 picks of bears tearing my bait apart it was very cool, the last pick was a close up of about 3 inches i think that the one that pissed him off enough to tear it down.
My question are how do i get them in earlier, 75% of my picks are around 10:00 pm the rest are even later. I cant hunt during those hours.
is there any way of getting them in earlier in the day. my other problem is the size of the bear i have lots of pics of a 175lb to 200lb male but i was hoping on something bigger and the rest of the pics is of a big sow with atlest one cub that i can see, i have no intensions of shooting her in my eyes thats not right. is there any way of getting rid of her to let so other maybe bigger one in. I'm using my 175lb exocet and i'm set up 14 yards away about 15 feet up.
any thoughts or ideas would be great.
Thanks BALLZ

[Big John]

Ballz:

There are many big brutes up north, odds are you will see one appear in your camera. But everyone should remember that a 200 to 250 lb, Bear is the norm for Blackie's. Many bigger ones have been taken and will continue, but they are above the norm. If that is the size available I would say take them. If a bigger one comes around it's a bonus. As to getting them to hit earlier, IMO, it's to hot still. Come the end of August they will start to hit a bit earlier and so on.

John

[chris4570]

Some bears just won't hit the bait until well after dark. They have learned something along the way.

A couple years ago a friend and I had two bait piles set out. One site had a bear that would come in while still light out. The other had activity as well but would only be hit well after dark.

The bear that came in while still light did not present me with a shot(the first evening I saw him). He was on edge from my scent being in the area. But he eventually sat down in front of the bait barrel. That left me with a bear I didn't want to spook while getting out of my stand in total darkness. He did spook. He didn't show the next evening while light, but did show up the following day with plenty of light left.

I think it just depends on the bear and what experiences they have had along the way, and the lessons they learned as cubs. If you can, set up another bait pile, a ways from this one and see what happens. It's not too late!

[Nudo7]

I have never hunted or seen a bear for that matter, but I bet their feeding patterns are like deer. This time of year is much hotter and the days are very long. I bet the closer to winter and the cooler weather gets, there feeding patterns will change just as deer do. Just something to think about. Good luck.

[Mark]

The heat is a big factor, and the distance to where he beds, you may want to doctor the bait.....try and get him hooked on something he really likes, small portions to start with and make plenty controlled noise when you bait.....ring the dinner bell and be consistantly on time. Get him used to your movements and as it gets cooler and more bears begin to move in on that bait he should become a little more agressive and be easier to kill in good light.


Mark

[BALLZ]

thanks for the advice guys, i guess i thought all the hard work i put in the spot was going to be a waste if i cant get them earlier but i think the cold wheather will bring them in earlier to thanks for the advice
Ballz