Best chance at a black bear

[ELKOHOLIC]

I know this is up for debate, but I would like everyones opinion. I have a Manti South bear tag. I planned on baiting. Since then someone offered to run his dogs for me. What gives you the best chance at a good bear? Running a good bait site or using hounds?

 

[foundation]

Thats a good question , and I'm also curious to see what other people think .

In Idaho I have hunted booth methods with dogs and bait , and my prefrence is using bait . The hound pursuit was fun , but it was kind of frustrating after a few chases with smaller bears . Maybe the houndsman I was with didn't know all the ins and outs of the deal , but we where hunting dry ground and I couldn't see any tracks , we where just going off the dogs noses and if they indicated ( I think its called striking ) on a bear .

Also after the fun of chasing after the hounds its kind of anti climatic shooting the bear out of a tree , now of course that is just my opinion . I guess one thing I would check with the guy who has hounds is the question , will he run a few bears for you if your not happy with the bear in the tree . I know its expensive to keep and run those dogs , but I would be kind of bummed if I went out and the houndsman only wanted to run one bear and he wanted me to shoot it , if I really didn't want it .

The thing about baiting is you can have several bears hitting your bait , and you can be picky . I also like the fact I fell more involved with the hunt , and like I have really done some thing or earned the bear when I'm baiting .

My experience has all been in Idaho where we have baits that are well established so I'm not sure how many different bears you would have on a Utah bait .

You have a tough call to make on how you want your hunt to play out .

 

[BCBOY]

For a good bear, spot and stalk all the way.

 

[kilowatt]

Ask Eelgrass about Prince Wales Island in Canada, got a lot of bears there.

Brian
http://i25.tinypic.com/fxbjgy.jpg[/IMG]

 

[hound_hunter]

If he's a real inexperienced houndsman (like myself) you could spend your whole hunt chasing lost hounds that went after every animal on the mountain except bear. For someone like you who doesn't care about teaching and taking care of those dogs, I imagine that would end up being pretty frustrating for you. Since baits are static I would think you've got a better chance at seeing MORE bear with hounds, but I know nothing about baiting and like someone already said hounds don't care about how big a bear they trail, they're just chasing the scent. But you're not gonna find a houndsman that isn't happy to turn down small bears; it gives him an excuse to keep running his dogs and it's in his best interest to keep Utah's bear population/genetics up.

Like I said, I know absolutely nothing about baiting. I don't know how, where, with what, or the laws for doing it. But just an idea for you to think about the possibility of - set some baits out with trail cams, if nothings coming in that interests you take that guy up on the hound offer. Or if it's illegal to leave baits out overnight just try some baits a couple times when the houndsman can't go out and if you're not enjoying it set the hounds loose.

Good luck, make sure to post the results when you make it out!

 

[Ike]

If a person is after a large boar then you're often damn if you do and damn if you don't.

Explanation: No doubt that baiting done by someone in the know will suck most of the bears into an area in the spring, but the fall is tougher I'm told especially on a good mass crop year with berries and acorns. There are several guys on here that have baited for years in Idaho and/or Colorado back when it was legal and they could probably help you out.

What I've seen as a hound hunter is often times the bait hunters get a good bear coming in at night and never get to drop the bowstring on it. Likewise, us houndsmen come along and can't find the better tracks because those bears are sucked into a hole near those baits. Therefore, I'd say it's a shot in the dark with either method (either a person can't shoot the bear at night with a bow or the hounddogger can't find that brute track!

I've spent a ton of time rigging bears for clients and then getting out and finding the track for them. The ones that want a brute boar (or record book size) have to either get lucky or spend lots of time. Often the track when found is too old to run and a guy has just spent five or six days working his butt off for nothing.........

Good luck on your choice and I hope you have a fun hunt...

Ike
http://www.ingramwildlife.com/picture.htm

 

[Stoked24_7]

I would try and do both. My one buddy baits and then if he has a good bear hitting his bait and its not showing when he can get it over the bait he will dump his dogs on it and run it.

 

[eelgrass]

I'm not much into bears, but I had the honor years ago to hunt with a guy who had hounds. We were after bobcats mostly. His hounds wouldn't run deer. At least the ones that lived very long. He was too old at that time to chase bears. Judging from my experience I would hire a good houndsman and give it a try, especially if you've never done it before. Even if you walk away after the bear is treed. The thrill is the chase IMO.

Baiting bears is a good way too if you have the patience. Spot and stalk like Dana said too. Do it all.

Eel

 

[ELKOHOLIC]

I had a chance to see the dogs in action. They definately know what they are doing, but the bear kicked our butt that day. It was fun to see them in action. I have no doubt they could get it done.

This will be my first bear hunt so it may just be a trial and error type of thing to figure out whats most effective. I've gotton a lot of advice and tips so I will give it my best shot.

 

[Silentstalker]

I would set your 2 bait stations and see what you get coming in. If you have little success do the hound hunt. Just remember you can not run bears off baits in Utah.

Good luck! I hunted and shot a bear a few years ago over bait and it was a ton of fun baiting and checking the cameras. Experience of a life time having that bear try to visit me in my pop up blind. Someday I would love to do a hound hunt too.

Either way enjoy it and post pics when you get your bear!