This is a shot taken from the bait showing the treestand I sat for this hunt. 25 yards from the bait, 24 ft off the ground. It is a very nice bait site, but really set up for a left handed archer. I made a couple of practice shots right off. By standing and facing the tree and putting my boot on the outer edge of the platform and leaning away from the tree I could draw my bow and shoot. Kind of a contortionist manuever but I could shoot. I didn't want to make a lot of noise and reset that platform. There was a large branch in the way and the stand couldn't be set up any other way.
This is a really pretty place to start with. When the fog starts falling down the mountain it becomes even more special. This was taken from the treestand. The mountains may not be as tall as they are in Wyoming or Colorado but they are steep here.
The first night on the bait there was no action. It was hot, mid to upper 80's and that may have put a damper on the bear action.
Second night on the bait it rained steadily all evening. At dark there was a bear on the bait. He seemed very nervous. He took a couple of bits and left. He was either a very dark red or chocolate or black bear. He was soaking wet and hard to judge for size. I have taken several black phase black bears and did not want to shoot another one unless it was a big old pumpkinhead bear. It would be nice to have had more daylight to judge this bear, but as it is, when the light is gone I cannot shoot well enough to loose an arrow at a bear that I may have to track down.
Wednesday night, more rain and the bait was hit hard, cleaned out. No bears seen.
Thursday night, was very windy, bait was not hit, undisturbed. We wait until the wind shifts before heading up the mountain to set on the bait. I got off to a late sit because the wind would not change. Did not matter, had some sprinkles but no bear.
Friday night, last night of the hunt. When I get to the bait it has already been hit pretty good. I settle into my stand and not 5 minutes later a bear comes in from behind me on the very trail I came in on. It is a pretty brown bear with blond body hairs. I have been lucky to shoot several black bears and 2 blonde phase bears but I don't have one of this color.
This is a picture of the bait with the bear on it. This is not a very big bear, I have certainly killed many that are larger. I study this bear for at least an hour debating on whether to shoot or not. I decide that it is bigger than a year and a half weanling cub and fair game. There is a very large chocolate phase bear that has been seen on this bait and I am waiting for a bigger bear to push this little guy off the bait. The bear eats and then lays down under a spruce tree about 5 yards off the bait. There have to be several bears hitting this bait to clean it out overnight, this bear cannot eat that much.
Topic: Idaho bear hunt 2008 (Read 3675 times)
