A Utah Bear Hunt

[steadman]

"Like shooting fish in a barrel" " Not sporting" "easy" all words and phrases I've heard about hunting bears over bait. Well if you haven't done it, you definitley wouldn't be saying those words.
My good friend Shane drew a bear tag this year for the spring hunt here in UT wher a few years back I had a very memeroble hunt.
 http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=1;t=060184

So witth high expectations based on the previous few years, plans were made and dates were set for Shane to fly out May 20- the 23rd. Little did we know what Mother Nature was going to throw at us!

[steadman]

This has been a crazy year for weather around the world, and here in UT, we got our share. With record snow falls, I was concerned about the late start i felt the bears would have. But we were hunting! I registered the 2 baits (I thought) and started baiting April 12th.

Bear hunting is the only form I know where you start with a bunch of weight in a pack, hike for 3/4 of a mile up hill, then hike back without the weight  

So off I set baiting the two bait site for close to a month with nothing showing any sign of interest. I was starting to get worried when I still hadn't had a bait hitby May 16th.

On the 17th disaster struck! I was just getting ready to start up the mountain to bait, when a guy stopped and asked if I was bear hunting. In the ensuing conversation I was informed that he thoght my bait was in the wrong location. I thought there is no way as I had registered it on the first possible day, but I would check. He also informed me they had told the F&G Dept. I hadn't recieved a call, but decided to check anyways. I ran back down and told them what was going on. We checked the GPS coordinates and found out that I had mistakenly given them the wrong ones. I was devistated, I asked if I could keep it there, the F&G said I was too close to another bait.

What had happened is when I went scouting, I marked several likely spots on the gps. Then when I decided on one, I gave them the wrong one.
Boy was I bummed!

[steadman]

I had over a months work, gone. I was was sick when I walked to the bait to clean up and move and saw this.

 

 

 

[steadman]

As you can see from the times, the bear was coming in a good half hour before dark, and 3 days in a row. Now I had to move the site with Shane coming in in 4 days. I was really down. Lucky for me, he reminded me that a bear wasn't the most important part of this.

So for the next 4 hours, I busted a trail through the brush with a rag soaked in grease to the new site, hoping.

I also had another plan and regisetered another site after seeing the bait site that I got my bear on, not having a bear touch the bait. I got some bait out quick and hoped some more.

More to come....

[rastaman]

[Over&Under]

Sorry to hear of the mixup Ryan...but I have a feeling it would soon be forgotten  

[Benny Nganabbarru]

Oooh...

[Cyclic-Rivers]

I like the way this story is going.  

[Shinken]

Bring it on Ryan!

This is just startin' to warm up!

   

Shoot straight, Shinken

   

[coaster500]

Bummer!! That's a toad right there!!

I hope he likes the flavor of the bait at your new site better...

Keep at it and I'm staying tuned for sure  


 

[snag]

That's a good hunting buddy..."he reminded me a bear wasn't the most important part of this."

We all mess up once in awhile. There's more bears out there......  

[ksbowman]

Great pictures Ryan! I hope I get a shot at one that size in a few weeks in Canada! He reminds me of the one that charged Todd and I in Utah a couple years ago. Come on with more story, you've got my attention!

[bohuntr]

+1 on what Snag said!  Looking forward to the rest of this!!!

[JimB]

I've been needing a good bear story.Spring was very late coming out here and the bears were very late getting moving.Spring still hasn't made up it's mind if it's going to stay but I know the bears are out in full swing but I'm tied up at least till June 1.

Sorry to hear about all your trouble but hopefully it got you in shape to haul bait into site number 2.

Looks like you have some pretty color phase bears there too.I'm looking forward to the rest of this one as well.

[bsoper]

I'm excited to see how this turns out  :D

[steadman]

So Fri arrives, I head up to Salt Lake to pick Shane up from the airport, in the rain. We head back down to my place to pick up a couple things, in the rain. Then head up to the bait I moved, in the rain. Get the Theme?  :rolleyes:
When we get up to the bait, nothing has been on it. It is too late to go to the new bait, as it's a 2 mile hike in, so Shane elects to sit and hope. After a 4 hour sit, nothing. I was pretty bummed. I was excited to be hunting with a good friend who I don't get to hunt with much, but I couldn't get the depressing feeling to leave. Shane came through again, and we talked for quite a while about the situation.

We decided to head up to the new bait  the next day.This would leave 2 nights to try to get it done. This new bait site is 2 miles in on a four wheeler trail. I had access to a wheeler, but had heard that this was not an established trail. Well after ther fiasco the previous week, we were not about to chance riding up on this trail, even though it was being used constantly. So we loaded our packs, with between 50-70 lbs of gear and food and headed in.

This bait was in a pine filled draw, the north slopes still having 2 ft of snow on them. This is in a really neat place. We hit the ridge and start down to the bait. We get 70 yards away and hear a "WOOF" and a bunch of crashing. I had already been in a dropped a bit of bait off and we already had a bear on it!

[K.S.TRAPPER]

Yeah buddy!! I have been watching and waiting for this one.            

I think I recognize that bear!!    

Tracy

[steadman]

We get the bait out and while Shane puts up the stands, I start a burn. Now this year I am hearing from everyone that they can't get bears on their baits, and now I have had two. The reason for this I think is because evrytime I bait I do a burn. I believe this helps get more scent in the area. My burns consist of honey, then after I burn the honey I burn the "bear crack", a mixture of marshmellows, maple syrup, and raspberry jello. Well Shane took one whiff of that, and commented that it was making him hungry. Before I knew it, out came the granola bars! He wasn't kiddding!

 

 

 

Mabey that was why I couldn't get the bears in more, Shane was eating the bait!

Although I have to admit to trying it myself, and it is pretty tasty!

[steadman]

We get settled and start the process of waiting. Man, for us western guys not accustommed to treestands, waiting can be a hard game.

 

A view from the stand to the bait. This bait site was very entertaining. There were chipmunks everywhere. They would roam around stealing marshmellows I set out, getting into the buckets. It was comical to watch them.

About an hour into the sit, a loud whoosh, sent the chipmunks scattering in all directions as a hawk also made a bid for dinner. That was neat.

 

A view of Shane from my stand.

[Cyclic-Rivers]