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Ryanm

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I belong to a hunting club, last year I had a bait pile for deer and bears started coming in. I bumped the bear off the bait in the dark and a guy saw him at first light opening day of buck weeks. I'm thinking about getting a slug barrel and trying to get a bear. I figure, I'll use a 55 gallon plastic drum and chain it to a tree. Guys drive deer on the club. Should I be looking to bait the thickest stuff possible and look for a spot the drivers don't go? I had my bait out for 3 weeks prior to the season baited once a week mid day. Also bears we're coming in at dark. Here's a few pics any advice is appreciated, also can anyone tell me how bear meat is my property is swamp woods, rivers and corn fields. 400 acres. Nobody bear hunts my property. Also would baiting 3 weeks before the season be alright? I know it sounds stupid but the bears come in easy. Also I live in Hackettstowns anyone know of a good bear butcher and what the price of a rug is? Also should I be hunting from a tree stand at legal distance or hunting from the ground?
 

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Look for the thickest part of your property. ..the swamp you have is ideal. You can bait 3 weeks or more before the season. Having a slug gun is what you want using slugs with rifle sights, peep sights or scope. Bear meat is great eating, price of butchering varies in price as well as taxidermist prices
 
Discussion starter · #3 ·
There's this one spot it's real thick and it has pines and prickers you can barely walk through, when they drive it a lot of guys get turned around and off the drive. They don't drive it usually the first day but I'm willing to bet there's a big bear in there. Just would take forever to drag a bear out of there let alone getting bait in. But if it's the best option I might put my stand right at the edge of the woods and mark off 100 yards and bait it. I don't know how many days I'll get off work but I do know if guys drive it they may push a bear out if I don't get a shot at first light. Also I'll set up a trail camera too. I was looking into horse feed with molasses and corn for bait. Also possibly using Alpha bear bait. Would catching fish and storing it in my chest freezer be good as well? I know there's a lot of coyotes on the property as well.
 
Discussion starter · #4 ·
A lot of times I'll see bear tracks in the winter over mountain edges I hunt for deer but never see the bear, I threw a shoprite bag full of corn out one night and had a small sow come out in January under my stand and lay down on the corn, I had to throw my hand warmers out to get the bear to move a little bit. It was 15 mins left of legal shooting time. Haha
 
If your having trouble getting on a bear message me late fall and you can come kill one by me. Over run and tied of them. But no interest in killing one because don't eat them .
 
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It's tough baiting a spot that is going to be crawling with hunters on the opener the way the season is set up now. Next year if they open it early you will have a better chance with the bait. Corn is good as are donuts, fish or any smelly stuff you want to put out. Cook the meat completely it is like pork. Put it in the thick stuff where the drivers don't go. I skin and butcher my own bears. I took the skin to a taxidermist and he charged me 225 to tan it. It is like a throw rug with the head, feet and claws on.
 
Discussion starter · #12 ·
I hunt right in Budd lake and I still need to find a butcher and a taxidermist that'll do a rug incase I do happen to get one. Any recommendations are appreciated I use Tom the butcher for deer.
 
I hunt right in Budd lake and I still need to find a butcher and a taxidermist that'll do a rug incase I do happen to get one. Any recommendations are appreciated I use Tom the butcher for deer.
Jorge & Son for butchering. Charlie Sahana or John Noon both do great work as do many others, some of whom post here (Charlie is a regular here and John once in a while). Whatever you do, take your bear or any trophy to a respected taxidermist and not some fly by night clown. Way too many horror stories about bad taxidermists on this site and others! Rugs are expensive, but I love the one I had done by John Noon. If I get another, I would likely do a shoulder mount next time.

Even if I had the $$, I wouldn't have a place to put a full body mount. Although my wife would divorce me and I could probably make a couch out of it in the apartment I'd be forced to move to [hihi]
 
Dont over think them. Get in the heart of thick stuff, then leave and find even thicker. last year I hunted state land in far north jersey. My spot required waders to get into and was tear the shirt off your back thick. I started baiting 5 weeks prior verO NOT OVER BAIT it is the mistake many make. Also do not put bait down after noon time unless it is late at night. They will usually show up 4 hours or so after you bait. this year I hunted off a treestand at ground level so I didnt have to stand in the water. Game warden said it was fine as long as I used it as a seat and not for elevation.
 
If the property is driven on the opener, odds are you won't see a bear on the bait beyond first light on that day....By midweek, the bears will return to the bait after the run and gun is done....but if the property is driven daily...no amount of baiting will help
 
cut yourself a small path in and out. do not make it obvious or the drivers will be using it. worry about getting the bear out after you kill one lol.
I hunted Budd lake for many years my cousins own the dairy farm. never saw bears on their property strange as it sounds.
 
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