No bear this year. Dang it.

[4ked Horn]

Well I got the results of the 2005 controlled bear hunt drawing and my number was not one of the lucky winners. My neighbor and his 5 coworkers (that always looks like cow orkers to me) also lost out this year. It is a lousy feeling to not get the draw after all this waiting and preparations.

Well you pays your money and you takes your chances.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank any who have helped me prepare by answering my many questions. I would especially like to thank Ian M for taking the time to send me an informative email that was quite enlightening in the area of putting down bears and with regard to a bullet choice.

Now it is on to rock chucks and ground squirrels and shooting steel and some camping. OH and catching sturgeon. Great big prehistoric sturgeon that can swallow a small child in one mouthfull. OK maybe that last part was a stretch but they are big around here. I'm talking 9+ feet long.

Anyway thanks again everyone.

[CAM]

4ked Horn

I receive letters from Utah and Colorado Stating,
UNSUCCESSFUL

GOOD luck next year, you can't draw if you don't put in.

No need planning untill you actually have a tag, it is just to heart breaking when you plan and get excited then get the UNSUCCESSFUL letter.

They shud call it UNLUCKY instead of UNSUCCESSFUL because UNSUCCESSFUL sounds like you are a complete waste of skin and UNLUCKY only sounds like you didn't get a tag!

Later CAM

[Coyboy]

Not to have a parade on your rain day , but I GOT A BEAR TAG. [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img] It took five years of applying but 2 weeks ago I got it. Here in wisconsin you can bait, or run dogs in two of the three units. My tag is good for the bait only unit. My friend Ben taged a 345# 2 years ago about two miles south of my place on county land. He has about 150 gal. of bait left and said I could come get it anytime.

I've never done the bear bait/hunt thing before so it will be trial by fire.

[4ked Horn]

Congratulations. I have never baited bear but my neighbor (and personal hunting guide) has and I know you will need alot more than 150 gallons of bait to pull in the big ones. My neighbor would drive to the bait area every other day religiously to dump off a pickup bed FULL of expired bakery items and vegies and he would drench it all with gallons of kitchen oil from resturaunts that would give it to him in 5 gallon jugs.

What gun and ammo are you planning on using?

Be sure to take pictures for us.

[sniper2]

A rag soaked with oil of anise or strawberry extract tied in a nearby bush will draw them.

[Coyboy]

4ked, Your right, We are aloud to put out no more than ten gallons of bait at any one site. If it's gone every other day that 150 galons will last a whole month. One of my friends owns a bar/grill and I can get grease from him.

I haven't decided what to arm myself with. Most guys here talk about taking their bows, but it seems like most end up using a gun. I myself will probably decide based on how much activity I'm getting and how close of a set-up I have avalible to me at each individual bait site.

The dog hunters can train their dogs in zone C (my zone) until opening day of season. So it's best if a guy can get in the realy big sections of forest land, where the dog hunters don't like to train. (it's a pain for them to walk 2 miles through marshes and timber to fetch their dogs)

One spot that looks promising for me will require me to canoue in. Which in and of itself could make the whole deal more interesting.

We do have some huge bears hear. 4 years ago my cousin shot a 499lb. boar with his bow that measured 22 and some change. the year before his dad shot a 380lb. Last year a friend shot a 467 lb. about a half hour from here. Last year their were alot of blackberrys and the bears wern't hitting real consistant until latter in the season. the 467lb. was shot on the third consecutive night of coming to Gregs bait. 30-06 35 yards.