Bear Food Plot

[James50]

So I bear hunt TN and you can’t bait there. I am thinking about making a feeding area for bear on some private mountain land. I am thinking some apple trees, maybe some pear trees, and possibly a small corn field in the center of the trees. Has anyone done this before and maybe have some recommendations? Not really wanting to still hunt it but looking to have a place to turn the dogs on.

[Goose]

I’m no bear hunter but if it were me and I had the place to do what you are talking about I’d look into planting trees that produced forage at different times of the year, some nut bearing trees such as certain species of pecans and sawtooth oaks that start producing mast in a few years for fall and early winter forage, along with your fruit trees for summer production, and maybe some wild muscadines if they’ll grow in your area...

[deadmammal]

I do live in your area and I suggest getting off your ass and finding bears to run. Don’t pay any attention to what you see other people doing. There are still some of us that find bears and what they are feeding on and hunt them without cheating to make it easier to have a bear race everyday. Yes, I said cheating! I’ve ran off baits before and it’s quite fun. It’s a great way to get after bear easily! But it is Cheating! It’s not hunting and don’t let anyone tell you any different! It’s running, and great for pups and excercise but it IS NOT HUNTING! Even where it’s legal, BAITING IS NOT HUNTING!

[Goose]

[mrburneisen]

I second the opinion about various nut trees and planning to have what you plant bear fruit from sept-nov. you need to attract them, and keep them coming back. I would recommend getting in touch with your local Cooperative Extension office to recommend specific varieties of trees/plants that will do well in your area. I also recommend examining bear scat. Scat tells a story about what they bears have been choosing to eat, not just what is available and that can help you decide what to plant. Double check with your local/state laws on baiting, when I lived in PA you were not permitted to hunt places 30 after they have been "baited" and they had a very wide definition of what is considered "baiting". If someone put a salt lick out for deer and you got caught within a couple hundred yards of that thing, even if you didn't put it there yourself you were considered hunting on bait and could lose your license over it. The same thing goes for your neighbor's bird feeder, and the dumpster behind the Moose Lodge. You didn't put it there, but it was looked upon as "bait" during bear season and you had to be so many hundred yards away from it.

[deadmammal]

I’m not sure what makes you think I’m beating my chest Goose, seems as though you took a defensive position when I said baiting is cheating. I have a family and other priorities just like you. I don’t however, use bait to take the work out of finding a bear to run. Be careful insinuating who is causing the decline in hound hunting, you might find a familiar face looking back in the mirror! If men were hunters like the men before us we wouldn’t be having this disagreement, it’s the tolerant nature so many have adopted that give hound hunting a bad name. I can’t tree a bear every day or even guarantee you a race. I don’t believe in packing dogs or riding around in a truck using a radio to have buddies help me tree a bear either. I’m not suggesting you change anything about what you do, nor am I saying I’m better than you or have anything better in my yard. But, to be clear, I am saying BAITING gives us as HUNTERS an UNFAIR ADVANTAGE! No matter how you hunt; still, stand, or hound. Keep telling yourself whatever makes you feel better!

To answer your next argument, yes I use a tracking system and yes I consider it an advantage. I do think that the time and money invested in my dogs warrants the need for it. However, if it were made illegal to use it today, I would keep right on hunting without it. I did before I had tracking equipment and would continue if I couldn’t use it. It’s just much EASIER to hunt or more convenient to use it. I’m afraid most “hunters” in today’s world wouldn’t hunt if they had to put in the work to actually scout and find game to pursue or “HUNT”.

I was giving this guy some sound advice, and the same advice I was given when I was a kid wanting to hunt with the men. They didn’t make it easier on me to follow, or take shortcuts, or cheapen the raw essence of what being a true houndsmen is about. They worked hard scouting year round and showed me what hard work looks like. They worked jobs, had families, and absolutely lived to bear hunt. I know it offends you, but I refuse to bow down and act ashamed for refusing to cheat myself and the animal that I pursue!

[Goose]

[macedonia mule man]

As much wild game as we have in my area there is really no need in baiting or feeding anything. I can put dog in front of my truck anywhere I hunt and have something moving in a short period of time. Can't remember the last time I went that I didn't have a pretty good run. I'm not against baiting or feeding, it's just not necessary where I hunt. The people I bear hunted with didn't bait or feed and we always had good races just striking off box.

[James50]

[deadmammal]

Thank you for your service!

In response to your original question, go for it. You’ll find it requires more time than most can or will be able to give for it to pay off on a consistent basis. Fruit trees need a lot of maintenance to produce reliably, trees that produce enough mast crop to be useful require a long time to develop, some grapes are hardy enough to be left alone but will not produce heavily every year. If you have land that’s big enough to hunt bear with hounds that is private it will be great. I would guess that you do not and the surrounding land is public. Therefore, the bear you are hoping to congregate on your property are going to be pursued coming to and from your oasis!

I wish you the best of luck whatever you do. I hope you succeed. However, my earlier comment will still remain true. You will have more success and a larger area to hunt if you will put in the time to learn your bears. What they are eating, when, and where!

The best thing I ever did was to quit hunting with others and start learning how to find bears and catch them alone. You will learn far more from the dogs and the bear than anyone could ever teach you. Good luck and again, thank you for serving our country!