Honey Burn for Bears

[DRAFTSTUD]

This morning I was cheating on Big Fin and was watching a Bear hunting show where the guide put together a Honey Burn. I was cuious about this, because Bears were coming to the cloud of smoke from the small fire. One Bear was actually shot standing over the small fire. Has anyone done this and is it concidered Baiting? John

 

[5jumpchump]

Can't speak for all states but in WA it is considered baiting.

 

[Calvin]

Was that on Ted Nugents show?

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

No it was not on Ted's. Don't watch him as a rule. Just seemed neat. John

 

[Calvin]

Roger that. I saw the Nuge was up in my neck of the woods (POW) bow hunting Black Bears off of the Simms boat, in an episode I watched yesterday. They were burning something to attract the bears. They got some decent boars to come in to whatever they were burning. Looked a heck of a lot easier than hauling in a barrel and a case of donuts.

 

[greatbasin]

Honey burns are way over rated and there are better, more efficient ways to scent a bait site.

 

[MTBackcountry]

We have used them in the past at our bait sites..I did not see enough results to warrant it's use again.

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

My thinking was if I am hunting an area where I show up 2 days before the season opens would it help in a place I have not been hauling Donuts for a month before season. Thanks for the replys. John

 

[TLC]

absolutely. have brought in bears within minutes, literally, when using a honey burn. kindling, green pine tree boughs covered in honey. last years minnesota bear came in within 20 minutes of the burn going out.

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

Guess which answer I liked the Best! LOL John

 

[Moosie]

Honey burns are way over rated and there are better, more efficient ways to scent a bait site.

That might be true, but they work. I'll have to dig up picture of ours. We did it every year. Whats awesome is when the Honey gets to the Crystalization point and billows smoke up then crystalizes and stops. You scrape out the black residue and continue.

 

[Brock-ID]

Honey burns are way over rated and there are better, more efficient ways to scent a bait site.

I agree that there are better ways to scent a bait site.

I don't use them until the bait is getting low and almost out, then they are a bit more effective. The only other time I use them will be the last night I sit on a bait, at that point I will pull out every trick I can to bring a bear into the site.

One thing to remember is that the bears are generally close to the site, when you go in and change something it can have a couple of consequences. One, they are hungry and curious and want to see what they are smelling and want to eat. The other is they know that something has changed and they know that whatever changed it could be close and they might wait till after shooting hours to come in and investigate. To sum it up I think it depends on how hungry, how much hunting pressure is at the site and how many bears you have at the site.

 

[Moosie]

Brock, If you honey burn each time you go in they know that you jsut dumped "grubbage" for them, then it's not a "new" smell.

The best way we found (Still theory but we do it all the time) is to dump Grease all around the site. Maybe a "GREASE PIT" (if you will) so the bears walk through it and then when they walk away it drags the scent out from the site. BEars can smell for miles and when you can get a trail that leads back to your place you're golden.

Brocks right though, If you are in an area that has alot of baiters then it's hard to get them to stay loyal to your place is tough. If there is alot of competition, they will just make the rounds.

 

[MTBackcountry]

Just turned on the Outdoor Channel. Game Chasers is on and they just killed a bear in Idaho over a burn, not sure if ti was honey or not.

 

[Brock-ID]

Brock, If you honey burn each time you go in they know that you jsut dumped "grubbage" for them, then it's not a "new" smell.QUOTE]

Do you use a honey burn every time you go in? Do you haul bait in every trip? If you do I think that is a great way to set up a bear, especially if you use the two in and one out method.

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

Just turned on the Outdoor Channel. Game Chasers is on and they just killed a bear in Idaho over a burn, not sure if ti was honey or not.

Was that the episode where he shot a Brown phase over the flames? If so this was what got my curiousity up on this. John

 

[mconway951]

They do work and in MN it isnt considered baiting unless you leave it unattended in the boundry waters baiting isnt allowed but you can do a honey burn as long as you take everything our with you. I have found that bear crack works better it is just maple syrup sugar rasberry jello and marshmellows mixed together and slowly boil it it will start to smoke and smells really good

 

[Moosie]

Brock, We do bring in grub each time. (Not always the burn though) I used to be the MASTER baiter, but I've slowed down a bit. Been too busy

I know guys that would ring a BELL each time they came in. They claimed it worked well. Others had someone drop them off with a 4-wheeler. sometimes the bears would sneak in before the wheeler was out of sound distance.

 

[Moosie]

bear crack works better

Is that Cam's recipie ?

We do hang marshmellows on the tree. It's fun to watch the bears come in and pick them off. They probably wonder why it doesn't bloom every year though

 

[mconway951]

Is that Cam's recipie ?

Yup thats where I got it from I dont do the bacon part I just burn it for a long time and then pour over popcorn thats what got my yogi this fall