Bear baiting season

I should have mentioned this sooner, but better late than never! April 15th marked the opening of the bear baiting season here in Southcentral. In Game Management Units (GMU’s) 14A, 14B, and 16, the “early” season runs from April 15th to June 30. Unit 16 has a later season which begins on July 1st and runs through October 15th.

So, how does one go about getting into bear baiting? First, decide what type of hunting tool you plan to use and get the appropriate hunter education certification for that tool before you go hunting. Then take an ADF&G approved bear baiting clinic and have the certificate on your person while you hunt. Second, you must register your bait station (up to two allowed per hunter) with ADF&G. You must be at least 18 years old to register a bait station and provide the department with a specific description of the location of the bait site (ideally, GPS coordinates).

There are several places where you can’t register a bait site. Check the current hunting regulations for a listing of distances (usually at least one mile from cabins, etc.) and places where there are restrictions. You must post a sign indicating there is a bait station in the vicinity. This sign must contain your hunting license number and the hunting permit number issued by ADF&G. The department also likes to keep the bait stations spread out over an area, usually no closer than one mile from the nearest station.

The regulations contain a section about what is legal bait to use if you are planning to use animal or fish parts. All bait, litter, and equipment must be removed from the bait site when hunting is completed, or the season is over. This includes all attractants including scent lures. “Equipment” here means barrels, tree stands, game cameras, and other items associated with the baiting activity.

In GMUs 14A, 14B, and 16, brown/grizzly bears may be taken over a bait site but all seasons, bag limits, salvage, and sealing requirements (including locking tags and registration permits, if required) for brown/grizzly bears must be followed. For the period from Jan. 1st to May 31st, salvage requirements in GMUs 14A, 14B, and 16 for black bears specify that the skull, the meat, and the hide must be salvaged. Proof of sex must remain naturally attached to the hide.

These are some of the highlights of the bear baiting regulations. You should pick up a copy of the current hunting regulations and thoroughly read the complete section on bear baiting, which takes up a few pages in the regulations booklet. It’s not rocket science, but there are many details the hunter needs to know to avoid any legal problems.

I haven’t baited in several years. I had a site on the west side of the Susitna River that required a boat to access. In a normal year, I couldn’t get into the site until well after the April 15th opening and never did get a shot at a bear. This was before brown/grizzly bears could be taken over bait and the brownies caused me some problems with destroying a bait barrel and digging up the original site beyond useability. I moved about a quarter mile from that site and set up another station the next year.

When checking the bait one time, I found that a black bear had climbed up into the tree and destroyed my tree stand seat and cushion. Never a dull moment while bear hunting! Be aware that mosquitoes can be horrible this time of year, especially if your bait site is located near water. I used a bug suit and a Thermacell insect repellent unit just to be able to breathe!

The bears hit the bait every year, but never when I was able to get out and watch the bait. One year, a friend and I camped out on the river for a week to watch the bait. Of course, the bear(s) never showed up while we were watching. When we came home, my friend’s wife told him how a black bear had been on their porch trying to get into the garbage. We joked about how the next year we should hunt bears from the comfort of his living room sofa! Of course, that would be illegal.

I have some areas in mind for a new bait site on this side of the river but have yet to identify a specific site to register. Hopefully, next year will finally work out.