Bear hunt dilemma... pic added

[lightsoutcalls]

I've been hoping to get a chance to bear hunt for over a year.  Last season I put out some molasses on a rotted log on one property to try to see if bears (reportedly in the area over the past years) might work the log.  Due to circumstances beyond my control, I never got to go back and check.  This spring, a guy buying turkey calls from me offered to let me hunt on his 1 acre that backs up to national forest land.  The 1 acre would allow me to bait on his property, where you can't on the forest land.  He also killed a bear weighing in at 560 lbs on this site a few years ago.  Another person took a cinammon phase bear there last year (actually in the forest land) that weighed about 200 lbs.  I checked with him a couple of weeks ago about getting out there.  He said there was some changing of ownership status (his dad and brother apparently bought into the 1 acre?) so he would get back with me.  He called Monday with a statement you never want to hear... "I've got some good news and some bad news".  He said that his grandmother had passed away recently leaving his mother a substantial sum of money.  Mom offered to pay for a modular cabin and have it moved in if he would bulldoze an area for a slab.  He said "you're welcome to come up and hunt, but they will probably be running a dozer and moving the cabin in around that same time."  (I can hear that little "pac-man" dying sound...)  He says there are a couple of ponds on the forest land that hold water year round, and would likely be a good place to hunt even without bait.  He then proceeds to tell me I need to have 5 or 6 people on standby to help me get a bear out of the woods, as the terrain is quite steep, and suggests trying to find someone with a mule (4 legged kind).  O.k.  I've all but given up on this place.  I have never set foot on it, and it is about 2 hours away, so weekends are my only option of going to set up a camera and then hunting.

I got to thinking....  I knew another guy about an hour away (in a different direction) that has land where he has seen bears in years past.  I haven't talked to him in a year or two, but have a good relationship with him, as I have hunted with him before and had connections with him through bands, church, etc.  I have hunted his place (60 acres surrounded on 3 sides by national forest) and am somewhat familiar with parts of the property.  I call him up last night.  After chatting awhile and catching up on folks we both know, I ask if he has seen any bears lately on his place.  He says he and his wife have seen a momma bear with 2 cubs (uh,oh) and then saw another cub wandering by himself down the road.  He goes on to tell me that his neighbor has mentioned seeing more bears near a creek on the property in a place that is pretty secluded.  This guy charges a handful of folks $150 a year to hunt on his place and use a 1 room cabin with electricity (no running water).  This helps out with his property taxes and helps with getting the area around the cabin brush-hogged as needed.  He said he might let me cut some wood for him in partial trade... which made the $$ end a bit easier.  NOW, there are multiple areas to set up a bait barrel (which I haven't started making yet), 2 of these areas are within a hundred yards or so of his house.  Bears are used to some human scent just from him being out on his property, riding his 4 wheeler around, etc.  He lives on a ridge that drops off in benches on either side of the ridge.  His closest neighbor one direction is about 500 yards.  The closest the other direction is about 1/2 mile, so it is fairly secluded.  As we talk about options of where to set up the bait, he says, "oh, yeah... the other day my wife saw a mountain lion out by the mailbox.  I didn't see it, but the next morning I found tracks out in the soft sandy soil by the mailbox."    (sound of screaching brakes)  Suddenly the possibility of an archery bear hunt takes on a whole different level of danger.  
  Archery bear season starts October 1st.  I can get a barrel together by the weekend... likely...  I have my trail camera box coming this week, so I could at the least get a camera out this weekend.  I could bait this place as much as I want or with anything I can get my hands on.  I have some familiarity with the lay of his land.  As for the cats... the official Arkansas Game and Fish Commission statement is that wild mountain lions don't exist in Arkansas.  That's all I'm going to say about that.    

Sooo, what would you do in my shoes?  

Here's a google earth pic of the road to his house -


He owns a part of the valley on the left sideof the road, which connects with national forest.  He also owns to the right of the road, which connects with national forest.  The valley on the left side drops about 200 feet to the bottom via benches.  The right side of the road is not quite as steep.

[honker22]

What's the dilemma? It sounds like you are going to bait, set up cams, and hunt on this property.   

[redarrow]

Sounds like a plan. Don't worry about the cat unless you plan on using meat as bait.Bread,donuts,marsmallows,chocolates,and raspberry pie filling are the ticket around here They love peanut butter too.Dont overdo the baiting either. The more they eat the less they will show up for seconds.

[lightsoutcalls]

What's the dilemma? It sounds like you are going to bait, set up cams, and hunt on this property.   

I'm leaning that way.  It's just that my plans since spring were to hunt the other property.  All of a sudden I have that option pretty much thrown out the window and try to re-focus in a matter of a couple of weeks.  I will be more comfortable on this place, as I have hunted it before and my buddy's place is right there to use as a camp to stay for several days if I like.  Then throw in the risk of the "non-esixtent" mountain lions...  
Maybe my brain works differently than others, but I like to plan what I can.  When the bottom drops out I have to scramble and hope I can make the best of it.   The other guy has actually killed a large bear on his place.  This friend has never bear hunted, but has seen bears on his property.  

[lightsoutcalls]

Sounds like a plan. Don't worry about the cat unless you plan on using meat as bait.Bread,donuts,marsmallows,chocolates,and raspberry pie filling are the ticket around here They love peanut butter too.Dont overdo the baiting either. The more they eat the less they will show up for seconds.

As far out as it is, and due to my work schedule, I will likely be putting the bait out about 10 days before season, then going back a couple of days before to check trail camera and top off bait.  I'm picking the brain of a local guy that has founded the Arkansas Black Bear Association.  He said he is familiar with the area I'm now looking to hunt and said it should be a good place to bait.

[redarrow]

I would suggest that you have someone you trust bait it for you on a daily basis and at the same time. Nobody else allowed near the bait station.This person could also switch scan discs and let you know what he finds.The secret seems to be a steady supply of food and very little human interference.

[lightsoutcalls]

Here's a zoomed out picture of the lay of the land. 


Like my crayon writing?   

I hate to have my buddy bait daily.  I don't like to put people out. The guy with ABBA (Ark. Black Bear Asc.) suggested putting out a barrel just over a week ahead as I mentioned.  He actually lives within an hour from this place and has hunted bears in this part of AR for a number of years.  I'm using a 4 GB memory card, so hopefully it will hold quite a few pictures. 

[redarrow]

That big ol field looks like a cave drawing of a bear. Good omen maybe.

[LX_Trkyhntr]

I would look the land over and put the bait where you see the most sign, but only put out 1 bait station.  60 acres of land is not near big enough to have two different baits being run.  if you have multiple bait stations that close together the same bear will be possibly hitting both.  Then you run the risk of them hitting the opposite bait while you are on stand.

Good luck

[lightsoutcalls]

I will only be running one bait site.  I don't have the funds or time to do more.  The landowner told me about hearing bears fighting (growling and such) in a paw-paw patch below his house when the fruit was dropping.  I'm thinking that will be my starting place of spots to check out.

[LX_Trkyhntr]

The place that we hunt has paw paws on it too!  They don't last long on the ground!  Don't forget to look for logs that have been torn up and flipped over rocks, those are both good signs too.

[barry]

Is that some clearcut in the bottom right of your 2nd photo. If it is and it's thick, could be a good bedding area. Appears to be a road down to the edge it.
Good luck.
Also something bear love...apples with powdered jello sprinkled on them. Cut apples in half and sprinkle jello on meat of the apple. Trust me.