DNR uses cuddeback

[DeerCamp]

While hunting bear this weekend in Escanaba Mi, I was doing some scouting. On my way out of the woods about 10 feet from the road I came across a bait pile of corn. I looked around and found the brand new cuddeback up on a tree NOT locked up. So I peaked around and noticed a sticker on it the camera. "It said Missouri Departmenet of Conservation." I was kinda puzzled, so I peaked around the other corner of the tree and a note had been nailed to the tree saying this was from the MIDNR and that they were using this camera as a study for preditors. I thought that was kind of funny.. Anyway it had a phone number to call if I wanted to find out more info about these. I called it, and one can volenteer to do these studys for the DNR. I thought that was kinda cool to.. Itd be a neat way to see whats in your area with out having to buy a camera. Pretty neat stuff!

[HoneyHole]

Sounds cool. What's the number? PM me if you don't feel good about posting it. 

[smitty]

So the dnr is looking for predators eating corn?  I bet if the "trolls" (ha,ha just kidding guy's) find out about this there will be a lot of coyot hunters south of the bridge.  Man, Im from wallace, about 40 min. south of there.  PM me if you wanna scout down here sometime.

[DeerCamp]

lol ya..the "trolls" wouldnt be to happy about that lol.. Smitty, what area are you in? Carney? Ive got a bear tag for Carney, and havent been having much luck at all! You know of anywhere I could go or do different?Seems to me they are just hitting my bait at night.. then they stoped and havent been coming to the bait at all.. I had 207 pics, and only 3 where in the day time.

[DeerCamp]

Ill go back up this week and get you the number. I dont have it anymore,but Ill get ahold of someone for ya.

[smitty]

I had the same thing happen to me, I had about a 250 lb. bear in and he just disappeared.  Ive been told the bears will take off around this time of year to hit natural food sources.  I was using cheap cat food, rasberry, and molasses.    Anything sweet.  Do you cover your bait with heavy logs or something to keep the coons out.
Anyway, yeah Im in the Carney area,  and probably 22 miles south of the town of carney.

[DeerCamp]

Very nice bait..Yes Im using cakes, donuts,jellys all the good stuff.. Yay Im using stuff to cover it up to keep other animals out. I had one come in Sat night, right at dark.. However it was to dark to pull of a clean shot, so I did not take it.

[DeerCamp]

I went back and the camera was gone. I ran into a guy out there who called the number ( he didnt have it anymore either) but he said he called in to complain about the bait pile. He said the next day the bait and the camera were gone. My best bet would be just to call your local dnr station and ask them if they have any kind of program like that.

[Bigfoot]

so 10 feet from the road is a pile of corn??? i hope this is a road that no one ever uses.........that just screams problems from the very begining.......one would think they could get it away from the road more than 10 feet.....SHEESH

[smitty]

Yeah its tough to pick out a spot to hit a bear when its getting dark in the swamp.  Its hard to get them to come out early enough with any regularity.  I wonder if smoked bacon or something extra would be enough to get them to come out a few minutes earlier when your hunting.