Bear Bait

Comment

Comment by Maryanne Mesple on May 26, 2011 at 11:13am

Our family would have starved if it were not for wild game on land and in water (in the 50's and some of the 60's). I totally get it, and totally love food!

Comment by Robert P. Meyer Jr. on May 26, 2011 at 10:21am

I agree with you and your friend, Maryanne.  I have been a hunter all of my life, but I don't hunt for the sport of it, I hunt becase I like wild game and for a long time because it fed my family.  As I've grown older I hunt less with a weapon and more with my camera.  I've been blessed to encounter many animals in the wild and I'm always hoping for more.  Glad you like this.

Comment by Maryanne Mesple on May 25, 2011 at 10:26pm

I have a good friend who hunts all the time. He said you know you are an excellent hunter when you get your game in your sites, aim, and CLICK .. take a picture. He said anyone can kill an animal but it takes skill to capture its essence on film (or digitally these days!) Beautiful picture

Comment by Robert P. Meyer Jr. on May 23, 2011 at 9:23am

This is an interesting and disturbing shot.  The Bear Bait is a hollow length of log that is set into the ground and is loaded with various sweet treats that bears crave.  The whiteness around it is usually sand or a light powdery soil that will show their tracks easily.  There are no traps, but this allows the hunters to know that a bear is in the area, what his approximate size is and the bait will keep him coming back.  They hunt the bears with bear dogs that run them through the woods until they tree them and then the hunters come.  They track the chase process by radio collars on the dogs and this allows them to drive or walk to the treed bear's location and depending on the season, the size of the bear and it's condition, they will either leash the dogs and let it be or shoot it.  Personally, I don't call this hunting. Sorry to ruin the Winnie the Pooh analogy, but I tend to take my shots to a different level of commentary.  Perhaps I'm a bit too grim.  I'll try to lighten up. 

Comment by Jodie Ann Christiansen on May 22, 2011 at 11:22am

Bear  bait?    as  in,  winnie the pooh   stuck in there  ,too  ?     thanks

Comment by wiffledust on May 21, 2011 at 8:26am

very cool photo. it's like the forest parted for you to get this shot!