Site Selection

When planning for a bear bait site there are a few criteria you should consider: cover, water and stand positioning. The first and foremost is a lot of cover. The animal needs to feel safe coming to and from the bait site. Especially in broad day light. The cover should allow for the animal to cool off if possible. One such place is a nice cedar swamp or tall grass in some low laying poplars. The lower the land the better. If the cover is good enough they might even wait there for their next meal. Water is the second most important for a bait site. It is hot in September and a big game animals need to cool themselves. Any sort of water source is a plus. It does not have to be right on top of the bait site. Just as long as it is in the general area. Who wouldn't want a nice drink of water after a salty or sugary meal. The final and least important of the three is stand positioning. The reason I say least important is because there are a variety of stands available and positioning the stand should be relatively easy because of it. A few examples are ladder stands, ladder stand blinds, climber stands, hanger stands, climbing sticks, ground blinds and even a natural ground blind with a stool. Just be careful to try to get the wind right.

Blank Canvas

April is a very good time in Minnesota to get out and scout for future bear hunting sites. The grass and light brush are all flat to the ground from the winter’s heavy snow. The trees are just starting to bud in the central part of the state. The wood ticks and other insects are dormant. All the deer and other trails are completely visible. Plus you can get a really good feel for the lay of the land. It is easy to figure out where all the evergreens and low land are for cool cover and where the water is without the leafs blocking the view. Taking all of this in before you make that shot with your bow or rifle this fall is going to help out a great deal. Not to mention it is going to make tracking your trophy a lot easier. One other benefit is to plan on how you intend to retrieve your trophy and not damage the land or without too much hardship on your part. If the stand is setup in August the hunter will have no idea what is back in that heavy cover, what are the possible directions the animals are going to be coming in to the bait, wind direction, and stand placement may not be correct. Having this mental picture of the blank canvas in your head is surprisingly helpful come fall. Don’t hesitate to bring a camera with to snap a few photos for reference.

Draw Length

You can determine your draw length by dividing your wing span by two and a half. Spread your arms out perpendicular to your body and measure from finger tip to finger tip. Do not stretch. Have someone help you measure. This will give you an accurate draw length for your size.

Inventions

I am interested in developing an invention for the outdoor sports. What is the process to protect your idea(s) and what fees are associated with patenting the idea?