What scents are bears attracted to?

Bears are attracted to anything that smells; it doesn't even need to smell good. Garbage, compost piles, dirty diapers, pizza boxes, empty beverage cans…to a hungry black bear, it all smells like something good to eat.
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Are bears attracted to fragrance?

Lotions, deodorants, scented soaps and perfumes are all going to pique the attention of your not-so-friendly neighborhood grizzly or black bear.
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What smell do bears not like?

Bears also dislike the strong scent of pine-based cleaners, but avoid using anything with a fresh, lemony or fruity smell. And never mix bleach and ammonia; the combination produces fumes that can be deadly to both people and bears.
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Are bears attracted to the smell of vinegar?

Answer: Here's the short answer: It ain't likely. Here's more: Black bears have actually run away when sprayed with vinegar.
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What scents attract black bears?

Bears are attracted to anything that smells; it doesn't even need to smell good. Garbage, compost piles, dirty diapers, pizza boxes, empty beverage cans…to a hungry black bear, it all smells like something good to eat.
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Scents that Attract Bears



What is the best bear attractant?

#3 Bait. Black bears eat just about anything, but favourite foods include pastries, popcorn, bread, oats, meat scraps, candy and beavers. You also need a strong odour—the more horrific, the better. Gillet pours buckets of decomposed fish guts around the site to get it “heated up.”
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How do you get a bear to come during the day?

Using something that the bears just go crazy for will be the main factor in getting those bears to feed during the daylight. Just like humans, when we crave something or have a favorite food we will do anything to get our hands 0n it! Satisfy their cravings and they'll be camping on the bait sites.
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Does anise oil attract bears?

Mayans Secret Anise Essential Oil is the best bear attractant and thus, it will call bears into your kill zone without hesitation. The smell of Anise Oil to a bear is like, blood to a shark.
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Do bear like peppermint?

Most bears love the smell of mint. If you go on a camping trip in many state parks, the wardens will tell you not to keep mint toothpaste or mint gum in your tent because the bears will smell it and go after it. The bear's craving for mint can be used to your advantage.
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Does citronella attract bears?

Citronella products have a strong scent that may attract bears. Don't burn citronella candles in camp. Pack out all garbage and trash.
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Does human urine attract bears?

Pee Where You Sleep

If you've ever smelled coffee, alcohol, or yesterday's beetroot salad in your urine, bears can smell every donut and drip of hot sauce you've eaten from miles away. There's no understanding why, but bears ogle over human piss. Pee away from camp.
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Are bears attracted to the smell of coffee?

Why coffee grounds? Since the bears have a strong sense of smell, such a pungent treat is extremely attractive and stimulating to them. The bears roll around in coffee grounds like a cat in catnip!
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Can bears smell soap?

Toiletries. “Treat odorous products such as soap, toothpaste, fuel products, suntan lotion, and bug spray in the same manner as food,” recommends the Grand Teton National Park, where bears are especially prevalent. Cosmetic items that emit odors are just as likely as your groceries to attract bears.
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Can bears smell shampoo?

Do not apply anything "smelly" like sunscreen, deodorant, or shampoo within two hours of turning in for the night, because you don't want bears to be attracted to the smell of your body. You should sleep inside a tent or car, not out in the open. Most importantly, do not keep any food where you sleep.
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How long does it take for bears to find bait?

The 30-day Bait

This gives ample time for scent trails to be laid by other bears and for roaming bruins to find it. Over the course of four weeks, you'll see bears come and go. In the areas I bait, sometimes it takes a while for them to find a bait, and this time frame assures that you'll have bears.
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Why do bears stop hitting baits?

Not baiting often enough

The bears know where the baits are, and if they come to your bait and aren't rewarded with food, you may lose them to another bait site and their skin will be on someone else's wall. I will bait just frequently enough to make sure that there is always bait at the site when a bear comes.
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Do bears like peanut butter?

“We learned our lesson, bears love peanut butter over honey.” Eating human food can cause bears to become accustomed to being fed.
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Are bears attracted to human poop?

Human waste

Both urine and feces are known to attract bears so it is best to set up the bathroom a little way away from camp and make sure waste is stored in an odor-proof bag where possible.
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Is peanut butter good bear bait?

They gobble it up! Bears also love peanut butter, if you can get it, as well as jams and jellies. A friend uses a mixture of grain, brown sugar, and water, which he mixes in a barrel and allows to ferment a little.
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What color attracts bears?

Join Backpacker

Way back in 2000, we reported on bear behavior scientists in Alaska who determined that bears were more attracted to their yellow-and-blue tents as compared to their camouflage ones. They also figured out in zoo tests that grizzlies can differentiate between colors.
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What attracts bears to your yard?

People often inadvertently lure bears into their landscapes with food ? or just the scent of food. Garbage cans, compost piles, birdfeeders, barbecue grills, campfires and pet food dishes are irresistible to hungry bears, and once a bear finds a food source it will return again and again, looking for more food.
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Does dog poop attract bears?

All food is transferred from bags to metal or plastic storage containers with lids – preferably bear resistant containers. No food bowls are left outside for pets. Bears are attracted to Dog Poop and will often consume it. Keep dog poop cleaned up.
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