Has anyone had their gun lube attract an animal on overnight hunts? I use Bumblin Bear Grease on my patches and my gun. I have wondered how smart this is while primitive hunting/camping in grizzly country. I know my dog is drawn to the stuff!
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Bear Grease Attracting Critters?
- Thread starter pab1
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I think your food stuffs would be more of a worry for attracting unwanted guests.
There are a lot of bear in this area (both grizzly & black) so I always hang my food in a tree. I like my gun to be close at hand though. Aside from toothy critters, I'd hate to have a porcupine gnawing on my stock. :shocked2:
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Well I would think your food even though in a tree still will be the main attractant...they just can't get to it hopefully. I would also think you'd have plenty of warning as they would most likely go for the tree first unless your a sound sleeper. :idunno:
I use a bear oil/deer tallow mix that really dosen't smell all that much myself but to a bear I'm sure it smells 100x more. Of course we don't have to worry much about bears here except for the rare wondering blacky once in a while.
I use a bear oil/deer tallow mix that really dosen't smell all that much myself but to a bear I'm sure it smells 100x more. Of course we don't have to worry much about bears here except for the rare wondering blacky once in a while.
I have either mink or bear oil rubbed on or into just about everything. I have, however, never had trouble with big critters (I have the same bears as you here in Idaho).
What I have had trouble with is rodents at night (I suspect mice). Twice I have had leather wangs chewed in two and another time a leather canteen chewed on. The last event was a hole chewed through a small linen sack of tow that I had melted bear oil/beeswax into.
Never no trouble with a rifle gun though, but it and my shooting pouch are always inside my blanket with me at night.
I now tuck away as much gear as I can before turning in for the night rather than leave it just laying out loose on the ground.
Steve
What I have had trouble with is rodents at night (I suspect mice). Twice I have had leather wangs chewed in two and another time a leather canteen chewed on. The last event was a hole chewed through a small linen sack of tow that I had melted bear oil/beeswax into.
Never no trouble with a rifle gun though, but it and my shooting pouch are always inside my blanket with me at night.
I now tuck away as much gear as I can before turning in for the night rather than leave it just laying out loose on the ground.
Steve
Pete Gaimari
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Any of you take pine tree branches and ball up the needles to rub all over you for sent control?
My dad taught me that when I was a kid, and i've never stopped doing it. I'm not sure if it works, but I could smell a lot worse than a pine tree. :grin:
My dad taught me that when I was a kid, and i've never stopped doing it. I'm not sure if it works, but I could smell a lot worse than a pine tree. :grin:
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I live in bear country that's about as serious as it can get. Even on the days we don't see bears, we're always seeing tracks. And it's pretty easy to lose a deer and especially elk to a bear.
When camped in the field, especially with meat, you have to use every trick in the book to keep the bears away from it. Trees are good, if there are trees.
But even without meat in or near camp, you gotta watch yourself and everyone on hand. Dish washing right after each meal, no burning trash in the fire pit (it never burns completely), food stored in scent-proof containers, and bloody clothes (including boots) sealed in plastic bags overnight. Heck, they'll even eat bar soap and love nothing better than motor oil, even on outboards and running down the side of parked airplanes.
But ball lube? Never heard of it and never worried about it. I could see you losing a shooting bag if you left it laying around overnight, but I don't do that anyway.
And it's not that they won't eat bear grease out of some kind of loyalty. I heard of a bear killed and skinned not far from the house, and went over there the next day to collect some fat. Ha! Fat chance! Less than 24 hours after the kill there was nothing left but oily grass and scattered bones.
When camped in the field, especially with meat, you have to use every trick in the book to keep the bears away from it. Trees are good, if there are trees.
But even without meat in or near camp, you gotta watch yourself and everyone on hand. Dish washing right after each meal, no burning trash in the fire pit (it never burns completely), food stored in scent-proof containers, and bloody clothes (including boots) sealed in plastic bags overnight. Heck, they'll even eat bar soap and love nothing better than motor oil, even on outboards and running down the side of parked airplanes.
But ball lube? Never heard of it and never worried about it. I could see you losing a shooting bag if you left it laying around overnight, but I don't do that anyway.
And it's not that they won't eat bear grease out of some kind of loyalty. I heard of a bear killed and skinned not far from the house, and went over there the next day to collect some fat. Ha! Fat chance! Less than 24 hours after the kill there was nothing left but oily grass and scattered bones.
Kentuckywindage
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only "animals" i have issues with are Bee's when i am using bore butter on my patches. Those suckers swarm me. :surrender:
