All encompassing calling black bears thread (like the old calling tactics and sounds but for bears)

[Newpond0]

There’s a big old thread here that’s fairly thorough but for predators mainly, here’s the link: Calling Tactics and Sounds?

I was hoping to make a similar thread but for calling bears and went thru all the calling bear threads from both lion, bears, and houndsmen and big game hunting sections copy and pasting what I thought were the best posts. If you were to go back you won’t find much more than what I’ve posted in here. All credit goes to those old posters who’ve generously shared their hard won knowledge, thank you.

 

[Newpond0]

I do best on the coast. I use elk with some more emotion. Use my bear call most fawn.had alot of cougars over the years talk to me while calling bears.foxpro has what you want for sounds. Rick

yes redfrog here in washington i bear couger dousnt open till august 1 we have clearcuts and mountains when the blueberrys areout i hunt the clearcuts i listen for log breaking or movement or i hunt the ridges down into canyons thebears feed along them ihave johnny stewart 512 612 with remote i have all the tapes i tried the bearcubs indistress and fawn deer tapes a little no luck i called 2bears in with johnny stewart pc7 the bears are out all day that time of year thinking about cds next i like critter calls great sound dan thompson calls will get killer call next rick

Patncor were in washington are you from im in olympia area i will be in the clearwater area lots of bears and cougars i will be using bearcub in distress deer tapes handcalls i will be using the new burnhams double reed jackrabbit call johnny stewart pc7 wich i called my first bear in three yrs ago i cant wait im pump good luck Rick

 

[Newpond0]

What Slagiatt said. Here in Washington state I use a lot of Fawn with emotion in it. I do a lot of Raspy distress that's what my bear calls are. I also do lots of elk here. I'm not selling calls here at this time Have to renew my call thing to sell. Good luck i'm mainly on Face book now. Rick

 

[Newpond0]

For me when it come to bear it isn't so much where the roads coming in are, As how many berrys are in the cut. My 2 most favorite cuts, if I park on the end of the landing you could see my truck from the cut. I only hunt bear hard in Augest. And I look for the cuts with the most berrys and most of the cover around 10 ft tall. My best cut the trees and bushes are around 15 ft tall. And I stand a 50/50 chance at seeing a bear in that cut. The down fall is it is real steep and it is next to impossible to stock in the cut so if you take a shot it is more than likely going to be a long one.

I look for the areas with alot of scatt in them. Then I look for the cuts with the most berrys. Get there early and sit for a couple of hours. My shortest stay will be about 1 hour. And the biggest thing is listen. When they are feeing they are loud. In one cut I can hear them around 300 to 400 yards away. It is steep but that is what the range finder said yesterday.

So to answer you question. I really don't worry about the roads. Just the food supply. Just my .02.

 

[Newpond0]

I don't cold call for bears very often. I usually find some sign and setup. Grassy meadows or in my area there are lots of bush roads that they travel.I often find sign along creeks or river banks as well

I think bait is for fishing /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif If you are just interested in shooting a bear, there are lots at the dumps. If you actually want to hunt them, calling is a challenge and verrr,verry, exciting. Spot and stalk also works well. I've shot over two dozen bears and none were over bait or at the dump. Just not my thing. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Newpond0]

I've called in bears using fawn distress. Call load and proud and almost continuously. Bears loose interest easily if you stop calling. Bears also love water and if it is hot and dry don't overlook any waters they may be going to. Here in NM I have a small spring I have dug out and dammed where it holds about a foot of water. I am constantly getting pictures of bears laying in that small pool of water.

drscott

Calling works good , but like any calling it takes some time in to figure it out.

drscott is right on the money with his advice.
I like calling because as long as you are calling they continue to come in. Stop and they stop, it only takes a couple minutes and they lose focus and are on to the 'next best thing'.

This indecision gives you a chance to look them over for size and fur condition and cubs.Often a sow will have cubs and you won't see them immediately.It is illegal in some places to shoot a cub or a sow with cubs.

Some areas I hunt are farmlands where they grow Canola, oats, barley, etc.Unless you have a canola in distress call, it's tough to move the buggers from a full table of food.

It may be the same in your area with all the nuts. The only nuts we have are all in the gov't and are not much of a worry to calling.The don't listen anyway.

 

[Newpond0]

Sent you a PM. A search of the archives should turn up some bear calling info. I've called a dozen or so and a couple of grizzlies, all on purpose. Plus have had one grizzly and another time a black bear come to a shot when I killed a deer, unplanned calling.

I've used mostly a raspy jack rabbit voice in an old Weems All Call, that sounds a lot like a spotted mule deer fawn, or small bear cub crying for that matter. It is very similar to a European hare I heard. I think they will come to almost any sound that approximately immitates a small animal in distress. I have called all of mine by calling for 20 seconds or so with a minute or so of silence, but others have had better luck by calling constantly.

Called a black bear up close with a lip squeak when I didn't have a call along.

You can do this. Go for it!

 

[Newpond0]

I've called a dozen or more black bears, on purpose, with hand predator calls. Others have called a lot more. I'd sure give it a try.

You might want to judiciously cut some shooting lanes. Also, make sure that you can see downwind. That's by far the most likely place the bear will show up. Some hustle in noisy, and others sneak in. Some will come in a minute and some will take well over half an hour.

Exact sound doesn't seem too critical as long as it sounds like a critter small enough for a bear to eat and in distress that he can take advantage of. I like coarse jack rabbit/fawn sounds but lip squeaked one within 20 feet once when I didn't have a call along. If there is an area of heavy bear sign, set up nearby and call. I've called them in some pretty thick timber and brush, visibilty no more than 20 yards. Trouble is you usually don't get to look the bear over very well to decide size, etc. in such cover, and it can be hard to see cubs with a momma.

Most folks say call constant. I've done well with intermittment, call for 15-30 seconds with a minute or two of silence, but will call more frequently if I try it again. Let us know what happens.

Oops, just noticed you wanted experience with NC bears. Mine have been in Wa State, British Columbia and Saskatchewan. I'd expect them to come to a call in a similar fashion.

 

[Newpond0]

Quote:
Would the bears most likely try and circle down wind before coming in to a call as most other predators do?
At what times of the year are the sows usually with cubs?




Most of the bears I've called have circled downwind and approached somewhat cautiously. But I had at least one I remember that came in on the upwind side. I saw him before I called, and at the first sound he ran straight toward me to within 15 feet. At that point my partner stood up and the bear stopped and stood up also, sniffed and squinted some and then left.

The bears I've called successfully have all been in timber or small openings and I don't think they were very far away when I started. In the open alpine I tried to call a huge old boar down across a wide shallow valley and up a 200 foot high ridge, probably 700 yards total. He was feeding in heavy huckleberries. He would turn his heard and listen to the call, then go back to feeding so my nephew stalked him and shot him at 40 yards.

Sows and cubs are a problem for calling. I had one sow and cub come in to the same photography stand, big cub and the sow came in seperately, so it is possible they were not related. A wet sow might come in without the cubs and the hunter wouldn't know. Our bear hunting has been mostly spot and stalk, so we could look over the bear for size or cubs. In brush it is hard to tell the size of a called bear.

Cubs are born during hibernation in winter and are really small their first spring, like a small house cat and often hard to see even in ten inch high grass though they stick close by the mother. I've understood that they stay with the mother through the summer and another winter and then she kicks them out the second spring or summer. I've seen spring bears with tiny new cubs, and some with big cubs that had to be a year old. A biologist could chime in here and confirm or correct how long they stay with the mother. I suspect some stay two years.

 

[Newpond0]

So in may i was glassing a hillside, spotted a bear, blew the stalk. Long story short i ended up seeing 3 bears on that hillside that morning, crap everywhere, went in for another stalk on bear 3 and couldnt get close enough. So i stopped and sat down, started blowing a rabbit distress. After about 5 minutes or so i heard a little noise and a 4th bear was staring at me from 10 yards, had no idea that one was there. Snuck in behind me silent as a cat. If you know bears are around and youre calling, keep your ears open! Especially if youre the source of the sound, instead of an ecaller 50 yards from your position.

Awesome, couple weeks ago i called in and killed one that looks just like that. Mine didnt come charging in though, it snuck in behind me. Didnt know it was there until it was 10 yards away.

 

[Newpond0]

First bear i called in i used a cottontail distress call. I think anything will work. But i would suggest trying fawn bleats. Not screeching / dying critter noises, just regular fawn bleats like you hear them do when theyre calling for mom. Bears love to eat faens, and i think when you do the "getting killed" noises it makes them more cautious. This august i called in 3 bears in 12 attempts by just doing calm faen bleats. The first came charging in like the tasmanian devil after just a couple minutes, but busted ne right before i could shoot. The second came sneaking in slow and quiet, but with no attempt to circle down wind. Shot him at 15 yards. The third was cool because i was actually watching her when i began calling. She was maybe 200 yards out, and the very second i made the first bleat she came running at me. Shed stop after covering a little ground and look around and listen, id fo one more bleat and shed run closer and stop look listen again.Only took maybe 4 bleats and a minute total to bring her in to 40 yards where i shot her. Give it a try, you may be surprised. I think that style of calling brings in predators with much less caution. Called a coyote in on tuesday that came in from upwind, no attempt to circle down wind. I really think its because i was just doing calm fawn bleats, and that animals coming in carefully and trying to circle down wind of the caller is due to the fact that most people call using dying critter noises, and the predator wants to know what is doing the killing to make sure its not entering a dangerous situation.

Calm fawn bleats have worked great for me.

 

[Newpond0]

Hey Gary good to see your still around.Try a fawn in distress tape if you have one.Bears seem to like the deeper/slower sounds.If you dont have one I can send you a copy.We went out for a short hunt yesterday and saw a sow w/cub and a real beauty of a bobcat.
Give a shout if you want to hook up for a bear hunt this year,we always seem to find a couple each season.I got my bear from last season back from the taxidermist friday so its time to send something back to him.(always need to owe the taxidermist money ya know)........Later

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Meats

Fawn in distress,bear cub in distress or an adult deer in distress,called em in with all of these sounds. But my favorite is the adult deer in distress out of the old fox-pro!!!

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Timberking

[This message has been edited by timberking (edited 08-08-2001).]

 

[Newpond0]

tackdriver,
I've called them in with fawn distress tapes and bear cub distress tapes as well as adult deer distress (on my foxpro). I use a feather flex "fearless fawn" decoy to hold their attention,but i plan on buying a feather flex "bedded doe" decoy to use also. Spend AT LEAST a half hour per stand with an hour being a better bet. I like to call around 10 year old clear cuts,apple orchards and anywhere else i've seen fresh bear sighn. Watch the wind if they smell you they are gone! But then again i called a bear in for my buddy last fall(which he shot)and it came running in with the wind to it's back and only stopped when it was about five yards from the decoy. Where good camo,be still,wait at least a half hour per stand,hunt where the bears are and you WILL have some luck. Maybe if Curt is reading this he'll post one of my pics so you can see what a called bear looks like

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Timberking

 

[Newpond0]

Coyote ugly,

I don't claim to be any kind of expert at this or anything, but I have called in some bears over the years. Killed one of them, too. Call each stand for at least an hour. The bear I shot was close by for about 40 minutes before exposing himself. The last stand of the day will probably be the best one so call until it is too dark to see.

Any critter in distress sound can work. I have had them come in while cow calling for elk, fawn distress sounds work well, and the one I killed I called in with a lohman jackrabbit model.

Be sure to post us a picture.

Daryl

 

[Newpond0]

Curt Barrett said:
I try to give them an hour per stand. Timberking calls a lot of bear. He uses the Feather Flex fawn decoy and fawn distress cries off a Foxpro I believe. Just give them plenty of time. He has had great success with this method. Don't know if he posts here or not. He has some good pics. Ya out there TK?

Later, Curt

 

[Newpond0]

I don't have a lot of experience calling bears (Just called a half handful) but I hope I can help.

Bears are a temperamental animal to try to call. Some bears that hear your calls will come running, some will come at a slow trot, stopping often to chew on something before coming towards you again. And others just don't want to come eat your jackrabbit, some will run away at the sound of the screams.

I feel it's a good idea to use a larger prey distress sound to entice bears a bit more, instead of rabbit screams use fawn bawls, doe bleats or even cow elk mewls. These sounds have worked better for me when calling bears. Blow long, drawn out, hoarse screams and you stand a better chance at calling in a bear.

I really prefer to glass up a bear and then make a stalk until I am close or in his line of travel (If he had one). I will then start calling, often it is nice to be able to see him when you start calling so you can see his reaction to your calling. If I am just calling off fresh sign I will stay on the stand for up to two hours to make sure I give the bear plenty of time to get to me.

I know I've skipped over something so let me know if you have any questions.

 

[Newpond0]

Coyote Bob. . .

Bear can be called in using most any predator call, personally, I’ve had the best luck with a fawn in distress sound.

Calling black bear takes lots of patience on the part of the caller. I’ve only had one bear respond to the call that galloped into the stand, all others simply took their sweet time, checking out everything they could find on the way.

I suggest you plan on spending an hour on each stand, as you travel through the area, and I’d pass up any shots at other predators that might respond to your call.

Good luck and have fun...

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http://www.predatormasters.com

 

[Newpond0]

AzWill is right, the one I called in and killed circled me in the brush for 40 minutes before I finally got a shot. I could here him but couldn't see him. Sort of spooky bein out there alone when they do that! Makes the hair on the back of your neck sort of stand up and stay that way.

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Take care,
Daryl

 

[Newpond0]

If I could hear him, I wouldn't quit calling 'till dark!

I have made some one-hour stands, hoping for a lion. I find it easy to do, provided that I put myself in the right frame of mind. Unlike my typical coyote stand, I sit back and relax, just enjoying watching everything going on around me. First thing I know, I am thinking "The hour is up ALREADY??"

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Critr

www.SaguaroSafaris.com

 

[Newpond0]

Coyote Bob,

Just a heads up but I ordered a Foxpro a few months ago and in checking the Idaho hunting regs before I ordered I found out you can't use electronic callers to hunt lions and bears here in Idaho. I ordered it anyway because I wanted it for coyotes.

I don't know what the regs are in Colorado concerning electronic callers and bear hunting but I just don't want to see you get into any trouble and if you have already checked into this I apologize. I have had black bears come into cow/calf elk calls in the fall when elk hunting so you might try a cow call also. If you have any berry patches in your hunting area those are good spots to see black bears in the fall. Or they will hang around and clean up gut piles from elk killed during the hunting season. Setting up over a gut pile can be productive. Good luck on your hunt, I hope you get a bear!

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[This message has been edited by Lonny (edited 06-24-2001).]