I have never used calling as a strategy when hunting black bears but I would like to try it. I'm hoping some people with bear calling experience can weigh in. How long do you usually call for? Do they come in slowly or do they usually come in on a string? Will any rodent distress call work or do they prefer something like a fawn distress?
Bear Calling Questions
- Thread starter bigsky2
- Start date
glass eye
Well-known member
I leave Friday for AK and plan on using a fawn bleat. Once on an elk hunt in AZ I saw a bear about 60 yards across a ravine and decided to call him in just for fun. He ignored me, yawned, and then ambled away as if he was annoyed.
FAIR CHASE
Well-known member
I call in lots of coyotes and initially used the same strategy for bears. I learned that bears (in the spring) do not come in a string like a coyote but rather take their time. When in a very good area I will often wait up to an hour before moving one to a new location.
With that said ....... I have had more than one black bear quietly come in to my stand in Sept while elk hunting and cow/calf calling.
With that said ....... I have had more than one black bear quietly come in to my stand in Sept while elk hunting and cow/calf calling.
MThuntr
Well-known member
Last year was my first year trying to call for bear and was for the most part unsuccessful. I used a fawn bleat and other standard predator calls and only managed to really piss off the local moose with calves.
My only suggestion is to not do too much calling in griz country for obvious reasons.
My only suggestion is to not do too much calling in griz country for obvious reasons.
Joe Hulburt
Well-known member
I've done a little calling. Like a lot of other specific techniques most of the setups are unsuccessful but when it works it works well. The bears I have called in came running shortly after I began a fawn distress call. I think the key is to set up within easy earshot and if they are interested they come on a run.
I call in more angry blacktail does than bears for sure which is good for an adrenaline rush in the thick rain forest!
I do not have enough patience to wait for a long time after each set but it sounds like I might be blowing it based on Fair Chases post. Could be they behave a lot different in different regions too.
I call in more angry blacktail does than bears for sure which is good for an adrenaline rush in the thick rain forest!
I do not have enough patience to wait for a long time after each set but it sounds like I might be blowing it based on Fair Chases post. Could be they behave a lot different in different regions too.
TheSurveyor
Member
I'm going to give it a shot next week in Idaho. I'm taking a FoxPro to save the lungs and for safety. Let them come to the caller 100yds out instead of me. I used a mouth call in Colorado with no luck last fall but with the possible grizz in Idaho it didn't make sense.
Muley_Stalker
Well-known member
Calling bear does work, but not always. I have the most luck with fawn calls. We can call until we pass out, but it won't work if no bears are in the area. Calling when you see a bear at long distance works good(sometimes). It's a lot easier than trying to sneak in on them. Which is my prefered way to hunt (still hunting), but very difficult with bears. It's hard to beat their nose.
Don't give up on calling bears. It works, but like any other hunting method........not always.
Don't give up on calling bears. It works, but like any other hunting method........not always.
