Bear callers

[hunttrap]

I've spent the last couple springs in Idaho baiting bears. Made lots of mistakes, but learned lots. Heading up there again this year to bait, but I have been interested in calling in a bear. I got an E caller that would work, but my question is has anyone had results blind calling or do you spot one first?

I would think calling from a bait site would be difficult because even though the bears are there it might spoil the bait site and make unnecessary racket that would make the bears nervous. But do people have success doing this?

Where we go it is so thick spotting a bear is more than likely not going to happen so blind calling in a drainage would be the best bet, but I don't know if it would be worth it.

Anyone ever call in wolves while doing this. I get a wolf tag every year, always see tracks but never see them. Whats everyone's experience calling in bears??

 

[Hilltop]

I have heard stories and watched a couple videos about people using a fawn/rabbit in distress call for bears but never tried it. Supposedly they are much more cautious than a coyote when coming in.

 

[Ikeepitcold]

Same here. I haven't done it myself but have watched videos of guys using distress calls and bears come in.

 

[AKaviator]

I've called in wolves but have never personally had a bear come in, that I knew about. I have several friends that have and it can get pretty western in a hurry!

 

[swampokie]

I called a bear in with a cottontail call last sept I saw the bear at 100 yds walking away from me and as soon as I blew on the call it charged as fast as it could run into about 50 yds until it smelled me and turned and hauled as fast as it came in. I was debating on how I was going to stop it to draw on it. Was really nervous for just a second or two. Pretty exciting even though no shot.

 

[6mm Remington]

I had a friend call a bear in to his pickup.. Yes he spotted the bear near his pickup after he had been out hunting so he started on his dying rabbit call. The bear came right in and he had to get in the back of the bed of the truck the bear came in so close. I personally haven't had any success yet calling one but I would really like to get one with my bow by calling. This fall my buddy and I were hunting elk and we spotted a really nice bear about 50 yards away and I tried calling him in closer so I could get a shot with my bow. Not sure if he spotted us or smelled us because he just would not come in to the call. I tried for several minutes without any luck. He looked our way and seemed curious but that was it. I'm sure it's like calling coyotes. Sometimes they just won't come.

 

[hunttrap]

Ive read that continuous calling is key.

 

[BAKPAKR]

I have called in 4 bears with a handheld critter in distress call. On the first one, I spotted a bear across a draw. I didn’t think I could get into revolver range before dark so I started blowing the predator call. A bear I had not seen came in and I shot him running straight at me at about 10 yds. I was concealed pretty well so I am sure he just thought he was going to some wounded animal. Nonetheless, it was pretty exciting.

Two of the other bears came in while blind calling and the fourth was one we had spotted already. I had an opportunity to watch all three of those for awhile. If I stopped calling, they seemed to immediately lose interest. So, from my limited experience, hunttrap is correct - continuous calling is key. All of the bears were spring bears in Idaho and there was lots of sign around.

 

[Slugz]

My elk hunting GMU has a fair number of bears.....I tried the rabbit distress constant calling blindly last year. Nothing came to the call but the big cinnamon boar I was targeting I don't think was around. Seeing them stalking close then calling I think would be real good from what I've seen.

Unnerving though in the big woods blind calling like that from the ground...next time I'm gonna pack in a small tree stand to get off the ground a little.

 

[gonhunting247]

I've called in a few. Most have been in the spring and those were spotted first then unable to relocate them while making the stalk. So, I got the call out. Some come in cautious and curious like, but others come in fast and furious. I call from the ground and it's a lot of fun when they come in all wound tight! Good luck, I think blind calling would work just fine if you happen to be close enough to an unseen bruin.

 

[gonhunting247]

The bears in my hunting pic album, under my profile, pics 40 and 43 are two of the bears I've called in. The spring bear came in fast and ready to tear something apart and the fall bear came in just casual and kind of curious.

 

[Bonecollector]

I called a bear in with a cottontail call last sept I saw the bear at 100 yds walking away from me and as soon as I blew on the call it charged as fast as it could run into about 50 yds until it smelled me and turned and hauled as fast as it came in. I was debating on how I was going to stop it to draw on it. Was really nervous for just a second or two. Pretty exciting even though no shot.

Moral of the story: Always, Always, Always carry a spare pair of shorts when calling bears! The debate is over- Wool or Synthetic, it won't matter as you're changing.