Calling Bears

[bob baldwin jr]

Does anyone have experience calling bears? I have never done this but would like to give it a go .THANKS

[Machias]

I have called in 13 so far. I average a bear about every 20+ calling sites. Key thing is bears must be in the area and within hearing, sounds obvious but alot of guys get frustrated and give up. I only call in smoking hot fresh bear sign areas. I put a watch out in from of me and then I pretty much call non-stop for 45 min to an hour (that is why I put the watch out, calling that long and that hard is not an easy thing to do). Put as much emotion and pain into your calling as you can. My theory, if you hear the bear coming in 9 times out of 10 it is a bigger bear, they don't care who hears them coming in because they are going to come in and take away whatever is screaming from who ever is casuing it to scream. If they suddenly appear they are generally mid size to smaller bears. They are sneaking in and don't want their butts kicked if whoever is eating whoever is screaming is a bad @$$. I also almost always carry pepper spray, once a smaller bear or mid size bear comes in and is intent on getting a meal and they are standing their literally drooling they don't alway leave when you let them know your there. Once they see it's not a bigger bear they have been pretty bold more then once with me and if they are smaller and I don't want to shoot, I use the pepper spray as back up. For calls I use a javelina call, it's very coarse loud call, I like those better then cottontail calls, but plenty of bears have been called in with the higher pitch calls.

[larry]

I would also add to make sure that one can't come up behind you without you knowing it. Preferably have the wind in your face so it is carrying your scent behind you, or get backed up to a large boulder or something. Mimicking a calf elk getting tortured is what I was taught by quite posssibly the pioneer of calling bears in the modern world. Not sure if elk calves are that common in Ky though. machias knows what he is talking about for sure. The bigger boars tend to respond well to calling and they enter the scene bold and ready to take, not always but often popping their jaws as they come at a pretty good pace. Have fun

[bob baldwin jr]

Larry : Thru the Ky DNR and the Rocky Mt. Elk Foundation we have an elk herd established with a hunting season on lottery basis although bear hunting at this time is not permitted. I will be retiring to northern Maine where we have the largest bear population east of the Mississippi.No elk or javalina . Certainly deer though any suggestions?? I just have not run across anyone up there calling bears yet.I find the whole idea fascinating.

[Machias]

We sure don't have any javelinas here in Washington state either, it's not that it's a javelina call, it is because it is a coarse call that is all. A deer in distress will work just fine for you as well. Any distress call will work, that's my point, I just personally like something loud and coarse, you'll have to find a call you have confidence in, that is the key part.

[mike martell]

FRED SEEMS TO HAVE IT DOWN TO A SCIENCE AS ANYONE. I HAVE CALLED BEARS WITH A PREDATOR CALL AND ACTUALLY CALLED MY FIRST BY ACCIDENT. I WAS IN THE N.E OREGON WENAHA WILDERNESS COUNTRY CALLING COYOTES IN AUGUST. USING A RABBIT DISTRESS WHEN ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE. A NICE ADULT BLACK BEAR CAME IN HARD ON MY CALL. I HAD A SMALLER CALIBER WEAPON ,EFFICENT FOR COYOTE ,BUT LACKED THE KNOCK DOWN POWER FOR BEAR. I YELLED AT THE BEAR AND LET IT KNOW WHAT I WAS, HE WAS MAD!!!STOPPED ABRUPTLY AT 25 FEET.THAN LEFT OUT. IT MADE ME RE-THINK MY USE OF SMALL CALIBER GUNS IN BEAR COUNTRY.ALSO THE BACKING UP TO A ROCK/ BOULDER OR LARGE OBJECT IS ALSO A GOOD IDEA ,NOT TO MENTION PEPPER SPRAY.EVEN THE COUGAR POPULATION THERE IS ABUNDANT. WHEN YOU START A CALL IT IS LIKE FISHING IN THE OCEAN. YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO HOOK. ON THAT PARTICULAR DAY I BAGGED 4 COYOTES AND OPTED TO NOT TRY THE BEAR FOR FEAR I WOULD NOT GET THE JOB DONE. AS FOR THE JAVELINA CALL. ANYTHING WORKS AND IN THE CASE OF CALL WARY COYOTES ,A NEW SOUND MIGHT JUST BE WHAT ACTIVATES THE GAME. BUT WHAT A RUSH. GIVE IT A TRY.