Predator Calls for Bears

[6.5Express]

Since Spring Bear is the next available season for me to scratch my hunting itch, I've been thinking of giving it a try this year. Does anyone have any experience / advice for calling bears with predator calls? Does it work in the Spring?

 

[brentc]

Since Spring Bear is the next available season for me to scratch my hunting itch, I've been thinking of giving it a try this year. Does anyone have any experience / advice for calling bears with predator calls? Does it work in the Spring?

Calling works great in the spring and sometimes it works extremely great. Find a location known to hold bears, get into your spot when the bears start moving from their dens and make sure you call from a position that a bear cannot sneak up behind you. An interested bear can sometimes be hard to chase off if it's not one that you want.

Be very careful and aware of your surroundings. Calling can cause bears to get very aggressive. I would suggest an electronic call. If you use a mouth call be prepared to blow continuously to keep your bears interested. Bears have a very low attention span when being called and they have a tendency to lose interest if the sound stops.

 

[6.5Express]

Any particular sounds work better than others?

 

[21buck]

If they come in the spring they will come all year. Called up on a rabbit squaller, a bear that I could not see but it aggitated him to pop his teeth real close by. Close enough to make the hair on my neck to stand straight. Never did see it and it was shortly after noon in the fall. Try it, calling is fun.

 

[lazylabs]

Wayne Carlton has an older but good video on calling bears....... I was real suprised how good it worked. I believe the video was named "calling all bears" or something close to that.

 

[uthunter]

I hunt Idaho spring bear and have tried with no success on calling them. I think it must have to do with their diet. They have just come out of hibernation and are feeding on tender greens. The best way (if not baitng) to hunt spring bear is to find them on the fresh greens, usually just below snow level. I walk the old logging roads looking for scat and sign where they might be feeding. If I see they have been there, I will return and check it out again in the evening. (spot and stalk) This works for me but keep in mind the timing. If it gets too late in the spring when the tender feed grows everywhere the bears will disperse and will not be concentrated where the feed is. If it is too early they will not be out of their dens yet. Calling has worked for me in the the fall though. A bear is eating a higher protein diet then. I recomend you hunt with a partner to cover your backside. Good hunting!

 

[Lpart]

Woodswise (woodswise.com) makes a call to mimic a sow in heat and an aggressive boar grunt. They have a video on the their website. I bought one and am taking it to Alaska for Brown Bear in 10 days.

 

[wasgas]

Woodswise (woodswise.com) makes a call to mimic a sow in heat and an aggressive boar grunt. They have a video on the their website. I bought one and am taking it to Alaska for Brown Bear in 10 days.

Keep us posted

 

[MHO]

I have called them in during elk season using a calf call. Not on purpose lol. I assume it would also work in the spring.

 

[Sourdough]

Lpart: That Woodwise call comes with a warning, "Do not use if there is a chance a Grizzly or Brown Bear might hear this call". Better take note of that warning. Don't use that Woodwise call when alone, or on the ground. It mimics a Black Bear, a Brownie will be coming in fast and hard looking to kill something. You better be ready. Brownies and Grizzlies will not tolerate a Black Bear in their territory. They will kill any they find in a heartbeat.

I used that call last year in the spring. I was just North of the Yukon River, along the Haul Road. Luckily I was up in a tree stand. Suddenly there was a Grizzly busting into the clearing. The suddeness and silence was overwhelming. She came in fast and silent, and was keyed in on my location. Thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest. Even tho I was out of reach, I climbed two more feet up the tree. It was a Sow, I could tell that. Two small cubs came into the clearing about five minutes later. She was ticked and looking to kill something, now! She kept me up that tree for over 8 hours.

Good Luck, and be careful and safe.

 

[Lpart]

Thank you Sourdough. I don't intend to use it as general locator. Only after we have a visual on a suitable bear I want to shoot. If we are having trouble getting into position or catching up with the bear I will use it to try and bring it in. We will certainly be on full alert and checking behind us as well if I give a toot!

 

[Sourdough]

Be careful, and watch your back. It's hard to believe something so big can move so quite. Have fun and hope you get addrinalin pumping. No matter how many of those big bears you see, each one causes excitement. Good luck, and Alaska.

 

[C.O. Shooter]

I have called in two or three bears while hunting coyotes, however, could never get one to come in during season!

 

[jvstoro]

While sitting in my tree stand, I have used a fawn in distress call and it has worked for Black Bears, but this could also be the fact that I had bear bait hanging. I like to use beavers..and sweets...deadly in my area. The fawn in distress just makes them come in faster and angry is my guess! Cheers