Calling Black Bears?

Anyone ever have success doing this? From what I know it can be done, but if you stop calling before the bear shows up it will lose interest. Sounds like something that would take some strong lung endurance. Anyways the reason I'm asking is because of the big portion of northern Minnesota that's closed to baiting. Mainly thick evergreen with lots of lakes and rivers (in other words, spot and stalk is completely out of the question). You can use scents, but since this is more of a western hunting forum I'm hoping there might be some with calling experience.

I have heard of guys doing it with some success... But I hunt where there are grizz. I do NOT want to call one them in. Are electronic callers legal for bears in MN? If so it would be a great way to save your breath.

Joe

Electronic calls are also an option, but may not be legal in all states for bear.

I've had some success calling bears. In my experience they seem to come in slow, and lose interest easily. I called when I was younger and never thought of cats and grizzlies! An electronic call would be handy if legal.

also an electronic call will at least call them into a plastic box sitting 50 or more yards away... better then calling a big griz right to you hahaha

Joe

I've always wanted to try this. I hunt bears in n ga. It's all still hunting. They are up in the trees eating acorns. I archery hunt and a few times they are on the ground at 60 yds plus. If there was some way to turn them by calling, I'd really like to give it a try.

If I remember correctly, there was a pretty lengthy thread on here last spring about calling bears. Lots of good info. You should be able to search and find it in the archives.

I did call in two black bears last season. It's not my preferred method. I don't even call for elk. I prefer to still hunt into them. However, this is difficult with bears unless you catch them feeding. I wasn't successful last year in finding them feeding, so I thought i'd try calling. I know calling alone is a bit dangerous, because they can sneak in behind us. It's better to have two guys that can sit back to back to cover 360 degrees. You can also alternate calling which is much easier to do. I about wore myself out calling. It was also at high altitude, and I was gasping for air.

Anyway, this was my experience. I setup with the wind in my face, and hoped a bear would come into me in that direction. I called and called for hours, and finally I see a bore coming in at a pretty fast pace. I use an old sidelock muzzleloader, and only have one shot to get it done. I'm sitting with my back against a tree, and shoulder the gun to be ready, and keep calling. Not easy to do, but it was my only choice. I keep calling, and the bear keeps coming. At about 75 yds the bear stops. I was sure what to do with the calling. So, I softened it up by still kept a steady call. I was trying to sound like a dying rabbit using a Wayne Carlton call. The bear was suspicious, and had it's nose in the air. It wasn't really looking in my direction as much as looking everywhere. Then it did something I really didn't want to see. It started to circle around behind me like a coyote would do. At that point I stopped calling, and just sat frozen hoping it wouldn't catch my scent. I still didn't have a good shot at it. My old eyes and primitive open sights needs 50-60 yds to make a shot. Especially, on a bear.

I wish this had a happy ending, but it doesn't. The bear finally caught my scent, and took off. I must say the whole experience was pretty exciting, but the results were disappointing. Maybe a younger bear would have kept coming, but this old bore was too smart for me. The second bear I called in was less exciting. It stopped about 200yds away, and just wandered off.

I had limitations on the weapon I used. Similar to what a bow hunter would have. Had I been using a CF rifle. I had a perfect shot when it stopped at 100yds.

Google "No bait...just bears" its written by a guy that knows more about bear hunting than I ever will. He wrote it for washington so theres no bait or hounds. Personally Ive called my butt off. It gets exhausting and generally nothing shows up for about 30 minutes. Ive called a bear into 30 yards and once called a cougar in. The cougar was spooky. Didnt get a shot then it disapearred in the brush.
One suggestion I have is wear earplugs. When you stop calling your ears will be ringing and you wont be able to hear squat.

Thanks for the info, I read the other thread too. It sounds extremely low likelihood of success in northern MN based on what I've read. Lines like "Calling bears is in almost every case an unsuccessful event when done cold. Seeing the bear and calling to it, changes the dynamic of the event. It will also educate you by seeing the reaction to the call." And "Another common observation, Spring calling is by a very wide margin better then fall."

Wind is not a big issue here. There's so much water (over 1000 lakes and 1500 miles of canoe routes in the wilderness area) that you can set up with the wind in your face on the edge of any lake, river, or stream. That way the bears can't physically get down wind. It's a common strategy with bait hunting. But we only have fall hunting, not spring. And randomly spotting a bear to call to is unlikely. Most areas have about 15-40 yards of visibility on the ground. I'm thinking scents like honey burns might be the preferred method out there.

bowhunter15 said:

Thanks for the info, I read the other thread too. It sounds extremely low likelihood of success in northern MN based on what I've read. Lines like "Calling bears is in almost every case an unsuccessful event when done cold. Seeing the bear and calling to it, changes the dynamic of the event. It will also educate you by seeing the reaction to the call." And "Another common observation, Spring calling is by a very wide margin better then fall."

Wind is not a big issue here. There's so much water (over 1000 lakes and 1500 miles of canoe routes in the wilderness area) that you can set up with the wind in your face on the edge of any lake, river, or stream. That way the bears can't physically get down wind. It's a common strategy with bait hunting. But we only have fall hunting, not spring. And randomly spotting a bear to call to is unlikely. Most areas have about 15-40 yards of visibility on the ground. I'm thinking scents like honey burns might be the preferred method out there.

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I think your on the right track with those observations. Don't count out calling completely, even though it's nice to have a visual, it can be useful if your in the thick stuff and happen to be in a bunch of fresh sign, or you catch a glimpse of one that disappears. I've used the latter method successfully a couple times in the thick brush here in OR
I second spring time as a much better season for calling, although I have successfully called a fall bear back into open twice, before I got a good shot on him. He didn't charge hard to me, but he did show enough interest to get the job done!
Good luck, Have a blast! When they come in charging hard, it's pretty cool!

A outfitter I know from NM has a high success rate calling bears in. I talked to him about it last year. He calls down into these small valleys. Its up close hunting. He takes some nice color phase bears. Its on my bucket list in the next couple years

I have called in 2 black bears on accident.

Both were in the Bob Marshall wilderness in dense river bottom in september. The drainage was thick and full of huckleberry

We were hunting elk and using minimal soft cow calls at the edge of a steep avalanche chute mid day. The black bear appeared in the opening trotting straight at us. FAST. We shot it at 20 yards and it nearly ran us over.

The second one was in the same drainage 5 days after shooting that bear.

I was hunting solo and was cow calling into the bottom of the drainage at last light.

SAME thing happened! This bear was cruising in. I had no bear tag and had to jump up to spook it off.

Funny thing is that i still dont know if i would try to call one in by calling for long periods of time when bear hunting.
I feel like a weirdo when in the woods and blowing a call more than 5 times.

Hunthigh1 said:

I have called in 2 black bears on accident.

Both were in the Bob Marshall wilderness in dense river bottom in september. The drainage was thick and full of huckleberry

We were hunting elk and using minimal soft cow calls at the edge of a steep avalanche chute mid day. The black bear appeared in the opening trotting straight at us. FAST. We shot it at 20 yards and it nearly ran us over.

The second one was in the same drainage 5 days after shooting that bear.

I was hunting solo and was cow calling into the bottom of the drainage at last light.

SAME thing happened! This bear was cruising in. I had no bear tag and had to jump up to spook it off.

Funny thing is that i still dont know if i would try to call one in by calling for long periods of time when bear hunting.
I feel like a weirdo when in the woods and blowing a call more than 5 times.

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You'll get laughed at if it's during elk season.

jtw said:

Google "No bait...just bears" its written by a guy that knows more about bear hunting than I ever will. He wrote it for washington so theres no bait or hounds. Personally Ive called my butt off. It gets exhausting and generally nothing shows up for about 30 minutes. Ive called a bear into 30 yards and once called a cougar in. The cougar was spooky. Didnt get a shot then it disapearred in the brush.
One suggestion I have is wear earplugs. When you stop calling your ears will be ringing and you wont be able to hear squat.

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Hey jtw, I'm the guy who wrote that book....just wanted to say thanks for the compliment. Bowhunter15, I like the honey burn idea. Washington is very thick in the western part of the state. If you can get up high on a log jam or something, or find an overgrown clear cut, these work best. Also, look for gas or power line cuts....great calling areas.

I have called in a few, and am far from an expert. Having said that I set up in areas with good sign, wind in my face, mostly with openings to my downwind (always viewable), and flat out called till they came. Never have had one run right in, but always have hunted in the fall in areas with heavy dog pressure.

I have called in and killed 2 bears using a general distress/fawn mouth call. I usually do a couple sets in a canyon after glassing for awhile to see if I can stir anything up or in a thick bear rich areas.

Thanks for the continued replies. My hunting buddy and I got No Quota tags this year, which means we'll be hunting in areas where baiting is allowed (and hunting pressure is higher). At the very least, the scouting we've done to find the best bait site locations is helping us learn about bears - areas they like, don't like, etc. Because when we do go back to the Wilderness area, it's going to be a longer trip and we'll want to really know what we're doing.

Hey Saylean,Have you read "the education of a bear hunter" by Ralph Flowers? Great book local western wa guy. killed an average of 80-90 bears a year

outdoor hunter said:

Hey Saylean,Have you read "the education of a bear hunter" by Ralph Flowers? Great book local western wa guy. killed an average of 80-90 bears a year

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Hey Outdoor hunter, your from Mville? So is my wife! I live in Conway. Anyway, sorry for the delayed response. I forgot my password...
Yes, I have read that book by Ralph Flowers and mentioned it in my book. It was interesting to read. Getting ready to head to Alaska here pretty soon for black bear. Hopefully the hunting gods smile on me.