Spot and stalk with a bow.

Ndstevens

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I live in Montana and cannot bait bears. I would like to hunt them but with my bow. I'm not new to hunting or bow hunting but bear with a bow is a new world to me. Is this a feasible task? I'm young (30) and In decent shape so getting to where they are is not a question but I'm wondering if closing the distance is? I've seen others that cant close 100yds due to the bears sense of smell so playing the wind is obviously a key factor. Is it something that many guys do or have done? Any suggestions, info, reality checks, advice would be appreciated.

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HuntWyld

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Super doable. They have poor eye sight and are predators at the top of there food chain so not nearly as “on edge” as the prey species we hunt. Obviously gotta watch the wind. Probably the most difficult part of stalking them isn’t that it’s hard to get close to a bear due to its senses but rather that when spotted they often move constantly which makes it difficult to foretell where they will be at by the time you get over to the area they were last seen. Check out this video, there stalking bears on gravel roads in the open and just pausing whenever he looks there direction.
 
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Ndstevens

Ndstevens

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Super doable. They have poor eye sight and are predators at the top of there food chain so not nearly as “on edge” as the prey species we hunt. Obviously gotta watch the wind. Probably the most difficult part of stalking them isn’t that it’s hard to get close to a bear due to its senses but rather that when spotted they often move constantly which makes it difficult to foretell where they will be at by the time you get over to the area they were last seen. Check out this video, there stalking bears on gravel roads in the open and just pausing whenever he looks there direction.
This was a great example. I understand that things may not always play put like this but it put things in perspective for me a bit. And as far as the predator thing goes, I've never looked at it that way. Makes sense though. Thanks for your help man.

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Ndstevens

Ndstevens

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Call for em'! They'll come to distressed rabbit and fawn calls just like a yotes will.
A buddy and I have a spot picked out with multiple sightings of different bears but it's still a Matter of finding them in that area. if finding them gets too complicated I may have to try the call tactic. Thanks!

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BAKPAKR

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Call for em'! They'll come to distressed rabbit and fawn calls just like a yotes will.

If you call, I would have a gun handy. I have called a few in and a couple of those came in running. Even though they were just black bears, it got pretty exciting, especially when one was coming at me at a dead run at about 10 yards.

Depending on what part of Montana the OP will be hunting, he could call in something other than a black bear.

I have sneaked up within revolver range on several spring bears. Many years ago, I missed one with my recurve and when the arrow hit behind it, the bear took off running angled by me. I was able to get the 44 out my friend had loaned me (grizzly country) and dropped it as it passed by.
 

Elkhntr08

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I would not call solo. The bear will be coming in looking for an easy meal and you’re it. I want someone to watch my 6.
 

HuntWyld

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This was a great example. I understand that things may not always play put like this but it put things in perspective for me a bit. And as far as the predator thing goes, I've never looked at it that way. Makes sense though. Thanks for your help man.

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You bet man, glad I could help.
 

ledflight

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Going to focus on a bow bear this fall in NY - no baiting either, though not much for wide open spotting options with the woods being denser.
Planning to try calling and scent luring. You can use non edible scent lure for bear in ny.
Had a bear almost walk up on me on the ground last year in early October before I spooked it by snapping a twig. Wind was in my face so it probably would have gotten really close before it even noticed me.
I have read this book - https://www.amazon.com/Ultimate-Guide-Black-Bear-Hunting/dp/1510709797 which I think I posted in another thread! Sorry if repeating. He likes calls a lot.
 
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This was a great example. I understand that things may not always play put like this but it put things in perspective for me a bit. And as far as the predator thing goes, I've never looked at it that way. Makes sense though. Thanks for your help man.

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This works pretty good walking roads, but almost never happens while actually driving on them here. Walking seeded areas with good wind can get you pretty close.
 
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California we can’t bait or run dogs either, always see way more bears during archery season, last year I had one at 60 yards he had no idea I was there. Unfortunately he didn’t come to where I wanted him. A few years back I let an arrow loose on one but misjudged the range and shot low. 50ish yards and he was oblivious towards me sitting out in the open.
 

SLDMTN

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Wind - watch for updrafts on the hillsides, know what time the wind switches during the day, always always always watch your wind. Every single blown stalk I've had, has been from their nose.

Movement - even when feeding, they're cruising right along at a good clip. The high country bears that we have chased are very patternable if you can watch them for a few days. If you can position yourself ahead of them and keep the wind right, they'll feed right into your setup. Keeping the wind right has been my biggest challenge with this scenario.

Calling - it works sometimes, other times they'll completely ignore it. Can't say I've heard of one running from it though.
 

Felix40

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All of them I have glassed up have been moving so fast that by the time you got across the canyon they would be way far away. I dont have a lot of experience but it was hard for me to get in range even with a rifle before they would go over the next hill or into the brush again. That said, I think patterning them from far off then setting up and waiting would work pretty good.
 

WTFJohn

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I'll echo what a few others have said - Calling works, be ready for them to come in fast. Have a gun handy. I unknowingly called a bear in last season; some other hunters shot it about 250 yards behind me. A few hours later I spotted a bear at just under a mile and was able to close the gap down to 19 yards before I shot. Play the wind first and foremost, even at 19 yards the bear didn't really comprehend that I was standing there with a shouldered rifle.

I would carry a gun for the additional reason that if you make a less than perfect shot on a bear, you're going to have one really unhappy animal that you have to go into the brush after.
 

TradAg02

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I hunted NW Montana for three days last week. We walked 64 miles on closed roads and found 7 bear. The farthest was 75yds. We could have gotten closer to that bear, but the wind was shifty so my wife shot it from there with a rifle. I had my recurve and got 14-52yds of the other 6 bear. We specifically targeted old grown up roads as I needed to get close with my recurve.


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I’ve arrowed half a dozen black bears plus a grizzly spot and stalk in BC. Really a fun archery hunt. Logging roads, power lines, slashes and open hillsides with grass or berries are all good spots to go after them. Good luck!
 

BAKPAKR

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I have killed two bears with my bow while still hunting in West Virginia. If I can do it with the dry leaves we have on the ground here in the fall, coupled with my general lack of stealthiness, you should be able to do it in Montana.

When I lived in Idaho, I used revolvers on a few bears that were well within a lot of guys’ effective archery range. As others have said, play the wind.
 
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I hunted NW Montana for three days last week. We walked 64 miles on closed roads and found 7 bear. The farthest was 75yds. We could have gotten closer to that bear, but the wind was shifty so my wife shot it from there with a rifle. I had my recurve and got 14-52yds of the other 6 bear. We specifically targeted old grown up roads as I needed to get close with my recurve.


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Wow, sounds like you had a great time. Nothing like putting a sneak on a bear that close. Glad your wife connected with one!

Walking the roads can be very effective. Last Wednesday while walking the roads here in NW Montana this griz came to check me out. This guy got to within 40 yards of me. It was my second encounter with a grizzly that day. You definitely have to stay alert.
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