calling in black bears

[brackshooter]

Hey there guys,
Just got my spring bear tag in the mail for southwest oregon.  I will be hunting a friends property, about 1000 acres, almost all southfacing slope, partially timbered, with some large meadows.  There are lots of bear/cougar on his property, in fact they have decimated the local deer pop.  My buddy and I are heading there the third week of April, and I am looking for some advice.  Never seriously hunted bear before, and since we cant use bait or dogs, thought we would try some calling.  I was hoping some of you could give me some ideas on the best way to go about this.  Setup, calls to use, etc.  I will be using either a 68# recurve (Dale Stahl) or a 66# longbow (JD Berry), and using 650+ grain arrows tipped with Zwickey Deltas.  

Thanks

Brack

[thefirehuntr]

TTT im interested in subject as well...

[Lone archer]

I don't know if what I'm about to tell you is considered baiting or mass scenting!

But I hear if you put honey in a 3 or 4 pound empty coffee can about an inch high then place it over a backpack stove or something similiar and let it boil till it boils out. Actually burns and smokes like crazy after awhile.

BEARS WILL COME FROM MILES AND DAYS AFTER IT'S BURNT OUT! DON'T DO IT NEAR ANYONES HOME, THEY WILL TEAR IT APART TO FIND THE HONEY!

They will be coming to scent but will not find anything to eat it will be burnt up!

I never did it just heard from a group of guys that have!

[Lone archer]

The scent impregnants the woods and they follow it to the source for days.

[Lone archer]

Maybe do it a day before the season starts. What do you think?

[Gurn]

I agree with Lone Archer on the burn. I used a small coffee can and a small fold up Sterno stove. You can also use some liquid scents that don't require burning, and will still make the whole area smell like food. A very good company to check out is Bear Scents. There stuff is high quality and very strong. My son and I have used Their Big Paw, and Bacon Secent, with good result. Heres a link to there site. Go the the photos and you scroll down about 11 lines of pictures. On the right you will see a pic of the big old boy we got using these scents. The pic says Bobby Stout under it.

www.bearscents.com

[elk ninja]

There is a recipie out there for "bear crack" as well.  Powdered jello, marshmallows, bacon, and I think, honey.  Burn it till it stops smoking.  Aslo you can pour some used grease around the burn area.  It gets on the bear's pads and as he trots off it leaves a scent trail which (hopefully) will be cut by another bear who will come in to investigate.  
Two words of caution:  Make sure it is legal to do this.  Some laws or people/ officers might consider it baiting.
Second, don't do it alone.  Bears will come in before the burn is done if they are close.  Sop have someone on the lookout if you burn.
Mike

[brackshooter]

As far as I know, all of the suggestions listed would fall under "baiting", at least as Oregon defines it.  The only scent we can legally use for bear/cougar must be worn on the body.  I guess the idea is to turn ourselves into the bait.  Its rediculous but its the law.  Anyone called them in??

brack

[thetroutguy]

Same rules apply in Montana.  We just glass the mountain sides and walk closed logging roads looking for bears that are foraging on the new spring grass.

Another idea is find a winter kill and sit over it.  If you look in avalanche shoots towards the bottom often you will find winter kills.  Don't know if this is an option in your neck of the woods.  Works well here though.

Find the green grass, be stealthy, WATCH THE WIND and you will be fine.  Good luck.  Let us know how you did.

[Jim Harris]

Brack, I found an article that has some info about calling Black Bears that may help. Go to   http://www.biggamehunt.net/sections/Black_Bear/Fall_Black_Bear_Basics_08010212.html  
Read the article "Fall Black Bear Basics" by Judd Cooney. It deals with fall hunting but has calling info. Jim

[joe ashton]

Hey  Last fall I called in a bear with a wounded rabbit call  It came better than my dog comes when I call her.  It came straight to me, stopped at 15 feet head on. Never broadside then bam gone.  My heart rate was through the roof. Called another one in 2006. Calls work.  I saw both the bears before I began the calling. GOOD LUCK  it is exciting. Joe

[Kingwouldbe]

The current world record for black bear was called in here in California.

It works, but you better be ready, because now the hunter has become the hunted.

[curlis]

I have called in a few. The fawn in distress call has worked best for me. Try to get in an area that has good bear sign. Calling blind can work but not if there aren't any bear in the area. If you can see one then it's on! Every bear reacts a little differently to the calls but it sure is fun. Give it a try but be patient.

[Kingwouldbe]

Curlis, you got some good bears right up behind you there in the sierra's.

To bad Fish & Game wont let us have a spring hunt.

David

[curlis]

No doubt! I've had a few come in, just no shot opportunities yet. It will all work out sooner or later. It's big country!

It's different than my NY bear areas.

[shootssmallbulls]

I normally just spot and stalk.

[Brian Krebs]

I have seen sows abandon their cubs without a sound or a 'get up the tree and wait for me' sound; and come into a call.
I would not call bears in the spring.

[jrchambers]

well normaly you wouldnt call at a sow,  i dont call unless i have already decided to try at the bear and have closed a good deal of distance and need 20 or 30 more yards

[swp]

Check out Woods Wise they sell a bear call I think.

[stmpthmpr]

I have a buck grunt call that I modified to a lower gutteral call. Works great on big boars as they dont take kindly to being growled at in their territory.

I havent had any luck at all using predator calls (Bunnys). I have called in a few Brown bears on Kodiak with a fawn in distress meant to bring in Blacktail does. The does come running full tilt, the bears are a bit more sneaky about it. Take a change of shorts fer sure!!!

I called in a Blackie on the Kenai Penninsula some years back with the growl call and when he rounded the tree and saw me, he came to get me. I drilled him through the chest and he ran past me at about 5 feet and piled up after forty yards. Had to check my shorts for sign!!!