Bear vocalizing while checking camera.

[billythekidrock]

This morning I had a pretty cool vocalization encounter with a bear while checking one of my cameras.

When I got to the camera site I found a few piles of bear crap so I knew I should have some video and as I got closer I could tell it had been eating grass within a few feet of the camera.

After retrieving the SD card I fired up the laptop to see what I got. After viewing the few videos it did take, I put the laptop back in its case and zipped it up. The zipping sound spooked a large critter about 15 yards away. I thought it was a bear due to the loud crashing and brush breaking, but I do get deer on this camera so I couldn’t be sure.

I grabbed my other camera and hunkered down hoping to get a pic or two. After about five minutes of silence I stood up and the mud around me made some slight sucking noises. The critter immediately moved off in a deliberate but quiet manner circling to the down wind side. It had never moved very far from the original spot that I heard it.

I hadn’t put the trail camera back yet so I put it back as quick and as quiet as I can when I heard a twig break and some brush moving 20 yards directly behind me. Again, I hunker down with my camera at the ready but it is so thick I can’t see a thing. After a couple of minutes I blow a couple of times and it starts to vocalize, confirming that it is a bear.

I hunkered back into the brush and waited for 30 minutes without hearing a sound so I left to check another cam.


I head North into this area and then East to the cam. As far as I can tell, the bears typically head South and then East to feed on grass for a few weeks in the spring. This bear crossed my scent path and then started making a ruckus when it heard me in its feeding area.



Here is the type of vocalization that I heard. The photo is mine, but the audio is not.

Black Bear Vocalization

[RadSav]

Cool!  Only time I have ever heard that is when I've gotten between a boar and young cubs.  I assumed each time they were upset with me ruining their easy meal while the sow got the little guys up a tree.  I've been very close to sows with cubs and have not heard the ladies make that noise.  Though some of my friends in BC tell me they do.

Sure makes you know your alive, doesn't it?  I've been charged by three different non wounded bear.  One charged something like eight times before I finally got him to leave the cubs alone.  Dang if that is not fun and exciting.

[saylean]

Cool experience Billy!

[KFhunter]

I played that audio and my dog started woofing in her sleep 

[Ripper]

Very cool, thanks billy.

[Austrian Hunter]

This is what it is all about for me!!!!  This right there gets my blood boiling!!!

[johnr060]

I bet that got your heart rate up. I have had a couple run ins with a sow and cubs and ive heard similar vocalizations.

[billythekidrock]

I bet that got your heart rate up. I have had a couple run ins with a sow and cubs and ive heard similar vocalizations.

Actually it didn't. I was more disappointed that I was not able to get some photos.

A couple of years ago jumped a sow and two cubs from their beds in this same location and was able to get this short video. The cubs went up the tree while mamma hung out a short distance away.

 Two Angry Cubs

[boneaddict]

Good stuff.