Nocturnal bruiser

[bornhunter]

I got two blackies on my camera every night and one of them is a real bruiser. They are coming into an old orchard and gorging on apples. I spent a lot of time in my blind from am to pm but this big dude just wont show during shooting light. I have a good idea where he spends his time during the day but I dont want to bump him and have him leave the area. Any ideas from experienced bear hunters?

[Okanagan]

Call him.  Carefully, with a lot of forethought as to when, details in your selection of calling stand, wind, light.  The precise sound is probably the least critical factor.

I discovered accidentally that bears used to a bait stand sometimes hang out near it and readily come in to a nearby call.

[Boss .300 winmag]

 might want another guy with you looking the other way.👍

[LDennis24]

Maybe post a pic of this bruiser so we can get a better idea of how to pattern him for you...

[bornhunter]

I erase all my pics when I check my camera but I will check it here this afternoon and I am sure he was in last night. I will just have to figure out how to post a pic as I am not very savy with that stuff. I am guessing the big one is a boar cause when he stands up to reach the apples on the limbs he reaches really high. I am 6'1" and I reached up to the same limb as he did and I was just able to reach the limb. So if he is in every night then you guys think he does not travel very far from the orchard during the day?

[Eric M]

I erase all my pics when I check my camera but I will check it here this afternoon and I am sure he was in last night. I will just have to figure out how to post a pic as I am not very savy with that stuff. I am guessing the big one is a boar cause when he stands up to reach the apples on the limbs he reaches really high. I am 6'1" and I reached up to the same limb as he did and I was just able to reach the limb. So if he is in every night then you guys think he does not travel very far from the orchard during the day?

Try to figure out where he is entering and exiting the orchard area. I'm thinking there is probably a well worn path or 2 nearby maybe set up off that instead catch him on the way in or out. He ckr they could be a half mile from there if that's where good cover is. My

[addicted1]

He probably isn't going far. Try calling, it works well when you know they are near by. Is there a lot of scat in the general area?

[huntnfmly]

Lots of good advice already.
Find out where he is coming into the orchard out of cover set up on that trail 40-50yrds from orchard  he's going to have a staging area that he'll hang out for awhile before he heads into the orchard.
  You'll get him on his trail coming in chances of catching him in the orchard is low
Sit on the trail

[LDennis24]

Obviously the pic won't tell us alot except his size but I wanted to see how big he was. Calling should work. Try to get a good fawn distress call and setup with it somewhere you can see a ways

[bornhunter]

Ok great advice and I can do all of the above. I set a second camera today on a trail I think he is using to come and go. When I got there today to check camera I found a huge limb he broke out of the apple tree last night trying to get more apples. I think I have limited time as the tree doesn't have a lot of apples left. Yes, lots of scat in the orchard. I almost think this sucker knows when I come and go as he doesnt wait long after I check the camera and he comes in right after dark. I have an electronic caller with a fawn distress call in it and my blind is set up about 50 yards away since late august as this is also my deer set up. Already got my deer last Saturday so on the bear only.  I will try the call in the next few days.Thanks everyone. I have not taken a bear ever so this is pretty exciting. I gotta figure out how to post pics cause I think you guys who know bears will really be impressed by how big this bugger is is. He is a pig with a punkin head!

[Lance F]

Are you hunting eastern or western Washington?  I am surprised there are any apples left at this point.  If you get him we want to see pictures. Good luck!

[M_ray]

Ok great advice and I can do all of the above. I set a second camera today on a trail I think he is using to come and go. When I got there today to check camera I found a huge limb he broke out of the apple tree last night trying to get more apples. I think I have limited time as the tree doesn't have a lot of apples left. Yes, lots of scat in the orchard. I almost think this sucker knows when I come and go as he doesnt wait long after I check the camera and he comes in right after dark. I have an electronic caller with a fawn distress call in it and my blind is set up about 50 yards away since late august as this is also my deer set up. Already got my deer last Saturday so on the bear only.  I will try the call in the next few days.Thanks everyone. I have not taken a bear ever so this is pretty exciting. I gotta figure out how to post pics cause I think you guys who know bears will really be impressed by how big this bugger is is. He is a pig with a punkin head!

I’ve got something else for you to try. I had the same thing happen back when baiting bears was legal. It was way before trail cameras but we had trail timers that would have a string that would stop the clock so you would know what time they hit the bait. This big guy would hit the bait 5-10 min after it was baited but never come in when you sat in the stand. I finally figured out that he was close enough to hear me coming and going and would only come in after he heard someone leave. Me and a buddy fooled him by going in together and 5 min after he heard one leave he hit the bait in the light. Try going in with someone and have them check your camera just as you would do and have them do everything you would in the same order. While he is doing that you slip into your stand or blind quietly and then your buddy leaves just as you would. Blackies get used to a routine when coming into baits and they are lazy and not going to go far from it either so it wouldn’t surprise me if this is all it would take for him to think the coast is clear. Also with the apples dwindling he may be more anxious to get there before any competition before they dry up, Good luck!

[bornhunter]

I'll give it try. I read that in a hunting mag one time. The bear got used to hearing a guy on an atv come in to dump the goodies and as soon as the atv left a bear was right there. Western Wa.

[elkrack]

I'll give it try. I read that in a hunting mag one time. The bear got used to hearing a guy on an atv come in to dump the goodies and as soon as the atv left a bear was right there. Western Wa.

 
No doubt they get used to that

[bornhunter]

Just got back from bird hunting in eastern wa and checked my camera. The little of the two not seen but the big boy is in every night. Going to try the call tomorrow as the season is winding down. I've been told when using a call for bears to leave the call going for like 45 minutes straight. Does that sound right?

[Machias]

Just got back from bird hunting in eastern wa and checked my camera. The little of the two not seen but the big boy is in every night. Going to try the call tomorrow as the season is winding down. I've been told when using a call for bears to leave the call going for like 45 minutes straight. Does that sound right?

If he's there every night there is a decent chance he is not that far away and may come in much sooner....but I'd give him at least 45 to an hour.  Good luck!

[bornhunter]

Ok will do. I am a solo hunter so this could be interesting. Should be fun.

[bornhunter]

And thanks again everyone.

[bornhunter]

Well this ol boy doesn't want to respond to a fawn distress call. Still on the camera every night. He busted one of my cameras using it for a foot hold to get his fat butt up in the apple tree. Just dont think he is going to show himself during the day. If he hasnt come in by now I'm guessing he has caught on to the call. I have until thursday. Maybe I will see if I can find him in his daytime spot. Odds of that are probably slim to none.

[huntnfmly]

With all the apples for him to eat he's not going to be interested in the call.
 If he's coming in on the same trail check the time stamp and move in away from the apples on that trail and set up your blind and don't call.
You'll catch him on the way in to the orchard

[bornhunter]

I think I need to get this guy some sunglasses. He absolutely wont show until after dark. At first he would not show until 0200 or 0300. Now he is coming in about 2000 to 2100.

[Goshawk]

All that activity in the woods makes them pretty spooky this time of the year.

[bornhunter]

He is just a smart old bear. I really think he has me patterned more than I have him. He came in last night and does what he always does. Lays around, eats a few apples, looks at the camera when it is triggered, puts his face right in the camera and then eventually leaves. Theres lots of food and he is really fat and life is good. Why come in during the day? Its been a fun couple of months with him. Hope he comes back next year and be even bigger. Time to focus on late buck. If this ol boy shows on thursday he wont grow a year older. After that, enjoy ol blackie!