Bear calling

[woodman]

I am sure that this has been on here before, but I would like to know. I hear warnings about being careful while calling for bear. Has anyone heard of a caller actually being attacked while doing his bear calling?

[NataSS]

Havent heard of anyone being attacked but its the fact that doing it can be VERY unnerving.  Especially when "cold calling" them into you without having your eyes on one.  You may not have a bear coming in on you as well, it could be a cougar.

With alot of the areas being so thick you cant see until something is darn near on top of you.  Black bears tend to spook very easily but if you get one that is hungry enough, you have no idea what you could be in for.

[woodman]

Havent heard of anyone being attacked but its the fact that doing it can be VERY unnerving.  Especially when "cold calling" them into you without having your eyes on one.  You may not have a bear coming in on you as well, it could be a cougar.

With alot of the areas being so thick you cant see until something is darn near on top of you.  Black bears tend to spook very easily but if you get one that is hungry enough, you have no idea what you could be in for.

I find this very interesting, I was charged by a sow with two cubs earlier this year and it was hair-raising to say the least, she came within 20' of me and veered off at the last moment. I did kill a bear about 4 or 5 years ago that field dressed at #360 that came less than 20' from me. I believe that it did not know that I was there. Also I have taken a cougar that was #200 plus pounds at about 30' so I do know the experience of close encounters. I am just curious if anyone has heard of a caller being attacked.

[NataSS]

I find this very interesting, I was charged by a sow with two cubs earlier this year and it was hair-raising to say the least, she came within 20' of me and veered off at the last moment. I did kill a bear about 4 or 5 years ago that field dressed at #360 that came less than 20' from me. I believe that it did not know that I was there. Also I have taken a cougar that was #200 plus pounds at about 30' so I do know the experience of close encounters. I am just curious if anyone has heard of a caller being attacked.

Where do you hunt and can i hunt with you?  LOL!   360 is a good sized blackie!

[Machias]

One of the first few times I called, i heard pine needles just behind me being stepped on, you know how close something has to be to hear pine needles being stepped on,    I turned my head slowly and there about 20 feet away was a smaller bear, starring right into my eyes.  Spoke softly to it, I didn't want to scare it too bad in case another bear was coming in.  It just stood there.  I stood up and spoke softly again.  It pinned it's ears back and took a step forward.  It was a case of mistaken identity, but I didn't wait for another stop, I hit it square in the face with a blast of pepper spray.  I like to carry pepper spray on those rare occasions you call in something too small and don't want to kill it.  Most times, once you make your presence known they will hightail it out....but once in a while they get aggressive.

[mulehunter]

Maybe I should name myself  "DEAFBAIT"     Cuz I couldnt hear anything behind me!    I supposed to feel Goosebumper whole the times.

Mulehunter 

[carpsniperg2]

i have never been full on grabbed or hurt, but me and my buddy shot a bear in self defense but we did have bear tags and were calling bears but we did not want to shoot the sow that came in. but we had no other choice, i am not into shooting sows but don't care if others do but we try our hardest not to. she came into about 40 yards when we got a good look at her "me and my buddy about 10 yards apart" we knew it was a sow. the caller was shut off and she caught our wind and she came walking strait toward us which was weird. when she got to about 25 yards and locked eyes with us she stopped and looked at us for a min then she started walking towards us then we stood up and yelled at her. she kicked it into high gear with her ears laid back heading right for us. there was no choice she got to 11 steps from me and about 18 from my buddy and that was the end of that. i felt really bad but there was no choice she meant to do us harm and that was it. i was not going to wait the last few steps to see if she would pull off in my mind i know she was in the red zone and was not going to, so the end. point is that they are dangerous animals when in the wrong situation. we have had some pretty hot/mad bears with the cub distress as well but none had never pushed it like she did. we have been bluffed before as well. the call was our fave the fawn bawl so i have no idea why she was so pissed off for.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I only have been calling since this spring, but had a bear come in across the opening I had my back to, and down wind of me, spooked at 15 feet away, startled the hell out of me !!
This fall I will be sitting on top of stumps instead of with my back to them...

[Bscman]

Attacks while calling are something that has been on the back of my mind for quite a while.

Not so much due to bear...I feel as though I have a decent chance of detecting their presence before it's too late...but lately I've become VERY aware of the concentration of cougars in some of the areas I like to hunt. I've seen first hand how quietly they can move through brush, and how quickly they can cover ground that I wouldn't even have a chance in.

I've never heard of an attack while calling, but I did witness a coyote pup jump into the lap of a hunting partner. It must've seen his hand moving while mouth calling...I looked over at the last minute to see this young dog "pounce" on his lap. I'm not sure which one jumped higher or yelped louder..

[grundy53]

i was calling coyotes in some thick stuff and i had a bear come flying in. i couldn't see it until it was about 50 ft away and it was running full speed. i didn't even have time to think, just raised my gun and shot... i don't even remember aiming. drilled it right in the head (luck) it was running so hard that when i shot it, it did a summer sault before it came to a stop about 10 ft away. needless to say i always worry about this a little bit.

[stumprat]

I havn't heard of any attacks while calling. 2 years ago I had a bear approach from the rear on a Bobcat stand. It came within 20-25 yards. When the wind shifted instead of leaving. It started popping it's teeth and blowing at me. Then proceeded to beat the hell out of a stump. Then just disappeared.
Now I carry a sidearm while calling.

[woodman]

I really appreciate the replies. They just support the fact that you better be on your game while doing this type of hunting.

Joe

[wabow]

I learned the hard way not to try cub cries on the ground. Sows come in angry and fast if they lost sight of their cubs. Bores just think its a free meal and another chance at estrus.

Wabow

[saylean]

Never attacked, but as with everyone else, I am cautious about it. Something to your back or be at least higher up on a stump.

Had a color phase within 15 yards of me last year. I couldnt see it but my brother was watching it stalk me. It would only move when I called (hence why I couldnt hear it), and it was drooling heavily.

Love calling.

[Earshot]

Do any of you call alone or do you always have backup? I was going to head out alone, I usually see more animals when I'm alone.