Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Bear Hunting => Topic started by: Jpmiller on August 02, 2021, 11:38:48 AM

Title: Call or glass
Post by: Jpmiller on August 02, 2021, 11:38:48 AM: So I had a plan all set to head over to my old man's place to try for my first bear this summer. Know the area very well and he gets a bear on camera on his place just about every single day. Well its on fire now so scrapping that location and thinking of heading up the greenwater area since it's close by and everyone tells me there's nothing but bears there. My question being is this time of year better to glass or call? I don't know the area super well but figure it's as good a time as any. I've looked at it on maps and onx for a number of years, any advice is appreciated.

Or if you just want to show me to your honey hole this weekend and point me at a bear :chuckle:
Title: Re: Call or glass
Post by: jrebel on August 02, 2021, 11:43:38 AM: Tagging to get others perspectives, but I like glassing this time of year personally. This may be because I have never called one with many attempts....clearly I am doing something wrong. I like to glass food sources or travel corridors (ridge tops and saddles). We have a berry patch we glass and it is much much easier to see when we are above it....so I like the high ground for glassing. When you are same elevation or below....you would never see a bear due to how thick it is.

Curious to see if people like calling and what works for them. As far as the "fun factor" I love the idea of calling and it sure does help take up some of the boredom.....just never had much success.
Title: Re: Call or glass
Post by: phildobaggins on August 02, 2021, 12:13:31 PM: I've never called a bear, I've always been a get high and glass kinda guy and it rarely fails if you're in bear country :dunno:
Title: Re: Call or glass
Post by: predatorG on August 02, 2021, 12:33:32 PM: Day old donuts and McDicks apple pies? Just kidding obviously :chuckle:

I personally like calling. As previously mentioned it takes away from the boredom of just sitting there. I also hunt archery in the canal lowlands so it's more important to get them close, and there are not a lot of great glassing areas. My most recent bear was on an elk hunt. Didn't call any elk but called in a nice bear :dunno:

I haven't been able to hunt in a while but last time I tried calling on the opener I ended up calling in a coyote... maybe I'm just not good at ever calling in the species I mean to.

The nice thing about calling is that you have the opportunity for lots of other fun wildlife encounters. Deer come charging out of the woods to save a fawn, coyotes come running in and are fun to shoot, and there's always the chance you'll get to see a cougar or bobcat. Calling just brings all sorts of excitement to the game for me, and it's not hard to make any call sound like something dying.
Title: Re: Call or glass
Post by: Seabass on August 02, 2021, 02:32:46 PM: Both can be effective. If I can see I glass...if I can't see I call.
Title: Re: Call or glass
Post by: ganghis on August 02, 2021, 04:00:18 PM: Also tagging along to learn from more experienced bear hunters.

In a few years of trying, I've had a lot more success with spot and stalk in the Cascades above tree line in September, where bears are visible and gorging on berries (could be earlier this year). My general thought is bears with an ample, high calorie food source would be less susceptible to calling (or less willing to come into a far away call) than those without -- like calling would be more successful in spring or in October than in Aug-Sept. But maybe that's because I suck at calling!
Title: Re: Call or glass
Post by: predatorG on August 03, 2021, 06:51:33 AM: Quote from: ganghis on August 02, 2021, 04:00:18 PM
Also tagging along to learn from more experienced bear hunters.

In a few years of trying, I've had a lot more success with spot and stalk in the Cascades above tree line in September, where bears are visible and gorging on berries (could be earlier this year). My general thought is bears with an ample, high calorie food source would be less susceptible to calling (or less willing to come into a far away call) than those without -- like calling would be more successful in spring or in October than in Aug-Sept. But maybe that's because I suck at calling!

I think that this is true to an extent. Hopefully Boze hops on and provides a little extra info as to which seasons he finds best for calling. You can also buy his book or look at his insta @bozeandbears. I personally loved the book, not only good techniques but also fun stories and pictures.

Personally I think that any predator would be curious enough to come check out the potential for an easy meal, regardless of what other food is around :dunno:
Title: Re: Call or glass
Post by: Scruffy on August 03, 2021, 07:15:49 AM: I bought a FoxPro shockwave at the end of last year to try and get a cougar. I thought about taking it out for bear but decided to wait until cougar opens. I would hate to call a cougar in before the season opens and educate it.
Obviously I know little about calling but I would think bear are opportunists and depends on their current food source. If they have plenty of berries they will probably stay there. But if they are hungry and not much food for them they will likely show interest in a call to investigate it. Just my guess with no experience to back it.
Title: Re: Call or glass
Post by: hunter399 on August 03, 2021, 08:12:54 AM: I say both.....
But I've never called in a bear,my experience is nada.
I have called a few yotes with hand calls ,never the FoxPro and yes I do own a FoxPro.
Now sometimes I'll go out and glass areas ,then before I leave or get bored ,I'll throw down the last ditch effort to call.
I mean it can't hurt anything if your gonna leave that area in an hour or so anyway.
Title: Re: Call or glass
Post by: Jpmiller on August 04, 2021, 10:37:43 PM: Well I guess I'll bring the calls and try and see if I can get one into my lap this weekend. I know the coyotes really get the blood pumping when they come in so I can only assume a bear will get the old ticked going! Thanks for the input folks!
Title: Re: Call or glass
Post by: bracer40 on August 05, 2021, 07:34:48 AM: I have virtually no experience hunting bears, but did call one in once using a lost calf call from a tree stand. He came in within maybe 30 minutes of starting my sequence. I got pretty excited when I heard him coming (thinking it was an elk!). He came within 14 yds from me. I had a tag, but didn’t want to mess up my spot with gutting and breaking down a bear.
Title: Re: Call or glass
Post by: Jpmiller on August 05, 2021, 08:10:45 AM: Quote from: bracer40 on August 05, 2021, 07:34:48 AM
I have virtually no experience hunting bears, but did call one in once using a lost calf call from a tree stand. He came in within maybe 30 minutes of starting my sequence. I got pretty excited when I heard him coming (thinking it was an elk!). He came within 14 yds from me. I had a tag, but didn’t want to mess up my spot with gutting and breaking down a bear.
a

Not with calling but there's been a couple times ive passed up an opportunistic shot at a bear because I was hunting something else and I end up kicking myself every time. Never again
Title: Re: Call or glass
Post by: Machias on August 05, 2021, 09:34:29 AM: Calling is just one more tool in your tool bag. I LOVE calling bears, but unless you are on smoking hot bear sign it is a numbers game. I've probably averaged calling in a bear every 20-25 stands, roughly.
Title: Re: Call or glass
Post by: X-Force on August 05, 2021, 11:22:41 AM: Glassing and still hunting have been far more productive for me but calling is to much fun not to do… especially when you know there is a bear in there that won’t show itself…. Just be ready for another bear to pop out that you didn’t know about.
Title: Re: Call or glass
Post by: dilleytech on August 05, 2021, 11:23:00 AM: I’m at one bear called in for about 10 attempts but I think a few times I probably called in bears that were down wind and didn’t commit. But also called in yotes to 10 yards a few times barking at me. I would certainly spend some time calling if you have time to kill at least.
Title: Re: Call or glass
Post by: bearmanric on August 05, 2021, 08:38:27 PM: Calling is exciting.
Title: Re: Call or glass
Post by: wadu1 on August 05, 2021, 09:32:07 PM: On the hunts I've done on Vancouver Island, it's been spot and move. If the bear has moved, hunker down and call. It's a rush to have them within 10 yards coming in on a call.
Title: Re: Call or glass
Post by: spoonman on August 05, 2021, 09:58:58 PM: Greenwater is a decent area but it has been pretty over run with hunters the last few years. I hunt it regularly and if you can find a good little hidden hole with berries and a creek in the bottom odds are there will be a bear there at some point. I sat on a opening that had some berries last weekend for 3 hours glassing before I finally ended up seeing a sow and a couple kids come through.