Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Bear Hunting => Topic started by: DrHawker on July 26, 2022, 10:47:15 AM

Title: Electronic calls for bears
Post by: DrHawker on July 26, 2022, 10:47:15 AM: Curious if anyone can confirm that e-calls are legal for hunting bears. Page 87 of the regs says you can't hunt turkey, waterfowl, or deer with an e-call, but says nothing about bears.
Title: Re: Electronic calls for bears
Post by: callturner on July 26, 2022, 10:51:51 AM: Im sure its ok but call wdfw . Internet advise can get you in trouble. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Electronic calls for bears
Post by: mcrawfordaf on July 26, 2022, 10:58:06 AM: DMOUA has a YT video of calling in and killing a black bear via Fox Pro. The same bear was aged by WDFW at 9 years old. I know what ass-u-ming can do but this would lead me to believe it's legal.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVIAUQZcKE0&t=929s (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVIAUQZcKE0&t=929s)
Title: Re: Electronic calls for bears
Post by: WoodHacker on July 26, 2022, 11:05:50 AM: I've read the regs carefully and I believe electronic calls are legal for bears and cougars. Even with an ecall, I keep a call by bearmanric hanging from my neck just in case I see a bear while I have the ecaller in my pack.
Title: Re: Electronic calls for bears
Post by: Jpmiller on July 26, 2022, 11:52:15 AM: I asked a few years back and was told go ahead for bears. Fwiw, I sometimes wonder if I call back to back and ask the same question if I'll get the same answer.
Title: Re: Electronic calls for bears
Post by: hunter399 on July 26, 2022, 12:02:33 PM: Only thing I see in the regs is this.

Using decoys and calls
(WAC 220-414-090):
It is illegal to hunt turkey, deer and waterfowl
with the use or aid of electronic calls, except
during white goose-only (lesser snow geese,
Ross' geese) season dates.

Doesn't say anything about bears,should be good to go.
Title: Re: Electronic calls for bears
Post by: HillHound on July 26, 2022, 01:03:02 PM: Yep like everyone has said it is legal. So let’s quit asking questions and talking about it. The commission catches wind of this it’s going to be the next thing we lose
Title: Re: Electronic calls for bears
Post by: dmoua on July 26, 2022, 07:26:43 PM: Definitely legal.
Title: Re: Electronic calls for bears
Post by: bearmanric on July 26, 2022, 07:40:31 PM: Yes it’s Legal use fawn And elk with my Hand calling some times. have three FOXPROS.
Title: Re: Electronic calls for bears
Post by: dilleytech on July 27, 2022, 01:38:04 PM: Yes electronic calls are legal for bears. I’m not sure they are as affective as hand calls. But it is perfectly legal.
Title: Re: Electronic calls for bears
Post by: bearmanric on July 27, 2022, 02:20:37 PM: Hand calls are better. Putting emotion into the Hand call. My wife would say why you getting another Foxpro because I do better with hand calls. Been making predator calls over 20 years. Just like ecalls.
Title: Re: Electronic calls for bears
Post by: huntndoc on July 28, 2022, 11:30:02 AM: We are new bear hunters, so our experience is pretty slim with calling, though I have called my fair share of coyotes with rabbit calls. I chose an e-caller to trial last year for several reasons.

1.) You can put the call farther away from you and focus the animal's attention to a desired shooting area. Plus, I think it lessens the chance that I'm going to turn around and be face to face with a lion while I've got my kids with me. If they choose to carry weapons next year, then I will be all over one of bearmanric's hand made's -- they look awesome and I have no doubt that they sound better than a foxpro.

2.) My boys sometimes get bored sitting and glassing and handing the remote to either of them gives them something to do and helps them participate. I will select the call to use, hand the remote, and then nod at them when they need to activate the calling sequence. They love it. I guess I could teach them to blow a call as well and have the same effect - but, with the young guy moving around quite a bit, I feel like my chances are better if the bear is not focused directly on where I'm hiding. IDK... maybe the bear would see the movement as being a food animal and it would make him come even faster...!

I do agree that the sound sequences do not sound as realistic as a mouth call would be and can be pretty repetitive after 15-20 minutes. Last year we used a foxpro and after almost an hour of calling when we were done hunting, we started screwing around with the call. We selected a wolf howl and the howl hadn't been playing for 2 seconds when the trees 150 yards away absolutely lit up with coyote barks and yelps! They were TICKED OFF that a wolf had moved in on their trophy... Sounded like we had called in an entire pack with the fawn calls and if we'd waited another few minutes, should have had shot opportunities. Surprised the heck out of us and made us laugh really hard.
Title: Re: Electronic calls for bears
Post by: Keith494 on July 29, 2022, 12:35:08 AM: Perfectly legal for bear

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Title: Re: Electronic calls for bears
Post by: bearmanric on July 29, 2022, 09:28:22 AM: I hand call some times with caller Fawn or elk. Turned down lower.

https://www.facebook.com/100001422387076/posts/pfbid02e8wPX3LsFyiiigRf7RhrN6WUUJsmoZgejmNNvy5stdJQTQAEmC4Kxp68qVvmpi6Sl/?mibextid=ztldM3