Post by: OutHouse on March 20, 2025, 04:34:34 PM
Post by: syoungs on March 20, 2025, 04:42:01 PM
Post by: Jpmiller on March 20, 2025, 05:48:47 PM
Post by: castnblast on March 20, 2025, 06:51:11 PM
Grab yourself the book "no bait, just bears" from Douglas boze.This!
Additionally, this oldie was worth watching. If you are in eastern Washington... specifically the Tri-Cities, I'm happy to loan you my copy. https://a.co/d/d8X2B0X
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Post by: duckmen1 on March 20, 2025, 08:22:21 PM
For most individuals be ready to run many dry stands before seeing success but always prepare like this is the one. Years doing so will up success rates in having better odds on a stand.
Post by: OutHouse on March 24, 2025, 10:22:07 AM
Post by: pickardjw on March 24, 2025, 11:16:12 AM
I have his "Ultimate Guide to Black Bear Hunting" book. It has some solid information. Hoping to put it to use this spring in Idaho. Haven't had any luck in the fall calling yet.
Post by: OutHouse on March 24, 2025, 12:25:58 PM
One thing I have noticed is younger or average bears come in and you hear them coming. Sometimes very fast paced or just loud when coming in out of curiosity. The two Oldest and largest bears we have shot came in dead silent to 25 yards or less. Never loose your senses when on a calling set. Be ready at all times. The big bears sneak in very stealthy and use terrain to their advantage to close the distance. And I believe when those bigger boars come in they are committed to getting that meal.
For most individuals be ready to run many dry stands before seeing success but always prepare like this is the one. Years doing so will up success rates in having better odds on a stand.
Really interesting and kinda scary that a big bear could creep up like that. Do you get in a blind or sit at a vantage point so you can see them first? Or does that give it all away?
Post by: duckmen1 on March 24, 2025, 01:13:50 PM
One thing I have noticed is younger or average bears come in and you hear them coming. Sometimes very fast paced or just loud when coming in out of curiosity. The two Oldest and largest bears we have shot came in dead silent to 25 yards or less. Never loose your senses when on a calling set. Be ready at all times. The big bears sneak in very stealthy and use terrain to their advantage to close the distance. And I believe when those bigger boars come in they are committed to getting that meal.
For most individuals be ready to run many dry stands before seeing success but always prepare like this is the one. Years doing so will up success rates in having better odds on a stand.
Really interesting and kinda scary that a big bear could creep up like that. Do you get in a blind or sit at a vantage point so you can see them first? Or does that give it all away?
No blinds just working areas and seeing what looked like good potential spots to stop and tried calling. Both these bears I had never hunted those particular areas.
The first big one I called in was at an older cut with little openings but a little bit of a rise for elevation vantage. Not very high but enough for the spot. Really didn’t hear much of anything but saw a little tree wiggle slightly in the cut about 60 yards out. Then it just appeared under 20 yards away. This one was coming in close but at the same time circling the wind to get down wind. In which it did. And as soon as it went to run brother laid the hammer down.
The second big one I called in was a 90 degree day. Went into a creek bottom in the tall timber. I was in a small bowl in the bottom of the basin. Not far from the creek. After hitting the call and few minutes in I heard the most faint tick of a twig what sounded like 100 yards ahead. Thought it may have been a squirrel or a chance of being something better but never heard a peep afterwards. Waited and kept calling and looked over to see a bear to my left sneaking in at 25 yards coming through a tight little draw. This bear had also been circling the wind. Quickly turned and got a frontal shot dropping that bear in its tracks. Had I not turned at that moment it would have closed the distance without me even knowing. Tall timber with fairly dense ferns.
Both of these bears were shot within 15 to 20 minutes of calling. Both came in very slow and silent. And I am very in tune to picking up any sound from animals coming into calls. Both tried to circle to wind. But much tighter in circling than a coyote. They both were very committed to coming directly closing the distance even when circling the wind. Both solid big boars.
Have had many other bears come in much faster to even full run . All of those bears coming in loudly just plowing brush with no care or running and such. Those have either been sows, or younger age class curious bears under 200 lbs that would come in to a certain range and more less check it out but not committed. Have called in a few sows with cubs same story. Lots of noise they hold up 100 yards out while checking out the call and the cubs play up and down trees and logs while momma is checking out the call. And the sows with cubs venture off for years to come.
With all that said I have called in bears within 15 minutes to probably 1.5 hours after calling started. Every stand is different depending on the area and terrain.
Post by: duckmen1 on March 24, 2025, 01:22:13 PM
Post by: OutHouse on March 25, 2025, 04:04:18 PM
Post by: Okanagan on March 25, 2025, 04:21:40 PM
Does anyone have a suggestion for a call that I could buy online or locally that would be good for bears? Thanks!!
I'd order one from Rainshadow here on this forum, or one of the locals who make calls and sell them here. I've called several pretty good black bears with Rainshadow hand calls.
Having said that, IMO the exact call sound is the LEAST important factor in successfully calling a bear, and I've called 20 or so black bears and several grizzlies in BC. (My apologies to Steve and other call makers! :) )
For me they have come in to bear cub distress, hare or jack rabbit or fawn distress (those are usually a very similar sound, labeled differently) cotton tail, woodpecker and the closest one came to lip squeeks. As said by duckmen1, some run in, some sneak, some feed closer while acting like they don't hear the call sound. Make sure you can see downwind.
Good luck! Fun way to hunt. My grandsons are good at it!
Post by: CasterlyRock on March 25, 2025, 05:53:41 PM
Does anyone have a suggestion for a call that I could buy online or locally that would be good for bears? Thanks!!RR Calls made me the most beautiful bear call a few years ago. I cannot recommend him highly enough.
Bearmanric on here or rrcalls on Facebook
Post by: Sliverslinger on March 25, 2025, 07:49:33 PM
Does anyone have a suggestion for a call that I could buy online or locally that would be good for bears? Thanks!!
I have 4 RR calls- absolutely awesome sounding beautiful calls. Top notch customer service as well.
Post by: Jpmiller on March 26, 2025, 05:12:45 AM
Post by: OutHouse on March 26, 2025, 02:54:22 PM
Post by: ganghis on March 26, 2025, 04:58:23 PM
https://www.amazon.com/Quaker-Boy-Distress-Fawn-Predator/dp/B001RMY498
Post by: OutHouse on April 02, 2025, 10:57:37 AM
Post by: dreadi on April 02, 2025, 11:56:47 AM
Post by: Okanagan on April 02, 2025, 06:58:11 PM
I've got a great distress call....a six month old baby. By the time August rolls around her vocals will be even louder. We can just wait for her to get hungry and not feed her for a few minutes.
Yes, you do have a great call! I'm not the only one to record a baby cry and use it to call predators, but FWIW, it works.
Over 50 years ago I decided our first born child, a girl, cried with an excellent sound to call predators. My wife was horrified, and I didn't get around to recording the baby cry. IME and opinion, the best sound is within the first three days after a baby is born. On about day four, the crying sound changes subtley, and IMO is not quite as good a call sound. The first week or two is still very good and cries from older babies will probably work.
I recorded our second born when he was about three days old, and called in a few coyotes and a grey fox with the sound recorded on a cassette tape and played on a cassette tape player. We did nothing to induce crying, merely recorded a minute or so when we were going to let him cry anyway. My wife was still horrified.
Very few people were calling anything in those days and I was doing well with hand calls so only did a bit of experimenting with the baby cry.
Post by: time2hunt on April 12, 2025, 07:22:49 PM
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Post by: bearmanric on May 13, 2025, 09:42:18 PM
Post by: logola512c on May 15, 2025, 02:36:06 PM
With that said in calling bears the biggest disappointment is that this state won’t align cat seasons with the opening of bear season. I have called in a number of cats, bobcats and cougars during august. That live for another day for hopes to see later on once season opens. In which come that time I never seem to call cats in. But as cool as it is to see a big cougar come to the call it really does suck not to be able to harvest. And keeps you on edge while leaving the area. I would much rather see cougar season align with bears 1 month earlier and close at a sooner date. They have their quotas anyways so it would not make too much different as a whole.
Agree. I've tried calling bears in August and only had cats respond. Once the blackberries are in during september, the bears couldn't care less about a predator call.
Post by: dilleytech on May 17, 2025, 01:39:22 PM
One thing I have noticed is younger or average bears come in and you hear them coming. Sometimes very fast paced or just loud when coming in out of curiosity. The two Oldest and largest bears we have shot came in dead silent to 25 yards or less. Never loose your senses when on a calling set. Be ready at all times. The big bears sneak in very stealthy and use terrain to their advantage to close the distance. And I believe when those bigger boars come in they are committed to getting that meal.
For most individuals be ready to run many dry stands before seeing success but always prepare like this is the one. Years doing so will up success rates in having better odds on a stand.
This has been my experience also, little bears come running. Big bears sneak in wanting to know what the situation is before they actually get to it. I think more big bears smell the caller or something and sneak away than callers think. But I have only called in one BIG bear. “That I actually saw coming”
Post by: Sliverslinger on May 17, 2025, 06:55:03 PM
Does anyone have a suggestion for a call that I could buy online or locally that would be good for bears? Thanks!!
The absolute best is Rick Robins - RRgamecalls.
I have 3-4 of his. Absolutely beautiful and sound amazing.
Post by: Rob on May 18, 2025, 01:33:38 AM
I watched this Sow last year. She had two cubs with her. I hit the mouth call and in about 2 seconds she pivoted from broad side walking to face me sitting down. I think she was making eye contact with me. Amazing how fast they can pinpoint where a sound is coming from. She was 475 yards away.
Post by: Okanagan on May 18, 2025, 09:30:37 AM
(https://i.imgur.com/gbTbdEs.jpg)
Post by: Rob on May 18, 2025, 10:57:51 AM
Post by: Machias on May 21, 2025, 08:44:46 AM
Post by: bearmanric on July 06, 2025, 02:07:32 PM
Post by: hunter399 on July 07, 2025, 06:12:44 AM
Have lots s of bear Calls. getting excited. Rick
Free bump for hand calls 🤙.
Fox pro customer service sucks,no warranty....no fix.
Post by: dilleytech on October 22, 2025, 03:11:59 PM
Post by: hunter399 on October 22, 2025, 03:13:37 PM
Heck ya!
Post by: Deer slayer on October 24, 2025, 09:30:42 AM
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Post by: Boar on November 24, 2025, 01:15:55 PM
1) can you expect to call bears off a good food source, such as in peak berry season? Or if they are on food are they going to tend to ignore calls?
2) I never even considered electronic calls, are they legal here?? Doesn’t seem as sporting, but Doug mentions them in passing and it actually does seem safer if you can put some distance between yourself and the call source.
3) what’s the best strategy for waving off an incoming animal you can’t or don’t want to shoot…sow with cubs, cat, etc.? Shouting or warning shot would probably blow out the area. What’s the game plan before it gets too close and aggressive and you would have to completely blow your cover?
Post by: dilleytech on November 25, 2025, 01:46:49 PM
Read Doug’s book on calling recently, came away with a couple questions…
1) can you expect to call bears off a good food source, such as in peak berry season? Or if they are on food are they going to tend to ignore calls?
2) I never even considered electronic calls, are they legal here?? Doesn’t seem as sporting, but Doug mentions them in passing and it actually does seem safer if you can put some distance between yourself and the call source.
3) what’s the best strategy for waving off an incoming animal you can’t or don’t want to shoot…sow with cubs, cat, etc.? Shouting or warning shot would probably blow out the area. What’s the game plan before it gets too close and aggressive and you would have to completely blow your cover?
1. Personal experience fat full beers don’t seem as interesting in risking a fight for food.
2. Electronic calls are legal. Not sure how it’s less spotting special reading your edition 3.
3. The over whelming odds are any animal is going to run away once they see you. Cubs are going to run up a tree and the sow will likely follow them. Just walk the other way at that point and you shouldn’t have an issue. Just calling in any animal in an area is lucky if you decide to fire a shot so be it. I have only had to do that once. If a cougar comes in shoot it.