Hunting Washington Forum

Big Game Hunting => Bear Hunting => Topic started by: wabassguy1 on August 21, 2010, 12:44:19 PM

Title: What does this mean HELP!!!!!!
Post by: wabassguy1 on August 21, 2010, 12:44:19 PM: Ok so have had this happen to me and a buddy a few times. Sitting looking over clear cut, been there maybe 30 mins or so.. start hearing bears (2 maybe 3 of them) grunting... but they never show.. any ideas on how to get them out or why this type of behavior.

Thanks
Title: Re: What does this mean HELP!!!!!!
Post by: one-eyed Ross on August 21, 2010, 12:45:39 PM: Maybe the smelt you?

(yes, I know it's misspelled, it was an attempt at humor....)
Title: Re: What does this mean HELP!!!!!!
Post by: hoyt5199 on August 21, 2010, 01:28:34 PM: I thought I was the only one with this problem, I am so close to them but do I dare and try to stalk them, or be stalked?
Title: Re: What does this mean HELP!!!!!!
Post by: gwpsage on August 21, 2010, 03:20:53 PM: I have had the same problem. :dunno: Both times I was in my blind calling on the edge of a clearcut. I would here the grunting behind me like they were trying to get my scent where I couldn't see of course. I didn't know that bears were so vocal.
Title: Re: What does this mean HELP!!!!!!
Post by: ratherhunt on August 21, 2010, 07:42:26 PM: I have had the same thing happen several times, could someone explain this you never read about bears being so vocal its really interesting would like to understand the behavior.
Title: Re: What does this mean HELP!!!!!!
Post by: littletoes on August 21, 2010, 09:03:44 PM: Hunting along a dry creekbed once, I stumbled upon a bear feading on the other side....grunting here and there, rolling rocks over, it was the most amazing thing to me, as I crouched in the long grass, 300 mag up waiting to see just a piece, or even just a bit of fur. But I never did. The bear just walked away into the woods and up the mountain on the other side. Didn't seem to be in a hurry, just moved on out of there.

But I would guess it did indeed smell me, it just wasn't afraid enough to run away, but it knew how to avoid the confrontation. Two years ago I happened upon a feeding bear, but this one wasn't a dominent one, kinda small, so it kept quiet, eating the grubs as it found them. I took it at 26 yards.

Thats my opinion, big bears make "grumbling" noises as they eat.
Title: Re: What does this mean HELP!!!!!!
Post by: dirty24d on August 21, 2010, 09:32:05 PM: I have the same issue, been having it the last 3 weeks. :bash: everynight i hear them but they wont poke their head out. It's driving me nuts because i know they are just out of sight almost every night!!
Title: Re: What does this mean HELP!!!!!!
Post by: tlbradford on August 21, 2010, 09:48:24 PM: Quote from: gwpsage on August 21, 2010, 03:20:53 PM
I have had the same problem. :dunno: Both times I was in my blind calling on the edge of a clearcut. I would here the grunting behind me like they were trying to get my scent where I couldn't see of course. I didn't know that bears were so vocal.

I would set-up in the clearcut instead of on the edge. You have to be able to get them in the open to shoot them. As long as you aren't moving you won't need to worry about getting spotted.
Title: Re: What does this mean HELP!!!!!!
Post by: Jamieb on August 22, 2010, 09:19:10 AM: try a cover scent
Title: Re: What does this mean HELP!!!!!!
Post by: MIKEXRAY on August 22, 2010, 10:09:35 AM: Maybe they are seeing your hearts electro magnetic pulse, I saw a shirt at Cabelas for $ 149. 99 that would help. :chuckle: I have heard this before and I always assumed I was scented. Mike
Title: Re: What does this mean HELP!!!!!!
Post by: JackOfAllTrades on August 22, 2010, 10:32:26 AM: Scent...

Ya'll need to read 'Education of a Bear Hunter' by Ralf Flowers. Think of lowland bears like reclusive Blacktail. They eat the cascara, salmon, hucks and blackberries that get just enough sun but are out of the open areas. Find a day when they're not there. Go in and look for shooting lanes for routes in and out of the thick. Use wind for your setting up your stand and also use a little bit of cover scent.

-Steve
Title: Re: What does this mean HELP!!!!!!
Post by: Bofire on August 22, 2010, 10:38:54 AM: :)Try to change your view angle or take a friend. This is one reason remote calls are so cool
Carl
Title: Re: What does this mean HELP!!!!!!
Post by: saylean on August 22, 2010, 11:03:46 AM: watch a thin, younger person climb stairs.
now, watch a fat, old person climb stairs....you'll hear the difference.

Older/fatter bears make more breathing noises when they go about.....or so it has seemed to me when I have watched them.

Try to get into the brush of the clear cut (to conceal yourself), or add a decoy (fawn, something with movement, etc). Perhaps if they see a decoy out there, they wont be so concerned about smelling what the hell is making all that noise before busting out of the brush...just in time for a shot.

Good luck!
Title: Re: What does this mean HELP!!!!!!
Post by: JackOfAllTrades on August 22, 2010, 11:08:02 AM: Hey, We thinner people still grunt as much as you fatter folk when we get excited! :chuckle:

But yeah, if there's more than one bear in the same feeding area, they'll grunt and such to each other.

-Steve
Title: Re: What does this mean HELP!!!!!!
Post by: wabassguy1 on August 22, 2010, 01:56:14 PM: From the sounds of the other night there were 3 diffrent bears.. all with in maybe 400 yards of us.THe grunts came form several diffrent locations and at similar times. Still not sure we had the wind in our face and were quiet.. sooo guess I will try again.
Title: Re: What does this mean HELP!!!!!!
Post by: JackOfAllTrades on August 22, 2010, 03:14:48 PM: That's a great plan. Try again, and try different spots with vantage points looking to the areas where you could hear them. If you can get to where they were feeding, see if that food source is reducing and look where they might move up or down slope to a ripening source. If they don't feel threatened, then they'll return to the same area. If the calling hasn't gotten any out of the brush, then change to a different offering.

-Steve
Title: Re: What does this mean HELP!!!!!!
Post by: Jeremy S on August 23, 2010, 06:49:46 AM: I'm pretty sure this happend to me on Saturday. :bash:
Title: Re: What does this mean HELP!!!!!!
Post by: lokidog on August 23, 2010, 05:05:14 PM: I'll help come watch from a different angle.... :chuckle:
Title: Re: What does this mean HELP!!!!!!
Post by: dirty24d on August 26, 2010, 06:22:50 PM: This happened to us again last night i was with wabassguy and another guy, we heard the bear but no visual, then as got to the point where we only had a few minutes left to shoot we moved in and the bear took off like a tank through the blackberries.