[Bo Hunter]

I posted a thread a few weeks ago about hunting bears without bait or dogs (I live in NY, those methods are illegal).

I was wondering if anyone has had success calling bears with wounded prey tapes (fawn distress, piglet distress etc) OR with bear cub distress tapes.

A departed friend of a friend was a die hard bear hunter. He said he called in a sow ONCE with a cub distress tape, and would NEVER do it again. He said it was SCARY AS HELL!

We've got several bears on our property (not sure why, but they like it there). One even came to a house located nearby, and walked all over their car.

I would love to take one of these bruins on video with a bow and wondered if calling might be the ticket.

So - has anyone successfully called these animals? What did you use? IF you used the cub distress, are they as pissed as I've heard when they come in? What was your call setup? I will be doing it from a treestand, not that its any safer, but you'll see them coming, and could shut off the call. We will have a hunter, and a cameraman, so technically, legally, the camera man COULD carry a gun if I get the impression that the distressed cub really wigs them out.

Any input would be appreciated....

Thanks,
Bo

PS - The other concern I had will using distressed cub was pulling an mother bear away from her cubs, killing her, only to leave her cubs orphaned. We are not allowed to shoot a bear unless it is alone. If she came running, alone, we would be none the wiser. I wasn't worried about the technicality of the law, as much as I was simply orphaning the cubs leaving them to die....

 

[Bo Hunter]

I was wrong... Just checked the game laws. It is unlawful to "Possess a firearm of any description when bowhunting or when accompanying a person bowhunting during special archery seasons. " I guess we'll need some Pepper Spray!

 

[DOGWOOD]

My Father called one in a couple years back with a varmint call. He was in a treestand and took the 250 lb male.

 

[johnhames]

Calling a bear with a cub in distress call is just asking for trouble. The frame of mind that a bear coming to this call is not one you want to confront with a bow. A bow is a very poor defense weapon. If you can make a noise like a little animal that's hurt, the bear comes in hungry. There is always the possibility of a deranged bear that is generally pissed and looking for a confrontation. But in general they want nothing to do with you and as soon as they figure what you are, they avoid you. One stalked me this year while I was triming a trail to use for hunting elk latter. I was using snipers to cut small branches and I guess it sounded like a little animal -- food to the bear. When he descovered what I was, he took off. They will come to a varmit call, but so will cats and now we are talking about self defence again.

 

[Bo Hunter]

The only CATS we have here are the kind that eat Meow Mix! Fortunately! I guess the bear cub distress might best be saved for shotgun season.... Perhaps a fawn distress would work better...

 

[Bobmuley]

Bo:
We've had pretty good luck using varmint calls (or a hyperhot cow call, same thing really). Of the 4 bears we've called to, we've killed 3. The hunts were incidental to elk hunting and we spotted them before we setup and called. It can be pretty interesting when a bear charges in to run off whatever's eatin' on that dying rabbit!

I don't know how effective blind calling would be.

 

[2ndchance]

from watching wayne carltons video it seems like if you spot the bear and do a good job of calling about 90% of the time they will come running! foaming at the mouth hair stuck straight up and ready to eat!

 

[TScottW99]

I called one in the other year with a rabitt in distress call. I was coyote hunting with a shotgun and 00 buck. I sunk down as far as I could, luckily he kept on going

 

[caribou creek]

I use wayne carltons calls to call black bears here in alaska .As our voteing year comes up so do issues of bear baiting and animal rights groups.i read in newspaper that many states are haveing same issues

The animal rights belive that if they neuter all bears that the problem of over population can be cured ????? Dud ! Some one needs to tell them more about the birds and the bees , they had to be sleeping in 7th grade class about sex ,

warning ---you will see this in wayne tape .if you do call bears you must remember you will no longer be on top of food chain ,these bears do and will come fast .carry extra t-p paper !

Here in alaska you call bears you get blacks and grizzly .question you must ask your self ------do you want to be in this position ?? most states outlaw side arms for back up ,alaska doesnt !

Number of years ago a freind of steve turay builder of northern mist bows in upper U.P michigan .i wont tell the real name in this story to protect my freinds hunting good name .Dont get me wrong he is a great guy to have in woods with you and is very knowledgeable of many things BUT ---bears --alaska bears .

He came to ak where he lived and worked lived here one year to get his resident license. we explored,fished had great time getting ready for our bear hunt. We had been watching a number of bears before we decided to hunt .I was to call in a bear useing waynes call. he would shoot him with a custom build bow that he had build just for this hunt--very good bow builder --I was to back him up .Well long story short the bear came in ,big blacky .Red eyes ,blood red.spit from his mouth running down his chin .running side to side looking for my call, this guy was comeing to dinner . there was no waiting in line to order !!!! not your every day take out either !about 30 yrds from my freind .he was showing signs of not wanting to be dinner.this bear looked like" Big mean joe green ,the refigerator " threw down bow .thats it !!!!! He went home packed his bags in his truck .moved back to michigan .the scary part is he got married ,he still hunts only in colo for elk and deer ,did hear that he was in canada for caribou ,.lost track of this man wish i could hunt with him again some day .maybe after this story i may never hear from him again ?

Moral of story do your home work ,be perpared ,bears do come fast and hard to varmit calls .over the years ive changed my calling .set up blind with your back covered .be able to see all around your blind have back up ..most of all be carefull !!! happy hunting and good luck ,Harold