Regarding calling bears, yes it can be done, will work and has been done but it's simply not that simple.......here's a piece I wrote on another thread regarding the idea. I've got a bit of experience with it.
-I've called in a bit over 60 bears so far, I don't do it near as much as I used to but I still call in a couple on a yearly basis. I wrote an article about it some time ago, if you pm me your email I'll send it to you if I can find it.
In a nut shell....yes you can call bears. I've found them to be mucho easier to get to come to a call in the fall. Reason being, once they hit hyperphagia (basically a stage they hit where they're feeding 20 hours a day getting ready for hibernation) so they're non stop looking for grub.
Will they come to a call in the spring or summer, yes they will but in my locale they don't respond as readily then.
I like to decide ahead before I start to call whether or not I want to take the bear. As most all bears that are coming at you seem to look big....I prefer to call with another person, mainly because I've found that with the amount of volume I need to get them to come I can only last on the call (I only use mouth calls, personal prima dona belief call it) about 45 seconds to a minute at most. I like to set up so that I can see my calling partner that way when I'm about gassed I can give my partner a nod and they can take over. I've found that once the calling stops that the bruins loose interest fairly quickly. Plus if you have a calling partner you can set watching different directions.
My favorite call is made by a company called Crit'R Call, they're an open reed call and I like their biggest call. Though I've called them in with many different calls, even used a peacock call once upon a time. I like it because it's loud and I can make a lot of noise with it!
I like to get within a quarter mile at most and with no big physical barriers between myself and the bear. By that I mean water and such. Once I start calling I go as hard as I can and don't let up!
I've found that 1/3 of the bears won't pay any attention at all, one third will mosey back and forth and generally move my way out of curiousity. Now the last 1/3 will up and come mach 4 with their hair on fire!! They're coming hard to kill and eat period. That's the bruins that are fun to call. Generally large boars. Once they break a point where you wish to take a shot, stop calling and that'll generally get them to slow down and start hunting for you (call source).
I won't use a cub call, as 75% of the times a sow with cubs will put her young up a tree, and then come to investigate. That's also a reason why I don't like "cold calling" (calling without first seeing the bruin), I want to watch them for a bit before I start to call so I can see if it's a sow with cubs or not.
Might be more info than you wished for, but take it for what it's worth and best of luck to you.
-I've called in a bit over 60 bears so far, I don't do it near as much as I used to but I still call in a couple on a yearly basis. I wrote an article about it some time ago, if you pm me your email I'll send it to you if I can find it.
In a nut shell....yes you can call bears. I've found them to be mucho easier to get to come to a call in the fall. Reason being, once they hit hyperphagia (basically a stage they hit where they're feeding 20 hours a day getting ready for hibernation) so they're non stop looking for grub.
Will they come to a call in the spring or summer, yes they will but in my locale they don't respond as readily then.
I like to decide ahead before I start to call whether or not I want to take the bear. As most all bears that are coming at you seem to look big....I prefer to call with another person, mainly because I've found that with the amount of volume I need to get them to come I can only last on the call (I only use mouth calls, personal prima dona belief call it) about 45 seconds to a minute at most. I like to set up so that I can see my calling partner that way when I'm about gassed I can give my partner a nod and they can take over. I've found that once the calling stops that the bruins loose interest fairly quickly. Plus if you have a calling partner you can set watching different directions.
My favorite call is made by a company called Crit'R Call, they're an open reed call and I like their biggest call. Though I've called them in with many different calls, even used a peacock call once upon a time. I like it because it's loud and I can make a lot of noise with it!
I like to get within a quarter mile at most and with no big physical barriers between myself and the bear. By that I mean water and such. Once I start calling I go as hard as I can and don't let up!
I've found that 1/3 of the bears won't pay any attention at all, one third will mosey back and forth and generally move my way out of curiousity. Now the last 1/3 will up and come mach 4 with their hair on fire!! They're coming hard to kill and eat period. That's the bruins that are fun to call. Generally large boars. Once they break a point where you wish to take a shot, stop calling and that'll generally get them to slow down and start hunting for you (call source).
I won't use a cub call, as 75% of the times a sow with cubs will put her young up a tree, and then come to investigate. That's also a reason why I don't like "cold calling" (calling without first seeing the bruin), I want to watch them for a bit before I start to call so I can see if it's a sow with cubs or not.
Might be more info than you wished for, but take it for what it's worth and best of luck to you.
