Bear hunting question

BigJim

BigJim

New member

I have recently spotted a black bear in a clearcut where I hunt. This clear cut is secluded and not bothered. Hunting season opens the first for black bear. My question is how should I go about hunting this bear? Should I just show up first thing in the morning and try to spot him? Or do you think he will not be there and was just passing thru? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif

It was a surprise to see him because seems like nothing for him to really eat. No berries or anything.

Any input?
 
i would go back. there's grubs and grass. find i high spot and watch daylight and dusk for sure. watch the wind. give hime a chace to show up a couple time's then try a predator call. Rick
 
If you are close enough to scout it lightly, I'd go back right away to see if he is leaving regular fresh sign in the clearcut. I don't think you will run him off by one walk through. If bears stay in a small area they walk the same paths and step in the same spots so that they wear out depressions in moss etc. where each foot steps. I've seen black bears do that a number of times. Such a repeat use trail would most likely be where he enters the clearcut.

On hot days, I've seen them lay in the mud or a depression where a spring seeps out of the ground.

I've never done any good hunting bears in early morning, though I recall watching one above timberline one morning before sun-up. I'd concentrate on afternoons and evening. Figure bears to be like teen age boys: sleep late and eat all the time. Like bearmanric, I'd watch the place and use a call. If he comes to the call, he will probably circle downwind when he gets close so always sit where you can see downwind. Good luck.
 
Thanks guys, helps a lot. I am looking to get my first bear and appreciate the help.

I have an electronic caller, what call do you suggest I use? Fawn, rabbit, or what?

Sorry I sound so ignorant. Don't have experience hunting bears.
 
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I have an electronic caller, what call do you suggest I use? Fawn, rabbit, or what?



Somebody who has used electronic may have a better answer. I've only called bears with a low raspy jack rabbit hand call, that sounds just like a mule deer fawn that I heard cry out. It also sounds like what some are marketing as bear cub distress. And I called one up close with lip squeeks when I didn't have a call along. Fawn or rabbit or bear cub in distress all should work well. I'm not sure that the bear will know what is making the distress sound, just that it sounds small enough for him to eat and in some kind of trouble he can take advantage of. I've used intermittant calling, 15-30 seconds with a minute to up to three of silence. Most folks say that constant calling works better for bears. Could be.

I'd stay at least 30 minutes, longer if I'm sure a bear is around. If you don't see him you might call a bit and then just sit out the stand till dark in silence. Some animals don't come right away but when they get up to feed in the evening, may mosey over and check out where they heard an interesting sound an hour or so earlier.

Bears are reputed to be erratic to call. Sometimes they come and sometimes they don't. That usually means that we callers haven't figured out that species enough yet to call them consistently. Try it. You may teach us all something.

Don't sweat the sound too much, but put the effort and thought into your approach and set up. Its not uncommon to hear a bear, quietly flipping rocks over and stripping bark off of down logs to get bugs. I'm betting you tag your first bear this season.
 
Jim, If there wasn't any berries in the clearcut my guess is that the bear will likely move on. Who knows though, there could be something close by that the bear you saw was feeding on or it could be a natural place for bears to cross as they wander about looking for food. Bears are going to be loading up on ripe berries from here on out. If you can find some good berry patches that are secluded with cover close by you will find bears. Get a good vantage point, be patient, and watch those berry patches.

Okanagan is right on target with feeding bears making lots of noise. Either when they are rolling rocks for bugs or thrashing around in the berry patches munching down berries. You can often hear them before you see them.

Good luck. Hope you tag a nice one.
 
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Guys, I'm not sure electronic calls are legal in Washington. I was just talking to the Warden today, and asked about bears. Basicly what they told me was that for bears-NOTHING IS LEGAL. Hell, that purty much put it into perspective. No baits, no lures, no nuthin. I DO remember reading something about electronic calls in the phamphlet, but can't be specific at this time. Guess I'll just have to make another call.

When have I seen bears around here? I'd have to say mostly in the morning, even into late morning. Biologists say that sometime in early September Bears go into a kind of "feeding-frenzy", and start eating as much as 20 hours a day, trying to put weight on for winter. If this is so, they say to watch known berry and nut patches, that those types of foods have the most calories/fat in them, and that would be the best places to watch.

Well, I've been doing just that, but it always seems that I'm a day late and a doller short. I keep hitting the lowlands where known berry patches are, and where its cool, either do to a crick or just a deep dark spot in a notch in the hills. I've found lots of scat, tracks, and a few trails where bears have passed through, but no bears where and when I can shoot 'em.

Biologist also say that to keep hitting the same spots, that more than one bear will eat at one spot, that they have a peculiar habit of filling their stomach, then moving on. You'd think that if there was food there, that they'd stay there till it was all gone, biologist's say it ain't so, that they fill themselves, then move on. Maybe its an adaptation so other bears can eat too? I don't know. I do know that bears can have a huge home range (20 to 200 miles!), and here today, gone tomarrow seems to be in order.

Well, I just keep trying. Good luck to you guys!

UPDATE=E-callers are legal for bear in WA. Ask a Warden.
 
A buddy of mine called in his spring black bear with a Quaker boys Little Rascal hand call. It took a whole week, but he finally got one to come in. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
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