Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Anyone have success calling black bear?

I have called tons of Texas coyote and bobcats and now live in Northern New Mexico. I am interested in trying for black bear and cougar. I have a Fox Pro and various mouth calls.

I would like to hear from any of you who have called a bear. Calls used, set-ups that worked, how long it takes a bear or cougar to come in, and any tips or information you are willing to share.

Thanks

I have called in a few bears. I was just using a rabbit distress call from CIRCE. Had 2 coming at once from different directions once. I could hear sticks snapping and rocks being moved. Ended up taking a cinnamon colored one. I did this in Northern AZ.

I think fireball has posted before about successfully calling in black bear in OR.

Black bears call very easy. Can’t fool their nose but they have terrible eye sight. Use that to your advantage. I’ve called them with a rabbit call out hiking standing still in the wide open.
Cougars are also extremely callable but not a simple task. Look up rainshadow for lots of valuable information. Took me many years before getting the cougar off my list. Calling cougars has turned into an addiction for me.

Yes it works quite well. Just about any distress call can be effective

Grizzlies come in quite readily as well.

Read an article many, many years ago. The author was talking about game calls.
He had taken a couple of brothers bear hunting and they weren't having much success.
One of the brothers saw a bear and began making "squeaking mouse" sounds.
It wasn't long before the bear came onto range and he bagged it.
The callers name was Johnny Stewart.
Anybody remember Johnny Stewart game calls?
His electronic calls were awesome! They were also heavy and cumbersome.
They ran on D cell batteries and played 45rpm records!
Run one very long and you'd need another 10 pounds of D cells! LOL!

Yes I've called in a few . My best advice is to get Wayne Carlton's bear call and accompanying video instructions and follow them to the letter. The only thing I've seen that works exactly as advertised.

I have on several occasions. Sometimes with a mouth blown call and sometimes with my own voice, making sounds like a wounded animal. It can work and is quite exciting.

Never when I was trying for a bear but a handful of times when calling something else. All but two times I was using a "jackrabbit" call which was a little raspier than a "cottontail" call. One time was with a fawn bleat used to make distress calls to fill doe tags.

The last episode was using a blade of grass on a bear cutting across a buddy's field one spring afternoon. The bear stopped and began to amble in our direction. I decided to stop and wave off the bruin when the bear was about 50 yards from us. I remembered all we had on hand was my carry pistol and I am no Phil Shoemaker.

😳

Not sure it’s a good idea to disappoint a grizzly……..

Thanks for the responses. As far as I know, we don't have grizzlies. Yes, I have used those 45 record calls and worn out quite a few of Johnny Stewart's cassette tapes. Have had owls try to fly off with my tape players. I have also had bobcats in my lap when blowing mouth calls. Sounds like I should leave the 220 Swift and the mouth calls in the safe and take something larger when I go calling around here.

i have not saved any money trying to call in a mt lion. i have specifically called for lion for the last 6 years. i could have had 10 run up a tree for the time and money spent.

I called one in with a cow elk call once. Heard something that sounded like a bull thrashing a tree.

Gave a few chirps, the sound stopped, and there he was, coming straight in. I yelled, he pulled up and stared ne down from 30 yards, couldn't tell what I was.

He turned broadside and walked off real slow, stiff-legged. I don't know rheir body language but it was something along the lines of GFY.

I got one using the Pic-a-Nic basket call.

Damn thing was wearing a hat.

Weird.

A buddy and I have called in lions. We would spread out 40-50 yds apart and take turns calling. He shot his lion when it was 30 yds behind me.

Walking down a two track road in the dark with an archery client I was bugling bulls on an adjacent ranch when a black blur suddenly appeared coming right at us. I screamed, the bear veered, went by us at 10 ft without breaking stride.
Took 5 minutes at least before my heart started beating again…..

bears are easy to call. The trick is use an electric call, and just leave it running continually, long after you're bored.

Yes with rabbit call and fawn distress. I’ve called in two bears at the same time and both scared each other off. Also called in wild horse, bobcat, and mt lion with same calls

In the PNW mountains, go to a trailhead...no call needed. They'll smell your foofoo coffee you brought from the city.

Which brand works best for you?

I still have one and several of the 45 records and the spesker.
Still works.

I believe the Burnham (sp?) folks had one also.

Little video I had of these guys try to cut my scent

https://youtube.com/shorts/DYou-JJo3kc?feature=share

Danged things can come in with an attitude.

Far different behavior from just wandering around tearing into stumps and logs or digging up roots & such.

I had one come in really quickly, within minutes of me starting to call with a "doe/fawn bleat" mouth call. We had a little stare-down as he was smaller than I wanted to shoot. He wasn't at all pleased to find me instead of an injured deer. He woofed, went back into the trees & brush and started circling, I'm sure to get my scent. But... I left the area, keeping a good watch all the way back to my Jeep a couple of miles away. I got a bigger bear a week later.

Have fun with it. Interesting for sure, and yes it works.

Regards, Guy

I believe the top-ranked SCI black bear, taken by bowhunter Robert J. Shuttleworth Jr. was called in with a predator call.
It was arrowed during a self-guided September hunt in California’s Mendocino County. The oversize blackie had a skull length of 14 inches, width of 9 4/16s, for a total score of 23 4/16s.

I've always thought that the next time I bear hunt, that is the way I want to do it. Anyone I've talked to about it says to not do it alone. Have someone to watch your back.

That is one HUGE black bear skull!

Ya, I too figure it's best to have a competent hunting partner when trying to call in predators. Particularly if bears are around. I suppose the mountain lions could be quite dangerous too.

Recently bought a fox pro electronic caller and I like that I can position it well away from me, let it attract the critters to it, not to me.

Guy

How successful would calling be in areas that the bears are baited heavily?

Had a small Colorado bear come in to a cow elk call while bowhunting.He seemed real interested in what I was doing.

I’ve considered trying it but not interested in a brownie coming in. I think having a back up is a good idea. Had a friend in Nome that accidentally called a brownie in. Spooked him pretty good.