Who has some experience? I want to try some black bear calling in the fall and was looking for some tips and tricks. I will be hunting mu home state of Washington
I have some experience with this subject. Not extensivley, but enough to know a couple tips. I've killed several black bears in and have been close to several during archery season and rifle mule deer season and I have noticed that bears are more vocal animal than people think. Sows communicate with their cubs vocally and cubs are even more vocal when treed and mamma is on the ground... Fall is the best season to call. Bears are in a hypertrophic stage where they need as many calories as possible before hybernation. Most calls mimic dying animals and presents a welcome dinner bell to a pre-hybernation bear.
It is best to spot a bear before calling. That way you know which direction they are coming from and can gauge their responses to the calling. (That way you can improve what you find to work/not work.) If this is not possible, try to have terrain or vegatation behind you so that a bear will not approach from your blind side. 3/4 of the time they will come in hot. Once you choose a call, (Predetor calls work the best but i've had even better luck with a cow elk reed..., call for a longer period of time than you would think. Like 30 seconds. Really wail on that thing..... Sound as disterbed and in pain as you can. Think panic, "i'm going to die" then stop and glass and listen. Wait about 3-5 minutes. Once that bear comes in, be ready to make a single kill shot. Check out Wayne Carltons DVD, Calling Bears. Thats the only reference you need. That and a large set of balls. Good luck and stay safe
