Calling Bear

[swamp]

I wondering if anyone has had success calling bears. What type of calls are you using. My deer camp is too far away to properly maintain a bait sight so I thought calling might work.
Swamp

[FishHog]

I tried it last fall with an electronic caller and rabbit distress calls. Call was sitting about 20 yards away from me. As is got dark, only a few minutes of light left and too dark in the spot I was sitting to see, I started to pack up. Heard a stick break and turned my head and a large bear was standing right beside my caller and looking at me. No idea how it got in that close without me seeing it, but it did. As soon as I moved the bear turned and took off.
Sure got my heart rate going for a while.
So, it was very close to working for me that night. Tried a few other times and had a nice fox come in, but no more bears.

[bellerivercrossbowhunter]

Works in Alaska becuase baiting is illegal there, so maybe it will work in Ontario.

[BoltgunBill]

I've tried distressed dying rabbit call. Two separate occasions had big owls swoop in and land within 40 yards of my hunting blind to have a good look.
No bears yet

Had better bear success using a honey burner, bear walked right up to it.

[dean.f]

I tried it last fall with an electronic caller and rabbit distress calls. Call was sitting about 20 yards away from me. As is got dark, only a few minutes of light left and too dark in the spot I was sitting to see, I started to pack up. Heard a stick break and turned my head and a large bear was standing right beside my caller and looking at me. No idea how it got in that close without me seeing it, but it did. As soon as I moved the bear turned and took off.
Sure got my heart rate going for a while.
So, it was very close to working for me that night. Tried a few other times and had a nice fox come in, but no more bears.

Your story made my hair stand up. Sounds like something I might try this season. Don't have an electronic call but have a mouth call. We don't have an ideal bait site so changing tactics interests me.

[Warren.J94]

I had a bear at 100 yards once, but only had a crossbow in my hands, and didn't think I could get closer silently. I ripped the calf elk call that I had sitting in my bag and watched the bear take right off.

I wouldn't take my experience as evidence that it doesn't work though. I think that was just bad hunting

[trimmer21]

I've posted this someplace before,but,I'll put it up here,again. A Bear's padded paws make them absolutely silent in sneak mode,especially,if the forest floor is wet. I had an absolute hog of a Bear sneak up behind me in the rain and swipe my day pack with my lunch in it. I had my back to a tree with the pack about 2' away from me at the side. The only way I knew it had the pack was when I heard my aluminum Thermos fall out as he ran landing 30' away. Later,I found the day pack covered in Bear snot and slobber. He ate everything in that pack..wrappers and all. I hope he got a belly ache. Of course,when you're a young lad everything is funny,but,when you think about many years later when you're older......not so much.

To stay on subject,calls used for varmint/predator works for Bears. If they're hungry (which is nearly always) they're looking for a free meal. I'm not a real big Bear hunter,but,I've gone with a buddy a few times. He takes a Coleman stove out with him and cooks a bacon and egg breakfast about an hour before first light,then,leaves the frying pan full of grease out on the tailgate. He hunts an area where there's no room for bait buckets because of trail proximity in the new baiting regs. He's had success a couple of times using that trick.

[FishHog]

I've posted this someplace before,but,I'll put it up here,again. A Bear's padded paws make them absolutely silent in sneak mode,especially,if the forest floor is wet. I had an absolute hog of a Bear sneak up behind me in the rain and swipe my day pack with my lunch in it. I had my back to a tree with the pack about 2' away from me at the side. The only way I knew it had the pack was when I heard my aluminum Thermos fall out as he ran landing 30' away. Later,I found the day pack covered in Bear snot and slobber. He ate everything in that pack..wrappers and all. I hope he got a belly ache. Of course,when you're a young lad everything is funny,but,when you think about many years later when you're older......not so much.

I don't know, still pretty funny. Cool experiences like that make hunting fun.