Bear Calling in AZ

[dieselroe]

Going to use my Foxpro fx3 this fall to try and call a bear, going to 23 and wondered if anyone had a tip on which call to use.

 

I have:

 

mule deer fawn in distress

fawn in distress (probably midwest whitail)

Fawn bawl (same)

Calf in distress

Calf scream

Elk calf in distress

 

I'm thinking mule deer because of the time of year, or maybe calf.

 

Anyone know if free range cattle could have calves right now or is this wrong time?

 

Thanks

[bowhunter81]

Fawn works great on hand calls, I like the circe. So I'm sure that would work on the right bear. Good luck

[bowhunter81]

I know that kidso might have some great call-in tips for ya, looks like he fairs well in that dept.

[bowhuntaz1]

I know that kidso might have some great call-in tips for ya, looks like he fairs well in that dept.

 

I was going to also mention kidso. He has ALOT of sucess at calling.

[Dan]

No bear in 23. Try a different unit. Just about any distress call will work when their in the mood to respond. Make your stands long---45min to one hour.

[AZLance]

Hand calls work much better for bear than do electronic calls. Any predator call, blown like a fawn bleat will work. My favorite call is the sceery javalina call. Have called in a couple dozen bears with that one.

[cw4192]

Reed Peterson......

[kidso]

Hand calls work much better for bear than do electronic calls. Any predator call, blown like a fawn bleat will work. My favorite call is the sceery javalina call. Have called in a couple dozen bears with that one.

 

+1 on the hand calls, Lance is right. Electronic calls do work, but I sometimes give the bears more brains than they might have and think that a smart bear may notice that a particular electronic track is self-repeating every 15-30 seconds, which doesn't usually happen naturally when an animal is being distressed or torn apart. Pitch, volume, tone, and EMOTION change-ups are key elements to calling bear in my experience. The particular call is less important than the emotion and feeling a caller puts into their efforts. I've about equally called in bears using both open- and closed-mouth reed calls.

 

I've also found it easier to call in bears earlier in the season, August-September, when they are moving around more to their food sources, especially when switching from spring/summer grasses to manzanita berries and acorns. I personally have squalled at a bear I spotted munching on acorns across a canyon for over an hour and he could have cared care less about traveling over to me with so much ample food around him that required much less energy to harvest than my dying mammal.

 

Good luck. Be patient and have faith. Calling is much like fishing. You can throw the lure in the water and the fish may be there, but for whatever reason, they just don't bite. Don't give up after your first canyon or your first one-hour stand. But, be sure you are in an area that has fresh bear sign and keep at it.

[dieselroe]

Thanks guys!

 

All great info I will be applying soon. I'm gonna buy some hand calls and practice to. I'll post any pics if I get something.

 

Thanks so much!!!

[the breeze]

fox pro called in 8/23/11 20 8/16th green used fawn distress followed by lightning jack. Shot at 8 yards with a bow. Be advised you can't put a bear in p&y or b&c if you use a electronic call.

 

[the breeze]

Circe's work also this bear was 19 8/16 dry. Shot at 17 yards

[AZLance]

the Breeze said:

"Be advised you can't put a bear in p&y or b&c if you use a electronic call."

 

+1

[dieselroe]

fox pro called in 8/23/11 20 8/16th green used fawn distress followed by lightning jack. Shot at 8 yards with a bow. Be advised you can't put a bear in p&y or b&c if you use a electronic call.

 

 

Thanks for sharing!!!! Its great to see you out there having sucesses just before I hit the woods. Whats the lighting jack? Is that the decoy?

[the breeze]

Lightning jack is a sound you can purchase from fox pro and down load. It is a jack rabbit distress sound. I think it works really well on all game. I have had numerous whitetails come in to it also.

 

I like to use Lance as a decoy

[AZLance]

Lightning jack is a sound you can purchase from fox pro and down load. It is a jack rabbit distress sound. I think it works really well on all game. I have had numerous whitetails come in to it also.

 

I like to use Lance as a decoy

 

The one time I worked as a decoy for bear you were no where to be found. I had to crawl out of my sleeping bag in my underwear and shoot the growling bear at 10'