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Calling Stories
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The Call of Nature!
Hunter:Jim R.
State:WA
Call:Jackrabbit Distress
As a hunter and a fisherman all my life, I started calling coyotes and bobcats in the early 80s. But nothing has grabbed my fancy like black bears. I was shown the way of bears from an old houndsman named Scotty.
Scotty lost his hounding passion due to a few too many votes by a left wing agenda so he got me out and taught me several important factors on finding bears. I put what he taught me, and my passion for screaming, together and sought after the black bears with hand calls.
April 15th was the magic date for Scotty as a houndsman. He would not mess with bears before that. Just not many moving until that date he said. I find that mostly true.
This is the story of the last bear I called in. There are two very long ridges that cover many steep, dark and dank drainages in the area I hunt. These two ridges are traveled by boars seeking "LOVE”. After finding sign in late April I put up a trail cam. The old style take the film out and have it developed. Well after awhile on the trail I got some pics of a good size male on the trail cam. He had bit my camera. I don't think he liked the flash.
So I set my sights on him. He was black and his front pad was 5 inches across. I spent from then until the opener watching and following his sign. I was hunting private timberland and the opening day was July 15th, two weeks earlier than the regular season.
On opening day, two friends and myself scattered to our drainage of choice. I'm not an open country caller. The dark, steep and wet thick no good rotten devils club infested salmon berry choked, close in screaming is what I like. A long shot would be 20 to 30 yards.
We spent the first day calling with zero luck. Back at camp we talked and it was the same story from my partners. So next morning up and at them again. - Side note. You don't just run out and call in a bear, but don't get discouraged, once you do its real hard to get the hook outta’ your ass. –
I got to where I park to hike in and a crew of new road builders moved in to open up an area for new logging. Damn! So I went down further and parked and hiked in. I went about mid way on this drainage to a bog. It was thick with old growth stumps and logs among big 2nd growth trees, and a lot of salmon berry brush. I saw a spot that looked like a bulldozer ran around in there. But it was what I was thinking, a fight between two bears. It was tore up. I backed off and decided I would call here. The thermals were heading down the drainage, which was perfect for my set.
I started calling, using an old wood call, Jackrabbit. I make sound like a fawn. I kept it slow like what I think a lost fawn would sound like, all the while thinking of the bear I had pics of.
It didn't long. I heard a snap, then another. Then I heard my heart pounding. Then I felt my heart pounding. I could see some salmon berries moving my way. The berries were about 15yrds away. I pushed the safety off of my .308,and I knew he was going to pop out soon. He stopped, and then I heard him make the low humming sound that challenges all your bodies’ fluid holding capabilities.
I gave another quiet call, and that was it. Out he popped. Wow! This is not the bear I thought. It was a large chocolate with black legs. He put his nose in the air and was sniffing; drool dripping like a rabid dog. This was intense. He looked at his back trail and I put the open sites on his shoulder and spine and let it rip. He dropped, and I jumped up and watched {Note to self always follow up with another round}.
He let out a moan and rose up with his front legs and drug himself into the brush. His back legs didn't work at all so I knew I had him. I just had to go get him. I thought I would wait, but the rush wouldn't let me, so I went in after him.
I went into the tunnel he created and followed. When I came out of the other side of the salmon berries I could no longer hear him. I stood up. My right eye was stuck shut with a vine that stuck to my forehead, cheek and eyelid. I stopped and pulled the vine off, and 10 feet in front of me, between two old growth logs, he raised up looking at me and started to huff. I could see the steam blow out of his mouth.
I put a round in his neck and that was it. He was done. He dropped between the two logs. I stood there waiting, aimed at the location. My knees were shaking, like I never had before. The adrenalin was intense.
I went up from behind and made sure he was dead and he was. I could not move him. His front legs didn't look like they belonged on him they were huge. He was a big dog bear. Not a belly dragger. I went and found my buddies and the work began.
We took the bear out whole on a large deer sleigh which works awesome. He weighed 350 with no guts. His skull was only 19 inches, but a trophy for me never the less.
I made two mistakes. One not following up with another round, and two, going in after him alone. If I had not stopped to remove the vine from my face I would have gone over the two logs. I can't help but think that's what he wanted.
Good hunting and screaming. Remember these bears can be dangerous.
Jim
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