Archery Bear Calling- Shot Selection

[2rocky]

Going to do an Archery Bear Hunt next weekend with a partner doing Predator Calling.

I'm reluctant to take a frontal shot, but I know it can work.

If you were in my shoes, what would your Criteria be for shot selection on Black Bears coming to a predator call?

 

[MattB]

I have shot 3 with the call, and 2 were frontal (12 yards and 16 yards). One was basically self defense (the caller was right behind me) on a blind call set-up and the other we called because we spotted and stalked the bear, but we could not locate him when we got there. If the bear's head is up and the range is short, frontal can be very effective. If you are blind calling and you are sitting right with the caller a frontal shot may be hard to avoid, but if you can locate a bear and then call you may be able to set up for a broadside shot. But then again, if you can see it why call it? I'd rather stalk it then.

 

[2rocky]

Yeah, this is the kinda first hand Info I'm looking for.

Matt, tell me about the shot placement, and bloodtrail.

 

[MattB]

If you hit major plumbing (heart/aorta), frontal shot blood trails are as good as it gets - in fact they can be downright gross. If it is more of a hard quartering shot (1 lung/liver/guts), I find they start on the weaker side and get better over distance. The first bear I shot right facing me where the blaze would be and it went ~100 yards, partially gravity assisted. On the most recent I pulled the shot a bit right and hit him more side of neck/arm pit area. The bear went ~50 yards and gave the death moan inside of 10 seconds (must have hit the artery that runs to the leg). Based on my very limited experience, the hardest part with that shot on a bear is that they need to have their head up to make the shot (it helps if need are at their level).

 

[larryschwartz]

One thing to keep in mind is that a bear follows his nose more than his eyes. So, don't assume that he will be coming at you based on how you are sitting. He wil likely come in from downwind if he can so set up for his approach from that direction. Also, if there are two of you, the shooter might want to set up perpendicular to the caller for the same reason and to get a broadside shot.

 

[pa-pride]

Just be ready to shoot when you start calling. We called one in last spring and he came in on a freaking mission! I blew on the call for probably 3 minutes, we ended up taking the bear at 7 yards with handguns. I think that when they want to come, they come hard.

 

[Arrowslinger]

2Rocky, i've shot two bears that were standing looking at me....one was called in (had to yell at the bear to stop him from running over my caller -a buddy) and the other charged and was shot at 15', neither one worked out real well for me. Moving forward, i'll only shoot frontal if the bear needs to be shot.

 

[Timberninja]

I've been gathering information about calling bears lately, amongst random articles and youtube clips, I got hold of the Wayne Carlton Bear calling DVD. He talked (and showed examples) of how bears would stop coming immediately once you stopped calling. He'd then let them turn around and get their attention again (with a quick call) and as they looked back, he'd take a quartering to shot. I've got the DVD at my girlfriends place, will take a look at it again tomorrow and get more info. That said, this obviously doesn't seem to apply to the above experiences.

Either way, would love to get a report! I'll be heading out myself for the opener this weekend.

 

[Tag stew]

Good luck!