The time has come. The berries that offer high calorie, easy forage are on their way out if not gone by now. There are remaining patches of late ripening crops of these bear buffets, but those are few and far between. These patches, if found, can be hidden gems of bear activity and are a focus of mine in late September. But as the days cool, the nights grow longer, and the leaves change, the promise of winter is as sure as the wind that blows across my face. The smell of rotted blackberries fill the desolate logging roads or clear cuts. The super soft or molding berries hang onto the branches, but they won’t last for long. Soon, they will be back in the ground bringing up the next crop of tangled thorns that offer cover, food, and glory to those who seek it. 

The countdown until the ice-cold grasp of winter is fast approaching, and the bears know it. Their need for calories is their number one focus, and it would be yours too if it meant life or death. So with dwindling foods available in the wild and time running out, what is a bear to do? Well for one, a bear’s activity will increase almost constantly from now until they den up. This can be a great advantage for us bear hunters. Yes, they are not as concentrated and predictable as in early season when food sources are plentiful, but they have a great hunger now, and it is up to you to satisfy it. 

Predator calling during this time of year is my number one tactic for bear hunting success, especially in states that do not allow baiting or hounds. Predator calling is literally a dinner bell for all predators within ear shot, including birds of prey which commonly come into calls and dive bomb your head. You are announcing to the natural world that you are a weak, hurt, frantic, lost animal that is in pain, so please come eat me. But how do you accomplish this and do so successfully? 

 First off, I like to look for areas that I believe will be holding bears this time of year, which usually means a higher elevation than where you would first find them in August. They may have selected their denning site or be returning to an old one, such as a hollowed out log, avalanche chute with rocky crevices, washed out creek draws with deep dirt overhangs, or even under old growth stumps—cozy holes where they may be spotted. I like to target avalanche areas (rocky, cliffy spots) with maybe a creek dancing down the hillside as it feeds vast orange and red blueberry fields. Or maybe I will check out a deep, dark, brushy hillside where there are ample blow downs and spots to den up. Keep in mind, if you spring bear hunt, where do you first find them in the spring? Usually higher up because that is often where they den. So, it stands to reason in late season, they will naturally be higher up. 

I then consider the wind; hopefully it is still one of those cooler, yet pleasant late September days where the wind is calm. I try to avoid calling on windy or rainy days simply because your sound won’t carry as far as compared to calm days. I prefer little to no wind, but if there is wind I want it at my back so it blows down my shot lane(s). This is because predators will try to wind you as you call (lots of times), so if the wind is in your face, they may come behind you and bust you, not offering a shot. But with the wind at your back, they may cross right in front of you or to your side, offering a shot.  

I next find where I want to call from. Since I call completely solo about 95% of the time, I like to be protected—which is a good habit even if calling with a buddy. I will sit against a solid tree or stump, or even on top of a slash burn pile. The key here is to protect your back and offer a good shooting lane with decent visibility. Once I get settled, I make sure I am comfortable lifting my weapon in the direction I believe the bear will come from. You don’t want to call one in and find that there is a branch in your way or you are facing too far to one direction. Granted, this is an educated guess as to where the animal may come from, but it doesn’t hurt to practice a little and adjust as needed. 

Next, I select my call. This can be anything from a simple elk calf call to a cow elk call, or rabbit distress or even javelina distress. I want to make it very clear: you do not have to sound perfect when calling bears. Think about calling a bull elk; you better sound like an elk since that is what gets them to react. But with a bear, they eat pretty much any animal that is dead or dying. So if you sound like something that is dying, in pain, or simply lost, that can be just enough to kick on that “predator response”, as I call it. Think loud, raspy, and annoying. And do not be afraid to try sounds from animals that do not live in your area. For example, a jack rabbit distress in Alaska (which worked like a charm for me), or a javelina distress in B.C. The bear may have heard the run of the mill rabbit distress 15 times and been educated on it, but may have never heard the ole javelina squawk, which could be just what you need to bring him in. 

Once I am overlooking my area and seated comfortably, I begin to memorize what that area looks like. I look at the rocks, trees, edges of brush, stumps, and so on. I do this because it will help me identify any changes. For example, I was predator calling one time and I happened to look at a stump in front of me about 100 yards out. It suddenly looked different than what I remember when I started calling. And sure enough, a bear had climbed the 10 foot stump and was sitting on top of it watching me intently. 
 
Next, build a scenario in your head. Is the animal you are imitating lost, hurt, getting ripped apart by coyotes (so you should add some coyote howls or barks to your set), or what is going on in your imaginary situation? Now, try to imitate that scenario using your calls. I usually start off kind of quiet and then as the set progresses, I get louder and louder with my calling. I will then either completely stop calling or slowly die off with whimpers. 

I normally call for about an hour and wait another 10-20 minutes after I am done calling to see if anything pops out, which does happen. Try to remain as still as possible, taking calling breaks every 3-5 minutes or so, then pausing to listen for about a minute or two. You will often hear bears coming in before you see them, but keep calling as much as you can. I have noted that bears tend to stop coming in as you stop calling. So the longer you stop calling, the longer it can take for a bear to get within shooting distance, or the greater chance it may become uninterested in your set. 

You should be ready for action when you start calling. I have had bears come in under two minutes and as late as an hour and twenty minutes. I’ve called in single bears, sows with cubs, and a triple (three mature bears from separate locations all at once). I have had them come in aggressive, slapping trees, and bluff charging, or quiet as a mouse as they snuck in behind me. They have run, walked, been completely focused on me, or paid little to no attention as they casually walked within 15 feet of me. When predator calling bears, one thing for certain is that no calling set is the same. From the non-target animals you call in, like hawks, coyotes, cougars, deer, elk, and even people, to the varied reactions of the bears, it is always fun, it is always new, and it never ceases to amaze me even when I get skunked. So, get out there this late season and give calling a try. I promise you, you won’t be the same hunter you once were after you get a bear running into your call, slobbering, huffing, coming to eat you! Happy hunting, my friends.