Standoff with Bear

wyobohunter · September 18, 2009, 12:22 PM

I went out on an early morning Moose hunt the other day. While hiking down a fairly muddy trail I noticed that the black spruce/cottonwood thicket next to me was full of Ravens. I thought, "hmm, must be somethin' dead in there". As I walked a little farther Bear tracks started showing up. Fortunately they were the little black kind and not the big brown style. These tracks appeared to be pretty fresh. Pretty soon I came upon the poopoo and it was very fresh and full O' berries (good eatin bear). The tracks abruptly turned into the thicket directly toward all of those extremely vocal ravens. I started listening real close like and could hear crunching and munching. Because I have three black bear tags I figured I may as well try to get one filled; I back away from the thicket about fifty yards and get set up. So far the wind is in my favor so I figure my best calf in distress call should work.
After the first call I can hear movement but no Bear appears. More calls but still no Bear. I wonder if the wind swirled without my noticing or I was dealing with a very content bear that didn't feel like working for food when he was already at the buffet counter. Either way, I wasn't heading into that thick stuff alone and he wasn't coming out.
Probably a good thing I didn't get the bear because my wifes water broke two hours later

spacemanspiff · September 18, 2009, 12:34 PM

So now you know, ravens and magpies both follow bears around.

wyobohunter · September 18, 2009, 01:01 PM

I'm gonna go with the other way around

hunter33 · September 18, 2009, 01:24 PM

So you guys are telling me if their is ravens with a dead animal, chances are a bear is very close by?

comn-cents · September 18, 2009, 03:03 PM

I missed the "Standoff" part of the story?

BIGR · September 18, 2009, 09:15 PM

Mine is not a stand off, but a black bear attacked my deer feeder last night, tearing the metal ring and lid off of it.

Feeder was about 15 feet up in the tree, but ol blacky climbed the tree and reached out and got a grip on the rope. Spilled about 50 pounds out of it. I put the lid back on and hoisted the feeder back up hoping he or she does not come back. That feeder is strictly for the squirrels, deer and turkeys. I do not hunt around it.

jrothWA · September 18, 2009, 10:31 PM

it was "STEAMING"!

That's what I recall walking thru an elderberry patch in Michigan's UP back in the 70's. Then I notice the "tunnel" heading thru the bushes.

good thing I had buckshot with me to cover my self clearing the area.

wyobohunter · September 19, 2009, 12:49 AM

Quote:

it was "STEAMING"!

yup

Quote:

I missed the "Standoff" part of the story?

"Standoff" as in stalemate. Niether side makes an offensive move because a win is not assured. I want the bear but am not willing to risk going in alone. Bear wants baby Moose but isn't willing to expose himself to check it out.

MLeake · September 19, 2009, 12:54 AM

... from your description, it's entirely possible that the bear just wasn't worried about it, IE full and happy, so why bother?

In which case, it's less of a "standoff," and more of a "brushoff."

Cheers,

M

Double Naught Spy · September 19, 2009, 08:49 AM

Yeah, based on your own assessment, the you just didn't have anything good enough to tempt the bear. There was no standoff. It just ignored you.

wyobohunter · September 19, 2009, 09:11 AM

I can't possibly know what the bear was thinking. Perhaps the Bear was interested but suspicious/too nervous to come out because my calling was only marginally believable. Or maybe he got a little whiff of me in a wind swirl I didn't notice. Doesn't matter what you call it; it's still exciting to be that close to a bruin. If I weren't alone I would've gone in after him.

stephen426 · September 19, 2009, 11:28 PM

By the way... Congratulations on your new child! I sure as heck don't think my wife would let me go hunting that close to her due date.

wyobohunter · September 20, 2009, 01:08 AM

Quote:

I sure as heck don't think my wife would let me go hunting that close to her due date.

Yeah, I had a "you have to be able to make it home within 15 minutes if I call your cell phone" clause built in to this years Moose season

Needless to say I didn't venture too far from the truck.

HiBC · September 20, 2009, 02:48 PM

Back of my mind,I have long known ,if I get hungry,Look for crows or magpies.
I'm talking real hungry....
Oh,did you check that scat for bear bells?I hear that is how you tell whether it is a grizzly or a black!!

Congrats,dad!Another job well done.Be sure and thank mom for helping out!!

September 18, 2009, 12:22 PM	#1
wyobohunter Senior Member Join Date: August 21, 2008 Location: Back in Wyoming Posts: 1,125	Standoff with Bear I went out on an early morning Moose hunt the other day. While hiking down a fairly muddy trail I noticed that the black spruce/cottonwood thicket next to me was full of Ravens. I thought, "hmm, must be somethin' dead in there". As I walked a little farther Bear tracks started showing up. Fortunately they were the little black kind and not the big brown style. These tracks appeared to be pretty fresh. Pretty soon I came upon the poopoo and it was very fresh and full O' berries (good eatin bear). The tracks abruptly turned into the thicket directly toward all of those extremely vocal ravens. I started listening real close like and could hear crunching and munching. Because I have three black bear tags I figured I may as well try to get one filled; I back away from the thicket about fifty yards and get set up. So far the wind is in my favor so I figure my best calf in distress call should work. After the first call I can hear movement but no Bear appears. More calls but still no Bear. I wonder if the wind swirled without my noticing or I was dealing with a very content bear that didn't feel like working for food when he was already at the buffet counter. Either way, I wasn't heading into that thick stuff alone and he wasn't coming out. Probably a good thing I didn't get the bear because my wifes water broke two hours later Last edited by wyobohunter; September 19, 2009 at 12:52 AM.

September 18, 2009, 12:34 PM	#2
spacemanspiff Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2002 Location: alaska Posts: 3,498	So now you know, ravens and magpies both follow bears around. __________________ "Every man alone is sincere; at the entrance of a second person hypocrisy begins." - Ralph Waldo Emerson "People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use." - Soren Kierkegaard

September 18, 2009, 01:24 PM	#4
hunter33 Senior Member Join Date: September 19, 2007 Location: oregon Posts: 289	So you guys are telling me if their is ravens with a dead animal, chances are a bear is very close by? __________________ My information might not be helpful but just think of it as a bump

September 18, 2009, 03:03 PM	#5
comn-cents Senior Member Join Date: June 18, 2008 Location: Pac.N.W. Posts: 1,804	I missed the "Standoff" part of the story? __________________ Be Smarter Than A Bore-Snake!

September 18, 2009, 10:31 PM	#7
jrothWA Senior Member Join Date: November 11, 2006 Posts: 2,519	By "Very Fresh" scat, do you mean... it was "STEAMING"! That's what I recall walking thru an elderberry patch in Michigan's UP back in the 70's. Then I notice the "tunnel" heading thru the bushes. good thing I had buckshot with me to cover my self clearing the area.

September 18, 2009, 01:01 PM	#3
wyobohunter Senior Member Join Date: August 21, 2008 Location: Back in Wyoming Posts: 1,125	I'm gonna go with the other way around

September 18, 2009, 09:15 PM	#6
BIGR Senior Member Join Date: June 13, 2000 Location: Mountains Posts: 1,385	Mine is not a stand off, but a black bear attacked my deer feeder last night, tearing the metal ring and lid off of it. Feeder was about 15 feet up in the tree, but ol blacky climbed the tree and reached out and got a grip on the rope. Spilled about 50 pounds out of it. I put the lid back on and hoisted the feeder back up hoping he or she does not come back. That feeder is strictly for the squirrels, deer and turkeys. I do not hunt around it.

September 19, 2009, 12:54 AM	#9
MLeake Senior Member Join Date: November 15, 2007 Location: Outside KC, MO Posts: 10,128	yes, but... ... from your description, it's entirely possible that the bear just wasn't worried about it, IE full and happy, so why bother? In which case, it's less of a "standoff," and more of a "brushoff." Cheers, M

September 19, 2009, 08:49 AM	#10
Double Naught Spy Senior Member Join Date: January 8, 2001 Location: Forestburg, Montague Cnty, TX Posts: 12,716	Yeah, based on your own assessment, the you just didn't have anything good enough to tempt the bear. There was no standoff. It just ignored you. __________________ "If you look through your scope and see your shoe, aim higher." -- said to me by my 11 year old daughter before going out for hogs 8/13/2011 My Hunting Videos https://www.youtube.com/user/HornHillRange

September 19, 2009, 09:11 AM	#11
wyobohunter Senior Member Join Date: August 21, 2008 Location: Back in Wyoming Posts: 1,125	or maybe not I can't possibly know what the bear was thinking. Perhaps the Bear was interested but suspicious/too nervous to come out because my calling was only marginally believable. Or maybe he got a little whiff of me in a wind swirl I didn't notice. Doesn't matter what you call it; it's still exciting to be that close to a bruin. If I weren't alone I would've gone in after him.

September 19, 2009, 11:28 PM	#12
stephen426 Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2005 Posts: 3,840	By the way... Congratulations on your new child! I sure as heck don't think my wife would let me go hunting that close to her due date. __________________ The ATF should be a convenience store instead of a government agency!

September 20, 2009, 02:48 PM	#14
HiBC Senior Member Join Date: November 13, 2006 Posts: 8,283	Back of my mind,I have long known ,if I get hungry,Look for crows or magpies. I'm talking real hungry.... Oh,did you check that scat for bear bells?I hear that is how you tell whether it is a grizzly or a black!! Congrats,dad!Another job well done.Be sure and thank mom for helping out!!

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