Tags
gearing up for spring bear
Well its that time of year again, turkey for most of us has come and gone and those of us who we’re lucky enough to score an elk tag are chomping at the bit. So what do us poor slobs do while we are waiting for deer season.
Go on a black bear hunt! Many states have over the counter tags and those that have a draw like arizona are pretty easy to get picked.
Well I was lucky enough to draw an AZ bear tag this year. And I am excited to get out and do a little bear hunting
Az is a particularly difficult state to harvest a black bear because it is not legal to bait so we must rely on spot and stalk and calling methods.
I personally love to spot and stalk but this year I am going to concentrate my efforts into calling. My archery only tag is a long season and it will offer me the opportunity to call during the fawning season for deer. What dose that mean? Well it means that I can set up a fawn decoy some fawn pee and do a fawn in distress call and have a better chance at success by creating the whole illusion. Besides coyote and mt lion are always in season so this improves my chances of having an enjoyable hunt.
To improve my chances it is very important to locate bear sign before you begin calling. Otherwise you might as well be going blind folded. If there is a bear in the area there is a very good chance you will get the best of his curiosity and call a black bruin right to you.
Some other key points to remember concealment, a pop up blind works well in this situation. Scent control is also key. Lastly be patient be prepared to call on for two mins off for three for at least an hour. Black bear don’t usually come running in, they kind os mosey their way in.
So this spring give it a try and call yourself in a black bear