2026 bears

[Sask hunter]

All ready for when the snow melts and the bears wake up around here. Looking at the weather looks like around April 20 we start to get nice around here

 

[Lmartin5]

Following...

 

[2ski]

I'm confused. Those of us in Montana would like to know what snow is....

 

[R*and*Y]

Didn't get much snow this year in a few places.

Mother Earth needs the moister.

Spring bear season is just around the corner.

 

[Sask hunter]

First visitors of the year tonight

 

[Frequently Banned Troll]

I’ve seen 3 so far. One was a real good one and I’m pretty sure my daughter had a close call with that one 2 years ago. It’s going to be an unusual season based on where I hunt and lack of snowpack.

 

[Frequently Banned Troll]

Is this the 2026 spring thread?

I'm trying to figure out what the best secret weapon is for today? the Primos Bear Buster, the Phelps Fawn Distress, The Larry Jones special, or the Vintage Wayne Carlton Reed Bear Call? Will some of you bear experts please chime in? I dug through my box of calls and found all these this AM and have no idea what each of them is supposed to mimic?

 

[Hem]

Sow in heat?
Works for a variety of species.

 

[Sask hunter]

Is this the 2026 spring thread?

I'm trying to figure out what the best secret weapon is for today? the Primos Bear Buster, the Phelps Fawn Distress, The Larry Jones special, or the Vintage Wayne Carlton Reed Bear Call? Will some of you bear experts please chime in? I dug through my box of calls and found all these this AM and have no idea what each of them is supposed to mimic?
View attachment 406699

I would say yes for the thread. No help on the calls. Never called a bear in before

 

[Misguided]

This one has worked for me. Made by Circe. Loud raspy jackrabbit sound.

 

[Sask hunter]

Some whacky weather here. Was 20C today and then snow later this week and below freezing. Bears will be wanting to go back to sleep lol

 

[Jules Winnfield]

Is this the 2026 spring thread?

I'm trying to figure out what the best secret weapon is for today? the Primos Bear Buster, the Phelps Fawn Distress, The Larry Jones special, or the Vintage Wayne Carlton Reed Bear Call? Will some of you bear experts please chime in? I dug through my box of calls and found all these this AM and have no idea what each of them is supposed to mimic?
View attachment 406699

The custom turned, all-wood Ron Jeremy Squealer has done well for me. Just wail on it and get ready for some 'bearly' legal action.
Not legal in all states.

But I have used the fawn in distress successfully!

 

[ccc23454]

Some whacky weather here. Was 20C today and then snow later this week and below freezing. Bears will be wanting to go back to sleep lolView attachment 406711

I was hiking today it was 80 and blistering hot, supposed to be in teens overnight and snow accumulation later in week. Goofy weather,had both a red flag fire warning and freeze warning! Did see 3 grizzlies and cut fresh tracks on a bigger black, wyoming has stupid season dates still waiting till may.

 

[Mato]

Is this the 2026 spring thread?

I'm trying to figure out what the best secret weapon is for today? the Primos Bear Buster, the Phelps Fawn Distress, The Larry Jones special, or the Vintage Wayne Carlton Reed Bear Call? Will some of you bear experts please chime in? I dug through my box of calls and found all these this AM and have no idea what each of them is supposed to mimic?
View attachment 406699

One of my favorite things to do, I've been calling bears since 1982 totally the juice for me..

To date I've called in over 60 of them, so I've a bit of experience with this. If you wish I'd be more than glad to talk over the phone or meet you for lunch one of these days to cuss and discuss this.

14 years ago I wrote an article on calling bears for a small publication if you wish text me or PM me your email.

Hope all is well!

MD

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

Is this the 2026 spring thread?

I'm trying to figure out what the best secret weapon is for today? the Primos Bear Buster, the Phelps Fawn Distress, The Larry Jones special, or the Vintage Wayne Carlton Reed Bear Call? Will some of you bear experts please chime in? I dug through my box of calls and found all these this AM and have no idea what each of them is supposed to mimic?
View attachment 406699

I called in a grizzly with that Phelps fawn call. Would not recommend

 

[Frequently Banned Troll]

I called in a grizzly with that Phelps fawn call. Would not recommend

It was a possibility- I took the Phelps and the Carlton calls but didn’t use them once I figured out that bear was pretty likely just passing through.

 

[Drake4]

I know absolutely nothing about calling bears. But I've tried it 3 times, and 2 of those times the bear has come immediately running in on a string. Ended up shooting one of them. I have no idea where I even got this call, but this is the one I used and has always had a permanent place in one of the small pockets in my bino harness.
I've always meant to try it more, but just never seem to.

 

[Mato]

Crit'r call is one of my fav's, the one in your pic appears to be their smallest model (called the PeeWee). I carry that and use it a bit, but I normally use their biggest model (Magnum). The Magnum one can really get into and when I'm calling for bear I'm 110% in their face with the call from the time I start to the time I stop.

I'm not typically a fan of open reed calls mainly because I'm tough on them and closed reed calls fair much better with me.

With the Crit'r "Magnum" I've called in all types of game over the years (yotes, fox, wolves, bear, cats, lopes, deer, elk and so on). It's an incredibly versatile call!

The last 7 or so years I've used the Primo "Cow Girl" elk call as well. When I use it for bruins I really scream on it.

Drake you've had good success if 2 of 3 attempts you've had bears come in, was that during the fall?

I've established a 30-30-30 rule over the years. That being a 3rd of the bears will pay you no attention, a 3rd will wander about sort of making their way to you, now the last 3rd is the one's you want and they'll come screaming in Mach 4 with their hair on fire

 

[Drake4]

My only experience with them has been in the Spring. In all honesty every time I've tried, I have either already spotted the bear or known he was right there. I've never sat down and just blind called. Probably a fluke since I don't know what I'm doing, but both times the bear has come in, he has literally sat up on his haunches, looked in my direction for a few seconds, and then came absolutely sprinting in.
If you and Kurt do lunch, I'll invite myself along.

 

[Mato]

That's way cool! And I'd enjoy meeting you if Kurt and I meet up.

I way prefer to spot the bears first, then decide if I'm going to try to take them out or if I'm just calling them for giggles. I've learned over the years that most all bears look big when they're coming at you on the fly and it's way easy to make a mistake and shoot a guppy...

As for "cold calling" (what I call calling without spotting the bruin first) I'm not a fan unless the hunter is cool headed and knows what big bears look like like Kurt would. At times when one knows a bruiser is working an area and you can't get on him then I don't mind the cold calling as you're targeting a particular bear.

As for calls, I am NOT a fan of using a "cub call". Reason for that is over the years I've found that 75% of the time a sow with cubs or yearlings will put them up a tree then come to the call. That's a way for things to go poorly if you gather where I'm going with it...