I'm leaving in 35 days (but who's counting?) for the Idaho panhandle, primarily to hunt elk. But the lions and bears just south of my area (in Unit 10) are thick enough that the IDFG is selling $31.50 tags for either critter (non-resident!). I couldn't resist and got one of each.

I figure I ought to bring a call of some sort, to help my odds. Should I go with a fawn bleat type call, or stick to a rabbit in distress? Or is there something else?

Any advice is appreciated,

Tim

The rabbit call will work as well as anything for them. I've had griz come into cow calls, so you may want to try that, also.

I have to bowhunt Unit10 alot for elk, lots of black bears. One time I killed an elk the first afternoon. My friend and I packed out the hind quarters that evening and the front quarters the next morning. It was warm weather so I had to get the meat into town. Ed(friend who was hunting with me) stayed acouple of more days to hunt and saw a bear leave the gut pile the next day. That afternoon he killed a spike bull within 200yds. of where I had killed my elk. He dressed,quartered,bagged the quarters, and packed one out that evening. Next morning the other 3 quarters were gone, meat sacks and all--the bear. The trail was easy to follow which he did for about 100yds. Then, not having a gun with him he thought better of it a gave up. I would have to. Pete

tarbe,
Get a CritRCall, they are an open reed call and come in a couple sizes. You call really vary the sounds and volume with these. I don't think the actual sound you make is really that important, your set up and location is.

Thanks for the replies. In the absence of some new "silver bullet", I guess I'll fall back on the old standby dying rabbit call. Of course, I'll be working the cow call, too.

Pete: I'll try to save a few of your elk in Unit 10 by removing a predator!

Tim

Tarbe must be another Cannuck, making posts about bear/Elk hunting in the Varmint forum..

tarbe:

I had a Blackie answer a rabbit call once. Made me pretty nervous because I had a 222 in my lap. I chickened out and jumped up and yelled before he got too close.

I'm not sure I want a Lion stalking me in thick timber no matter what I have in my lap. Scary!!

JimF

tarbe:

I had a Blackie answer a rabbit call once. Made me pretty nervous because I had a 222 in my lap. I chickened out and jumped up and yelled before he got too close.

I'm not sure I want a Lion stalking me in thick timber no matter what I have in my lap. Scary!!

JimF

I might add I've killed 4 bears in Unit 10, but didn't call them. I have called several in other parts of the state. Also called three lions. Killed one by calling, killed another on the Snake river chuckar hunting, my Brit. put it out on a bluff. 16ga. and #6 shot.
Calling bears this not too tough. Make your stand 30-45mins. long, call alot. Bears I've had come in seem to stop comming when the calling stops. Call em in close----Pete

Gidday,
I may be a bit slow from Australia but I thought varmints were rabbits and small things> Now if a bear is a varmint I will have to trade my .222 in for something a bit bigger if I ever go over to the USA.(Sh.t I just had a thought if a bear is a varmint what is your big game over there??????)
Peter

Tim, while I have called in lots of stuff with a hurt rabbit type call, I have yet to bring a bear in. My dad and I have had pretty good luck using a fawn bleat call, however.

One remarkable weekend we killed two bears in two days off the same stand. Try a fawn bleat call and just keep at it, they sometimes take a while to come to it. The one my dad shot that weekend took a LONG time to come in and we had just about given up; the bear surprised us when he showed up at rather close range. The one I got the next morning came in a lot sooner and was sure stopping and sniffing trying to find that fawn.
(The only thing wrong with that weekend was dragging bear parts out of that steep canyon.)

Good Luck!