I was turkey hunting today & called in a big bear
It got within 25 yards, & I was on the ground (not in a blind).
I don't know if this might be common in the far north, but I sure wasn't expecting it. They sure make a racket walking (& it was on a grassy [but dry] trail). I was surprised how clumsily they walk. I think this is the 1st I'be ever seen 1 in person (on about 4 ocassions over the years I"ve seen 'em from a vehicle).
Spooky. It really didn't seem all that afraid of me. It hung around long enough not just for a picture but a couple of videos. I was glad I had bear spray & a shotgun, just in case. I hollered just before it was to get to my decoy. It then walked away about 10 yards & stood on its hind legs & danced while scratching its back against the Jack pine. What a sight! I got what appeared to be the same bear on trail cam last night ( it had its face right up to the camera but luckily didn't swat or chew it). I've been seeing more bears the last few years on camera.
A little close for comfort. It was on track to walk about 10 yards by me.
I didn't see any turkeys & I called it a day after that.
I can't figure out how to post the video, but here's the picture I took. Luckily it didn't make any snort or growling sounds).
I wonder if that back scratchong is common.
Hopefully I never meet 1 in the dark.

Cool experience. Bears are cool critters. We have two kinds here.

Wow, that’s pretty cool! It’s a good thing he was in the mood for turkey!!!

No spring season? Shoot it!
mt

Ha! Oh, it’s a bear. That kind of makes it a bit interesting. We frequently run into the big brown ones here, while calling deer or moose.

I never heard of a bear responding to a turkey call, but predator calling up here is known to bring in both black and grizzly bears.

Jim

I called a coyote in on a dead run. It came directly to the call and at the last minute decided my hen decoy was fake. Ran right by it then leaped over a clump of brush I had assembled as a blind. I could have caught it in mid air.

One never knows what they may encounter. Not much surprises me anymore.

Nice bear

That had to be a real surprise!

Cool. I have to say that most of the bears I've seen were pretty quiet coming through the woods.

Don't expect them all to make a lot of noise when they walk either. They can be one of the quietist animals in the woods.

Very true. We typically still hunt deer here. It gets interesting real quick when you realize there is a bear within 50 yards of you. That is why I deer hunt with the 375HH in SE AK. Most are carrying something like 300 Winnie or larger in the woods here.
That does look to be a decent boar in your photo.

They may be clumsy when they walk but sure are fast when they run. I once watched a large heavy set bear run non stop several hundred years up a very steep hill in Pennsylvania.

Really cool!

What county are you in?

Back scratching is very common.That looks like a nice bear. Never trust them !!

Cool experience

I really would like to know what is happening in a black bear's brain early in the spring; they can seem pretty goofy, I wonder if after a long nap it takes awhile to get their brain in gear.

That has been my experience with them...you can't hear them ...maybe once in a while a twig might softly crack.

Between the obvious noise this one is making, and the back rubbing, my first thought would be a territory posturing ...it is not afraid , as mentioned earlier...and deliberately making noise and scent marking by rubbing as a territory sign. There may be claw and bite trees around also.

I don't trust them either, and I sure would be at the ready for those deliberate sightings and actions.

Just my thoughts on this.