October 30, 2011, 10:09 AM | #1 |
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Black Bears
We’re beginning see more and get more trail camera pictures of relocated Black bears around here. I never gave bears much thought until the fairly recent spate of pictures and sightings. However now it gives me pause to wonder. Could they become a problem?
There have been tales here of the bears chewing up 4 wheeler seats that were parked in the woods by deer hunters. Also a couple that said that some camps had been ransacked by them. So far they’re just third party stories so I can’t account for their veracity. It still makes you wonder. I never bothered to carry a side arm with me when scouting during the off season, but lately I have. While it’s nice for the Wildlife and Fisheries to attempt to reestablish the bears here, I hope the attempt doesn’t go awry. In most of the sightings and pictures the bears are wearing tracking collars. Which begs the question, where did they come from? Are they problem bears that were trapped because of being a nuisance, found in some residential area, or caught taking a snooze in someone's garage? If this is the case it seems to me that they may have lost their fear of humans and relocating them just moves the problem. I hope that this isn’t the case. A sustainable hunting population of Black bears here would be great, but I’m sure that not all attempts are successful. I’m interested if any of you have first hand knowledge of this type reestablishment or relocation in your area. Did it work? Any problems? Any comments?
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October 30, 2011, 02:15 PM | #2 |
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A lot of michigan bears were relocated into arkansas. to my knowledge, there have been no problems. There has been some migration up into missouri. Mostly they seem to be staying in the woods, but some are obviously doing bear stuff and raiding urban areas for food. Eventually hunting will open up. It's not like bears breed like deer or rabbits.
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October 30, 2011, 02:30 PM | #3 |
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Actually black bears are doing very well in this country. Where two cubs per sow have been the normal ,in PA at least ,3, 4 and even 5 cubs can be found.
The one we checked out in the Poconos last spring had 4 healthy male cubs ! Their main thing in life is to find food .Don't ever feed them , don't leave food around . Here they hibernate in the beginning of December and come out early March. They must put on extra weight for the hibernation so they are very active at this time . Some animals develop strange tastes like chewing creosoted wood , rubber etc.
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October 30, 2011, 03:07 PM | #4 |
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My experience with black bears, limited though it may be, is that they really don't want anything to do with humans. That being said a couple of years ago one took a small child locally. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/...in519289.shtml here's an article about the attack. This is the only attack on a human that I've heard about around here and we have plenty of bears. The few that I've come across in the woods usually take off pretty quick. Had a buddy ran into a momma and 2 cubs about 5 years ago while hunting. Cubs skittered up trees and mom squared off on him. Ended well with the bears leaving the area before I got to him, but he was pretty shaken up by the whole thing. I always have a sidearm in the woods but not because I'm afraid of bears, I just like having it with me.
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October 30, 2011, 04:23 PM | #5 |
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I don't know
how far you are from the Texas border, but TX Parks & Wildlife says black bears are a protected species. And they are migrating from western LA into eastern TX. Since I deer hunt about 30 miles from the TX/LA border, I guess I better start carrying a 44 mag. Gotta have fang and/or claw marks on my body before I shoot, though. Otherwise I could end up in jail.
Meanwhile, mountain lions are legal to shoot in TX, no closed season, no limit. Go figure.
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October 30, 2011, 05:00 PM | #6 |
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Black bears have doubled in population in the last couple of decades in the US. It irks me when I hear of a state placing them on a protected list with severe penalties. It just shows the hypocrisy of the entire protected species acts. Who needs bears in Texas? If you want to see bears, go to the zoo!! LOL
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October 30, 2011, 05:35 PM | #7 |
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Who needs bear anywhere? Who needs deer anywhere? Who needs any wildlife anywhere? if you want to see it, go to the zoo, LOL.
Your logic is severely flawed. Black bear are moving up into Oklahoma as well. |
October 30, 2011, 07:07 PM | #8 |
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Plenty her in NE FL.................we see tracks every time we go to the woods. Saw them today.
And the comment about numbers of ofspring.....it seems correct as we have one with 3 on the game cams a number of times and the Hunting Section of the Florida Sportsman Forum has had more than a few with 2 and up. Personally I'm not interested in shooting one but I sure would hate to get in the wrong place in the dark with a sow and cubs. Finally.......two weeks ago one of them attacked my brother in law's tree stand and game camera. Ripped the seat on the stand, carried his safety vest off ( he found it chewed some 40-50 yards away ) and stomped the camera into the ground. Last 2 pictures on the camera were of the "asailant"................ |
October 30, 2011, 08:33 PM | #9 |
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Thanks for the replies.
We have always had a small population of Black bears here, but all were residents, not imported from somewhere else. I’ve had a couple of encounters with these locals and all it took to rid the area was a loud “Git”. They high tailed it. Some years back Minnesota park bears were introduced southeast of here. From what I’ve heard it was a mess. They wound up in garages, carports, patios, under houses, plus several were hit by cars. I’d hate to have history repeated here. I’m not afraid of them, but the wife is a city girl. It took a while to get her to accept the coyotes, wild hogs and other varmints. Bears on the verandah might be somewhat difficult. They’re so protected here that you may not even be able to chase them out your front yard. God forbid you had to shoot one. They’ve got more rights than humans. I’m in the southeastern part of the state, so not sure they hibernate here. Might be too warm. One of my bear encounters was in the dead of winter and he sure didn’t look drowsy to me. While not streamlined, they can move pretty fast. At any rate someone is planning for a population explosion. All the new highways being built near here have large culverts under them designated as bear crossings. Maybe they think that Yogi is smarter than the average bear and can read the signs. I guess we’re gonna find out.
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October 30, 2011, 11:14 PM | #10 | |
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Quote:
In any case, go look up the statistics, black bears have more than doubled in population across the US in the last 20+ years. Having them protected in TX makes no sense to me. They got rid of them years ago, what do they want in reintroducing an animal that does cause a lot of havoc in populated areas. Makes no sense, the animal is not in danger yet don't tell that to the folks in TX. Sorry, I don't see any need to hunt the bears if they wander over the border into TX, but to place civil penalties for situations where you just might be protecting yourself just doesn't make any sense to me. The animals are more important that people. Really, explain to me why it is important to bring black bears back to TX. I tell you what, they are a pain in the neck up here in Idaho, but we are stuck with them. If you don't have them in TX, it sounds like you are ahead of the game. Like I said, if you want to see them in TX, go to the zoo or put them in the politicians back yards so that they can enjoy them as well. This time, I am serious as a heart attack. Just one more instance of governmental intrusion where there is truly no need except for them to show off their muscles because they can. |
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October 31, 2011, 06:11 AM | #11 |
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Hey Alaska, when I lived in Idaho we counted on the bears to keep us from being overrun with tourists. Ever see the "Visit Idaho - the Tick Fever State" bumper sticker? That said, I like black bears, but they really don't need any legal protection. They're doing just fine in most of the US, and a great game animal.
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October 31, 2011, 07:11 AM | #12 | |
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Quote:
Why does Texas need black bears? They eat hogs. So do mountain lions, wolves, and alligators.
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October 31, 2011, 07:40 AM | #13 |
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plenty of black bears here in Idaho. I hear there are grizzleys but only seen one my entire life (out side of the zoo ).
I have no problem with the government putting a native species back in to the environment. What I have a problem with is them putting a non-native species in to an environment to replace a sub-species that was struggling such as replacing the Idaho timber wolves with Canadian grey wolves.
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October 31, 2011, 10:37 AM | #14 |
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How aweful for the family of the infant killed!
Back in the open dump ground day's the bear would feed after dark, and hunters couldn't shoot a bear within some set distance, however we used to take the children to see all the bear and to this day I do not eat bear because of the image of a pamper 1/2 way out the vent. I would wonder about the bear in that aweful tragic event maybe had a taste more for a dirty diaper? And if Minnesota is exporting bear to points south I have not heard, but am in full agreement! God Bless Bear Hunter's!
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October 31, 2011, 11:18 AM | #15 |
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We have had a few encounters locally, but nothing that happens regularly. The last one I remember a local farmer killed a large sow that was in his pasture near his cows. The bear had a tracking device on it and a university and local authorities-DNR got involved and it became a really bad ordeal for the farmer.
My wifes cousin lives near Gatlinburg Tenn. and the bears there have lost the fear of humans. They have to keep constant watch on the children and dogs. The bears are really destructive trying to get into trash and and anything that smells of food. I don't know what the policies are for removal in that area but the bears are a real nuisance. |
October 31, 2011, 11:59 AM | #16 | |
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We NEVER thought of bears when playing in our backyard in Alaska at the top of O'Malley Road in Anchorage. Behind our backyard was miles and mile and miles of woods at that time. Bears just didn't ever bother us even once in the 10 years we lived in Alaska. Now Anchorage is a hot bed of man-bear encounters. |
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October 31, 2011, 12:01 PM | #17 | |
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October 31, 2011, 12:15 PM | #18 |
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blackbears are usually pretty skiddish around people but if humans aren't around much then they'll get brave decide to chechout a camp and have a snack and a chew toy. my boss had an issue with a blackbear that liked to bath in his spring fed cow troughs. the only problem was they had a pipe sticking up through the middle so once the water level reached a certain point is would drain out and away from the trough. well mr blackbear didn't like taking a bath with those pipes poking him in the butt the whole time so he learned how to unscrew them...my boss had to patrol his troughs at least 3 times a week to make sure his cows weren't visiting empty troughs. they are clever things..usually they'll shy away from people though unless you get close to their cubs or catch them after their 5 month nap time
EDIT, dont get me started about them damn wolves in idaho
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