What to make of this......?

bswiv · February 28, 2011, 07:44 PM

The pictures below ( Yes I know they are not so good. ) are of a tree, a BIG tree, next to a creek near Palatka, Fl. As you can see, hopefully, a bear has hit all sides of it with his claws. Scratched off a lot of bark......easily over 6 feet up.

The last picture is of a spot, about 30 yards from the tree, where it looks as if he, or she, or they, or it?, rolled about in the palmettos. The smashed down area was maybe 15-20 feet in diameter.

So what was he up to............?

I also posted a picture of the creek..........because it was so nice looking.

StrongSideArmsInc · February 28, 2011, 09:10 PM

Black bears tend to scratch pine trees to cause the sap to ooze out. Once they get the sticky sap out, the usually will rub up against the tree to get it all over, and then roll on the ground to spread it around. Why, it is a natural repellant to fleas, ticks, and mosquitos. You can take some old motor oil and pour on the base of a tree and it is a good bait for hogs and bears, as they will rub all over it to get bitting insects of them.

February 28, 2011, 07:44 PM	#1
bswiv Senior Member Join Date: June 4, 2006 Location: NE FL....... Posts: 1,081	What to make of this......? The pictures below ( Yes I know they are not so good. ) are of a tree, a BIG tree, next to a creek near Palatka, Fl. As you can see, hopefully, a bear has hit all sides of it with his claws. Scratched off a lot of bark......easily over 6 feet up. The last picture is of a spot, about 30 yards from the tree, where it looks as if he, or she, or they, or it?, rolled about in the palmettos. The smashed down area was maybe 15-20 feet in diameter. So what was he up to............? I also posted a picture of the creek..........because it was so nice looking.

February 28, 2011, 09:10 PM	#2
StrongSideArmsInc Senior Member Join Date: January 26, 2011 Location: Florida Posts: 238	Black bears tend to scratch pine trees to cause the sap to ooze out. Once they get the sticky sap out, the usually will rub up against the tree to get it all over, and then roll on the ground to spread it around. Why, it is a natural repellant to fleas, ticks, and mosquitos. You can take some old motor oil and pour on the base of a tree and it is a good bait for hogs and bears, as they will rub all over it to get bitting insects of them. __________________ I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself. A small bird will drop frozen dead from a bough. Without ever having felt sorry for itself. -- D.H. Lawrence