Bear pic.

[/pine]

guess we'll have to get some pepper spray(just in case).

This reminds me of an old facetious warning about bears...

The Forest Service has issued a BEAR WARNING in the national forests for this summer. They are urging everyone to protect themselves by wearing Bells and carrying Pepper Spray. Campers should be alert for signs of fresh Bear activity and should be able to tell the difference between Black Bear dung and Grizzly Bear dung.
Black Bears
Black Bear dung is rather small and round. It contains fruit seeds and/or squirrel fur in it.
Grizzly Bears
Grizzly Bear dung smells like pepper spray and has bells in it.

 

[Scooby074]

People putting food out for the "cute" animals is alot to blame for the increase in bear sightings.

Locally, out municipal gov't had the brilliant idea to require homeowners to recycle food wastes. This is done using "green bins" put at the end of ones driveway for pickup. These bins are not bear secure. Well as you can imagine this is like a smorgasbord for the bears!!! And theres has been relative increase in bear sightings. What did they think was going to happen?

Just a month ago i saw a black bear run across the road in front of me. Ive seen a few bears in the woods when on my ATV, but never in "town".

And seeing momma with a cub nearby is bad mojo. Im not scared of bears in general, but if a cub is there all bets are off.

 

[Matt_Jr]

pepper spray might be a good idea in some cases, but using it on a momma with cub good be VERY bad for ones health. Your better of just being carefull and paying attention to your surroundings. Also while your out walking make noise so they know your there. Surprising a momma or pretty much any bear could also be a very bad health choice. We have them up here and they are a joy to have around but they can cause mischief. When I do see them I try talking to them and stay as calm as possible. If it is a momma with cub then I give lots of space.

We did have some folks{moved up from city} that would feed them thought it was a good idea at time. After having one follow them into their small/tight garage looking for hand outs changed their mind

Being carefull and paying attention to your surroundings is all well in good, but I first saw this bear around the corner of my neighbor's house just off the road while driving the tractor. How much noise does one make on a tractor?

When we go for walks we walk just fast enough that we can barely talk from breathing hard but still make coversation. My point about the spray is it's the second to last resort. The last is the wife's 357 mag which might not be enough anyhow. Of course it'll kill it, but not only might it take a while to die, I don't wanna kill it.

Anyway I'm not too worried about it. I've lived here for years without seeing her or any other. Just have to be carefull. Like you said.

 

[cowboy357]

Being carefull and paying attention to your surroundings is all well in good, but I first saw this bear around the corner of my neighbor's house just off the road while driving the tractor. How much noise does one make on a tractor?

When we go for walks we walk just fast enough that we can barely talk from breathing hard but still make coversation. My point about the spray is it's the second to last resort. The last is the wife's 357 mag which might not be enough anyhow. Of course it'll kill it, but not only might it take a while to die, I don't wanna kill it.

Anyway I'm not too worried about it. I've lived here for years without seeing her or any other. Just have to be carefull. Like you said.

I like the way you think Matt . Once again thanks for sharing. Bob

 

[20 20]

I read somewhere an advice from a guy living in Alska that you should not spray it on the bear but on your own face so you don't see what is going to happen to you.

LMAO

 

[20 20]

Being carefull and paying attention to your surroundings is all well in good, but I first saw this bear around the corner of my neighbor's house just off the road while driving the tractor. How much noise does one make on a tractor?

I'm not sure if others have noticed this but I have. Engine noise doesn't seem to bother wild life all that much, allmost like they tune it out. I wonder if it's because they hear so much of it they just don't become all that alarmed? Back when we snowmobiled we could drive right next to critters, one time I even reached out and touched a deer in the middle of the herd. The wife and I have got close up to deer on ATV's and as long as the engine was running{we stay quiet} they didn't seem to care. Once the machine shut down or we started conversing they became alert. I have drove my truck up to bears hanging out @ my pond, they didn't seem to be to worried until the engine quit or heard a door slam. Just an observation I've made for this area not sure if others have noticed this???

When we go for walks we walk just fast enough that we can barely talk from breathing hard but still make coversation. My point about the spray is it's the second to last resort. The last is the wife's 357 mag which might not be enough anyhow. Of course it'll kill it, but not only might it take a while to die, I don't wanna kill it.

I'd allmost bet if the bear were close enough to use the spray you'd have to make a choice, spray or shoot, because I doubt you'd get a second chance . Believe it or not walking fast and becoming short of breathe, to a predator, looks like a meal I think it is honorable that you don't want to kill it, and chances are slim that it would attack. I do however agree with you that being prepared is a SMART choice. I believe it was Cowboy that said "after all, we have moved into THIER back yard." I also believe there is no reason we can't live with wildlife, with an ounce of education. After all didn't all of our ancestors do it for the past ______thousands of years?

Anyway I'm not too worried about it. I've lived here for years without seeing her or any other. Just have to be carefull. Like you said.

They really are a creature that would rather be left alone. I'd also bet for everyone one of us that catch a glimpse of them, there are alot more bears that catch a glimpse of humans and go the other way.

 

[WinstonsMom]

Hi everyone, I have the privilege of being married to Matt Jr . I'd be fibbing if I said the two recent bear sightings haven't freaked me out a bit. I've walked miles and miles of our dirt mountain roads over the last 2 years or so, always with the knowledge in the back of my mind that there are bears around here (the pennypincher's workout plan - good pair of shoes and head out the door!). Getting out of breath walking uphill isn't really an "option" at my current fitness level. We have some SERIOUS hills here and my breathing/heart rate increases quickly once I start up one of them.

Personally, I'd rather not encounter the bear, and I'm hopeful that my noise from walking on a gravel road is sufficient to keep me from sneaking up on the bears. The cub doesn't appear to be one from this year based on my estimate of its size, but the larger bear also has a bum forepaw. So the cub and the injury give me pause. But at the same time, I'm not going to stop hiking because of it...though it may take me a while to get my wits about me for the very next hike

 

[Thomas]

Welcome to TBN.

Think how many times on your walks the bears etc. have seen you but you haven't seen them..not trying to scare you WM..wildlife likes to see what's going on in there own way,and some people encounter/push the panic button to soon.

 

[WinstonsMom]

Welcome to TBN.

Think how many times on your walks the bears etc. have seen you but you haven't seen them..not trying to scare you WM..wildlife likes to see what's going on in there own way,and some people encounter/push the panic button to soon.

Thanks, Thomas. Seriously, the logical side of my brain has been making that same argument. Then there's that emotional reactive side piping up. I agree with what you're saying and have thought the same thing myself. I guess it's so recent and so close that I'm still a little startled. But I'll get over it.

 

[Scooby074]

When walking in the woods, it wouldnt hurt to have "Bear bells" like sleigh bells attached to you as well as a can of bear spray. Better to have the bear run off when they hear you, before they see you.

In my several bear sightings, ive never been charged by a bear, they usually turn tail and run. There pretty shy, as a rule but there are always exceptions.

 

[masscity]

A week or so ago a bear came in the yard and found our bear bait from last year. It's in a 55 gal drum, but it managed to open it and eat some of the old cookie dough.

The next night I heard something, grabbed my surefire flashlight and looked outside. He looked to be around 200 lbs standing by the drum again.

I grabbed my Kimber .45 acp, put some earplugs in, went outside and put a couple of shots over his head to scare him off.

Haven't seen him since.