Just how smart are black bears

[rekees4300]

Bear is good eating but they need to be opened and cooled very quickly. With that hide and body fat the meat goes rancid in a hurry.

The bear thinks human is good eating. The scariest part about bears is they don't bother to kill their prey before eating it. Being eaten alive isn't my idea of a fun day.

 

[WayneB]

I have emptied all of my bird feeders, but left them on the cable that is raised and lowered using a Harbor Freight 12 vdc winch. The bear came into our place around 7:30 AM, my wife saw him actually jump up and pull off one of the bird feeders. Seeing it was empty he headed out of our area and went up to the neighbors place. ONce there he started looking at the feeders and made his way over to them. The lawn mower was running in the yard as he walked by it, no fear on his part. Then he proceeded to climb up the two steps to the hand winch area and sake the cable until one of the feeders let go and landed on the ground. The neighbors wife was on the deck taking the pictures within 25 feet of the bear most of the time, once within ten feet of him.

This bear has been visiting our area for the past three or four years. We know it is the same one because he has a scare beneath his right eye. There is a bear season in New Hampshire, but we are not too interested in shooting him, he does very little damage and really makes our German wire haired pointer go a bit crazy from time to time.

The first picture shows him leaving the bird feeder area. ( this is about twenty feet from the house deck.)
The second and fifth picture he is heading to the raspberry patch
The third the bear is standing directly beside the beck, really way to close for human comfort.The last picture
The fourth picture shows the tell tale scare beneath his right eye

 

[TMR]

Pretty common in northern MN. When we first moved to the country 23 years ago I called the MN DNR to ask what I should do about the bears? DNR said take down the bird feeders until Fall

We have enjoyed them over the years...seems worth the cost of occasional replacement of bird feeders. They are still pretty jumpy when we head out to the deck to take pictures...they are gone in a flash.

Raccoons are a much more unpleasant "friend". Lots of deer, one moose yearling, quite a few grouse, some pine martens, etc. We enjoy the wildlife and have no particular interest in shooting any of them...well, maybe the raccoons. Tom R

 

[scott_vt]

Good Evenin Wayne,
Great pics youve got there ! But I noticed your grass needs cutting, have you got an enclosed cab ?

 

[Jstpssng]

The bear thinks human is good eating. The scariest part about bears is they don't bother to kill their prey before eating it. Being eaten alive isn't my idea of a fun day.

Not true of black bears... they'd rather evade you.

 

[PRF]

I love how they have no fear.. One about that size trounced through our yard a couple weeks ago like he was king of the world... I didn't argue

 

[Pieter78]

Nice Photos...

 

[Grahamguy]

Not true of black bears... they'd rather evade you.

That is true 99% of the time. If that bear feels threatend and decideds to attack someone taking pictures 30 feet away the said person wont stand a chance. Bears are very smart they also can fool us by looking all slow and docile. Nothing could be further from the truth. They are super fast and can be very aggressive when they want to be. Please be careful takeing pictures to close to them.

 

[300UGUY]

Have you thought of trying something else he might like instead of your feeder?, Like picnic basket?

 

[TomSeller]

The bear thinks human is good eating. The scariest part about bears is they don't bother to kill their prey before eating it. Being eaten alive isn't my idea of a fun day.

Stays fresh longer that way. It is not like they have to worry about much getting away from them, so they must think why kill it?