Vandals!

[Skyco]

Made it up to our land in western NC near Tryon over the weekend.
Pulled up and immediately noticed a 15 gallon water jug on the ground next to a table it had been sitting on. It was full, around 120lbs so the wind didn't blow it off. Hmmm.....
Then found a 5 gallon can of diesel on its side and the tarp removed from the generator.

I had left a game camera there for grins and voila! Pics of the vandals

No real damage done, just curious I guess. Surprised they didn't mess with the BBQ grills. BTW the growth one is checking out in the first pic is some deer corn that sprouted in the gravel..

 

[dave1949]

Nice pics. I am surprized they didn't mess with the grills too. Makes me wonder if you are one of those commie vegans?

 

[NSBound]

Humph! Bears are OK as long as they don't hang around people and do damage. Critter cams are fun, and it's interesting to see what time of the night they are coming around. I woke up the other morning to a large dump of bear droppings right by the steps to my deck - filled with the orange berries off a mountain ash. I have no idea what time he was here but I think I'll move my camera to this area, which is also near some bird feeders.

 

[Skyco]

Nice pics. I am surprized they didn't mess with the grills too. Makes me wonder if you are one of those commie vegans?

Nope! Steaks and chicken have been recently cooked on those. Maybe the bears are vegans

BTW the game cam was messed with too, they apparently came up under it out of the view of the sensor and swatted it all out of whack on the tree.
It has been remounted higher out of their reach, unless they climb

Bears are relatively uncommon in this area, lots of them deeper into the mountains, this is the first we've ever seen in 4 years of owning this land. Got lots of deer, raccoons and wild turkeys on the cam before, but no bears. We've also seen coyote scat but no pics yet. I don't usually have the cam mounted to watch the camp, I think I'll leave it there and mount my other one near the watering hole where I usually snap critter pics.

 

[dave1949]

Skyco,

Sounds like a nice area. You plan to build there someday?

There are black bear around here, but all I ever see is scat a couple times a year, usually around this time. I assume they are moving through on their way to a den area. They say black bear will den up for the winter under a fallen tree or anything that gives just a bit of cover.

The Maine Fish & Game people know how to find them. They pull the cubs out and weigh them, count them etc. while the mother is half asleep in late winter. They did a little local TV show a while back.

You must have had chicken fat on your fingers when you put the cam up Funny they would mess with that, but bears are pretty curious by nature.

Dave.

 

[jinman]

Looks like my grandkids while I'm grillin' hamburgers.

Nice photos! I bet you secure your stuff a little better from now on. You were lucky to not have more damage.

 

[NSBound]

Skyco,

They say black bear will den up for the winter under a fallen tree or anything that gives just a bit of cover. The Maine Fish & Game people know how to find them. They pull the cubs out and weigh them, count them etc. while the mother is half asleep in late winter. They did a little local TV show a while back.

Here's an intersting bit done recently on a Canadian TV show about this very thing - - - - YouTube - Rick Mercer: Black Bear Cubs

 

[Skyco]

Yes, the plan was to build there and retire, of course with the economy all gone to hades that plan is on hold, not even sure I'll have a job next year

I don't know how deep the bears even den up there, doesn't get all that cold unless a lot farther in the mountains. This land is right near the border of NC/SC. In 4 years I think it has barely even gotten into the teens there.

Fascinating creatures though, now that I've confirmed their presence I plan to study up on them some more. I do know the entire NC mountain area has had a lot more bear/human conflicts since rainfall has been way down for a few years, thereby affecting the food supply for them. This particular county has almost no reported bear harvest unlike some other counties deeper into the mountains.

I'm not one to shoot an animal for the heck of it, but I think I may have to start carrying my 40 or 45 around up there on the hip instead of just a 38 snubbie or 380 auto in the pocket

 

[dave1949]

Yes, the plan was to build there and retire, of course with the economy all gone to hades that plan is on hold, not even sure I'll have a job next year

Hang in there, it will turn around one of these days I hope. You are not alone in having your plans on hold. Heard that from others on here too.

True story: When I was 8 yrs. old (1957) we took a family vacation trip out west. While we were camping at Yellowstone, the people a couple sites over spread out their lunch and then all left to wash up I guess.

A small bear came along and started helping himself. My father, in all his wisdom, told me to take some empty pans and go over there and bang 'em together to scare it off.

So I did that. The bear took one look at me and started after me. I set all kind of world records getting back to our camp site. He only chased me about half way thank goodness. Course my Dad is trying not to laugh while my Mom was giving him H...

Dave.

 

[dave1949]

Here's an intersting bit done recently on a Canadian TV show about this very thing - - - - YouTube - Rick Mercer: Black Bear Cubs

Great video, thanks NSBound.