We've been hearing a lot about black bears,

[LarryRB]

We\'ve been hearing a lot about black bears,

I came out of my driveway this morning, (1600 ft long) and all woods on one side, fields the other.. We've had a baby fox that has been pretty playfull the last two weeks or so. Not afraid of my loud, Cummins engine idling while I stop to watch the playfull critter.. Same as always, this morning the baby fox is lally gagling around the field.. Stop to watch for two minutes or so. Then procede to end of drive where it meets the road. I look across (old abandonned area for truck parking and an equally abandonned old restaurant) surrounded by another 250 acres of wild life, pine trees, etc.. There standing at the wood line edge but still in this old parking lot is a huge black bear. They are very common around here (as all wild life it) but not as big as this baby. He stood on all fours and is at least 40 inches to hi back, probably 48 to the top of his head. I'm guessing at a minimum of 300 lbs.. Has me concerned now as we have a new puppy or 16 months old now, mix breed, great dane, doberman and lab.. What a mix.. This puppy himself, is 39 inches and a good sized pup.. Hope Mr black bear don't see our pup on his run thinking there is a mate close by..) Or the bear goes after that little playful fox that took up residence in our fields...

 

[shvl73]

Re: We\'ve been hearing a lot about black bears,

I've never seen one in the wild & would love to. Last year the better half saw two run through our side field right near the house, naturally I was not home...

 

[DAP]

Re: We\'ve been hearing a lot about black bears,

Larry, in the Hudson Valley here, surprisingly there have not been a lot of sitings. Surprising for 2 reasons: 1. widespread encroachment on natural habitat and 2. further south in a much more congested suburban New Jesey, there are many MANY sitings. Strange.

Anyway, were I in your shoes (and I may be) I would call the Dept. of Fisheries, Game and Wildlife or your states equivalent. If they're clever, they'll find and dart the animal and move it to a more appropriate area.

Lower NY state had recently had fatal attacks (2 in the last 3 years) and if the phone rings at the Dept. of Game... they're out in force with their darts and cages.

For pete's sake, don't shoot the animal yourself unless its a you or bear situation. Nothing good will come of that. Call the people you pay to take care of these things and ask them to take care of it.

 

[LarryRB]

Re: We\'ve been hearing a lot about black bears,

Dap,
I didn't mean to come across as I am afraid of the bear or anything like this. I think it is pretty neat to look out my window and watch the wild geese, the playful fox, all kinds of birds, a gopher who has been here since who knows when. I do harbor a concern for the two dogs though.. My last year on Holland highway dep't which is Massachusetts and only two hundred feet from me, we got calls all day one day. State police were sent in.. Neither fired a shot.. Along the reservoir were two very small black bears, foraging house to house. Half the homes (all next to each other along the reservoir) had dogs tied out. Most were just on a run or rope type and a few were in small fenced in areas next to a home. The bears went house to house and never once touched or bothered any dog, even while the dogs were going ballistic as the bears moved. The two SP's had their guns drawn for just in case situation.. They just walked far behind and followed the bears till they went back into the heavily wooded area.. There were quite the number of women calling in though.. Those bears hadn't a chance to run or hide with all the complaints that day... the bear I saw this morning was 5 times in size compared to these others that were on the reservoir..

 

[HalseyGreen]

Re: We\'ve been hearing a lot about black bears,

I live in central VA, between Richmond and Charlottesville, rural area, I haven't seen it this year, but last summer I was headed to work and and saw something moving at the ditch line. it was black, so I expected an angus calf. Lo and behold, it was a black bear and it came bounding into the road, it landed on the black top on all fours and wiggled it butt, like I want to play. Now, for the interesting part, I drive a Mazda Miata, and its head was at windshield level as I swerved to pass, by the way, I had the top down. I pulled a quick u-turn and it had retreated to the tree line about 15 feet off the road. I guess it didn't really want to plan. On the way home that evening, I stopped by a small general store, and reported my sighting. The said that it must have been the same one raiding the dog food dishes in a nearby lake front development.

I visited Blue Ridge Parkway several times during during last summer and saw 2 adult bears and 4 cubs at different spots. Last year was my black bear year, I told the wife that I should go bear hunting last fall, but never did.

 

[jfh230]

Re: We\'ve been hearing a lot about black bears,

They are a pretty common site around our way. So much so that our county has a special extended hunting season to keep the population under control. Last season someone bagged a 700 lb one.

We have several in our neighborhood. When we first moved here the neighbors filled us in on the do's and don'ts. Garbage being the biggest don't. I went out and bought a nice shed for the garbage cans. First night mr. bear wacked it with his big mit (left a nice size paw mark) and turned it over spilling out the garbage cans. OK, I got a padlock and locked it so it wouldn't open up if he knocked it over. Next morning I awoke to find my nice shed in pieces scattered over the hillside. Seems mr. bear doesn't like padlocks. After gathering up the pieces of my shed which was now garbage, I decided to keep the garbage in the enclosed garage in the barn. He either hasn't figured out the keypad code yet, or has moved on to easier pickings because our garbage and garage has remained intact for the last year.

Jack

 

[DAP]

Re: We\'ve been hearing a lot about black bears,

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Dap,
I didn't mean to come across as I am afraid of the bear or anything like this. I )</font>

Larry ... you didn't come across that way at all. I spent 24 years in a concrete jungle 24/7 and moved to the woods for that very reason.


If you accidently stumble on a sow with her cubs, you've entered into a serious problem for yourself. The bear has all the odds here.

If you leave your garbage out and find the bears going through it, you've MADE a serious problem for yourself (and perhaps unknowingly for others).

For better or for worse, the big loser here is usually the bear with us as a close 2nd.

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