Another Ontario Bear Scare...

[VixChix]

Might have been the same bear that badly injured a man last week...

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada ... id=3075875

How much more will it take to bring back the spring bear hunt?!??!?

[Sliver]

I have my own opinon on "Man" and the "Wild", but I do believe they should bring back the spring bear hunt. This is just going to continue, if it is not this bear, there will be another bear in another area that attacks another human.

[Michael Stogre]

I agree bring back the spring bear hunt. I Have seen 6 bears in the last two weeks. + there was one in my yard which I didn't see, but another person did. The Northern Ontario economy has taken many hits
in the last few years including the loss of revenue from the great number of American Bear hunters
who used to come here, but now go to Quebec and Manitoba and elsewhere. A black bear killed a young female physician a few years ago near Chapleau, and there was a year here in Espanola when
the MNR had to put out five or six traps. Some people joke that the Spring bear hunt has been
replaced by "nuisance bear season." So let's not kid ourselves bears are being killed on way or another.


MJS

[Grizzly Adam]

My farm and house is directly adjacent to a national wildlife refuge recently named by biologists as home to the thickest concentration of black bear in the eastern United States. I have lived with bears on a day-to-day basis for a number of years now, and I encounter bears frequently. Judging from fresh sign as of today, there are at least five large boars in the immediate area right now, feeding nightly on milk-stage wheat.

Over the years, I've learned a lot from numerous up-close-and-personal interaction with bears. In my experience, there are two kinds of people who live among bears:

1. Those who do what they can to keep bears afraid of them.

2. Those who wish they had.

Why be part of the second group? There's no need to learn the hard way!

If you encounter bears that aren't afraid of you, make them afraid of you.

I have dealt with aggressive bears before. You cannot tolerate such behavior; not for a moment. A bear that threatens humans in any way should be immediately eliminated, and bears that show no or little fear should be taught to fear.

You must decide what your "territory" is ... and you must defend that territory. For instance, I do not allow bears to be in my two-acre yard at all ... ever. If I catch them in the yard, I run them off immediately; it is a "zero-tolerance" policy.

However, on the rest of the farm, I tolerate them and respect them, so long as they show no aggression and seem to fear me. If they are bold or sassy, and I am able, I teach them that I am not to be trifled with ... right away.

Bears are as smart as any dog; and they have good memories. If you let them know that you are dangerous, they'll remember and give you a wide berth. If you let them push you around or act aggressive with you, you're asking for it ... and you might get it.

It is possible to live among bears and get along fine, but don't be fooled by all the cable-TV show talk. While they're not ferocious, black bears can be dangerous, and they can't be trusted.

Treat them accordingly.

My "two-cents worth".

[CDN Taxman]

OK, first they put a picture of a grizzly bear in the photo??? No grizzlies in Ontario.

Then, this famous quote:

"This is not your average bear," said Ontario Provincial Police Const. Peter Leon.

Didn't Ranger Smith say this about Yogi?

Regardless of the ineptness of the media, I agree. The spring hunt has to return before these stories are commonplace.

Mike

[Grizzly Adam]

You get too many people in their territory not worrying about garbage, BBQ grease and bird seed and you get bears in your yard looking for more and now associating you with food.

Amen and amen, Bugs.

Here is the reality of living in bear country:

You must NEVER allow a bear to find a "treat" in your yard or around your home. If one does, it will be back, over and over again. They never forget a find. If their natural curiosity in investigating your premises is rewarded with food, they'll make it a point to check it every time they're around.

We keep all garbage inside until it's taken away. We freeze our scraps and peelings in a five-gallon bucket, and dump it 1/2 mile from the house. We never allow one scrap to be dumped in our yard ... same thing goes for fish carcasses, deer scraps, and such. When I butcher, I rinse the blood well. No greasy grills are left outside. Our gardens are electric-fenced. We don't feed birds, and we feed the dog and cat "on demand" with just enough.

I'm not one bit surprised to read of attacks such as the one referenced in the post.

Such problems are largely created by ignorant people who refuse to learn how to live around bears, and then wonder why they become nuisances, or get aggressive.

[evaughan]

I agree that the spring bear hunt needs to be re-instated but not baiting. I have no ethical issue with baiting but it can only serve to accustomize more bears to the taste of human food and garbage thus creating MORE problem bears not less.

Having worked in the forestry industry, I can tell you that there is one line of defense forestry workers rely on more than any other, a good dog. You go into an active logging area and almost all forestry people who travel on foot have a dog. Surveyors, plot checkers, foresters, etc.. Many more people have been mauled with a gun in their hands than a dog at their side.

[the elf]

Unfortunately--I don't think that anything will be done about the bear situation
until a relative or close friend of one of the politicians or lobby groups is either
severly injured or killed. Then it will be the usual thing of locking the barn door
after the horse has escaped.--Too little--too late.

[hikerman]

I camp in a tent quite a bit with my family, wife two kids now 8 & 6 and our beloved dog. All of use in a small tent. many nights I remember hearing thrashing from other camp sights.
Next morning you can see that a bear has been through their camp sight.
People thing just because they are in a trailer they don't have to be bear wise.
food never comes near our tent.
I am in favor of the spring bear hunt.

[quote="evaughan"]
" I have no ethical issue with baiting but it can only serve to accustom more bears to the taste of human food and garbage thus creating MORE problem bears not less."
Good point.

[Cossack]

They are there even when you don't see them, as my neighbor's trail camera proves ( a coyote, fisher and even a wolf too). Had a bear hit my bird feeder in front of the house two years in a row while we slept in back. Must have been a big sow and her cubs, judging from the teeth marks they left, and a powerful one at that: Broke the 4" pole holding the feeder like a matchstick.

[foofoo]

interesting reads - seems we are indeed on there menu. not quite the dolphins of the forest the media has you believe. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_fa ... th_America