- May 8, 2008
- 856
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Quote:
While a bear is a bear and the color of the hair does not change that fact, the species does affect their particular behaviour. It's proven fact that black bears are much more susceptible to becoming habituated to humans and human garbage and that they often have a nastier temperment around humans than brown or grizzlies do.
That said, what you all are discussing is really two different issues. One is a bear problem, but the bigger one is a human problem. Yes, bears will wander into residential areas (how can they not - we're living in their backyards, not vice versa) and they will take advantage of any food made available to them, but they can be deterred if they haven't become accustomed to it. And one occurance does not a habit make. Unfortunately, it takes a community effort to change their mindset on bears and come together in bear prevention instead of bear eradication. If you have neighbors feeding the bears or casually leaving garbage out then running them out of your yard isn't going to prevent them from becoming a problem bear.
Panner - While I whole-heartedly agree with you that bears cannot be successfully located and that we have every right to shoot a bear that is threatening our family, I find it irresponsible to advise people to simply shoot a bear in their yard without knowing more of the situation. I am more prepared to shoot one of the 3 Kodiak brown bears Fish and Game informed me today that have been less than 200 yards from my home IF they are threatening my family or property. However, it is my responsibility to take every measure I can to prevent their attraction to my yard and prevent my poultry from becoming an easy meal. If I were to shoot a bear in a chicken coop without having taken the proper precautions then it would be Fish and Game's right and responsibility to fine me for baiting a bear and shooting one out of season - and I wouldn't be able to argue the fact.
Kodiakchicken I think the post you quoted from Panner didn't say a person should just shoot a bear because it's in someone's yard. He said "Once a bear has been around humans, in their trash, feed or attacked their animals, that bear needs to be put down."
The fact is that if a bear knows you have feed or trash or *chickens* THAT is the attraction. I've had several chickens now eaten by them, in the light of day in the back yard. Exactly how does one "prevent them from becoming a meal" if a bear knows their there? If you've got chickens that's the attraction & there is *no coop* that's going to stop them. I don't think we need to go hawling off shooting at the first sight of a bear but if there's a "bear cub" there's a mom & a chicken dinner??? Too easy.
While a bear is a bear and the color of the hair does not change that fact, the species does affect their particular behaviour. It's proven fact that black bears are much more susceptible to becoming habituated to humans and human garbage and that they often have a nastier temperment around humans than brown or grizzlies do.
That said, what you all are discussing is really two different issues. One is a bear problem, but the bigger one is a human problem. Yes, bears will wander into residential areas (how can they not - we're living in their backyards, not vice versa) and they will take advantage of any food made available to them, but they can be deterred if they haven't become accustomed to it. And one occurance does not a habit make. Unfortunately, it takes a community effort to change their mindset on bears and come together in bear prevention instead of bear eradication. If you have neighbors feeding the bears or casually leaving garbage out then running them out of your yard isn't going to prevent them from becoming a problem bear.
Panner - While I whole-heartedly agree with you that bears cannot be successfully located and that we have every right to shoot a bear that is threatening our family, I find it irresponsible to advise people to simply shoot a bear in their yard without knowing more of the situation. I am more prepared to shoot one of the 3 Kodiak brown bears Fish and Game informed me today that have been less than 200 yards from my home IF they are threatening my family or property. However, it is my responsibility to take every measure I can to prevent their attraction to my yard and prevent my poultry from becoming an easy meal. If I were to shoot a bear in a chicken coop without having taken the proper precautions then it would be Fish and Game's right and responsibility to fine me for baiting a bear and shooting one out of season - and I wouldn't be able to argue the fact.
Kodiakchicken I think the post you quoted from Panner didn't say a person should just shoot a bear because it's in someone's yard. He said "Once a bear has been around humans, in their trash, feed or attacked their animals, that bear needs to be put down."
The fact is that if a bear knows you have feed or trash or *chickens* THAT is the attraction. I've had several chickens now eaten by them, in the light of day in the back yard. Exactly how does one "prevent them from becoming a meal" if a bear knows their there? If you've got chickens that's the attraction & there is *no coop* that's going to stop them. I don't think we need to go hawling off shooting at the first sight of a bear but if there's a "bear cub" there's a mom & a chicken dinner??? Too easy.
