Bears sniffing around the coop

[Summerlin]

I have to agree with those who have said not to shoot unless you're shooting to kill.
That said..I hope you get it resolved soon, and before any damage is done. My in-laws live on top of a mountain and they have a nuisance bear..a young(ish) male that one of the idiot neighbors decided to feed

and then stopped feeding after several months. Since then, the bear has caused a lot of property damage for the handful of people left up there, including my in-laws..it nearly totalled one elderly woman's car.
It also attacked my FIL's dog, and charged my FIL who (Murphy's Law) happened to not be armed. Luckily, he wasn't harmed and the dog survived his injuries..but the bear is still out there. Phone calls were made, and officials said that trapping him isn't an option..and really, he'd just be somebody else's problem if they relocated him Since then, a neighbor has shot the bear, but he survived.

It's bad enough to deal with a young male, you're dealing with a mama. I would be beside myself with worry for all of my pets, including your GD. They're big dogs, but I doubt if he's going to hold his own in an attack, or if he's defending somebody..and I wouldn't want to put him in that position.
I think your best bet is to be vigilant in the coming days/nights, and as soon as the opportunity for you to safely dispose of the bear presents itself, take it.

 

[texaschickmama]

Bears scare the crud out of me.

 

[Equus5O]

My dog has treed a sow with three cubs a few times in the past week. So far, she's stayed away from the perimeter of the house clearing. He barks at them from the lawn, and hasn't found it necessary to get any closer, fortunately.

Sandra

 

[DiVon80]

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You see the thought of bears is scaring the letters out of you! I know it would scare me. We have them down here.

 

[DiVon80]

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I didn't actually see the cubs until they ran up the tree. In fact, when I first went outside I thought there was an upholstered chair in the yard. I was puzzling over that when the chair started walking.

The dog's a Great Dane. He's pretty mellow, but I think he'd pile right in if anything threatened his family.

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c116/Oblio13/IMG_0151.jpg

He is really pretty! He is the correct color as the bear dogs. I need to get the correct spelling. The forest rangers are using these dogs to attack and run off the bears from camp sights ect. Saw this on a Nat.Geo. show.

 

[60ACRES]

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is that a lake behind them?



*please tell me that is a pasture, I dont want to be sick the rest of the day...

 

[amazondoc]

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You're thinking of Karelian bear dogs. Plott hounds are also used to hunt bears.

I haven't heard of it, but I bet a good Rhodesian Ridgeback (bred to hunt African lions) would also do a good job. Or good pits, which I do know are used to hunt wild boar.

ETA -- oooo, or good Akitas. I believe they were bred in part to hunt bear as well.

 

[mrsgibber]

Oh how cute that pic is! That being said, I wouldn't want to be you. If I ever found a bear that close to my house or anywhere in my yard I'd lose it!! Such a scardy cat.

 

[georgialee]

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is that a lake behind them?



*please tell me that is a pasture, I dont want to be sick the rest of the day...

It does look like a lake - beautiful!

 

[Oblio13]

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HappyHatch'en :

I don't understand you shooting at the bear with bird shot...

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My veterinarian is the one who told me to use 7 1/2 birdshot to "train" both the local bears and the neighborhood dogs. At close range it may penetrate, but not dangerously. At longer ranges, it just stings. The DEC uses rubber buckshot, and I've got some on order in case there's a next time. Of course shots in the face should be avoided with either.

I have no desire to kill these four bears. I'd rather have them around than chickens, if that were my only choice. And teaching them to avoid humans is the best way to prevent them from becoming problems that must then be removed.​