Bear Trouble

vicker · #1 09/15/08, 05:23 PM

Well, I'm living in a tent till I get my little cabin built and I'm having a bit of bear trouble. It started a couple of weeks ago (my fault) when I left my cooler home after going grocery shopping. I got home from work and a bear had eaten 4 pork chops, 1 lb butter, 1 doz. eggs, a pound of Amish butter, 1 lb of whole wheat rottinni, a bottle of soy sauce and a quart of mayo. I knew it was a bear because he left a pile of fertelizer as payment

I had a good laugh about it and started taking my food with me when I leave, but the bear keeps coming back. Then, Thursday my preacher came by for a visit and I was cooking chicken on the grill. We were sitting there jawing when I look and there is the bear about 15 yards away nosing around. I yelled and he ran off. We thought that was pretty neat. Now, he had been in my camp every day since then. Yesterday evening (Sunday) I cooked a meatloaf and after eating was sitting in my chair under the tarp reading a book. I look and there is the bear just a little over 5 yard away. I yelled and he made tracks. 30 minutes later I look and there is a BIG bear in the same spot. A table with the coleman stove is all that seperates us. I got my pistol and eased up to the table and the bear payed me no attention whatsoever. I fire a round under his nose and he lit out.
OK now I'm getting a little nervous

Both these bears have red tags in their ears so they are male bears that have probably been caught before for being a nuisance. I trying to get in touch with DNR but no call back yet. I will call an officer I know at home tonight. I really don't want to hurt the bear(s), but the are abviously not afraid of humans and are getting too close for my comfort ( which is pretty dang close).
I'll checkj back in a day or so and update

TedH71 · #2 09/15/08, 05:39 PM

#1 you don't have a barking dog.
#2 you left food out.

End result: curious and hungry bear habituated to people chowing down at your place. Priceless.

Sorry! Had to chuckle at that but having a big barking dog would seriously help.

Old Vet · #3 09/15/08, 09:46 PM

What is Amish butter? I have seen Amish Jam before and always meant to ask them if they used real Amish in them instead of imitation Amish.

Highground · #4 09/15/08, 09:54 PM

I don't want to kill our bear either. Rat shot keeps them away from the house.

naturewoman · #5 09/15/08, 10:04 PM

Pepper spray, instead of just a loud bang? And I mean bear pepper spray.

Dirtslinger · #6 09/15/08, 10:38 PM

Bear spray only works in their eyes/mouth. It's been proven that if you spray it on the ground they will come and ROLL in it.

Slingshot, rocks, fireworks. And no more treats! They won't stick around if there is nothing to eat, they need a lot of calories this time of year. But they will also rip open your car once they get a taste, so keep the car close. And use the gun if your life is threatened.

Suggest to the DNR they don't dump anymore problem bears in your area.

soulsurvivor · #7 09/15/08, 11:06 PM

So, when and where do you sleep?

My dad used to tell us a family story about his great great grandparents and how they lived inside a stockade because of the wild animals. Is that what we're returning to?

mtn.mama · #8 09/15/08, 11:09 PM

Two words: Electric Fence

soulsurvivor · #9 09/15/08, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Vet

What is Amish butter? I have seen Amish Jam before and always meant to ask them if they used real Amish in them instead of imitation Amish.

haven't seen any little Amish in my butter blocks, but their butter is the best I've tasted.

WisJim · #10 09/16/08, 07:37 AM

If a bear gets some food at a site, he may come back for years. Friends had a bear come into their garage one night when they left the garage door open and the bear found their supply of dog food. They immediately quit keeping any kind of food in the garage, and keep the door closed, but the bear kept coming back for a year. They think it finally moved out of the neighborhood. We had a young black bear around our place this summer, then he moved across the creek to a neighborhood with lots of houses, and people their complained to the DNR, the city police and even called the mayor. They were told "don't put anything out that the bears might eat". The police and DNR won't do anything about it unless the bear causes damage--it was the people's fault for leaving bird feeders and pet food out that attracted the bear in the first place.

Jeff54321 · #11 09/16/08, 07:42 AM

You have shown the bear where to get food and he learned well. Not the bear's fault.

wy_white_wolf · #12 09/16/08, 08:23 AM

1. Get a loud barking dog

2. I know people move to the country for the peace and quite but you can also keep a radio playing. Preferably a talk show so the bear will hear voices.

3. Tin can noise traps for the bear to set off. Doesn't keep them away but alerts you as to there presence.

4. Electric fence. Get the strongest you can find.

5. Motion sensors hooked to sprinklers.

paulaswolfpack · #13 09/16/08, 08:38 AM

This might sound weird but growing up my daddy always tookk us campping in BEAR territtory and always carried gallons of bleach.
One night we got to the camping spot late and woke up in the middle of the night with a BIG BEAR shaking the truck and camper.
My daddy always poured bleach all around the campsite and never had a bear come by, I do not know if it really helped or if the just did not bother us but the next night after the bear shaking the camper my dad had puored it all around never had trouble.
dosent peeing around the area help? But you should call dnr if you have seen tags, paula

NJ Rich · #14 09/16/08, 07:17 PM

Look at the Backpacker Magazines site and type in "bear bagging". I have been backpacking in a many of bear areas from the Appalachian Trails in NJ/NY to New Mexico's Sange de Cristo Mountains.

#1 Never have food "smellibles" in or around where you sleep.

#2 Cook and eat far away from where you sleep.

#3 Understand bears have a very good memory about where they found food. Move your tent far away from your present site if you can.

#4 Bears like many things we never thought they may like: tooth paste; camera film; cleaning products; canned foods and soft drinks in cans; deodorants and perfumes; shampoos and soaps; cooking oils and seasonings and the list goes on and on.

Lastly, do not go to bed in the clothes you wore while eating. Change your clothes to those that have no food or "smellible scents on them.

If you put any of those items in your car and you are away the bears will rip your car apart to get at the food and smellibles.
Stay safe. NJ Rich

snowshoehair · #15 09/16/08, 11:00 PM

Bear grade pepper spray will work wonders! Just remember it is used to make a bear that is already there go away. It is NOT, and I repeat, it is NOT to be used as a repellant by spraying your tent or the area. It needs to go into the bear's face in order for it to work!

It also makes them think twice about coming back!

A solar powered electric fence would work very nice around your tent, too. Many peeps here in Alaska use the fences to keep the bears away.

CSA again · #16 09/17/08, 08:37 AM

Hey Vicker....
One sure way to stop that bear from messin with your stuff.
Eat him and hang his hide on your new cabin. He He
Send me the gail bladder, I can trade it for a case of good corn licker over in Cherokee
Not as good as yours though......
Talk to you soon old friend
Eddie

vicker · #17 09/17/08, 03:48 PM

Hey Eddie!
Good to hear from you. I'm trying to teach the bear to play checkers, but he's a slow learner. I'm thinking of making a good choke collar out of logging chain, catch him and feed him till bear season hehe. I'd like to have a nice bear skin for the cabin. One DNR officer told me I had the right to protect my life and property, and another one said to shoot him with birdshot

somehow, that doesn't seem like a good idea. I haven't cooked at home since Sunday, but am cooking chicken on the grill this evening. If he comes back I'm gonna have to bag him. I'm getting antsy sitting in my chair and reading under the tarp. I keep feeling something breathing down my neck lol! He is just way to used to humans. I could have poked him with a stick, but then

The DNR officer says that he's been trapped and moved before (thats why the red tags in his ears). Probably came from a Park where all the city folk fed him HoHos.
I'll save you the gall bladder ttys

Rocky Fields · #18 09/17/08, 10:17 PM

Hey.

Tie a rope to your cooler and hang it up in the air from the limb of a tree.

RF

vicker · #19 09/20/08, 08:41 AM

Well, he ain't been back this week. I suppose the gunshot put the fear in him. If he doesn't come back when I cook this afternoon I will take my dogs there tomorrow. I have a Siberian Husky and a little Terrier. I need to tie them when I'm not home for a week or two till they get accustomed to living there and familiar with the neighbor's and their animals. I have been reluctant to leave them alone and tied, as I would hate it if the bear killed them, though I do know that is unlikely.

TedH71 · #20 09/20/08, 06:33 PM

I wouldn't allow a husky to roam loose. They tend to wander, harrass livestock, etc. Even the dog mushers keep their huskies chained up. The breed is not bred to stay around the house. I would speculate the Alaskan Malamute would be more bred for staying around......