30 replies to this topic

[generubin]

I've been plenty of times in Grizzly country in both arctic Canada and Alaska. Much of this time was tent camping. I make sure to be vegan in my eating habits during these trips.

I agree with posters above: More bears, less people.

[camelracer]

How do you identify grizzly scat?

It has a bell and smells like pepper.

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

I didn't mean that the solution was to KILL more bears,I am not by any means for getting rid of them. I feel that education of campers and some kind of bear management in problem ares is needed. Think how many times we all go to a camp area and find all sorts of things left out to attract bears.A lot of so called campers just don't think.It's not just bears,people feed all kinds of animals.It's not good for them and just causes problems.We enjoy the wild animals and respect them and where they live,after all we are in their house.

Didn't mean to hijack this thread sorry .Just camp safe and enjoy the shrinking wilderness.

Frank

[highz]

I feel that education of campers and some kind of bear management in problem ares is needed. Think how many times we all go to a camp area and find all sorts of things left out to attract bears.A lot of so called campers just don't think.It's not just bears,people feed all kinds of animals.It's not good for them and just causes problems.We enjoy the wild animals and respect them and where they live,after all we are in their house.
Frank

I quite agree Frank. I assume California is similar to New Mexico in that "problem" bears are first tranquilized, tagged and relocated and only killed if they become repeat offenders. Maybe we should do the same to campers who feed bears? Just kidding - maybe.

Back to the original topic. I'll be curious to see if tent camping is banned in certain areas, how long will it take before bears are regularly breaking into hard sided campers? I think that bears are just being opportunistic, and if there are no more tents, they'll go to the next easiest target.

[Overland Hadley]

I quite agree Frank. I assume California is similar to New Mexico in that "problem" bears are first tranquilized, tagged and relocated and only killed if they become repeat offenders. Maybe we should do the same to campers who feed bears? Just kidding - maybe.

That sounds fair to me.

[chnlisle]

I quite agree Frank. I assume California is similar to New Mexico in that "problem" bears are first tranquilized, tagged and relocated and only killed if they become repeat offenders. Maybe we should do the same to campers who feed bears?

Or run generators all night long. Oops there I go again!!

[RobNE]

I didn't mean that the solution was to KILL more bears,I am not by any means for getting rid of them. I feel that education of campers and some kind of bear management in problem ares is needed. Think how many times we all go to a camp area and find all sorts of things left out to attract bears.A lot of so called campers just don't think.It's not just bears,people feed all kinds of animals.It's not good for them and just causes problems.We enjoy the wild animals and respect them and where they live,after all we are in their house.

Didn't mean to hijack this thread sorry .Just camp safe and enjoy the shrinking wilderness.

Frank

I was in Delware Water Gap two weekends ago, signs everywhere that this was "bear country" and to act accordingly. I was on the NJ side and they seemed pretty serious about cracking down on that stuff (and alcohol as well... but I digress). My Wife, 4 yr old daughter, and I did some hiking up near the AT and I kept thinking, what a special treat it would be to see a bear, but no such luck (lots of skunks at night though).

Anyways, I lived in CA for many years and I remember the last time I was at the Witney Portal area (2001?)... the list of things you had to remove from you car struck me as ridiculous... some things obvious, but some things seemed so obscure (film cannisters? really, do they smell that tasty?) that the problem seemed to be with the bears. Tragic that it got so bad, but once its gotten to that point even the "good clean campers" are in trouble, no? How can a reasonable person(s) comply...

and I wasn't even camping there, just passing through on my way to the East Face and long before kids, but even then I thought it seemed like the problem was spiraling away from park/area managers?
Rob

[clikrf8]

Hubby and I stayed at Curry Village in September 2009 so we could be in the valley floor for photo opportunities. People were disregarding rules and were drinking and being rude and noisy. A bear grabbed a gal's backpack which must have had food or something enticing to the bear. We have a neighbor who has some property that has been in his family since his grandpa bought it in the 50s that is either in the national forest or in the park. he says we can stay there whenever we want. I am not sure where it is but we will sure take him up on it. He is currently building a house and concrete is $200 a yard delivered and poured. It must be out in the boonies. Neighbor has money.

[Barko1]

Today's news!

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. — A man out on a hike with his wife in Yellowstone National Park's backcountry was killed by a female grizzly bear after the couple apparently surprised the bear and its cubs Wednesday, park officials said.
The attack was the first fatal bear mauling in the park since 1986.
"In an apparent attempt to defend a perceived threat to her cubs, the bear attacked and fatally wounded the man," the park stated in a statement. "Another group of hikers nearby heard the victim's wife crying out for help, and used a cell phone to call 911."
Investigators have been interviewing the woman about the bear attack, which took place on the Wapiti Lake Trail, close to Canyon Village and near the middle of the park, park spokesman Al Nash said. Park officials haven't taken any action against the bear, he said.
"This is complicated because of where this has occurred," Nash said. "It is in the backcountry of the park, and we have access challenges and limited communication."
Park officials were working to clear the area of other hikers. All trails and backcountry campsites in the area have been closed and a warning sign has been posted on the trailhead.
Nash said authorities aren't prepared to release the man's name, age or hometown. He said more details probably won't be released until Thursday, after the man's family is notified.
Yellowstone and nearby surrounding areas are home to a growing number of grizzlies, at least 600 and some say more than 1,000. Once a rare sight, they've become an almost routine cause of tourists lining up at Yellowstone's roadsides at the height of summer season.
Their growing numbers require constant vigilance by tourists and park workers alike, said Caleb Platt, a service station manager at Canyon Village.
Platt lives most of the year in Yellowstone and said over the last eight years he has had three fairly close run-ins with grizzlies while hiking.
"When it's close and you realize it does see you, it gets the heart racing," he told The Associated Press by phone.
He said he hadn't heard about the nearby mauling.
He said he carries bear spray - pressurized hot-pepper oil in a can - so he's able to defend himself in case a bear gets ever too close on the trail.


Read more: http://www.idahostat...l#ixzz1RNABa5GJ

[jfb]

There is a headline today that a 57 year old Yellowstone hiker was killed by a sow that had percived that her cubs were in danger..they sure deserve respect and caution on the part of campers


sorry, didnt notice the above post