bear encounter

[Wolfie2nd]

People make this big stink about black bears. We did a drive up near cluvers lake an on the last drive the guys kicked up a black bear an that bear so happened to come within 7 yards of one of the guys posted on the top of the ridge.
 The guy tim said once he closed in the bear looked right at him curled his lip rolled his ears back an bolted like a bat outta hell threw the briers. They said it looked like a dozer plowed threw the briers. So I guess that goes to show that they fear us as much as we fear them.

I myself have never seen a bear in jersey but have herd stories of them being nasty buggers with no fear in humans.. So I'm guessing for the most part its all hype
Other than when they have cubs..

   Just wanted to share my fun filled weekend!

[FerretWYO]

I have been hunting bears myself and since before i was leagal to hunt with my Dad. I have never once in all the hundreds and hundreds of times that I have seen bears felt like a black bear was going to hurt me.


"Grizz"  That is a little different story.

[LimbLover]

There was a show an episode of Monsterquest that specifically referred to Black Bear's in NJ.

They even had a guy with a recurve in his back yard showing just how close the bears actually were and how unafraid they were. He got within 20 yards of them with the camera crew and they didn't move.

The show wasn't about their being violent, it was the fact that they were so close to houses trying to find food.

There was a similar Monsterquest episode on domestic pythons in Florida and feral dog populations in Detroit.

Interesting stuff.

[pcappy08]

Wolfie that sounds like a great weekendand thanks for sharing! For the most part i couldn't agree with you more, they tend to be big babies that want nothing to do with us.  When things go bad more often than not it is peoples fault, i.e feeding them or not giving them the proper space.  

At the height of our bear problem i was seeing more bear than deer while bow hunting and only ever had one problem. I was pulling a stand in the middle of August and found a bunch of clawed trees and chose to ignore the territorial warning.  Well the big male caught me in his space and bluff charged me twice till he was 6 or 8 ft away popping his teeth and huffing at me, instinctively i held my ground and yelled back. After a while he stopped and sat there and i slowly left.  Luckily i was able to go home unscathed and a little wiser. Like you said they get a bit of a bum rap and they can be nasty but it tends to be when they aren't given the proper respect.

[FerretWYO]

Look at this video from Biggie Hoffman. This is a big bear that is standing his ground. I think this was in canada.

 http://tradgang.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=17;t=000083

[Wolfie2nd]

Yeah like I said I've never had an encounter always the fear from hearing all the bad horra stories about people gettin their butts ripped up.
I pretty surprised I haven't seen any cause I do a lot of backpacking up in that same area.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

A few years ago when I lived in Jersey. I was a group of tradgangers doing Our NJ Winter Bow hunt/get together. The last drive we did was on Cardiac Hill, I did a walk down along the delaware just incase the deer ran down that way.

All most to where everyone else was, I got this feeling I wasn't alone, then I got a wiff. If you have ever smelt a bear before You know what I mean. Then I started to hear the popping sound. I looked over the ridge I was walking on and down by the river was a Big Black Bear.

The bear was walking the trail I walked and even looked up at me. He didn't have any fear I was just lucky He didn't get in range sooner when I was walking thu the thick stuff.

Sometimes Bears will run, other times they just want to Hurt/eat someone/something. Your friend was lucky.

[Wolfie2nd]

Yeah everything I hear is mixed opinions.. Who knows?? But the poor guy got an adrenaline rush of a life time an said it was an awesome experience

[ishiwannabe]

I work with black bears(at times). Literally, I have been feet away from them. They are really impressive animals IMO.

They are highly intelligent. I have seen a sow drag a log out of the woods and ground out an electric fence guarding dumpsters.

To say that they arent a threat, well I think thats a generalization. Most arent, and most will run away. Thats what you want. You dont want them to have no fear of humans, or associate humans with food, or come between a mother and cub.

They all have to capability to wreck you if they so choose. That is not something to be taken lightly. I cant remember if it was a show I watched or information I got through work, but it said something to the effect of "a high percentage of black bear attacks are predatory in nature. Whereas most grizzly attacks are due to surprise or defense." You play dead with a grizz, chances are you may live. You play dead with a blackie, and you wont. I seem to recall that black bears kill more people than grizzlies, on average. Im gonna try to dig up that info.

Not meant in any way to offend or discredit. Its great you have them around, but there are precautions and knowledge you should be aware of.

Anyone interested can google "Fatal Bear attacks of the 2000's". Edited to add this, as it shows a decent comparison.

[hayslope]

Most that I've encountered on the east coast have been moving in the opposite direction with the swiftness of the proverbial scalded cat.

I've only encountered one - in the Catskills - all 450lbs + of him at about 20 yards - that knew I was there and showed no fear.  This was in the spring during a turkey hunt.  Thankfully, he just looked at me and went on about his slow merry way doing whatever was on his mind at the time.  I was armed with a turkey gun, but my confidence wasn't too high at the time, given his rather large body.  Amazing how little a really large bear's ears look on that big head (I didn't really think about that until he was going the OTHER way!)

[Wolfie2nd]

I'll tell ya what if that were me in Tims shoes I woulda wanted to shoot that sucker. 7 yards is too close for my comfort.

[ishiwannabe]

Try seven feet...lol. Sometimes they dont pay me enough. My closest encounter was with a 350 lb(give or take) male with a really nice white blaze on his chest. He wanted food in the cooler, the campers wanted him out of their campsite. He took some convincing...I almost needed a fresh uniform.
I have seen some really large bears too....thankfully, they were at a reasonable distance...LOL.

[Olin Rindal]

So far I haven't been spooked by black bears but like ishiwannabe said they have capability of messing you up that alone deserves respect. You never know witch one might be having a bad day.
Olin

[just_a_hunter]

Those that want to experience black bears need to spend a hunting season in South East Utah mountain ranges.....

I hate them, I hate them, I hate them....

I hate them,

Todd

[Ragnarok Forge]

Hike around in Eastern or Western Washington woods and there are bears around.  I love them, I think it would be a sad world without them.  I have never had a bear stand up to me or act agressive.  They are hunted actively here in spring and fall so they stay away from humans.

Make no mistake, any bear can rip you to pieces, and it is simple fact that black bears attack, kill, and eat more people than brown bears and grizzlies.  It is also fact that these black bears are normally in areas where they are not hunted and tend to relate humans to food.  

I hunt without fear while in bear country.  I pay attention, walk slowly and quietly, and stay well away from sows with cubs.  I also always carry a bear tag in season.  That way no bad, no foul if there ever is a problem and I have to put one on the ground for good. I always carry enough firepower to finish the job on a large black bear.  We can carry modern handguns during archery season here so I have a back up just in case.

[knife river]

Originally posted by just_a_hunter:
Those that want to experience black bears need to spend a hunting season in South East Utah mountain ranges.....

I hate them, I hate them, I hate them....

I hate them,

Todd

I get the feeling you aren't partial to them...        Why?  All black bears or just the ones where you hunt?

[John3]

The fact is that Black Bears kill more humans than all the other species combined. Is this due to the fact that more people get too close to more black bears?  Who knows but black bears can be and are dangerous.

I've bowhunted black bears many times and have only been worried once. In British Columbia and once in North Carolina while on a spot n stalk bear hunt I did have a rifle backup with the guide. We got 8 step close and "you just never know" how that bear will react.

BC with a rifle backup.
 

My only close call happened in Alberta hunting over bait. The bear came in and stopped before the barrel; looked up at me and then walked under my tree and climbed up... The bear climbed to within a couple feet of the stand.  For whatever reason the bear just looked at me for a minute then climbed down and went to the barrel.

I was a bit "concerned"... LOL

John III

[jhg]

NOT an expert,  but I have been a few feet away from a couple.

The information I like to carry with me up front is the show I saw once about black bears. They touched on the myth that all black bears are pretty "safe". They then went on to describe three different black bear encounters where people were either killed. killed and eaten or stalked. Two of the bears were what would be called alpha bears. They were big, boss bears. The third was starved and attacked out of delerium and despiration.

They will let you know what their intentions are. Usually.

Joshua, taking nothing for granted concerning bears.

[just_a_hunter]

Originally posted by knife river:
 

Originally posted by just_a_hunter:
Those that want to experience black bears need to spend a hunting season in South East Utah mountain ranges.....

I hate them, I hate them, I hate them....

I hate them,

Todd

I get the feeling you aren't partial to them...         Why?  All black bears or just the ones where you hunt? [/b]

I really don't hate them. I don't mind a few, but where I hunt in Utah, they are more aggressive then they ought to be. These ones have constant exposure to humans and they loose their fear.

I've killed one in self defence in 2005, and been chased by several since. I even hit one with a rock in the rib cage this year. Me and fellow TG'r ksbowman got full blown charged by a huge boar this year.

Where I hunt, they are no joke... Come to think of it, I do hate them. I too though would hate to see them not around...

Todd

[Jerry Wald]

Well I have numerous encounter with bears. Trust me in this they are unpredictable...that's the best way to describe them I think.

case in point:

A rouge black bear in Liard hotsprings.

I think this is a pretty dramatic account of it.

 http://www.readersdigest.ca/mag/1999/04/drama_01.html

having said that I can't say as I have had anything life threatening with black bears. If they put their ears back and start to circle you your now FOOD.

I have been charged by grizz though and that can be exciting.

jerbear