Black Bears

[jdmidwest]

JD,I'm trying to understand your logic but I just can't follow. We have hunted many things in the US, and we have put some species on the verge of extinction if not totally wiping them out. Take the bald eagle and bison, you cannot eagles because of their protected status. So what is this argument about bears have been hunted before Europeans inhabited the US? It would be one thing if the state says its legal, and if they do, I have no problem with it.

Also, how much of a nuiscance are they? Are they your main concern as a farmer? Over coyotes etc. I'm not a farmer but I have a hard time believing the low populations of bears are the big cause of most agriculture problems associated with wild animals. Have you had problems with bears? Are these problems re-occuring?

I just don't see what you are saying.

People did not eat Bald Eagles to extinction, we poisoned them with DDT. Since DDT has been outlawed, Eagles have made a comeback. They too have become a nuisance in some areas. Deer Farmers have problems with them killing their fawns each spring now. They have to take measures to protect their herds. Condors and buzzard create a similar problem.

IF YOU READ THE LAST ARTICLE I MADE A LINK TO in my last post, you would have seen the problems that the Missouri Dept. of Conservation relates to nuisance bears. Nuisance bears are ones that humans make accustomed to human ways, ie, feeding, careless trash disposal, poor camping habits, and their attraction to certain agricultural ways like bee keeping and livestock farms. The only problem I have is people regarding them as fuzzy little teddy bears instead of the large predator that they are. That was what the original post from the OP of the MDC article was about till someone got off track.

[troutfiend1985]

The only problem I have is people regarding them as fuzzy little teddy bears instead of the large predator that they are. That was what the original post from the OP of the MDC article was about till someone got off track.

Well hey, I have to apologize. I misread your last statement, and if your only concern is that people might take bears too lightly then I was wrong on my last post.

However, I'm still standing on the idea that black bears really aren't that big of a problem, it's humans that make the problem i.e. feeding.

Also, just a tid bit of info, DDT played a large role in the decline of the bald eagle. But, electrocutions is also one of the highest killers of eagles today. Yes, I mispoke about the hunting effects towards eagles, but their decline was directly linked to human activities. While eagles are making a comeback, BGEPA still prevents possessing eagle parts or hunting eagles.

However, you cannot deny that buffalo were nearly wiped out by over harvesting. I say, let the black bears come back. If they start posing a problem, well, humans will do what we do best.

Tight Lines.

[jdmidwest]

As I have stated, the only problem I have with the bears is that humans tend to attract them by careless garbage practice, livestock feed and livestock, and camping along side of them. If they get used to humans, they will stay around the sources of food. It was stated that they are omnivores, this makes them very opportunistic, eating everything and not just keying in on one food source. When they have young with them, they can get very agressive and will attack humans. There have been deaths by black bear attacks. Left alone in the wilderness, they will shy away from humans for the most part, you will probably not even notice or see their sign unless you look for them.

As stated in the original post, be aware of them in the outdoors. If you know you have bears in the area, bearproof your garbage and pet food. Bear proof your coolers and food while camping and don't cook in a tent that you sleep in.

[Gavin]

I'm glad to have em back. I've seen both grizz and black bear in the wild before..They've been to close for comfort on three ocassions, but they werent interested in me at all. I'm sure they will cause some property damage and they pose a threat of personal injury, but I'm not worried about it much. The odds of being attacked are out of our control, and the probabability of attack isnt worth the cost of a can of bear spray at the moment. Looking forward to spotting one in Missouri. Cheers.

[Andy & JoAnne]

On the news last nite, they were warning people about the bears. They were saying that if you go out in the forests, to take along some protection "like a gun or pepper spray."

Now I can just see the headlines; "Hiker Shot In Mark Twain National Forrest" with the report saying some clown with a gun thought the hiker was a bear

Let's face it. Black bears are no real threat to humans unless provoked.

If you're hiking through the woods and encounter a bear, drop that fish you're planning on taking home to show your buddies and slowly back away. The bear don't want you, it wants the fish. Are you willing to die for a lousy 12" fish? I didn't think so. (At least I hope you wouldn't.)

The bears are migrating and there's no way to stop them without killing them all. This was their home long before any man set foot here and like it or not, they're coming back home.

That happened up here last year. A 16 year old hunter shot a lady on a hiking trail thinkg she was a bear. Your "headline" is not far fetched at all. I think putting the fear into people about the bears is more dangerous than the bears themselves.

[denjac]

Just saw on the news 5 minutes ago a 150 lb male black bear was hit on I44 mile marker 24. Thats around Sarcoxie. They tranquilised the bear and took him to a vet who had to put him down as he was hurt too bad. Thats a shame.

[troutfiend1985]

That happened up here last year. A 16 year old hunter shot a lady on a hiking trail thinkg she was a bear. Your "headline" is not far fetched at all. I think putting the fear into people about the bears is more dangerous than the bears themselves.

Yeah, that whole scare the masses idea is not a good one. Someone posted on here that a local news station was advsing people to carry guns. Not trying to get into the 2nd Amendment here, but telling people to carry guns is bound to get an over reaction from someone. Most likely a younger person as with the situation you mentioned. I don't understand why a responsible media would tell people to arm themselves for bears. Bear spray is effective and I think the best thing a person could do is to arm themselves with information, that Black bears are not usually agressive towards humans unless they are threatened or you are between the cub and its mother. Information is the most powerful thing in these situations.

Tight Lines.

[stlfisher]

I too am glad they are back and not at all worried about being attacked by one. To be honest if I had to go early then why not go out in style. Future generations would tell their grankids a story about a relative back in the day who was mauled to death by a bear while landing a state record trout. I would live on for generations.

And someone mentioned it earlier we are the problem not the bears or the wildlife. I hope we learn that before it is too late.

[jdmidwest]

I too am glad they are back and not at all worried about being attacked by one. To be honest if I had to go early then why not go out in style. Future generations would tell their grankids a story about a relative back in the day who was mauled to death by a bear while landing a state record trout. I would live on for generations.

And someone mentioned it earlier we are the problem not the bears or the wildlife. I hope we learn that before it is too late.

Being eaten alive, slowly, since they prefer muscle first, or bleeding out is dying in style?

Look kids, this forest was fertilized by grandpa's remains in the bear scat. Oh, look at the pretty kitty, is that a mountain lion?

[ollie]

Denjac, you think that bear was the same one they saw last year in south Joplin? I'm thinking it probably was.