# Need Advice about Bears



## sapphira (Mar 24, 2003)

Sat at my dining room table last nite about 11 pm, reading exciting ending to book, saw something out of corner of my eye and had a bear looking in my sliding doors about a foot away, and I was in a chair about 5 feet away. Scared me badly. I would not mind a bear around in yard and would watch him but this one interested in house. I got up slowly and gave him my backside and walked around corner to get husband. Turns out we were not the first family on street. He wrecked our iron pole - it is bent to the ground. Broke pots and stuff. We are in a city for criminy sakes, and though we have woods out back, never expected this. 
How big was he? Very large head with long snoot. Was surprised at that. (I have never seen a bear bafore) and he was on all fours on patio (patio is about 6 inches lower than dining room floor.) I am average height and sitting on dining chair. His snoot was level with my head. His paws and very noticeable claws were about as big as a medium size ladies purse with long hair. I could not see the back end of him - didn't stay long enough to stare. Did not think that was a good idea. 
Questions - Do bears come around during the day? Can he break my sliding door glass? Do bears really eat bird seed-which was what he was after?
I know this was no cub - his head alone was just too big, but is this a full size bear? He was black. Did I do ok leaving calmly and getting out of sight? (actually got gun and husb and daughter from bsment so we could get away if he got in house. Don't think we could have killed him if we tried.) 
Any advice?? We have heard of other siteings in last two years and do I need to be careful and watchful while gardening? We have normal chain link fence.

And by way of a note- our cats came back two hours later and came in over the sill on their bellies. Neither will go out on our patio today - I have carpet on patio. Does it stink from the bear? Sapphira, and thanx


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## Old Vet (Oct 15, 2006)

Bears are dangerious. You say that it was black. They are the most gentel ones that are around. They are gentel most of the time but they are still dangerious. Most of the time they are more afrade of you than you are afraide of them. Some of them are agresive during the spring so be careful. Do not get between the mother and a cub or try to scare one. Most of the time will leave you alone but not always. If they atack then get as big as you can and fight them with all your might. 
They will eat anything that is avabile. They are ominovores.


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## Old Vet (Oct 15, 2006)

Rered your post . You asked for advise. Yes she can break your sliding glass door. She will do this in a heartbeat. I used the word she because what you probily saw was probily a sow. They are the most dangeriouse ones out their. The first thing that comes to mind is to learn to shoot. Bears are not the only thing that will endanger your life and will kill you or hurt you. Learn to shoot because you don't want to be in a situation and want to shoot and don't know how. If a bear or somebody break in the probilily goint to hurt you real bad or kill someone. 

When you go outside be aware of your suroundings. That is always good advise. I would not go armed or anything like that but have a loaded gun close around just inside the door.


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## Frontierpoultry (Oct 14, 2005)

If you think this is something that can happen at anytime you should have a gun close by and know how to shoot. I have had several encounters with grizzly and black bears. One thing I should point out is, never turn your back to a bear.....UNLESS you have decided to run for all your worth and then you won't out run one. The bears that worried me the most were the "lurkers". You could scare them away but they would pace back and forth in the brush mustering up the nerve to come back. If you have kids around that may find themselves in danger be extra cautious. Bears can destroy most anything inside or outside of a house. If this particular bear has assimilated into the local neighborhood he will most likely have to be shot. Let your local law dogs know and be carefull


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## marvella (Oct 12, 2003)

i can't help it, i get ticked off everytime.

people, YOU are the intruder. the bear was there first.

all everyone can say is KILL!! KILL!! KILL!!  

the bear is after food, quit leaving food outside and he will go away.

bears number one problem is humans who don't know anything about wildlife.

they won't hurt you if you leave them alone.

and black bears aren't all that big, in general, unless someone has been baiting them.


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## Highground (Jan 22, 2003)

A few years back we had one that would come around and tear things up out on the deck and poop all over the place. I opened a few shotgun shells and replaced the shot with rock salt and stung her a few times with it. She don't come around anymore. Scare her bad a few times, she'll leave.


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## jen74145 (Oct 31, 2006)

Oh, wow. Yeah, I would let the police know, and learn to shoot if you don't know how. 
Hanging around a neighborhood, it probably is already used to people and sees them as a source of food... that's one bear that needs to leave, whether by relocation or lead poisoning, KWIM? They're very dangerous once theyc ross that line.
Keep your cats in so it doesn't see them as a snack, too.


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## derekv (Jan 31, 2007)

black bears are more dangoures then grizzleys, thats because they are more "cocky" par say yes it will break your patio door yes your cats can smell it, a black bear can easliy reach 300lbs this i dont call a little thing like others have said learn to shoot, if its around more often it will have to be put down not relocated thats jsut placing a problem on some one else, they will come around during the day so be cautious as far as eating bird seed i can not say i wouldnt think so BUT i have been wrong before. as far as humans being the inturders yes but would you put the life of an animal before that of a person? that they child a deraged predator is mauling just a inorgant outdoorsman that should have known that they are the ones tresspassing? sorry if that comes off as an attack it was not menat to be


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## MaineFarmMom (Dec 29, 2002)

> Questions - Do bears come around during the day?


Yes. 



> Can he break my sliding door glass?


Yes.



> Do bears really eat bird seed-which was what he was after?


Yes, bears really do eat bird seed. Bring in the feeders, get the trash out of his sight and smell, and don't leave food in the car or garage. 

Make a lot of noise. Bears have very good hearing. Call the police or game warden if it returns. It needs to be relocated. Sows with cubs will teach the cubs to trash pick and raid feeders. Chances are you saw a boar since there weren't cubs but don't take chances. If it's a sow with cubs they might have been on the ground or she might have put them up a tree. Boars can cover a huge territory. If this is a boar he might never be back. 

Mating season starts next month. About a week before the sow is ready to mate she'll chase the yearlings away. If this is a sow with cubs you want them relocated before this happens so that you don't have yearlings sticking around. If this is the case the cubs were born two winters ago and are a little over a year old. 

If you can't shoot to kill the bear I don't think you should shoot. A wounded, angry bear is nothing to fool with. I'd call the warden service or police to find out if there are other reports. That will give you a better idea of how much this bear is haning around.


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## Bear (Jan 25, 2005)

Bears are opportunitists and are always looking for an easy meal. Once they find a bird feeder or garbage they will always come back till the source of food is removed. I lost many birdfeeders to hungry bears till I started to bring them in at night, when bears are most active. Yes,they can come around during the day, but when temperatures get hot out they don't move around too much; that black fur soaks up the heat. At that time you'll probably only see them early in the moring or near dusk. They're also curious animals, and have had them looking in my windows. Never had any poblem with them and always respected them; like said before, I'm living in their terriority. I have a 12 guage shotgun loaded with 00 buck in case of an extreme situation, which Idoubt will ever happen. Yes, a female with cubs is something you want to avoid, she may attack; but most times it is a bluff charge to get you away from the cubs (this I know firsthand). And cats and dogs make them a nice snack if they wander to far from home. I actually like living around them and watching them. If this bear does keep giving you problems, after you remove any food sources, than it's time to call the game warden.


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## NWoods_Hippie (Nov 16, 2006)

Bears will clean out a bird feeders, it is common here in Nothern Wisconsin. I take all feeders down when the bears come out of hibernation, put them back up in the Fall once the bears go back to bed. Some of my neighbors only take the feeders down at night and they wonder why the bears continue to come around, because of the spilled feed under the feeder!!

I have had bears in my yard, on my porch and such many many times. I bang on a big cooking pot with a big metal spoon and they take off. If you do not want this bear around you must take down your feeders, don't leave garbage cans outside, and be sure and don't leave ANY food in your vehicle, they can smell that and will try to get to the food source.

Margie


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## bob clark (Nov 3, 2005)

Sss


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## GREG VT (Nov 17, 2006)

Bear said:


> Bears are opportunitists and are always looking for an easy meal. Once they find a bird feeder or garbage they will always come back till the source of food is removed. I lost many birdfeeders to hungry bears till I started to bring them in at night, when bears are most active. Yes,they can come around during the day, but when temperatures get hot out they don't move around too much; that black fur soaks up the heat. At that time you'll probably only see them early in the moring or near dusk. They're also curious animals, and have had them looking in my windows. Never had any poblem with them and always respected them; like said before, I'm living in their terriority. I have a 12 guage shotgun loaded with 00 buck in case of an extreme situation, which Idoubt will ever happen. Yes, a female with cubs is something you want to avoid, she may attack; but most times it is a bluff charge to get you away from the cubs (this I know firsthand). And cats and dogs make them a nice snack if they wander to far from home. I actually like living around them and watching them. If this bear does keep giving you problems, after you remove any food sources, than it's time to call the game warden.



Excellent advise and info from Bear.


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## sapphira (Mar 24, 2003)

Thank yuou all ever so much. Marvella - we have never ever ever in 14 years here left any food whatsoever outside - but we had no clue bears would eat birdfood in a feeder !!!! We have had bear sitings for 14 years but none ever decided our houses were fair game. And this bear has bothered the neighborhood a lot lately. He did a lot more damage to others properties the last few days than mine. I just did not like how he examined the inside of my house. (WE close the back curtain at nite now - having never closed our curtains at all for any reason). We don't even leave food on the counters or anywhere. 
No intention of shooting the bear. It turns out a neighbor who works for the Agri and Vet depts of commonwealth of VA has put in a request to wildlife officer to arrange for the bear, because he is turning into a nuisance and danger, to be trapped and taken to mountains or perhaps Washington National forest. WE all feel this would be the right thing to do. I did NOT know the bear could break thru a glass sliding door - not a new one either but the old (28 YR.) double heavy ones. And yes we came up with an escape plan because we would rather not shoot anything but will if we have to. S.


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## RACCOON (Dec 13, 2005)

Get urself a small dog,neighbors have a mini poodle that chases the black bears away
dog is to small for the bear to fight with


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## tinknal (May 21, 2004)

Biggest thing is to remove any food source. I've been face to face with bears several times and the only fear I sensed was on the part of the bear. I used to bump into them occasionally while **** hunting at night. They always left, sometimes at at run, sometimes at an amble. I've never seen a bear NOT run from a dog as long as they have an avenue of escape.


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## Rocky Fields (Jan 24, 2007)

Hey.

I have black bear wandering around my property. They eat grass part of the time, so it would be hard to remove all the possible food sources. I have never seen them eat a cat or a dog. They can be drawn to your house by the smell of your cooking. They have a sense of smell somewhat like a dog.

RF


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## radiofish (Mar 30, 2007)

Bears are opportunists. I have seen where they have destroyed vehicles to get into the ice chests packed with food in the trunk. They will go through glass with a push. I have a bear wandering around down the hill from the house. He advoids me and my .30-06, and I advoid him. I have seen him, but keep my distance. He is marking the trees and I see the tracks near the creek at times. 

When I worked for the Calif. Dept. of Fish and Game plus the US Fish and Wildlife Service in fisheries, we occasionally did wildlife work too. They do have portable bear traps, usually on trailers, which are used to trap and relocate problem bears. They mark them before releasing them, so if the animal returns then they will shoot them at that point as a nuisance.

In my years out in the wilds working as a fisheries biologist - if we were backpacking in, we would hang our food out on a tree limb at least 15 feet above the ground. Never sleep with your toothpaste, as one of my former co-workers found out!! He woke to a bear ripping into his tent that just wanted some aquafresh toothpaste, got it and left. Maybe it was my co-worker screaming in the middle of the night also, that made the bear leave in a leisurly fashion!!!!!!!!!


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## Micahn (Nov 19, 2005)

You know it really bugs me when people say that people do not need to worry about black bears. Sure 99.9% of the time they will run away from people and dogs. But that .1% of the time they do not they are going to do a LOT of damage very fast.
No human can out run a bear any bear be it black or brown.
Bears yes even black bears do see humans as food at times. When they do nothing is going to stop them from killing you but you killing them first. You may see the very same bear every day for years then one day it says to itself, Hey there is that human I think I will eat it. When that day comes you better be ready as if your not your dead.
I am not saying bears are bad. Matter of fact they are about my favorite animal out in the wilds. But every year some foolish human gets killed by them because they do not know the simply facts when dealing with any bear or wild animal.
Zoos in my eyes do much more damage then good for the animals. Stupid people see their bears and other dangerous animals and they they will act the same in the wild. They see a bear or something in their back yard some day and say hey I think I will feed it.


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## pancho (Oct 23, 2006)

I asked my cousin about bears and his advice. Do not poke them with a stick. He can give that bit of info from personal experience. There isn't a stick long enough.


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## hunter63 (Jan 4, 2005)

When hunting with a friend, in bear country, I always carry running shoes and three extra shells.
Did it for years,
Finally the friend ask what the running shoes were for, I said "Bears"
He said, "You can't out run the bear!"
I said, "Don't need to, I have to out run you".
So he says, "So whats the three extra shells for"?
I said, "Two for the bear and one for myself".

I consider brother bear my totem, and will not harm him unless he starts it.


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## bumpus (Jul 30, 2003)

.
Black bears will kill you at any time.

One killing was three bears killed two men, and were caught dragging them off after eating different parts of the men and were going to bury them for later.

A young woman was sitting on her porch with two small children, and the bear was coming at them across her yard.
She grabbed one child and took it into to the house, and came back out and saw the bear carrying the other child into the woods. ( which was in a crib before he killed it ) 

Another bear tore a back door down and came into an old woman's house and malled her to death.

Bears can not be trusted, they can and will kill you, when they feel like it.

.


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## Rocky Fields (Jan 24, 2007)

Hey.

"According to data from the National Center for Health Statistics, for every person killed by a black bear in North America, 60 are killed by domestic dogs, 180 by bees, and 350 by lightning."

source: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/satoyama/hibernation.html


RF


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## bumpus (Jul 30, 2003)

Rocky Fields said:


> Hey.
> 
> "According to data from the National Center for Health Statistics, for every person killed by a black bear in North America, 60 are killed by domestic dogs, 180 by bees, and 350 by lightning."
> 
> ...


And not everyone who gets mauled, and does not die, is not on that list.
Just like it does not say how many people have been stung and lived, and been hit by lightning, and are still alive. Not every one who has been dof bit dies either.

Now ask any one of them if they want to be stung, shocked, 
or bit, or mauled again.

Just because bears do not kill everyone they attack does not mean people are standing in line for a bear hug ! ! !


.


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## Old Vet (Oct 15, 2006)

Beign able to shoot is not KILL KILL KILL. Being able to defend your self by being able to shoot is just comon sence. This is what people call self reliant. I for one don't have 911 on my speed dial. It takes 30 Minuits for the sherrif to respond to any call in my area. In 29 munits a bear or criminal can do his damage and leave. So it is best that I be able to defend myself. 

All did is to remind sapphira to learn to shoot in case she needs to.

I live in an area where problem bears are release to so that they live with out bothern many people. A neighbot had his freeser on the back porch and a bear broke the door to the porched and reided his freeser and got all the frozen meat and a feast. I have also had a neighbor that was attacked in his pasture and mauled badly. He lost a eye and his left hand. but he lived after six surgerys he even looks mostly alright.

If you can't learn to shoot to defend yourself the other thing that I could offer yiou is to get ritht with God or your maker so that you can spend more time in what you call Heaven.


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## Rockin'B (Jan 20, 2006)

I'd be making a call to the Dept. of Game. If that bear did enter your house, and you killed it, it would be much better if they knew of the problem before hand. The game dept. is much more understanding when they have had prior info about a problem bear.

If there has been past calls about this bear, they may trap and remove it.

Do protect yourself and your family though. No one else will.....


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## radiofish (Mar 30, 2007)

Yes, Old Vet is correct in my eyes... I worked in the wilderness/ wilds doing fisheries work for many years. That is why I posted earleir: I see the bear and he sees me and my .30-06 when I go down the hill to the lookout on my property. I do not bother him, but if approached aggressivly or stalked by a bear or mountain lion - *as a U.S. Marine Corps Veteran, I am gonna shoot multiple times very accurately - as a very last resort!!!!!!!* I do not go with the mantra Kill, Kill, Kill - even as a Marine... I would rather try to evade than fight unless necessary. I haven't shot the bear on the property yet. I have seen him at about 60 yards distance. My rifle was still on my shoulder by it's sling. I did not draw or aim - due to my not being threatened at the time. But if it had came at me - then a different story folks!!!!!!

Even around the house outside, I carry a pistol (I have a CCW) when stepping out the door. I joke with my Dad that if I empty a magazine of 9mm into a Bear and it doesn't finish it off, I bet it will want to give me a Bear Hug at least in return. So, I am now toting a .357 magnum in order to finish what I started if it came to that point. I will try to live and let live, but self-preservation kicks in!!!!!!!!

Letting the local Game Warden or appropiate government agency will maybe help - depending on the agency. I worked for the California Dept. of Fish and Game and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, so I know the local Game Wardens and Sheriff's Department well. Recently with Mountain Lion sightings down the hill, the local paper said that there was not much that anyone could do until threating actions or actual damage occurs. By then, it is way too late!! Are they gonna write the Mountain Lion a Ticket and give it a court date?????


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## bumpus (Jul 30, 2003)

.
Living with the fear of a bear or lion on my property all the time is not going to happen.

They will die and life of peace goes on. Very simple.

bumpus
.


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## suburbanite (Jul 27, 2006)

1. it stinks like bear
2. don't leave any food outside and get bear-proof trash containers.
3. he *can* break the window, but black bears are driven more by scent than sight. the window is an effective scent barrier.
4. black bears want to eat your food. They don't want to eat you. If you ever encounter one, simply don't get between it and food and you shouldn't have any problem.
5. talk to your local animal control authorities about what they want you to do about the bear. If you are in town, you cannot personally shoot it because the shot could go beyond the bear into other people's houses. Most likely they will give you repellents and put out some kind of baited tube-trap to catch and relocate the bear. If he comes back, then they'll shoot him.
6. If this is the only time you've seen him, I wouldn't worry about it he was probably passing through on the way elsewhere.


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## Old Vet (Oct 15, 2006)

suburbanite If you are in town, you cannot personally shoot it because the shot could go beyond the bear into other people's houses.This is crap. When I lived in town I heard more gunfire in my area than I ever have during hunting season in the country. 

If he comes back, then they'll shoot him. Then the police or game warden wont miss and the bulit willnnot go into another house and kill some inocent people? I have seen police and Game Wardens shoot and they are lousy shots. That is because they don't practice enough to become profenctent.

black bears want to eat your food. They don't want to eat you. If you ever encounter one, simply don't get between it and food and you shouldn't have any problem. This is true most of the time. But in the rare cases of it not being true you are just as dead as those that are kill by anyother means. 

he *can* break the window, but black bears are driven more by scent than sight. the window is an effective scent barrier. This is true if you don't have any open places or leaks like a door or open window. or crack like a loose board anywhere in your house. 

don't leave any food outside and get bear-proof trash containers. Where can you buy a bear proof container?


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## mtn.mama (Apr 20, 2007)

Most of the time bears (black or brown) are not going to harm you... they're going to run away when they get wind of you. This said, there are some bad bears who have lost their fear, are just mad, or starving. So you should always be on the lookout. My favorite meat is black bear. We barbecued it for our wedding. We've shot 'em in the yard (not for nuisance, for meat). Their fat makes great pastry. Believe me, windows won't stop a bear. If they know something good is inside, then nothing can stop them but a bullet. We have killed bears inside the cabin more than once. They'll chew through a door, lift sheds off their foundations, and peel back roofs at the chimney hole. Not taking down your bird feeders is just begging for trouble for you, and for the bear. 
Lisa


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## jross (Sep 3, 2006)

marvella said:


> i can't help it, i get ticked off everytime.
> 
> people, YOU are the intruder. the bear was there first.
> 
> ...


Not to worry. NJ Governor Corzine is spending $830,000 worth of tax funds to teach humans and bears how to avoid each other, when there are people willing to pay to correct our bear problem. Marvella, the bears may have been here first, but we are not going to go away, and since bears do not pay taxes, one way or another, they lose. You are saying that people should not leave their homes to go to work, school, or play to avoid confronting a bear they may not see until it is too late? Given the home range of the average black bear is 60 square miles, please pray tell, how in populated areas this is to be accomplished. This may surprise some, but PETA and HSUS are not experts when it comes to animals, dwelling on the emotional, rather than the rational treatment of animals. Shooting bear may offend you, but define another way to keep each bear in it's required 60 square miles. Tim Treadwell, the bear expert, springs to mind at this time for some reason.


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## montysky (Aug 21, 2006)

A simple rule here, if the Bear or Big Cat etc stays in the mountains live and let live. any bear that moves down to the ranch land is a dead bear period.


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## sapphira (Mar 24, 2003)

Well, the bear has been back 4 times so far. But I have not been concerned. We don't even leave food out in the kitchen anymore. NO smells. But the bear problem has been put in the background. My husband, who has renal cell cancer, had a major heart attack and was sent to UVA med. ctr. over 10 days ago - got him home yesterday and I must say it is amazing what can be done !!! He is doing very well. Did housework for me today while I did errands. Prayer played a big part in this as I found out that so many heard and put him on the churches' -prayer lists !! Doing ok now and on bear watch in general but not too concerned. S.


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## harrisjnet (Jul 13, 2006)

Bears can be very dangerous. They learn that man is a source of food and they lose their fear. That is very bad. You have had good advice here. I would like to ad a few hints. Don't just look around on the ground for the bear, I have seen an 800 lb black bear 30 foot up in a tree. If you make them mad, they can be very coniving. They will lay in wait for you. It is better to persuade them that your house isn't as neat as they thought. You can accomplish this by spraying a strong solution of ammonia around your yard. You will have to do it daily for it to stay strong enough to hurt the bear's nose. A swath of mothballs will also give off an odor the bear doesn't like. They are more expensive, but will stay pungent longer than the ammonia. Bears also do not like loud sounds. If you can hang some loud chimes or tin cans on a string so that the bear will have to make noise to get close, chances are they will run the other way. Bears that have lost their fear of man are just about the most dangerous animal on earth. Be Careful. Good Luck.


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## bgak47 (Sep 4, 2003)

harrisjnet said:


> Bears can be very dangerous. They learn that man is a source of food and they lose their fear. That is very bad. You have had good advice here. I would like to ad a few hints. Don't just look around on the ground for the bear, I have seen an 800 lb black bear 30 foot up in a tree. If you make them mad, they can be very coniving. They will lay in wait for you. It is better to persuade them that your house isn't as neat as they thought. You can accomplish this by spraying a strong solution of ammonia around your yard. You will have to do it daily for it to stay strong enough to hurt the bear's nose. A swath of mothballs will also give off an odor the bear doesn't like. They are more expensive, but will stay pungent longer than the ammonia. Bears also do not like loud sounds. If you can hang some loud chimes or tin cans on a string so that the bear will have to make noise to get close, chances are they will run the other way. Bears that have lost their fear of man are just about the most dangerous animal on earth. Be Careful. Good Luck.


 An 800lb Black bear 30ft up in a tree?!! What kind of tree? I've never heard of a black bear that big, & very few Grizzelys ever get that big. All this talk about black bears as bloodthirsty man killers is just silly, IMO. I have a female black bear that visits my deer feeder sometimes to graze on cracked corn. She has been known to visit the garden, but she does less damage than the *****. She stays 200yds away from the house & runs like heck when I turn the dogs loose. She might weigh 150lbs & she's at least 2 yrs old,since I've been seeing her for 2 yrs. People have more chance of being killed by a lightening strike than by an attack by a black bear, & much more of a chance of being killed in a car wreck. Wild hogs are more dangerous than black bears, & much more common. This unfounded fear of large predators is...well...unfounded :baby04: . I don't know anything about ammonia or moth balls as a deterrent to bears, but I seriously doubt their usefullness. IMO. What about those attacks by Chevys,Fords or Kenworths? Got a home remedy chemical for that? Good Luck!


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## mtn.mama (Apr 20, 2007)

bgak47:
While I second your notion about 800 pound black bears and 30 foot trees, I think you're misled about black bears being dangerous. Your 2 year old 150 pounder may not be (its still a cub!) but there are certainly enough documented bear attacks in written and recent history to refute your statement. Perhaps you haven't lived where there are high densities of large predators... I can assure you they are something to be concerned about. Just ask Timothy Treadwell. A few more like him and we'd have good population control- evolution in action. Humans only like to believe they always sit at the top of the food chain.


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## pancho (Oct 23, 2006)

What is the record on black bear. This 800 pounder may be at the top or at least close to it. I thought a 600 lb. black bear was considered a big bear.


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## Old Vet (Oct 15, 2006)

The usual balck bear is about 200 to 300 lbs. I am not goining to put the black bear as the most extreme predator on the block but they are dangerious. 

If you don't bleave me just ask my neighbor. He was attacked by a black bear. He lost his left hand and had cuts on his face and shoulders. After six surgerys he even looks most alright.

Most of the time the balck bear will run from you just as they know you are around. Some time they will not run and you had be ready to fight. Black bears are more to maul you than kill you but it is nothing that I would hope for.


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## harrisjnet (Jul 13, 2006)

bgak47 said:


> An 800lb Black bear 30ft up in a tree?!! What kind of tree? I've never heard of a black bear that big, & very few Grizzelys ever get that big. All this talk about black bears as bloodthirsty man killers is just silly, IMO. I have a female black bear that visits my deer feeder sometimes to graze on cracked corn. She has been known to visit the garden, but she does less damage than the *****. She stays 200yds away from the house & runs like heck when I turn the dogs loose. She might weigh 150lbs & she's at least 2 yrs old,since I've been seeing her for 2 yrs. People have more chance of being killed by a lightening strike than by an attack by a black bear, & much more of a chance of being killed in a car wreck. Wild hogs are more dangerous than black bears, & much more common. This unfounded fear of large predators is...well...unfounded :baby04: . I don't know anything about ammonia or moth balls as a deterrent to bears, but I seriously doubt their usefullness. IMO. What about those attacks by Chevys,Fords or Kenworths? Got a home remedy chemical for that? Good Luck!


It was a pine tree. The Bear had been stalking the owner of a Dude Ranch a friend of our worked on Near Westcliff Colo. When bears were a problem, they were tranquilized and taken to a remote area and released. There would be a tag put in one ear. If they returned to the vicinity of man, they were removed once again. A tag would then be put in the other ear. A troublesome bear with two tags would be shot. This was a very big bear with two tags. He had come close to nailing the owner of the place several times. He would hide and try to nail the guy when he went from one building or another. We just happened to be there when the bear was brought down by a Game Warden. That would have been in 93, I think. The year before, a bear had stalked and terrorized a man in a wood cut area 20 miles North of Cotopaxi Colo. The guy had taken to sleeping on top of his camper to avoid the bear.( As if that would have stopped one) He told one of his wood cutting helpers that he hadn't seen the bear in a week and figured it had probably left the area, he planned to sleep inside the camper that night. The helper found what was left of the man the next morning. Wildlife Rangers were able to track the bear and kill it. Bones that were identified as being from the man were in the bear's stomache. 
Bears are beautiful, magestic animals, but deadly. Anyone who thinks different are wrong. If you don't believe me, go ask some of the guys that have lived in the Mountains with them for years. I talked to several old timers in the 9 yrs we lived there. That is where I got the info about ammonia and mothballs. The odors hurt the animal's nose and they naturally shy away from it.
I don't know where you are located so have no comment on the size of your bear. The bears in the Rockies are huge compared to the black bears we have here in SE Oklahoma. Most of these are under 200 pounds. Comparing the two would be like comparing a big bull elk to a yearling whitetail deer. 
No one ever said the black bears are the most bloodthirsty beast on earth, or a main cause of deaths, but they are very dangerous. Wild Hogs are to. 
I said the bear was 800 lbs because that is what the Game Ranger said. It may not have been. I am linking a site that say's 800 lb bears are possible though.
http://www.americanbear.org/Size.htm


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