Quote:
Originally Posted by Jacksmom052709  Some info on Black Bears:
Some people have the mistaken idea that when a bear charges, it's time to shoot. Dr. Lynn Rogers has studied black bears for many years. He says black bear charges are pure bluff. "Hold your ground, or better yet,make noise and wave your arms, and the bear will go back to its business. But NEVER challenge a bear that's cornered," says Dr. Rogers.
"Although black bears very seldom attack people, they are still feared and hated by some people. Black bears are protected by laws, but are hunted for sport in some states. (You need a hunting license for them - much like hunting deer.) Other bears are poached, often to supply parts to the Asian folk medicine trade. But the greatest threat to black bears is habitat loss as people continue to multiplyand invade its territory. (And this is why you have a bear in your yard eating your birdseed.)
Probably the most famous black bear lived in Louisiana. It was a black bear cub that big game hunter Theodore Roosevelt (a U.S. President) refused to shoot. It inspired the stuffed toys known today as "teddy bears."
Another famous black bear was rescued from a forest fire in New Mexico. It became known as Smokey Bear. New Mexico chose the black bear as its state animal. The black bear also represents West Virginia, and Ontario's coat of arms has a black bear in the design."
And Bobbi, those pictures are absolutely beautiful! Gorgeous creatures! |
Lori...that guy that's barely in one of those pics is Dr. Lynn Rogers...he and Sue Mansfield were the biologists/researchers that taught the course I took! Sorry Gracielove that I hijacked your thread. Ill start a new post and put up some other pics. As I have pics of cubs mommas yearnings and males...I think we saw about 15 different bears total.
Its an interesting concept...most DNR's do not advocate feeding bears and yet...this area that is being researched has a higher than average number of people feeding the bears and have very few bear/people incidences. The bears we saw we're not tame but ignored us and went about what nature intended them to do. They were always on high alert and any unusual noise would send the cubs up a tree and the adults too.
Pepperspray...there has to be a place on the internet...maybe a self defense site or an outdoors catalog/store like Cabela's. I know postal delivery people who have carried it because of dog issues.