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  Discussion on Bear Encounters
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Member:
gailkin

Posted on Saturday, Aug 25, 2007 - 3:39 pm:

I have had two bear encounters in the last three weeks!! My first ever. The first time I was on a narrow trail with my friend and her mare right behind me. My horse stopped and when I looked ahead, I saw a small 200 pound bear about 50 feet away. It saw us, turned and walked up the trail as our houses stood. After it had gone, we continued up the trail, turned off to a wider route and came home. I include this story to contrast my next experience.
Yesterday the same friend and her mare were riding with my arab gelding (they really rely and trust each other). We were up in the high Sierra on trails that I ride regularly. Often I am riding my two horses, one bareback and the other horse is running free and I switch off horses. My favorite loop involves a long steep downhill, then fairly level and then a long half mile uphill on about a 35% slope. If bareback, I keep sliding off the back and have to stop and hitch up on the horse many times--it is that steep. But I rode in a saddle yesterday. After finishing the long climb up we were resting and enjoying a snack. Then we started trotting up a similarly steep short stretch on a very narrow rock, tree root, and branch strewn single track. About 50 feet up as I rounded a curve we came face to face with a 500 pound bear less than 10 feet away. We were both startled. I turned my horse at the same time my friend's horse wheeled and took off at a full gallop down this very steep trail with my horse in hot pursuit right behind her. After several strides I realized I had no control of him and there was no stopping. I worried about hitting the road which is hardpan with 2 foot deep ruts and lots of loose gravel. Somehow we flew past all of these dangerous things and they continue full blast for about a half mile until we could stop them. Then they stood calmly, cooled down and we took another cross country route back to our trailers. My friend had not seen the bear because she was focused on my horse's butt trying not to tailgate so she didn't even know why her horse was running out of control until after we stopped and I told her about the bear.
My question is what should we have done differently? Does anyone else have experience in this kind of situation? There is no way we could do a one rein stop and careening down a steep, narrow obstacle strewn hill full blast and trying to turn would only cause a wreck. I don't think our horses were wild eyed with fear; they were just running for their lives taking us with them. I am concerned as next time it might be a mountain lion and I don't think racing away from a lion is a good idea. I would really appreciate any suggestions people have. I don't ride fast around blind corners, we make noise on the trails but the bears don't seem to be at all concerned about other animals or people (my husband encounters them on hikes in the same area and they hardly notice him until the last minute). I do have bear spray which I never bother to carry and there is no way I could have used it as this all happened very fast with no time to think. Once her horse bolted, there is no way my horse was not following her. But if I had been with my two horses, should I have tried to just stand my ground? I am grateful that none of us were hurt and our horses were so surefooted in this dangerous situation. They are both barefoot without unsafe tie downs that could also cause a wreck. This was enough excitement for a lifetime and I hope it is my last bear/lion encounter. Thanks for any helpful suggestions people have.
Gail
Member:
hwood

Posted on Saturday, Aug 25, 2007 - 4:21 pm:

I know that in VT we were always cautioned to be careful of bear in the spring when the cubs were around as the mothers could well attack . . . I have seen them but never encountered them in the short distance you did. Do they attack horses in the Sierras?
I think it was just a freak thing, Gail . . . and not sure what would have been the safest thing for you to do. If bear don't attack horses then, maybe just facing him and waiting to see if he moved on? If he decided to attack, your horse would probably wheel around and run and you would have been in the same predicament you already were . . .
I think you didn't have a choice . . . just hang on and keep asking for "slow down" with give and take on the reins. Horses DO get tired, and they DO have to stop. I'm thankful that your mounts didn't trip or go over the edge of a ravine. I'm sure I would have been in shock just watching my life flash before my eyes. I have used a pulley rein with success . . . but heading down a steep grade may not be the best time to use it . . . I know that if the horse is going fast enough, you CAN snap his legs if he bounces to a stop, straight-legged. (That's what was told me by an exercise jockey.) In the case of my horse, he was flying down a hill on gravel, and I used the pulley rein. He popped and bounced straight-legged, and I bounced out of the saddle and hit the pommel hard. The pulley rein stopped the horse . . . but I was aching.
Horses are more sure-footed than we give them credit for, I think, and sometimes it is OUR interference that throws them off balance. When I was at the ranch in CA, I heard stories of the pasture horses running down the hills (the foothills east of San Jose) toward the barn and tripping and falling and breaking necks, legs . . . and one that wasn't found for three days because she had tripped and fallen in a ravine, breaking her leg.
I hope that was your first and last encounter with a bear on the trail.
Member:
sdms

Posted on Saturday, Aug 25, 2007 - 4:58 pm:

Gail, I'm so glad you guys are okay! I've never personally come across a bear while riding (knock on wood). I think the bears like to avoid us as much as we'd like to avoid them.

I have a friend that has a cow bell attached to the bottom of her cinch to let them know she's coming. I think anything that would make noise, though, would work. Maybe a few smaller jingle bells attached to the saddle or bridle if you're riding bare-back.

If they hear you coming and get out of the way you might be able to avoid seeing them at all! Good luck!
Member:
cgby1

Posted on Saturday, Aug 25, 2007 - 5:07 pm:

Hi Gail, How scary that was, not just the encounter but flying down the trail that way! I live in S.CA near the Cleveland National Forest and the Santa Rosa Nature Conservancy but I have never seen a bear or heard of any encounters with them. We do have Cougars and there have been sightings but not close to us. Where in California do you live? Hollywood mentioned the Sierras, what town are you near? I think standing still and waiting to see if the animal moves away might be best if you are able to control your horse but hopefully someone with more experience will answer your question.
Cynthia
Member:
ajudson1

Posted on Saturday, Aug 25, 2007 - 5:39 pm:

We see bears here too. I really don't worry about them; what happens is the horses stop and stare, maybe snort, and by then the bear goes the other way. Maybe it's because they are around so close all the time that it's not a big deal. I think the horses jump more when a deer or turkey moves in the woods. Of course being on a woods trail isn't as scary as your encounter was!

All I can think is making sure the horse knows "WHOA" and try to stand quietly til the bear moves off? And use your saddle, wear a helmet if you normally don't.
Member:
kthorse

Posted on Saturday, Aug 25, 2007 - 6:16 pm:

I use a giant cow bell to ward off bears and hunters. When I ride past the cows at a the cheese dairy they start mooing like crazy. The bell means feed and milking. I don't use it with a group as its so loud you cant hear each other talk. Once after a short ride with friends I wanted to go back out. Didn't have my bell on. Well there was my first and only bear sighting. Actually my horse saw it. I turned around so fast and galloped home. My horse was so confused as I never let him gallop home and I was actually pushing him to go faster. I have no idea if my horse would have freaked out he had no time as it was me who freaked he was just confused. Then I get back to the barn to find out that it could have out run me anyway. So now I keep my cow bell in my saddle pack even when I ride with friends just in case I want to keep riding.
Member:
mrose

Posted on Saturday, Aug 25, 2007 - 7:23 pm:

Gail, your post made me laugh! Before we moved to Southern Utah, we lived in Truckee, CA and did lots of riding in the Sierras. I met bear several times. IF you have a choice in the matter, you should probably handle the bear according to it's size and the time of year. A large bear (500 lb. qualifies!) can attack a horse, but probably wouldn't unless it was a sow with cubs nearby, a male just out of hibernation, or it was injured. Bears don't want you in their "space" and are quite territorial, even the black bears of the Sierras. Give it lots of room and time to move off the trail. Flail your arms around and yell, do everything you can to look really big if it looks like it's thinking about attacking. Normally, though, the bears won't be interested in you. O.K. sounds great....just stand and watch them mosey off the trail and wait until they are good and gone before you continue on.

However, in real life, the best advice is HANG ON! There was no way my horses would have stood and watched a bear saunter down the trail! They did just what yours did, and in retrospect, I think their instincts were good. We had mountain lions, bobcats, bears, and coyotes and the only thing that really terrified the horses was the bears. I think in part due to their very strong smell. One came through the barnyard one night and the horses, even though shut in their stalls, were terrified and just tore around in the stalls. When a mountain lion came through it didn't bother them nearly as much.

Lions, btw, won't normally attack a person on a horse because you seem so big. They might if they are starving. Mountain lions will attack small horses, foals and ponies. They will go for their legs and try to cripple them then pull them down; a foal or a sheep they will either go for the legs or the throat. They will also attack people if they are really hungry, especially small people and children.

I carry pepper spray. Here in Utah we can get heavy duty cans of it that will shoot a heavy stream of spray for 20 feet. The small cans have a very limited range and you have to be very close to the animal for them to work.

We have few bears around here, but do have mountain lions. I've learned to trust my horse's instincts, and follow her lead at times.
Member:
hpyhaulr

Posted on Saturday, Aug 25, 2007 - 9:26 pm:

LIONS, and TIGERS and BEARS....oh my!
This did not make me laugh. No, not at all. This story made me pour myself a cold one (frozen mug)it IS 100 degrees. Then I had to pour another one. By then, it was very easy to be grateful that I live in a place so flat Columbus would have rethought his entire theory had he ever been here, and a place too hot for any self respecting bear to survive in without an air conditioned cave. GOOD LORD WOMAN!!!!! I would have been a blithering IDIOT by the time the horse had gotten to where it thought it was safe to stop, after bouncing all over her back like a dead fish. And who would be there to pull my nails out of the saddle horn!
I am not only impressed, but truly glad you are OK... almost as glad as I am that I was not there. Cow bell is fine.... but for the love of God, don't forget the depends!!!!
Member:
mrose

Posted on Saturday, Aug 25, 2007 - 9:51 pm:

Cindy, you crack me up! Sure wish you were coming to N.M. btw...just what was in that frozen mug?
Member:
hpyhaulr

Posted on Saturday, Aug 25, 2007 - 11:14 pm:

Sadly, my last 2 Mic ultras....I know, there are more at the store....

NM would be GREAT!!!I had REALLY RALLY wanted to get out there for the Santa Fe Trail Ride too. That should be coming up soon too, right???
The redneck would just about flatline if I took off with the big white shiney new truck and the 6 horse trailer with Tuffy to go to NM for a week with the girls. Oh LORDY!!! ROFL.....could pick up Stacey on the way west...what are your dates again???? lol
Member:
mrose

Posted on Sunday, Aug 26, 2007 - 12:20 am:

Last week in Sept. Come join us and DO bring Stacey! And I bet you could handle that shiney new truck and trailer just fine!
Member:
hwood

Posted on Sunday, Aug 26, 2007 - 12:24 am:

Cyndy, are you really that glib or do you have to sit and compose a stand-up comedic soliloquy like that?
Very good . . . very funny . . . very easy to read and hilarious to picture. I love the "dead fish" analogy.

Is the truck in your name, too? (It is, isn't it?) I know you wouldn't just take it without living him your Schwinn . . . and if you did go to NM, it would give him a chance to stay home and enjoy the pets and neighbors . . . and it would give you a chance to let us know if the old adage "Absence makes the heart grow fonder" is one we can trust.
Maybe you'll get to the next year's gathering as I am hoping to do . . . Until then, drink a cold one for me. I like Rolling Rock when I DO have a beer (which is once a year).
Member:
hpyhaulr

Posted on Sunday, Aug 26, 2007 - 8:25 am:

I figure the trick in life is to know, accept and respect your limitations. Eliminating them is good, within reason... I hauled the clients, he hauled the horses...Besides, this is a "big-boy's" truck. I use a trampoline to get up into the passenger seat! 6 speed... I can figure out what to do with 4, maybe 5, but 6 just seems greedy to me. Near as I can figure, it was a testosterone crisis purchase. I could leave him the mustang, he can take the top down and let both his hairs blow in the wind...
Holly, if we haven't got the "absence" thing down by now... it ain't never comin' together. He was routinely gone for 4-5 weeks at a time, sometimes up to 9! Even the dog refused to get back in the truck with him after a while! The retirement thing lasted about 3 weeks. It is a lot easier to blame the lack of progress on multiple projects on the fact that one is not in the same zip code as the materials. Once the happy reunion of materials and wizard is accomplished, the bar of expectations is raised... to the level of daily disappointment.

In all honesty,I could see how that bear encounter could be a serious discussion for the schooled horseman(woman) and how it could be a humorous anecdote for someone who had successfully confronted it so far in the past that the episode had gained a different perspective. I am not a timid petunia. For my 48th birthday I challenged myself to take a job in the City which had me powerwalking through Harlem at night on my way to the subway. But this story??? My knee jerk response involved an upchuck reflex. Alfred Hitchcock could not have framed this better. I would have been a SERIOUS liability to anyone I was with. Sure you want that on the trail in NM????
Member:
mrose

Posted on Sunday, Aug 26, 2007 - 9:33 am:

Cindy, the main thing about bear (or mountain lion) encounters is to always have someone along who's slower than you are! Sure we want you along in NM! (ummm.....how fast did you say you could run?)
Member:
ajudson1

Posted on Sunday, Aug 26, 2007 - 10:38 am:

"both of his hairs blowing in the wind" Oh my!!!

Hmmmm...remind me to be sure and be on a very fast horse if survival with you gals includes bear encounters! And to take Dramimine to counteract the affects of the cold brews I'll have to ingest before going out on the ride!
Member:
christel

Posted on Sunday, Aug 26, 2007 - 10:59 am:

Wow Gail- I would of been DRT-dead right there- not too sure my heart could of taken that surprize. And here you are asking what to do if it happens again- brave girl you are!
Cyndy- tooo funny- we need to give you a daily thread- something along the lines of - todays funny quote or Cyndy's daily fun- a daily dose of your humor would do us all good.- Im still chuckling- (depends- not a bad idea-lol) your hubby must have a great sense of humor too.
Chris
Member:
hpyhaulr

Posted on Sunday, Aug 26, 2007 - 11:26 am:

LOL LOL
Oh....lucky lucky me, someone pinch me, I MUST be living a dream. I get to be the trail "chum"!! I have to admit, the logic is sound.
Insert here my profound and unadulterated fear of snakes. I'm telling you, you would have to throw some serious stuff on the campfire for me to inhale to emotionally survive. Wow, guess I am more of a City slicker than I realized.
Member:
paardex

Posted on Sunday, Aug 26, 2007 - 11:57 am:

Nobody told me the bears weren't behind a good electric fence! In Holland we even put roe deer behind a good fence[not sure if this is for their or our good]If the Scottish Highland Cows in the nature parks say 'mooh' one time to often they are replaced by a less agressive one!
The forest next door is known for its wild boars
'tres tres dangereuse' but I have only eaten them sofar.
Oh this will be a dreamholiday!
One question Sara as I will stick to you for protection I refuse to be left alone and behind so a good thing it is you let me use one of your beautiful horses you will at least want Kameela back in one piece [Cindy don't take horses with you but use the mustang to blow your hairs and mount the most beloved of our hostess Ilonas horses good chance she wil want it back to!] Anyway Sara how do you manage to get the pepper spray on the NOSE of a bear? I think I will take a jar of honey and hope he will fall for that.[And some goldlabel catfood for the mountain lion?]
On the whole I vote for a column for Cyndy and a medal for Gail for extraordinarily clinging to her horse in a difficult situation.
How I wish it was alreaydy september!
Jos
Member:
mrose

Posted on Sunday, Aug 26, 2007 - 6:40 pm:

Hey Cindy, You don't have to be "trail chum." Just bring a sheep to drag along behind you! (Love that term "trail chum!"

Jos, you just set the can of spray carefully in the middle of the trail as you leave. The bear gets curious and picks it up, accidently pushes the side button, and gets a face full of pepper spray while you escape!

Do they even have bears in NM? I'd guess they have rattle snakes and javalina, probably a few mountain lions in the hills. Ilona, what do you have there?
Member:
ilona

Posted on Monday, Aug 27, 2007 - 12:10 am:

OK, so here is something funny from NM.
When I bought this property I asked the previous owner if he had ever seen any bears by the house. This is bear country. ( bear is the only animal, besides Cape Buffalo, that really frightens me). He said no, that one had taken the screen off the window of the guest house kitchen. I must have turned whiter shade of Pale as the guest house is 30ft from the house itself. You see, its all a matter of perspective. I have never seen one here. I do believe that the dogs keep them away.
Member:
lhenning

Posted on Monday, Aug 27, 2007 - 12:33 pm:

Gail, I am sooo glad to hear you are OK. Holy cow, I can't imagine riding bareback in such a situation? Actually, I can't imagine riding bareback and "If bareback, I keep sliding off the back and have to stop and hitch up on the horse many times--it is that steep." That sounds nuts to me, but what do I know??? Please, be careful.

Cyndy, "For my 48th birthday I challenged myself to take a job in the City which had me powerwalking through Harlem at night on my way to the subway." This sounds scarier and far more dangerous than the bear, however you might consider purchasing that 20 foot pepper spray.

Think I'll just stay content with my simple little walk around the corn field.

Linda
Member:
gailkin

Posted on Monday, Aug 27, 2007 - 4:58 pm:

Thanks to everyone who answered my post. I really wasn't scared or tired after I finally got my horse stopped. But after we got home, I was exhausted; then had dinner at friends and drank several glasses of wine (my husband was driving). The next day I was really exhausted with lots of sore muscles; I think all that adrenalin caught up with me. There are still parts of the flying gallop I cannot even remember.
I do have the 20 foot bear spray but would not have been able to use it in this situation--the bear was coming right at us about 8 feet away when we first saw it. I turned my horse but the mare behind me turned and took off at a full gallop. There was no way my guy would wait around to see what the bear would do and not follow his favorite mare at a gallop. That's when I realized I had no control and just rode it out. I mentioned the first story to say that he did stop and look and not panic at all when we saw a smaller bear in front of us farther away at another park three weeks ago.
I ALWAYS wear a helmet and I do ride bareback because it is much easier and more comfortable for me. It has made me a good rider with good balance. I think that is why I stayed on the English saddle because I did not have my feet in the stirrups when he took off.
Anyway, two bear encounters in three weeks must be my dose for a lifetime--I'm 60 now. I will still go to the same area, but I don't think I will ride alone there anymore. We did see several mountain lions this year up there--a mom and two cubs and then the cubs alone. I think the horses smell them and/or the bears and that makes them nervous.
I'm just glad all four of us came through safe and sound. I have a feeling that the next time I ride up there, my gelding will be unhappy about going up or down the bear trail. He was watching for bears all the way back to the trailer on the day it happened.
My friend was on grandbaby watch the day we went and it was just born this morning--a boy. So we will have time to ride there again to see how the horses handle it. I guess my bottom line for safety is be alert, make noise and then trust your horse and go with it.
Gail
Member:
mrose

Posted on Monday, Aug 27, 2007 - 6:42 pm:

Gail, out of curiosity, where were your riding?
Eight foot is pretty close for a bear! Usually they hear you coming and leave. Also, bears have really good noses (they are related to dogs) so I'd have thought they would have smelled you coming, too.

Linda,I'm with you. I personally think a bear's a lot less dangerous than some of the people I've seen on the NY subway system!
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 28, 2007 - 7:34 am:

The Bear Spray above got me thinking about a discussion we had several years back about shooting from horseback. The important point was that if you are going to carry a gun on horseback you should practice. The same would be true of the Bear Spray and for the same two reasons:
  • less chance of spraying your horse
  • a better chance of hitting a bear
Getting pepper spray in your horses eyes may be more dangerous than the bear so if mistakes are made better in a enclosed pasture and no oncoming bear. It might cost you a little bit but I think you will gain knowledge, confidence, and security by blowing one can at a 20 foot away target from horseback. Most of these things have out-of-dates on them so after the first practice you can practice with each canister as it gets close to the date.
DrO
Member:
kthorse

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 28, 2007 - 8:00 am:

Honestly I think a cow bell or large bells hanging off your horse is the only way to go. I live in bear country and I have only ever seen one bear when I was not wearing my bell. Others that ride without see them very regulary. Better than trying to fend one off, let them know you are comming and they will leave before you get there
Member:
ajudson1

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 28, 2007 - 10:13 am:

My husband has a motion activated camera set up by the deer blind in our woods now. Besides seeing the deer eating the apples every night and in the early morning hours, he's got a nice medium sized black bear who is enjoying the feast too. We've seen it captured on film the last 3 nights in a row, so it's a regular visitor!

This is a hop, skip and jump from the pasture. When the leaves are off the trees, you can see the deer shack (It's up there a ways...men and their play houses ya know) from the pasture so the horses know the bear is there. Last night they were looking that way so I bet she/he was there munching.

If we get a good picture that isn't so dark, I'll share...I know some of you are needing your bear fix, LOL!!
Member:
mrose

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 28, 2007 - 10:59 am:

Making noise is a good idea. When you're in Alaska hiking the rangers tell you to make as much noise as possible, esp. when in the willows and other tall bushes. Up there they said the bear bells aren't good enough but that you should talk loudly, sing, etc. We hiked all over the Denali area singing "100 Bottles of Bear" so loudly I got hoarse. Most of the bears there (and there were quite a few of them!) are Grizzlies, not Black Bears. Maybe they don't respond to the bells???
Member:
canter

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 28, 2007 - 1:03 pm:

Sara, the Rangers told us the same thing when I was in Alaska years ago, and funny enough, I sang the same tune hiking around Denali & Wonder Lake. Quite strange, really, hiking around some of the most beautiful wilderness in the world, singing such a silly song, while the hairs are standing up on the back of your neck because you just KNOW there are a few grizzlies poking around not that far away.

The other conventional wisdom is to make yourself really large and stand your ground when coming up to a bear. Easier done when you're not sitting on a horse that's made up it's own mind to get the heck outta here. Bears can run up to 40 MPH for short distances. I saw first hand that running away doesn't cut it. At the ranger station @ Denali, a Grizzly was sighted. One ranger went off to collect 2 Japanese tourists that we could see hiking around a bend. As we watched, a bear came down the hill, within maybe 5 yards of the 2 women. They did just what they shouldn't have done and turned tail and ran. Bear went right after them. Fortunately, the ranger was close enough that he could run the bear off the road with his truck. The women came back to the station more than a little shaken up. It was horrifying just to watch what could have happened.
Member:
mrose

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 28, 2007 - 1:51 pm:

I know, Fran. All my life I've hiked enjoying the quiet, "communing with nature." For everyone to be singing at the top of their lungs is very odd!

They say Grizzlies have a 100 yd. "personal space." Yet, we would see tourists walking closer to get better pictures! It would scare me to death.

One cool thing we saw: a beautiful golden sow with 2 cubs meandering down a stream that flowed into the Toklat river. (One of the cubs had to be a boy because it wasn't following very well, was lagging behind investigating every little thing!) Anyway, where the stream joined the river was an elk lying in a patch of snow. As the bear got closer she stopped to smell the air a couple of times, once or twice even standing on her hind legs to get a better scent. A couple of hundred yards from the elk, she saw it. The elk slowly stood up to face her. She charged the elk 3 different times, the elk still except for turning to keep facing her, and on each charge at the last moment she would swerve and vear off, then circle back around, wait, and charge again. After three charges, she stood and looked at the elk for a few moments, then gathered her cubs and kept going down the river. She was testing the elk to see if it was so old or sick it would be easy prey. Evidently, the elk passed the test.
Member:
gailkin

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 28, 2007 - 4:26 pm:

Hi Sara,
We were riding off of Highway 20 which runs between Nevada City and Highway 80 on the way to Lake Tahoe. We were several miles in off the road on a little "bear trail". While resting before were started up the second grade we were making noise, etc. and the wind was blowing toward where we saw the bear. The problem was that the hill was so steep and windy, it blocked the bear being able to see or hear us until we came right on him. He seemed as startled as we were. I just heard on the news last night that there is a huge bear problem this year in our area and lots and lots of bear sightings and damage to property. We have had several fires farther north and someone said that they have been releasing problem bears from Yellowstone in our area. When my husband encounters bears they don't even notice him until he makes lots of movement and noise. They seem pretty oblivious. And in all the years I have been riding up there, I have seen bear scat and prints but no bears. I do pay attention to my surroundings and yell when I hear something in the woods. I just think it was one of those combination of circumstances that hopefully won't happen again.
I also have seem lots of grizzlies in Alaska and they are much more aggressive and prone to attack than black bears. Hopefully, the 40 mph running bears the ranger was talking about were grizzlies and not black bears.
Gail
Member:
mrose

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 28, 2007 - 5:14 pm:

Up near Lake Spaulding? There used to be a nice horse camp in that area. I love that area. Is the Tahoe Rim Trail still open to horses? When I lived there the Forrest Service was threatening to close it to all by foot traffic, even though a lot of horse people (and mtn. bike people) helped build it.

At least most of the bears in the Sierras run a little small! We used to have them tipping over all the trash cans. They were really a nuisance over on by Donner Lake.

A book on bears that I read stated that Black Bears are the only ones that will attack people for food and the grizzlies attack more for "space" reasons. I find that hard to believe! The ones I've met always ran away if you made loud noises and looked big.
Member:
mrose

Posted on Tuesday, Aug 28, 2007 - 5:18 pm:

I thought all you "bear affecttianados" might enjoy this story from the local news:

Pinebrook
August 28th, 2007 @ 1:02pm
Marc Giauque, KSL Newsradio

Traps have been put out for a bear that's been making itself a little too much at home in a neighborhood near Park City.

Dana Dennison's Pinebrook home has been under siege. "We don't let the boys outside to play unless we're with them," she said.



That's since a bear hit town on garbage day, overturning neighborhood trash cans and returning to her home that night. "He comes right around here. He eats all the food. He tips over the trash cans. Since then, we've all put our trash cans in the garage. And he's not afraid of us," Dennison said.

She said a smaller trap was no match for the 350 pound animal who threw it down the driveway. Now a larger trap sits under their deck with a jelly donut trail and something special inside.


"Salmon is on the menu for the bear, and cantaloupe," Dennison explained.

If trapped, the animal will be relocated.
Member:
lilo

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 29, 2007 - 11:14 am:

Enjoying all the bear stories. While I know bear come down to our greenbelt - especially in the fall, I have never seen one - but other neighbors have. This is the time of the year when they need to fatten up for hibernation, and we do have wild plums, grapes and choke cherries in the greenbelt.

So far have not heard of any recent bear sightings. I don't know how my horses would react - my guess is they would want to turn and run. Quite a scary thought!

Lilo
Member:
mrose

Posted on Wednesday, Aug 29, 2007 - 6:22 pm:

What we are having right now is lots of deer. Up to a dozen have been hanging around the apple trees gobbling up the fruit as fast as they can. They eat their fill of alfalfa, then head for the apples, pears and plums. Apples are their favorites. I'm glad it's deer and not bears!
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