NationStates Jolt Archive

I'm all moved into a new house in the mountains. We have a big piece of property, bordering on state land. There are deer walking through my property every day.

At dusk last eve, though, a tremendous black bear ambled though. I knew there were bear here, but expected them to be normal size-3oo to 400 lbs.
This one was over 600 lbs. And he wasnt fat or barrell shaped- he had a long body and long legs and a huge head. He had a jet black, shiny healthy coat.
He swatted my garbage can open and lounged for 15 minutes while eating ribs and other tasty leftovers. My mistake.

Now I have to watch where my kids are at all times and be bear vigilant.

Anyone else have to deal with bear where they live?

My family once did.

Strange how people are still under the impression that the Soviet Union did not have private gun ownership. :sniper:

I'm all moved into a new house in the mountains. We have a big piece of property, bordering on state land. There are deer walking through my property every day.

At dusk last eve, though, a tremendous black bear ambled though. I knew there were bear here, but expected them to be normal size-3oo to 400 lbs.
This one was over 600 lbs. And he wasnt fat or barrell shaped- he had a long body and long legs and a huge head. He had a jet black, shiny healthy coat.
He swatted my garbage can open and lounged for 15 minutes while eating ribs and other tasty leftovers. My mistake.

Now I have to watch where my kids are at all times and be bear vigilant.

Anyone else have to deal with bear where they live?

:eek:


Er... no. No bears in Ireland. But back home in Germany, there was a huge hunt for an out of control bear a few weeks back.
Kind of a setback, as hopes had been high to get a bear population back into the alps.

we killed them all like 10,000 years ago in britain. Correct me if im wrong.

But i suppose pests like bears are a bit bigger than fat pigeons or pesky squirrels

My family once did.

Strange how people are still under the impression that the Soviet Union did not have private gun ownership. :sniper:


I never thought that. I have guns, but hope never to "need" one as far as this bear or other bears are concerned.

I appreciate this animal has lived to maturity in this area. This beast is a hunter's wet dream. A trophy if there ever was one.

I'm more content with the several pictures I took. We'll keep our distance.

Shooting this bear would have been as easy as taking his picture, but I dont feel thats a sport. I hope nothing happens to change my opinion on this-this bear could certainly be a problem. His size alone makes him a danger-I dont want to run into him in the dark by accident. Then I'll be wishing I blew him away when the odds were in my favor.

I'm over 200 lbs-this bear was at least three times my size, with clean claws that looked to be as large as my fingers.

we killed them all like 10,000 years ago in britain. Correct me if im wrong.

But i suppose pests like bears are a bit bigger than fat pigeons or pesky squirrels


Squirrels are a rodent nuisance with fleas. I'll have no problem shooting any of them that I see on the roof or taking up residence too close to hte house.
For now, thats not an issue though.

i would shoot them anyday, cept i can't use my air rifle whilst the neighbours have kids.
Mr fluffy tail being shot at dawn and staining the garden red wouldnt be a pretty sight for them.

But you have pictures eh? By the command of NSG i demand you post them.

whilst you're at it, make some money. Go to the local hunter gathering and give them pictures and make them pay to find it. Then give it to them as a trophy and a small bounty of course.

I can't imagine living in such close proximity to a bear....

On a more random note, the new house sounds nice :) I'd love to live in the mountains one day.

I'm all moved into a new house in the mountains. We have a big piece of property, bordering on state land. There are deer walking through my property every day.

At dusk last eve, though, a tremendous black bear ambled though. I knew there were bear here, but expected them to be normal size-3oo to 400 lbs.
This one was over 600 lbs. And he wasnt fat or barrell shaped- he had a long body and long legs and a huge head. He had a jet black, shiny healthy coat.
He swatted my garbage can open and lounged for 15 minutes while eating ribs and other tasty leftovers. My mistake.

Now I have to watch where my kids are at all times and be bear vigilant.

Anyone else have to deal with bear where they live?

Pics?

Back home on the farm (northeastern BC, Fort St John area), the occasional black bear would amble through the yard. And moose, deer, coyotes, etc. And of course, it being a rural area with little to do, the fun thing to do in the evening was to hang out at the dump and watch the bears...

For awhile I lived even further north (Fort Nelson area), and we had to worry about grizzlies. A neighbour had the front end of his pickup ripped off by an irate mama grizz. Mind you, I've seen a moose demolish a van too, so it's not just bears we needed to keep an eye out for.

I can't imagine living in such close proximity to a bear....

On a more random note, the new house sounds nice :) I'd love to live in the mountains one day.
Is that were you see yourself in ten years?

No bears, but there was a crazy elk living close to my graddad a couple of years back... Oh, and a lynx a couple of years before that. That one killed a roe deer on his front yard...

Strange how people are still under the impression that the Soviet Union did not have private gun ownership. :sniper:

To be precise, the Soviet Union, for most of its history, did not have private ownership of guns other then a small choice of hunting rifles and shotguns and then the ownership of these guns was severaly restricted, especially after the 1960's.

Is that were you see yourself in ten years?
I don't know. Not really, I guess. Maybe in later life, or maybe having a small place somewhere in Scotland to take breaks away...

Man I was wondering when you were going to get to the oversied alcoholic beverage...

Whoops! I thought I read "Huge freaking beer" :)

And the only bears I have here is (besides myself according to my last name :D) is a teddy bear and a bear on a poster. I don't think I have to be afraid.

I, too, want to see pictures of this bear ... I think he owes me money. >.>

According to Stephen Colbert, Bears are consistantly one of the major threats to America. We should all take him at his word

Welcome to PA :p

We have a bear wondering around the area, don't know if it's still around, but heh.

We put ammonia on our trash to keep the animals away.

According to Stephen Colbert, Bears are consistantly one of the major threats to America. We should all take him at his word

Education is the best weapon. Educate kids and people to learn how to deal with bears whenever they come face to face with one. Last resort should always be shooting because if you are not a good aim you are only likely to injure the bear and make it angry... respect the bears strength and treat them with caution. Just common sense really to avoid a dead, half consumed person in the woods... But yeah watch out for females with cubs, they tend to attack with virtually no provocation.

I heard somewhere that some rich guy wanted to re-introduce brown bears to the UK along with other missing species... That would be pretty cool but I think the UK is too overpopulated for it to work large-scale... too much bear-human contact... and no I am not talking about zoophilia or beastialty!

Is that were you see yourself in ten years?

I wish we could all live in the mountains at high altitude.

share the pics!

I'm all moved into a new house in the mountains. We have a big piece of property, bordering on state land. There are deer walking through my property every day.

At dusk last eve, though, a tremendous black bear ambled though. I knew there were bear here, but expected them to be normal size-3oo to 400 lbs.
This one was over 600 lbs. And he wasnt fat or barrell shaped- he had a long body and long legs and a huge head. He had a jet black, shiny healthy coat.
He swatted my garbage can open and lounged for 15 minutes while eating ribs and other tasty leftovers. My mistake.

Now I have to watch where my kids are at all times and be bear vigilant.

Anyone else have to deal with bear where they live?
Here's a tip: Don't leave the trashcan outside unless it's trash pick-up day. Though it's common sense, it's only common once you live in the mountains. Welcome to the mountains, by the way.

I'm all moved into a new house in the mountains. We have a big piece of property, bordering on state land. There are deer walking through my property every day.

At dusk last eve, though, a tremendous black bear ambled though. I knew there were bear here, but expected them to be normal size-3oo to 400 lbs.
This one was over 600 lbs. And he wasnt fat or barrell shaped- he had a long body and long legs and a huge head. He had a jet black, shiny healthy coat.
He swatted my garbage can open and lounged for 15 minutes while eating ribs and other tasty leftovers. My mistake.

Now I have to watch where my kids are at all times and be bear vigilant.

Anyone else have to deal with bear where they live?


i have bears where i leave...they ate some of my chickens:(
and then they tryed to get in to our dumpster
and yes i have shot them..its to bad a .22 does not hurt them:(

Pics?


I took several pics-from 15 feet away. Way too close. I have to figure out how to get them on here.

You should spice up your garbage with some hot sauce.... :)

Here's a tip: Don't leave the trashcan outside unless it's trash pick-up day. Though it's common sense, it's only common once you live in the mountains. Welcome to the mountains, by the way.


I knew that, but hadnt seen a bear yet. We just moved in and I had a ton of trash and didnt know how early the trash pickup was.

Thanks-it is common sense, but I had just carried my end of a piano in, followed 15 minutes later by a sleepr sofa that weighed nearly as much. My judgement was strained at the time.

I took several pics-from 15 feet away. Way too close. I have to figure out how to get them on here.


scale the size down in Photoshop or another image editing programa nd upload them to photobucket, imageshack, or somethign similar

You should spice up your garbage with some hot sauce.... :)

*L* I already did that once to baboons at Great Adventure. they always liked the acorns by the windshield wiper mounts.

In the middle of the suburbs the most exotic animals we've had around my neighbour are raccoons and a pheasant.

Which I must say I'm glad for, hearing about your dealings with gigantic black bears. Creepy.

scale the size down in Photoshop or another image editing programa nd upload them to photobucket, imageshack, or somethign similar


No-I meant I was standing too close for my own good.

As far as the photos-I'm too dense to figure out how to get them posted on NS.

we killed them all like 10,000 years ago in britain. Correct me if im wrong.

But i suppose pests like bears are a bit bigger than fat pigeons or pesky squirrels
we live in such a boring country :p

no bears, no poisonous insects or reptiles (well, nothing lethal and what there is is rare), no hurricanes (for the most part), no droughts (hosepipe bans don't count :rolleyes: ), no extremes of temperature or... anything much at all.
at least its safe :P

No-I meant I was standing too close for my own good.

As far as the photos-I'm too dense to figure out how to get them posted on NS.


oh ok
if you start an account at photobucket, they make photo uploading pretty easy - they also give you different links you can post for message boards or to just give a direct link

we live in such a boring country :p

no bears, no poisonous insects or reptiles (well, nothing lethal and what there is is rare), no hurricanes (for the most part), no droughts (hosepipe bans don't count :rolleyes: ), no extremes of temperature or... anything much at all.
at least its safe :P

You could say that but then again we have the viscious dormouse and the catastrophic rain to contend with... us Brits are a hardy bunch.

Oh, one of those bears...

Colour me disappointed.

Education is the best weapon. Educate kids and people to learn how to deal with bears whenever they come face to face with one. Last resort should always be shooting because if you are not a good aim you are only likely to injure the bear and make it angry... respect the bears strength and treat them with caution. Just common sense really to avoid a dead, half consumed person in the woods... But yeah watch out for females with cubs, they tend to attack with virtually no provocation.




I agree. I'm impressed this bear was able to reach maturity woithout being shot or hit by a car. I wouldnt shoot him unless I had no choice.
I dont walk around carrying around my Winchester .300 Magnum, so I have to make sure my family and I dont stumble into him unaware.

He didnt even smell. Bear I have encountered in the past usually have a strong musky odor, or leave one behind after they've gone. He even rubbed his head on a tree on my front lawn-no smell.

Are you sure it was 600 pounds?
They have thick fur and they "look" a lot bigger then they are. True, 600 lbs. is a trophy bear but 600 pounds in July is also something that rarely happens... unless you happen to be in British Columbia or Yukon.
Those claws are somethin' else, aren't they.

Man I was wondering when you were going to get to the oversied alcoholic beverage...


I just found out that They only sell beer by the case in Pennsylvania in the beer stores. No more mixing up six packs unless I drive over to NJ.

In the middle of the suburbs the most exotic animals we've had around my neighbour are raccoons and a pheasant.

Which I must say I'm glad for, hearing about your dealings with gigantic black bears. Creepy.
Heh, we usually get wild turkey.

Are you sure it was 600 pounds?
They have thick fur and they "look" a lot bigger then they are. True, 600 lbs. is a trophy bear but 600 pounds in July is also something that rarely happens... unless you happen to be in British Columbia or Yukon.
Those claws are somethin' else, aren't they.


I know what you're saying-If you told me this story a few months ago, I would have questioned it too.

I'm conservative when I say 600 lbs. I got as close as my poor judgement would let me...He was stetched out on his belly with his head in the can and his rear end covered from the edge of the road to the center. His paws were much larger than my hands.
My brother was there-He is 6'4" and 240 lbs- this bear was several times larger than him. We were using him for comparison.
The bear was very tall at the hip when on all fours- he wasnt roly-poly or barrell shaped at all. His head was massive. His eyes were purley black and I actually got the chills when he stopped and looked right at me.

Oh, one of those bears...

Colour me disappointed.
I had to think about what you meant.. :eek:

You wouldn't like my school much.. the bear is the mascott.. the sloagen is "Bear pride!".. :eek:

I know what you're saying-If you told me this story a few months ago, I would have questioned it too.

I'm conservative when I say 600 lbs. I got as close as my poor judgement would let me...He was stetched out on his belly with his head in the can and his rear end covered from the edge of the road to the center. His paws were much larger than my hands.
My brother was there-He is 6'4" and 240 lbs- this bear was several times larger than him. We were using him for comparison.
The bear was very tall at the hip when on all fours- he wasnt roly-poly or barrell shaped at all. His head was massive. His eyes were purley black and I actually got the chills when he stopped and looked right at me.
Psst.. amonnia.

I can't imagine living in such close proximity to a bear....

On a more random note, the new house sounds nice :) I'd love to live in the mountains one day.

It is a little unnerving initially. I have a hillside of blueberry bushes in season now in my back yard. Bears love berries.

The house is great, thanks. I miss the ocean, but we have a lake a short walk away. My 7 year old won a kayak race there on Sunday, so everything is good on the lake.

Psst.. amonnia.

That may do the trick, thanks. I think I'm going to be keeping the trash in the shed til garbage day from now on. It would be a supreme effort, even for a large bear to get in.

Welcome to PA :p

We have a bear wondering around the area, don't know if it's still around, but heh.

We put ammonia on our trash to keep the animals away.


Thanks. I gotta say, its been great so far. I walk outside and its silent. Its so peaceful here.

I'm already drawing up plans to make our deck much larger.

Thanks. I gotta say, its been great so far. I walk outside and its silent. Its so peaceful here.

I'm already drawing up plans to make our deck much larger.
Yeah, we have a trail in the woods behind our house, it goes pretty far, I think I'll clean it up.

We have a big deck. It's really nice in summer, we put lights on it and enjoy the smell of burning wood (we have a fire pit in our side yard).

Yeah, we have a trail in the woods behind our house, it goes pretty far, I think I'll clean it up.

We have a big deck. It's really nice in summer, we put lights on it and enjoy the smell of burning wood (we have a fire pit in our side yard).


Cool-we have the fire pit too. I've had the kids toasting marshmellows several nights sicne we moved in.

I want to make it into an outdoor fireplace this fall.

I took several pics-from 15 feet away. Way too close. I have to figure out how to get them on here.

Dear god! 15 feet?! Those things can charge 15 feet in about 0.8 seconds. Though if those pics come out, submit them to a nice nature magazine or somethin'. :)

You wouldn't like my school much.. the bear is the mascott.. the sloagen is "Bear pride!".. :eek:

Being a "bear" of the variety he meant, I love your school. BEAR PRIDE!! Woo!!

Dear god! 15 feet?! Those things can charge 15 feet in about 0.8 seconds. Though if those pics come out, submit them to a nice nature magazine or somethin'. :)

Yeah. I wouldnt have let anyone I cared about that close, but I rarely use my own good advice.

I know they can sprint a short distance very quickly and can hit 25 to 30 mph/ Much faster than me.

Cool-we have the fire pit too. I've had the kids toasting marshmellows several nights sicne we moved in.
I'd tell you to go roaming in the woods looking for possible camp sites, but you have a bear. :(
I want to make it into an outdoor fireplace this fall.
You'll be too busy looking at the different colored leaves :p

Being a "bear" of the variety he meant, I love your school. BEAR PRIDE!! Woo!!
Bear, yes. *shaves* :p

I told my freind to google bear pride because he didn't understand what I was talking about, I got a mesage from him saying "Dude.. wtf?"

I'd tell you to go roaming in the woods looking for possible camp sites, but you have a bear. :(

You'll be too busy looking at the different colored leaves :p


My whole property is a huge campground and it borders on state land we can camp on too. I'm not going to sleep out here with my boys though after seeing that bear. Feels too much like asking for trouble.

I lived in NY -upstate-for years. I'm used to fall's colors.

Which reminds me-I need to install a woodstove in my basement before the winter. I have a great stone fireplace in the living room, but with a stove I could heat the whole house with wood from my property. There is so much seasoned wood already down, I wont have to cut a tree down for a few seasons.

Here in Vancouver, BC we get alot of bear sitings around the city, but mainly on the north shore. My sister has had one in the backyard of her place doing his garbage picking and snacking.
We just call the police and they get the Ministry to tranquilize it and relocate it into the bush, away from people.
Just make sure your kids a vigilant of Yogi and put your garbage cans into an out-building or shed.

Yeah. I wouldnt have let anyone I cared about that close, but I rarely use my own good advice.


Heh ... you and me both. Nice to know you came out ok. I really hope those pics work out for you, though. Good nature pics are tough to take and nature photographers are up there with Firemen and Strippers for me on my list of personal heroes.

Best to copyright them before posting them here.

Heh ... you and me both. Nice to know you came out ok. I really hope those pics work out for you, though. Good nature pics are tough to take and nature photographers are up there with Firemen and Strippers for me on my list of personal heroes.

Best to copyright them before posting them here.


Honestly, black bear are really common around here. I think pics of them are pretty common too.

from what my neighbor here says, this ones a regular and makes his way through here every week or so.

It looked like he had a tag on his ear- He may have been deemed a nuisance somewhere else-traquilized, tagged and relocated. I know people in NJ dont know how to handle the bear in general, so conservation officers wind up bringing them to PA.

My whole property is a huge campground and it borders on state land we can camp on too. I'm not going to sleep out here with my boys though after seeing that bear. Feels too much like asking for trouble.
Good point. *nod*
I lived in NY -upstate-for years. I'm used to fall's colors.
Ahhh
Which reminds me-I need to install a woodstove in my basement before the winter. I have a great stone fireplace in the living room, but with a stove I could heat the whole house with wood from my property. There is so much seasoned wood already down, I wont have to cut a tree down for a few seasons.
Heh, we use gas and coal around here (of course!).

Just make sure you don't tarp the wood.. it attracts snakes. If you didn't know that already..

Good point. *nod*

Ahhh

Heh, we use gas and coal around here (of course!).

Just make sure you don't tarp the wood.. it attracts snakes. If you didn't know that already..


Yeah. There are rock walls and piles all over this property- I know there are copperheads and could even be some rattle snakes too.

Its a manly place for sure.

I know people in NJ dont know how to handle the bear in general, so conservation officers wind up bringing them to PA.

Always with the immigrants, ain't it?

(hehehe)

Come on down to my neck of the woods. Plenty of bear, deer, and bobcats. Good times!

Always with the immigrants, ain't it?

(hehehe)

Come on down to my neck of the woods. Plenty of bear, deer, and bobcats. Good times!


Too many deer here too-they walk int othe car when its parked. I walk out my front door and they dont even flinch

I have no idea if there are any bobcats around here. One thing I havent seen yet is any lose dogs or cats.
Maybe people here are just more sensible with pets?

I'm considering getting a dog now.

Too many deer here too-they walk int othe car when its parked. I walk out my front door and they dont even flinch

Lol yeah ... once they get acclimated to people, they just don't care anymore.

I have no idea if there are any bobcats around here. One thing I havent seen yet is any lose dogs or cats. Maybe people here are just more sensible with pets?

That may be. Not a lot of strays run around here, either. It's either sensibility, or they get eaten by bears. (lol)

I'm considering getting a dog now.

Dogs actually are good for a bear problem. Bears don't like sharp, loud noises, so get one that has a throaty and piercing bark. Something like a collie or a golden retreiver (though, incidently, I believe every human being on the planet should have a golden retreiver because, well, they're the best dogs ever).

No bears in this specific part of the state, but instead we've got mountain lions. I've only heard one attacking a group of racoons-which for the record is the only time I've heard those fucking bastards be afraid of anything. It sounded like a fucking horror show, even though I was on a second story balcony at the time I beat it inside quicker than I imagined possible.

The freaky shit about mountain lions is that they'll hide and watch you. You rarely actually see them but they come across you and check you out now and then. Usually they bail. When I say usually I mean an attack is extrodanairily rare. Last month one got lost in a suburb and they shot it, which sucked. Even that one didn't attack anyone, it just sat up in a tree and snarled if anyone came near.

So just that. Oh, and if the guy running the museum down the street is to be believed, bigfoot.

nah, get Jack the Cat (http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/06/060613-cat-bear.html).

Lol yeah ... once they get acclimated to people, they just don't care anymore.



That may be. Not a lot of strays run around here, either. It's either sensibility, or they get eaten by bears. (lol)



Dogs actually are good for a bear problem. Bears don't like sharp, loud noises, so get one that has a throaty and piercing bark. Something like a collie or a golden retreiver (though, incidently, I believe every human being on the planet should have a golden retreiver because, well, they're the best dogs ever).


Thats where my bear story ended. When he was done eating, It looked like he was going to take a nap in my front yard. I decided, that-although I admired him, it was time for him to go. I yelled. I clapped my hands. Not even a grunt.
So- I tossed an lit M-80 a few yards from him. He bolted like a frieght train when it went off. Bear do have fairly good intelligence for their size and a memory.
I'm hoping he associates my property with loud scary noises and makes a wider path around it next time.

I had Alaskan Malamutes as a kid/teen. I'd love one of those-They are beautiful and very intelligent. I dont think my wife would be happy with such a large dog. Maybe one of those Australian shpeherd dogs.

No bears in this specific part of the state, but instead we've got mountain lions. I've only heard one attacking a group of racoons-which for the record is the only time I've heard those fucking bastards be afraid of anything. It sounded like a fucking horror show, even though I was on a second story balcony at the time I beat it inside quicker than I imagined possible.

The freaky shit about mountain lions is that they'll hide and watch you. You rarely actually see them but they come across you and check you out now and then. Usually they bail. When I say usually I mean an attack is extrodanairily rare. Last month one got lost in a suburb and they shot it, which sucked. Even that one didn't attack anyone, it just sat up in a tree and snarled if anyone came near.

So just that. Oh, and if the guy running the museum down the street is to be believed, bigfoot.

You're in PA? I think I'd rather deal with a large bear than a mountain lion.

Although-black bear can climb trees fairly well.

Lol yeah ... once they get acclimated to people, they just don't care anymore.




They have no idea how much I love venison. They dont know while I'm looking at them, I'm thinking of how they taste.
But then, the women I talk to dont seem to be aware of it either.

I know what you're saying-If you told me this story a few months ago, I would have questioned it too.

I'm conservative when I say 600 lbs. I got as close as my poor judgement would let me...He was stetched out on his belly with his head in the can and his rear end covered from the edge of the road to the center. His paws were much larger than my hands.
My brother was there-He is 6'4" and 240 lbs- this bear was several times larger than him. We were using him for comparison.
The bear was very tall at the hip when on all fours- he wasnt roly-poly or barrell shaped at all. His head was massive. His eyes were purley black and I actually got the chills when he stopped and looked right at me.

Sweet. I hope he doesn't cause any trouble or get in an accident. Maybe he'll live a good long life. I've seen some small black bears pretty close up where my sister use to live near Columbia NC, but nothing like what you are talking about. Must've been quite an experience having it look you in the eyes like that.

bigfoot in PA?

i always thought he was further out west.

You're in PA? I think I'd rather deal with a lagre bear than a mountain lion.

Although-black bear can climb trees fairly well.
No, I'm in the California Redwoods. Santa Cruz mountains. When I was in college (UC Santa Cruz) the campus had mountain lion warning signs (which is where I heard the attack on the racoons). Now I just live on the side of the mountain backing up to an area too thick to develop. Some deer have a path just above the house, and some racoons come by now and then to steal catfood and fuck shit up (but my landlord has taken to pinging them with wrist rockets, says it discouraged them last time they started coming around). Occasionally I've heard some rustling that I couldn't find-and racoons don't bother being stealthy and the deer just suck at it, so it could have been a mountain lion checking me out. I'd rather not know for sure, to be honest...

Sweet. I hope he doesn't cause any trouble or get in an accident. Maybe he'll live a good long life. I've seen some small black bears pretty close up where my sister use to live near Columbia NC, but nothing like what you are talking about. Must've been quite an experience having it look you in the eyes like that.


Me too. I figure he's done pretty good to be that large and healthy and he hasnt been hit by a car or blown away.

It was scary enough getting close when he wasnt paying attention to me, but when we made eye contact, I did feel a little weak in the knees. And in all I've done in my life, I can count how many times I've had that shaky legged feeling on one hand.

So- I tossed an lit M-80 a few yards from him.
Watch it mister, they're illegal here!

They have no idea how much I love venison. They dont know while I'm looking at them, I'm thinking of how they taste.
But then, the women I talk to dont seem to be aware of it either.

Huge ROFL.

Well I don't eat venison (family thing, Caddo grandmother had deer in her totem, etc etc, tradition, blah blah blah), but I can relate on women. They just never see the stalker benath.

Crap ... did I say that out loud?

No, I'm in the California Redwoods. Santa Cruz mountains. When I was in college (UC Santa Cruz) the campus had mountain lion warning signs (which is where I heard the attack on the racoons). Now I just live on the side of the mountain backing up to an area too thick to develop. Some deer have a path just above the house, and some racoons come by now and then to steal catfood and fuck shit up (but my landlord has taken to pinging them with wrist rockets, says it discouraged them last time they started coming around). Occasionally I've heard some rustling that I couldn't find-and racoons don't bother being stealthy and the deer just suck at it, so it could have been a mountain lion checking me out. I'd rather not know for sure, to be honest...


Damn-thats a little scarier in my opinion. I couldn tget used to feeling I was possibly being stalked. I have heard of joggers being killed by mountain lions out there.
I wonder if the bear repellant pepper spray would work on those big cats? You never hear it suggested,but if it works on grizzly(?) it must work on a big cat too.

Occasionally I've heard some rustling that I couldn't find-and racoons don't bother being stealthy and the deer just suck at it, so it could have been a mountain lion checking me out. I'd rather not know for sure, to be honest...


don't be such a pessimist...it was prolly just some insanely hot (insert member of your gender of sexual preference here) checking you out.

Watch it mister, they're illegal here!

Well-actually-this one was a little more illegal- I dont knwo what its technical name is, but its like an M-80's big brother.

I always have a supply-just in case-situation like this, you know?

Damn-thats a little scarier in my opinion. I couldn tget used to feeling I was possibly being stalked. I have heard of joggers being killed by mountain lions out there.
I wonder if the bear repellant pepper spray would work on those big cats? You never hear it suggested,but if it works on grizzly(?) it must work on a big cat too.
Big cats don't go in for the 'display' thing that bears do. Once they decide to attack you you have maybe a second to react before they're on you. They think joggers are running (well, technicly they are...) so they have the same reaction to them as your cat does if something runs across the room.

For the most part they want nothing to do with you and if you see them they fucked up somehow and you've managed to suprise them. If you do see them you're supposed to make yourself look big, same old thing. Most of the time they'll bail, though I'm not keen to put this into practice.

So, can a huge freaking bear win against a giant enemy crab? :p

Well-actually-this one was a little more illegal- I dont knwo what its technical name is, but its like an M-80's big brother.

I always have a supply-just in case-situation like this, you know?
I getcha ;)



And on that stalker-like feeling with not knowing what you hear.. happens here.. I just throw rocks into the woods and hear em run off.. I think it's only deer or rabbits though..

Black bears aren't usually dangerous, it's the Brown bear family (grizzly, kodiak etc.) that are the real killers. Where I live we lose someone to mountain lions about once every 5 years, and this is in heavily populated Southern California! If you live in the US and it really bothers you, the department of fish and game will usually relocate problem animals.

I getcha ;)



And on that stalker-like feeling with not knowing what you hear.. happens here.. I just throw rocks into the woods and hear em run off.. I think it's only deer or rabbits though..
Most of the time I'm sure it's pretty much nothing. Small rodents don't get close because we have a pretty big cat who answers when you call (oh yeah, I call...), the racoons I swear look for the flashlight just so they can mug at me, the deer hit the same path each time-and you really can hypnotize them with the flashlight. In the year on this mountain side I think there has only been one or two times where whatever it was that was out there that I couldn't find was big enough for me to want to quietly and calmly as possible go back inside.

It is a little unnerving initially. I have a hillside of blueberry bushes in season now in my back yard. Bears love berries.

The house is great, thanks. I miss the ocean, but we have a lake a short walk away. My 7 year old won a kayak race there on Sunday, so everything is good on the lake.

the mountains are beautiful,and cool that you have a bear nearby.

just teach the kids not to run if they see them,it seems to trigger a hunting instinct in them.just back away slowly towards safety.

i have a place in pa. also...and i live at the beach..also..thats strange,we probably lived or live near eachother.
i am next to the cape of jersey,on the bay..4 blocks from the ocean..i hope it never floods or i am screwed...been here for about 5 years.
the place i have in pa. is near the delaware,up top of a mountain overlooking the delaware actually,and yes,i jump the bridge to nj to get beer,alot cheaper,and then come back across and get cigs in pa. thanks to nj's pathetically high sin tax.

back to the bear,i have not seen one in the 5 years i been up there,but my friend who lives there all the time,had a big one rummaging around alot,he has a 5 year old that is always outside,and his wife is busy with an infant,so he put hot pepper sauce all around the buildings,to no avail,then every time he saw it,he would bang pot's and stuff to try and scare it off.
that also did not seem to have an effect,so he debated shooting it(bear near jersey/pa. seem to have become use to people)but it soon moved on i suppose,hasn't seen it in awhile.
he keeps a loaded slug gun over the door now,and if it shows back up,he will probably shoot it,he doesnt want to,but does not want to risk his kid getting mauled or worse.
he called the game warden,they came out..but really were not much help,if it was there at the time they could have tranked it and moved it further into the forest.

my kids are older,so i would dig seeing it around..so i wouldnt shoot it,unless it attacked me or something,but when i am there now,i do carry a .44 mag with me just in case we bump into eachother when i am to lazy to walk up to the house from the garage to take a leak at night.

please post pics if you can..bears are truly awesome creatures.

please post pics if you can..bears are truly awesome creatures.
even teh evil ones?
http://www.toytokyo.com/productImages/3592_1.jpg

we live in such a boring country :p

no bears, no poisonous insects or reptiles (well, nothing lethal and what there is is rare), no hurricanes (for the most part), no droughts (hosepipe bans don't count :rolleyes: ), no extremes of temperature or... anything much at all.
at least its safe :P


That sounds so much like here.

Shooting this bear would have been as easy as taking his picture, but I dont feel thats a sport.

You know, that is the kind of statement that is usually uttered before someone gets their arm ripped off. :D
Umm, lots of bear in the Carolinas. Or used to be. Still plenty though. But they are shy when it comes to humans. Probably because we drunken hicks shoot at them. By the way, killing a bear is a lot harder than shooting it. Go ahead and flame me for shooting a bear, I never did it. But I did WATCH it, and protested vehemently, or as much as I could while drunkenly staggering away from the bear. Campfires hurt when you fall in them. Anyways, bears are hard to kill. Three slugs just pissed this one off. And thank God it wasn't my truck parked by the fire.

You should have called the bear a cab (http://www.syslog.com/~jwilson/pics-i-like/taxibear.jpg).

EDIT: And remember how I was talking about how the racoons just don't give a fuck? One of those little bastards literally just walked up on my ass earlier this evening. I sit just outside my door and do my internet crap because I can smoke a cigar here and it's pleasent. I can't see to my left because the door is proped on my chair and like two inches from my foot this fucking racoon poked around to see what I was doing. Freaked my shit out.

This makes for compelling reading... Warning: pictures of blood. But no dead people so it's ok!

http://www.udap.com/markfullstory.htm

No bears, but aparently there are lots of cobra on this island.
Unfortunately, I've never seen one but the neighbour said last year (before I moved in) he saw one sunning itself on the path below the flat. The kids at school tell me they've seen lots as well. Fortunately cobras usually take off when they see a human. Some of the other snakes around here don't.

Also pythons. Last week a woman walking her dogs had the unfortunate experience of watching a 2.5 metre python crush her 22kg husky to death before her eyes. She tried pulling it off, but it ignored her.
Same neighbour said when he was walking home one night he tripped over a python laying across the path. He first thought it was a branch until it moved.
I haven't seen one of those either. :(

And we have golden-orb spiders, especially this time of year. I don't know if they're poisonous and/or aggressive but they are bloody big and make huge webs. Last walk I went on, I counted over 20 of them just along the path and one of them had made a web that was taller than I am and wider than me with my arms outstretched. (~2m in diameter).

We have lots of frogs and lizards, but I don't suppose they count as vicious animals. I have a baby lizard living in the flat now, which is cool. They eat cockroaches, so I like them.
Speaking of which, Asian cockroaches are the size of kittens and can fly. So I feel they count towards nasty creatures you don't want near your house.

And big-arse centipedes. Like foot long suckers. You don't want one of those running up your leg, believe me.


Not here on Lamma, but near Kowloon there's a park with a bunch of monkeys. They can get pretty vicious. Idiots feed them (so they can get close to take photos) and as a result (surprise surprise:rolleyes:) the monkeys expect food from you, especially if you're carrying a bag. If you don't give them any, they can, and have, attack. Not me, fortunately, but one did come close one day. It saw me with a bag, sprinted right towards me and leapt up onto the railing only a couple of feet away from where I was standing and screamed at me. I screamed, 'Fuck off!' back at it, and it did.
Nice to see some commands are universal.

the mountains are beautiful,and cool that you have a bear nearby.

just teach the kids not to run if they see them,it seems to trigger a hunting instinct in them.just back away slowly towards safety.

i have a place in pa. also...and i live at the beach..also..thats strange,we probably lived or live near eachother.
i am next to the cape of jersey,on the bay..4 blocks from the ocean..i hope it never floods or i am screwed...been here for about 5 years.
the place i have in pa. is near the delaware,up top of a mountain overlooking the delaware actually,and yes,i jump the bridge to nj to get beer,alot cheaper,and then come back across and get cigs in pa. thanks to nj's pathetically high sin tax.

back to the bear,i have not seen one in the 5 years i been up there,but my friend who lives there all the time,had a big one rummaging around alot,he has a 5 year old that is always outside,and his wife is busy with an infant,so he put hot pepper sauce all around the buildings,to no avail,then every time he saw it,he would bang pot's and stuff to try and scare it off.
that also did not seem to have an effect,so he debated shooting it(bear near jersey/pa. seem to have become use to people)but it soon moved on i suppose,hasn't seen it in awhile.
he keeps a loaded slug gun over the door now,and if it shows back up,he will probably shoot it,he doesnt want to,but does not want to risk his kid getting mauled or worse.
he called the game warden,they came out..but really were not much help,if it was there at the time they could have tranked it and moved it further into the forest.

my kids are older,so i would dig seeing it around..so i wouldnt shoot it,unless it attacked me or something,but when i am there now,i do carry a .44 mag with me just in case we bump into eachother when i am to lazy to walk up to the house from the garage to take a leak at night.

please post pics if you can..bears are truly awesome creatures.


I just moved to Milford Pa from Pt Pleasant NJ.

You should have called the bear a cab (http://www.syslog.com/~jwilson/pics-i-like/taxibear.jpg).

EDIT: And remember how I was talking about how the racoons just don't give a fuck? One of those little bastards literally just walked up on my ass earlier this evening. I sit just outside my door and do my internet crap because I can smoke a cigar here and it's pleasent. I can't see to my left because the door is proped on my chair and like two inches from my foot this fucking racoon poked around to see what I was doing. Freaked my shit out.


*L*

I enjoy a La Gloria Cubana out on my deck too. I havent seen any raccoon here yet, but there has to be.

No bears, but aparently there are lots of cobra on this island.
Unfortunately, I've never seen one but the neighbour said last year (before I moved in) he saw one sunning itself on the path below the flat. The kids at school tell me they've seen lots as well. Fortunately cobras usually take off when they see a human. Some of the other snakes around here don't.

Also pythons. Last week a woman walking her dogs had the unfortunate experience of watching a 2.5 metre python crush her 22kg husky to death before her eyes. She tried pulling it off, but it ignored her.
Same neighbour said when he was walking home one night he tripped over a python laying across the path. He first thought it was a branch until it moved.
I haven't seen one of those either. :(

And we have golden-orb spiders, especially this time of year. I don't know if they're poisonous and/or aggressive but they are bloody big and make huge webs. Last walk I went on, I counted over 20 of them just along the path and one of them had made a web that was taller than I am and wider than me with my arms outstretched. (~2m in diameter).

We have lots of frogs and lizards, but I don't suppose they count as vicious animals. I have a baby lizard living in the flat now, which is cool. They eat cockroaches, so I like them.
Speaking of which, Asian cockroaches are the size of kittens and can fly. So I feel they count towards nasty creatures you don't want near your house.

And big-arse centipedes. Like foot long suckers. You don't want one of those running up your leg, believe me.


Not here on Lamma, but near Kowloon there's a park with a bunch of monkeys. They can get pretty vicious. Idiots feed them (so they can get close to take photos) and as a result (surprise surprise:rolleyes:) the monkeys expect food from you, especially if you're carrying a bag. If you don't give them any, they can, and have, attack. Not me, fortunately, but one did come close one day. It saw me with a bag, sprinted right towards me and leapt up onto the railing only a couple of feet away from where I was standing and screamed at me. I screamed, 'Fuck off!' back at it, and it did.
Nice to see some commands are universal.

I'd carry a pitching wedge for those monkeys.

*L*

I enjoy a La Gloria Cubana out on my deck too. I havent seen any raccoon here yet, but there has to be.
Autero Fuente Exquisitos maduro wrap is my cigar of choice, but I also dig Schimmelpinnicks.

I'm all moved into a new house in the mountains. We have a big piece of property, bordering on state land. There are deer walking through my property every day.

At dusk last eve, though, a tremendous black bear ambled though. I knew there were bear here, but expected them to be normal size-3oo to 400 lbs.
This one was over 600 lbs. And he wasnt fat or barrell shaped- he had a long body and long legs and a huge head. He had a jet black, shiny healthy coat.
He swatted my garbage can open and lounged for 15 minutes while eating ribs and other tasty leftovers. My mistake.

Now I have to watch where my kids are at all times and be bear vigilant.

Anyone else have to deal with bear where they live?
I live in Trenton, NJ. I shouldn't have to deal with bears, and in fact have never met one in person, but a bear wandered into town this past spring.

It is a little unnerving initially. I have a hillside of blueberry bushes in season now in my back yard. Bears love berries.

The house is great, thanks. I miss the ocean, but we have a lake a short walk away. My 7 year old won a kayak race there on Sunday, so everything is good on the lake.
I've never lived anywhere with anything remotely dangerous nearby, or any wild animals, so the idea is totally bizarre to me.

The ocean? *sigh* I'd also love to live by the ocean one day.... I love lakes and simply being near water, but there's something about the sea and the waves and everything. Looking forward to holiday in France where we're just next to the sea :)
Ooo, well done to your 7 year old :)

I'd carry a pitching wedge for those monkeys.
Last time I went there (there's an awesome walk up to Lion Rock which overlooks all of Kowloon and Hong Kong from there), I found a really big stick and carried it with me.
Had no probs with the monkeys that day. None came near me.

Autero Fuente Exquisitos maduro wrap is my cigar of choice, but I also dig Schimmelpinnicks.


There was a Chateau Fuente I used to like- it came half wrapped in a cedar sleeve. I havent seen them in a while.

If you can ever try a "Havana Sunrise", do so. They are great.
The maduro "Emperador" is my favorite, I think.

Last time I went there (there's an awesome walk up to Lion Rock which overlooks all of Kowloon and Hong Kong from there), I found a really big stick and carried it with me.
Had no probs with the monkeys that day. None came near me.

Monkeys understand sticks.

I live in Trenton, NJ. I shouldn't have to deal with bears, and in fact have never met one in person, but a bear wandered into town this past spring.

I wouldnt mind seeing this one so much if I didnt have to wonder about his real disposition and my kids.
No matter what you teach your kids, I still cant trust them to do the right thing if they encountered this bear and I wasnt right there.

Its got me thinking of all the ways to minimize the chances they'll meet.

Of course, the easiest would be to blow it away and bury it the next time I see it. That would greatly reduce the anxiety.

Ooo, well done to your 7 year old :)


Thanks! :)

A six hundred pound black bear? Holy sh*t! Most grizzly bears don't even get that big... unless, of course, you mistakenly identified the creature... grizzly bears do vary from blonde to black in color.

It really surprises me that a black bear would exceed 400 pounds... and 600 pounds is definately grizzly territory, as some adult males can even be up to 800. The real way to tell, however, is the distinctive shoulder hump that grizzlies have but black bears lack... once again, (and I don't mean to sound condescending) are you sure this isn't a grizzly?

Okay, I checked back a page and I see you live in PA (I live near Pittsburgh, myself). Definately not within range of Grizzlies, but a 600 lb. black bear?! :eek:

Advice... don't leave your garbage outside, I guess..

A six hundred pound black bear? Holy sh*t! Most grizzly bears don't even get that big... unless, of course, you mistakenly identified the creature... grizzly bears do vary from blonde to black in color.

It really surprises me that a black bear would exceed 400 pounds... and 600 pounds is definately grizzly territory, as some adult males can even be up to 800. The real way to tell, however, is the distinctive shoulder hump that grizzlies have but black bears lack... once again, (and I don't mean to sound condescending) are you sure this isn't a grizzly?

I trust your story and everything, but if that thing is really so huge it seems like you're not dealing with your typical black bear. Of course, that really depends on what "mountains" you live in. Are we talking western US here, or Canada, or what? (Sorry if you've already answered this... my browser is so slow I just skipped ahead to this page..)

I do understand the doubt. In the reading I've recently done on it, there have been several documented cases of American black bear reaching 600 lbs and more. Its not common, but its not out of the question.

I'm in Northeastern PA now. It definately wasnt a grizzly. He was jet black, no hump. If I was the only one that had seen it, I might be doubting my recollection now. I've seen many in the past- in the wild, at dumps in upstate NY-Adirondaks as well as in zoos. But my wife, my brother and his wife as well as two neighbors all saw this bear. And we observed him for over 15 minutes-walking, sitting, laying down, rubbing his head on a tree-we had other things to compare him to. I also got pretty close at one point.

Yes- I dont think he was "typical" as I'm learning that an average male weighs in around 300 lbs or so.

Monkeys understand sticks.
yep. Once you get the chance to observe up close and in the open, it's a surprise to see just how intelligent they are.

The ones here recognise supermarket shopping bags - carry one of those and you'll definitely be attacked. They've learnt that those bags usually carry food. )Again, due to the idiots who have gone there with bags of food to feed them.)

I once watched a monkey sitting placidly on a bench idly watching us humans wander by. I got within a few feet of it and felt like I could have gotten closer (but didn't think it appropriate). It was the most placid creature I've come across in the wild.
Then a family pulled up to the car park and started unloading - there's areas in the park for BBQs.
It watched them, apparently disinterested - until they pulled some supermarket bags for the trunk. It immediately sprung into life, sprinted over and tried to grab one of the bags. The family chased it off, and it ran up onto the walkway and started screaming. Within a couple of minutes >20 monkeys appeared out of nowhere and were running about trying to grab the food. The family gave up and jumped in their car and took off.
The monkeys ignored me, because I wasn't carrying anything.

suggest a good hunting rifle, and contacting the local wildlife agency about bear problems

if you do the rifle learn to shoot properly and where to aim to stop the bear [sholder shot to break the joint to keep from charging and followups as required to eliminate threat]

we used to live in wv, not unusual to get 300-400 lb black bear wandering through subdivision, stayed inside, let authorities tranqualize and relocate

however would have killed them if they attacked people/pets/etc

yep. Once you get the chance to observe up close and in the open, it's a surprise to see just how intelligent they are.

The ones here recognise supermarket shopping bags - carry one of those and you'll definitely be attacked. They've learnt that those bags usually carry food. )Again, due to the idiots who have gone there with bags of food to feed them.)

I once watched a monkey sitting placidly on a bench idly watching us humans wander by. I got within a few feet of it and felt like I could have gotten closer (but didn't think it appropriate). It was the most placid creature I've come across in the wild.
Then a family pulled up to the car park and started unloading - there's areas in the park for BBQs.
It watched them, apparently disinterested - until they pulled some supermarket bags for the trunk. It immediately sprung into life, sprinted over and tried to grab one of the bags. The family chased it off, and it ran up onto the walkway and started screaming. Within a couple of minutes >20 monkeys appeared out of nowhere and were running about trying to grab the food. The family gave up and jumped in their car and took off.
The monkeys ignored me, because I wasn't carrying anything.


Seagulls at the NJ shore behaved similarly. I've seen many people have sandwiches and french fries stolen from beach towels.
They are always watching.

suggest a good hunting rifle, and contacting the local wildlife agency about bear problems

if you do the rifle learn to shoot properly and where to aim to stop the bear [sholder shot to break the joint to keep from charging and followups as required to eliminate threat]

we used to live in wv, not unusual to get 300-400 lb black bear wandering through subdivision, stayed inside, let authorities tranqualize and relocate

however would have killed them if they attacked people/pets/etc


I have rifles and shotguns, but would hate to have to shoot this bear. He's been here longer than me.

I do understand the doubt. In the reading I've recently done on it, there have been several documented cases of American black bear reaching 600 lbs and more. Its not common, but its not out of the question.

I'm in Northeastern PA now. It definately wasnt a grizzly. He was jet black, no hump. If I was the only one that had seen it, I might be doubting my recollection now. I've seen many in the past- in the wild, at dumps in upstate NY-Adirondaks as well as in zoos. But my wife, my brother and his wife as well as two neighbors all saw this bear. And we observed him for over 15 minutes-walking, sitting, laying down, rubbing his head on a tree-we had other things to compare him to. I also got pretty close at one point.

Yes- I dont think he was "typical" as I'm learning that an average male weighs in around 300 lbs or so.

Wow. That is just absolutely incredible. Perhaps the state lands next to your property have some means for dealing with a bear that big. Pittsburgh suburbs aren't exactly, you know, bear country, but I've been camping out west enough to know the dangers. But wow, a 600 pound black bear! Sounds like you could make an excellent rug.

Seagulls at the NJ shore behaved similarly. I've seen many people have sandwiches and french fries stolen from beach towels.
They are always watching.

Seagulls, bah, they are much worse in Britain. My uncle had a seagull take a sasuage roll out of his mouth, well you know what i mean, and fly off in one swoop.

slightly different to a bear still.

Wow. That is just absolutely incredible. Perhaps the state lands next to your property have some means for dealing with a bear that big. Pittsburgh suburbs aren't exactly, you know, bear country, but I've been camping out west enough to know the dangers. But wow, a 600 pound black bear! Sounds like you could make an excellent rug.


Yeah-he's definately a hunter's dream trophy. I'll admit a small part of me would love to have that huge, luxurious hide stretched out on the floor in front of the fireplace, but I'm not like that.

My family once did.

Strange how people are still under the impression that the Soviet Union did not have private gun ownership. :sniper:

In former Soviet Union gun shoot you!


well not you specifically, no threat intended or implied

Yeah-he's definately a hunter's dream trophy. I'll admit a small part of me would love to have that huge, luxurious hide stretched out on the floor in front of the fireplace, but I'm not like that.

At 600 lbs he is only about 285 pounds away from a world record.

Can you force feed him?

At 600 lbs he is only about 285 pounds away from a world record.

Can you force feed him?


I have the feeling this one eats pretty much whatever he wants.

I live in Pike County now- I just read that an 864 pound male was shot in my area in 2003.

I live in Pike County now- I just read that an 864 pound male was shot in my area in 2003.

That is probably in the top ten biggest black bears ever taken.

That is probably in the top ten biggest black bears ever taken.


I think its the largest ever on record in PA:

http://www.recordonline.com/archive/2005/03/20/jgbearw.htm

An update on the bear- My neighbor said he saw the bear walk along the side of the road across from my house around dusk last eve. He too agreed its the largest bear black bear he has seen in this area. He said the bear stopped and sniffed the air, then hurried on a little quicker, seeming as if he was being cautious.
The builder stopped by here today to correct a few things, but said he had never seen this bear in all the time they were working here. It makes sense that a bear wouldnt approach a crew of several men using a compressor and nail guns as well as other loud equipment.

I'm waiting to see him again, this time I want to video tape him and try to get some things in the shots to give persepective to his size and weight.

No. I live near, you know, civilization.

No. I live near, you know, civilization.


I'm sorry to hear that. You're probably better off there.

My distant relative’s Giant Mastiff once killed a pretty decent sized Black Bear without so much as getting a cut from the fight.

I'm sorry to hear that. You're probably better off there.

Well I dont worry about bears. Or having to drive an hour to the nearest supermarket.

My distant relative’s Giant Mastiff once killed a pretty decent sized Black Bear without so much as getting a cut from the fight.


I've seen those dogs in action. They're pretty damn impressive in size and strength.

Well I dont worry about bears. Or having to drive an hour to the nearest supermarket.


There are trade offs to wherever people live. I've lived in the city and it wouldnt suit me these days. I've lived in upscale suburban areas too.
Now I'm in an area where well off folks buy larger parcels of land for privacy, peace and seclusion.

There are still large shopping areas within a 15 minute drive. I'm right near where NY,NJ and PA meet. I feel like I've got the best of both worlds that suit me.

Well, when I later saw them when I just drove from my nearby friends I saw the dog and it just came up and it jumped up on me to greet me, but instead of knocking me down I basically gave it a big bear hug which lifted it off the ground.

I'm all moved into a new house in the mountains. We have a big piece of property, bordering on state land. There are deer walking through my property every day.

At dusk last eve, though, a tremendous black bear ambled though. I knew there were bear here, but expected them to be normal size-3oo to 400 lbs.
This one was over 600 lbs. And he wasnt fat or barrell shaped- he had a long body and long legs and a huge head. He had a jet black, shiny healthy coat.
He swatted my garbage can open and lounged for 15 minutes while eating ribs and other tasty leftovers. My mistake.

Now I have to watch where my kids are at all times and be bear vigilant.

Anyone else have to deal with bear where they live?


Get a gun, but it will have to be powerful to take down a bear, and maybe even auto-matic. So get like a 30-06 auto or maybe and auto 12guage. anything fully auto works to! maybe some land mines... but seriously get a good firearm, this isnt being paraniond gun freak here, its better than you or your children being eaten. Bears do attack allot of people.

Well I dont worry about bears. Or having to drive an hour to the nearest supermarket.


cities suck. I live in one. They do. I'd much rather live in the country.

My distant relative’s Giant Mastiff once killed a pretty decent sized Black Bear without so much as getting a cut from the fight.

Considering that is what the Giant Mastiff was originally bred for, I am not surprised.

cities suck. I live in one. They do. I'd much rather live in the country.


My life is good here in the country.

cities suck. I live in one. They do. I'd much rather live in the country.

Id much rather live where its not boring.

That will stop the kids running around outside without permission eh?

That will stop the kids running around outside without permission eh?


Yeah. I'm glad they are much more interested in spending summer days at the beach between the swim team and now kayaking. When we're home and outside, I'm often there, playing catch or whatever. They dont seem preoccupied at all by it, but I'm constantly on alert.
Our closest neighbor has lived here for 5 years. They have 3 kids-all younger than mine and never had a problem.

I just ordered bear repellant spray.
Its supposed to be proven effective againsy Grizzly bear, so it should work on a black bear.
Also, black bear arent as aggresive as Grizzly.

I think its the largest ever on record in PA:

http://www.recordonline.com/archive/2005/03/20/jgbearw.htm

The world record weight for an American black bear is 880 pounds. This was the recorded weight of a 10.75 year-old male bear shot in North Carolina in November 1998.

A black bear was hit and killed by a car near Winnipeg Canada, in 2001. The official recorded weight was 856.5 pounds, but it is estimated that the live weight of this large male was more than 886 pounds. The driver was not injured and there appeared to be little damage to the Mazda.

An 805-pound male American black bear was shot in Manitoba Canada, and in Pennsylvania males fairly consistently reach the record weight of 800+ pounds.

http://www.americanbear.org/Size.htm

My life is good here in the country.

I envy you

I get to spend 1-3 days a week up in the mountains in a cabin with my dog for company and I often wish it was seven

http://www.americanbear.org/Size.htm


Yes- I was only searching in Pennsylvania.

They must be talking some bear-vitamins.

I envy you

I get to spend 1-3 days a week up in the mountains in a cabin with my dog for company and I often wish it was seven


1-3 days is more than many other people can.

Maybe when you retire you can stay there full time?

Winter will be a challenge. I spent the last five at the seashore where it was much milder, less snow and ice.
I'm already preparing.

Yes- I was only searching in Pennsylvania.

They must be talking some bear-vitamins.

Ive heard that, like hogs, bears just keep growing as they age. It wouldnt surprise me if PA bears also have genetics helping em grow big too

You ought to speak to the state forestry service or whichever governmental bureaucracy is in charge of bears. It is entirely likely that it's illegal for you to shoot a bear on your own property, silly as that may sound.

Ive heard that, like hogs, bears just keep growing as they age. It wouldnt surprise me if PA bears also have genetics helping em grow big too
Probably people bringing them cheesesteaks from Philly.

1-3 days is more than many other people can.

Maybe when you retire you can stay there full time?

Winter will be a challenge. I spent the last five at the seashore where it was much milder, less snow and ice.
I'm already preparing.

Ive been snowed in at the cabin more than once. Usually this means that vehicles cant get in or out but twice now to the point that the doors cant open! Not a problem in summer though!:)

You ought to speak to the state forestry service or whichever governmental bureaucracy is in charge of bears. It is entirely likely that it's illegal for you to shoot a bear on your own property, silly as that may sound.


I think you are right- It is illegal to shoot one now. Maybe when the season is open and I have a permit/license to shoot one.

I wouldnt want to shoot this one-so I got the spray.

If he becomes a nuisance or seems at all agressive, maybe the spray will teach him a lesson.

In the meantime, no bird feeders in reach, no garbage out until right before pickup. I clean the grill well each time we use it and I'll just be generally very watchful. I feel like he has the same right to be here as I do and sincerely hope nothing happens to change my mind on that.

There is still the part of me that is screaming to put a .300 mag round in his head, but I'm trying to ignore it.

Probably people bringing them cheesesteaks from Philly.


*L* That could be it.

I think you are right- It is illegal to shoot one now. Maybe when the season is open and I have a permit/license to shoot one.

I wouldnt want to shoot this one-so I got the spray.

If he becomes a nuisance or seems at all agressive, maybe the spray will teach him a lesson.

In the meantime, no bird feeders in reach, no garbage out until right before pickup. I clean the grill well each time we use it and I'll just be generally very watchful. I feel like he has the same right to be here as I do and sincerely hope nothing happens to change my mind on that.

There is still the part of me that is screaming to put a .300 mag round in his head, but I'm trying to ignore it.
Oh, I quite agree. In fact, the bear probably has more right to be there than you do, strictly speaking, but if I had kids ... yeah, I'd be envisioning that bullet flying his way.

As for the cheesesteaks, that's probably more due to the fact that whenever Not Bad and I end up in the same thread, food comes into it somehow.

Oh, I quite agree. In fact, the bear probably has more right to be there than you do, strictly speaking, but if I had kids ... yeah, I'd be envisioning that bullet flying his way.

As for the cheesesteaks, that's probably more due to the fact that whenever Not Bad and I end up in the same thread, food comes into it somehow.


Food-cooking it and eating it- is one of my interests too.

As for the cheesesteaks, that's probably more due to the fact that whenever Not Bad and I end up in the same thread, food comes into it somehow.

*drools*

Is the spray a pepper sprayish type thing that is personal defense or is it some kind of repellent that dissuades bears from coming onto your property in the first place?

*drools*

Is the spray a pepper sprayish type thing that is personal defense or is it some kind of repellent that dissuades bears from coming onto your property in the first place?


Its designed to be sprayed directly into the face of an agressive bear. I think the range is 15 to 20 feet-Take my advice- this is too close.

I read a report that said the pepper spray residue -the over spray- actually ATRACTS bear. There was study done after a guy sprayed a perimeter around his float plane- the bear came and rolled in the spray and ate it.

But a fresh blast from the canister into the bear's face should cause them to turn and run.

Probably people bringing them cheesesteaks from Philly.
Hey hey hey..

Hey.

Hey hey..

Whoa.

Hey hey hey.

Lets not go blaiming Philly for all this!

Hey hey hey..

Hey.

Hey hey..

Whoa.

Hey hey hey.

Lets not go blaiming Philly for all this!


I thought you were breaking into song....

I thought you were breaking into song....

If you insist

Jimmy Buffett
God's Own Drunk
Written by - Lord Buckley
From - Living and Dying In 3/4 Time

Well, like I explained to y'all before I ain't no drinkin' man.
I tried it once, and it got me highly irregular and I swore I'd never
do it again. But I promised my brother-in-law that I'd go up and watch
his still while he went into town to vote.

It was up there on the mountain where the map said it would be. Friends
let me tell you one thing though, it wasn't no ordinary still. It stood
up that mountainside like...like a huge golden opal.

God's yellar moon was a' shinin' on the cool clear evenin', God's little
lanterns just a' twinklin' on and off in the heavens and, like I explained
to you once before, I ain't no drinkin' man, But, temptation got the best
of me, and I took a slash...(Washew!...whoa...) That yellar whiskey runnin'
down my throat like honeydew vine water, and I took another slash. Took
another and another and another. 'Fore you knew it I'd downed one whole
jug o' that shit and commenced to get hot flashes.

Goosepimples was runnin' up and down my body and a feelin' came over me
like, somethin' I'd never experienced before, It's like, like I was in
love...

('Why don't we have a little love Mike')

In love for the first time, with anything that moved...animate, inanimate
it didn't matter. It's like there's a great neon sign flashin' on and off
in my brain sayin, 'Jimmy Buffett there's a great day a comin'...'
'Cause I was drunk.

Now I wasn't, uh, knee-crawlin', slip-slidin', reggy-youngin', commode-
huggin' drunk, I was God's own drunk, and a fearless man; And that's when
I first saw the bear.

He was a Kodiak lookin' fella 'bout 19 feet tall he rambled up over the
hill 'spectin' me to do one of two things: flip or fly, I didn't do either
one. It hung him up. He starts sniffin' 'round my body tryin' to smell fear,
but he ain't gonna smell no fear, 'cause I'm God's own drunk and a fearless
man. It hung him up. He looked me right in my eyes and my eyes was a lot
redder than his was. It hung him up.

So I approached him and I said, 'Mr. Bear, I love every hair on your
27 acre body. I know you got a lotta friends over there on the other side
of the hill. There's ole' Rear Bear, Tall Bear, Freddy Bear, Kelly Jair,
Relly Bear, Smelly the Bear, Smokey the Bear, Pokey the Bear; I want you
to go back over there tonight and tell 'em I'm feelin' right. You tell 'em
I love each and every one of 'em like a brother and a sister...but if they
give me any trouble tonight, I'm gonna run every Goddamned one of 'em off
the hill.'

He took two steps backwards and didn't know what to think. Neither did I,
but, being charitable and cautious, well hell, I approached him again. I
said, 'Mr. Bear, you know in the eyes of the Lord, we're both beasts
when it comes right down to it. So I want you to be my buddy, Buddy Bear.'
So I took ole' Buddy Bear by his island sized paw and I led him over to the
still. Now he's a' sniffin' around that thing 'cause he's smellin' somethin'
good. I gave him one of them jugs of honeydew vine water, he downed it
upright, (looked like one of them damn bears in the circus sippin'
sasparilly in the moonlight.) I gave him another and another and another
'fore I knew it, he'd downed eight of 'em and commenced to do the 'bear
dance.' Two sniffs, a snort, a fly, a turn and a grunt...and it was so
simple like the jitterbug it plumb evaded me.

And we worked ourselves into a tumultuous uproar and I's awful tired, went
over to the hillside, and I laid down, went to sleep, slept for four hours,
and dreamt me some tremulous dreams And when I woke up, Oh, there was God's
yellar moon a' shinin' on the clear cool evenin'. And God's little lanterns
just a' twinklin' on and off in the heavens...And my buddy the bear was a'
missin'...Yeah, you want to know somethin' else friends and neighbors, so
was that still.

'That's a take. Wait, could uh...you missed it?'

If you insist

Jimmy Buffett
God's Own Drunk
Written by - Lord Buckley
From - Living and Dying In 3/4 Time


I love Jimmy Buffett !

I love Jimmy Buffett !

Well yeah! A parrot head is a good head!

I thought you were breaking into song....
Hey, hey.

Philly.

Hey.

Don't mess with Philly.

Hey.

Mmmk?


Sorry, I'm hella bored.

we killed them all like 10,000 years ago in britain. Correct me if im wrong.

But i suppose pests like bears are a bit bigger than fat pigeons or pesky squirrels


yes, squirrels are pesky to say the least, die

Story time, gather round.

yes, squirrels are pesky to say the least, die

Story time, gather round.
You damn things eat my power cords.

:mad:

Here is a true story of my first bear encounter.
My family and I went on a vacation to Itaska State Park in northern Minnesota. We stayed in a tent and had food stored in our truck. One night, we accidentally left the snack food out. Now, normally my dad would never let this happen, but he figured it was only junk food anyway, there wasn't any meat in there. So, a really smart raccoon came up and looked at the locked food container. He figured out how to unlock it, open it, and picked out the bag of cheetos. He only at every single cheeto, no other food. Anyway, my dad scared him off with a flashlight and put the food back in the truck. Later on, I was awoken by this heavy breathing sound. Naturally, I thought is was my dad and was about to go back to sleep but I saw that one of my family members was staring at the side of the tent. I looked and saw this huge black bear standing over the tent. I layed perfectly still and prayed. The bear went away and I didn't get back to sleep that night.

You damn things eat my power cords.

:mad:

yes, they also run right infront of my car when I'm driving and somehow dodge my tires. Oh, and they eat through my christmas lights, squirrels must die:mad:

I think you are right- It is illegal to shoot one now. Maybe when the season is open and I have a permit/license to shoot one.Except in Texas.

Except in Texas.
Cost prohibitive to fly a bear from PA to TX to be shot though.

You damn things eat my power cords.

:mad:

wait, I'm not in the I like squirrels category, my name is BAKED squirrels, I hate squirrels,
oh and by the way I live in White BEAR lake, MN, so yes I've seen bears, but only once in my town

I suggest getting a cat, CL.

Check this out (the bear bit is towards the end of the video :) ):

http://daemlich.net/15548

wait, I'm not in the I like squirrels category, my name is BAKED squirrels, I hate squirrels,
oh and by the way I live in White BEAR lake, MN, so yes I've seen bears, but only once in my town
Ahhhhh... I thought..

Baked = Stoned...

Nevermind.

Being a "bear" of the variety he meant, I love your school. BEAR PRIDE!! Woo!!

How many times will I have to repeat "postpixkthnx"?

I suggest getting a cat, CL.

Check this out (the bear bit is towards the end of the video :) ):

http://daemlich.net/15548

It is a bloody brilliant it is very funny.:)

I suggest getting a cat, CL.

Check this out (the bear bit is towards the end of the video :) ):

http://daemlich.net/15548


funny videos. I really dont care for cats though.