-
ODT Gun Show & Swap Meet - May 4, 2024! - Click here for info
Question for those who live around bears
- Thread starter CardsFan
- Start date
We have bears coming through the property quite often. We do not feed bears, no bird feeders, no pet food, garbage secure in locked barn. I wouldn’t say we ignore them, however not overly concerned, just use common sense. Don't get near cubs or between sow and her cubs. If one starts acting aggressively then back away slowly, never run from a bear. Our grandchildren live next door, they are always escorted by an adult when going back and forth between houses. In 3 years up here only had 2 act aggressively. Game warden gave me some 12 gauge shells loaded with rubber pellets. He said to shoot an aggressive bear in the rear end and usually they will get the message to stay away. However, if they continue to come around acting aggressively then they will trap and relocate or euthanize.
Attachments
Sometimes walk up on them in the woods, they look at me then go back to whatever they were doing. Except the time it was a sow with three cubs, she bounced up and down on her front feet until I backed off, but never started toward me.
We deal with them nightly it seems. I have lived here full time for 11 years now and have seen more bears in the last 7 years than in the entire 50 years we've been summering here. It wasn't until about 10 years ago we saw the first bear. I have had to defend my dog against an aggressive bear a few years ago after it went after her. They are more a nuisance than anything. Getting into garbage and getting the dogs upset. We did have a rather aggressive bear at my sister's house next door about 2 years ago. He was coming around during the day to eat the feed she sets out for the over abundant squirrel's she's lured in. This bear was about 30 feet from us and started walking directly at us, I fired two warning shots in front of him at 15 feet, thankfully he turned and ran. However, not far. He simply went around her house while I went to retrieve my shot gun and rubber buck shot. Before I could get back over there, he was starting up her porch stairs, she again fired in front of him and this time he hauled butt.
That is the closest near physical encounter we have had, except for the one that went after my dog one night. I don't let my kids play in the woods alone.
That is the closest near physical encounter we have had, except for the one that went after my dog one night. I don't let my kids play in the woods alone.
I saw the record that was set a few years ago. Over 500 lbs. It was huge. That picture does not do it justice.
This is why I have steel plated armored trash cans.
Really great info everyone - much appreciated.
Well, we may have been a bit too concerned about the guy working in his yard, but as he said, "we live with the bears".
We'll know to just let it be next time, unless it's a small kid in close proximity. Or the bear is foaming at the mouth.
My wife loves bears, so we go up to Cades Cove at least a 20 times a year. And while I also enjoy seeing them, my main motivation those weekends is to just freakin' drive my truck. I work from home and am cooped up in the house all week, and I'm ready for a road trip most weekends if I don't have to work.
And yes, the few times we've been caught in the open on foot with a bear around, we just slowly back away. Only had one bluff charge us when on foot on Rich Mountain Rd up in Cades. Side note - I can't wait until they finish repaving Foothills Parkway off Tail of the Dragon. It beats the hell out of driving I-75 to Maryville.
As some have pointed out, they must like pets. I have noticed on Highway 52 a couple of times this year, when we see a bear and pull over for my wife to shoot video, they make quick time across the highway. When our pup starts barking at them though, several have stopped and started walking towards us. I doubt that's coincidence.
For you folks off Hiway 52, if you see a ruby red Ford F-150 driving slowly through your neighborhood, it's not a new "white" crime wave, it's just an older couple looking for bears.
Well, we may have been a bit too concerned about the guy working in his yard, but as he said, "we live with the bears".
We'll know to just let it be next time, unless it's a small kid in close proximity. Or the bear is foaming at the mouth.My wife loves bears, so we go up to Cades Cove at least a 20 times a year. And while I also enjoy seeing them, my main motivation those weekends is to just freakin' drive my truck. I work from home and am cooped up in the house all week, and I'm ready for a road trip most weekends if I don't have to work.
And yes, the few times we've been caught in the open on foot with a bear around, we just slowly back away. Only had one bluff charge us when on foot on Rich Mountain Rd up in Cades. Side note - I can't wait until they finish repaving Foothills Parkway off Tail of the Dragon. It beats the hell out of driving I-75 to Maryville.
As some have pointed out, they must like pets. I have noticed on Highway 52 a couple of times this year, when we see a bear and pull over for my wife to shoot video, they make quick time across the highway. When our pup starts barking at them though, several have stopped and started walking towards us. I doubt that's coincidence.
For you folks off Hiway 52, if you see a ruby red Ford F-150 driving slowly through your neighborhood, it's not a new "white" crime wave, it's just an older couple looking for bears.
Just big knuckleheads that get in anything that grabs their curiosity. Doesn't have to be food, LOL ! Had one eat the seat off a brand new King Quad one night. We saw a big boy standing upright browsing the low branches the other day. Looked like a black VW he was so big!
Wise move. My friend up in Big Canoe stepped out of his garage and heard some wrestling to the right of him. He looked over and he saw a couple of cute little scrubby Cubs playing in the leaf litter. He stood there for about 50 seconds and just checked them out but then got alarmed that there must be a mother around somewhere. He heard a snort and he said he froze. He slowly looked around behind him and there was the mother. He had inadvertently walked between the mother and cubs just walking out of his garage to get some air and he said he was so scared he almost messed himself. He then backed into the garage real slow and got back inside the house. This was in his front yard righ ft out of the garage. He said neither the Cubs or the mama looked concerned about it but that wasn't the case for him he damn near pissed his pants. He's got a few stories like that where the Bears coming to his yard while he's out tending his trees and stuff and they just don't pay him any attention. Kind of like the deer when they're cutting grass as long as you don't get too close they don't pay any mind to you. Of course this he has told me over the years. I think he has a few wild stories since he moved there which I think has been since the late 90's
DNR picked up 2 dead beard recently in our subdivision. Waiting on report as to what caused their demise. Several years ago a neighbor put rat poison out and a female bear and the cubs she was nursing died as a result of ingesting the poison. I don't know if she ate a dead rodent or the poison.
