Bear in camp

[TBark]

The wife and I were at the campfire at 9 pm last night after the hunt.
The fire pit is about 10 yards from our trailer.
We sat having a sip with our backs to the trailer when I hear a rustle of leaves. I turn towards the trailer and with the light of the fire, 6 yards away, I see a bear, "bear" I yell, and I jump up leaving the wife in her chair, ha.
This was a young bear, not aggressive at all, and likely been in camp before.
So we circled the truck and made our way to the trailer and I get the rifle.
The bear is now where we were, at the fire pit. We're yelling at it to go, but he was just grubbing around. We weren't eating, nor was there any garbage around so we were a bit confused. I figured I,d better put a shot into a tree to chase him off. Boom, and off he goes.
5 min later he's back, now I'm thinking I might have to shoot this bear, but I figured one more warning shot, with the wife holding the flashlight I put one a foot from his front feet, and he bolts again, this time we didn't see him again, but have to wonder, why would a bear come so close, and how many chances do I give this bear before I have to shoot him?

TBark

[Littlejet]

Someone had already signed his ticket, before you arrived, by feeding him. As soon as he lost his fear of humans there is only one out come. It pains me that people ruin a young bear by feeding them. There has been some success with rubber bullets re-educating bears but only some. Truely a sad day in the wilderness.:angry3: If he does not learn or get shot he will hurt someone, maybe not this year but it will happen .:scared:

[Jamie Black R/T]

i tend to agree...the bear has already learned humans mean food

the next camp he wanders into most likely wont be so patient with him.

good for you.

[Bearscare]

I hope this helps:

All bears are naturally wary of people and are reluctant to come close to people and human environments. Bears that have repeated contact with people with no negative experience may learn to tolerate people. It’s this tolerance of people that is often referred to as human habituation. Human habituated bears are not necessarily a danger to people and in some instances some degree of human habituation may be beneficial to the bear's coexistence with people. Human/bear conflicts do arise in some instances when the animal learns to associate people with food and this level of habituation is called human food conditioning. A food conditioned animal actively searches for food (usually garbage or other attractants) in areas frequented by people. If the bear has no negative experiences associated with that behavior it may be repeated continuously as long as the animal receives the positive reward of food.
The majority of human/bear conflicts that arise involve an animal that exhibit both types of behavior. The bear is not only human habituated it is human food conditioned.

To prevent an animal from becoming human habituated it is important not to let the animal feel comfortable in or around a human use area such as an camp. For instance, a black bear that has had no previous contact with people will be wary of a camp that was just constructed within its home range and keep its distance. But, as time goes on and the bear becomes accustomed to the strange noises and activities of the camp it may close the boundaries and gradually approach closer as it carries out its daily routine of searching for food. This is the beginning of the bear becoming human habituated. It has no negative experiences to associate with the camp and the bear is starting to learn that the camp poses no threat to it. Eventually, the bear may become habituated to the point where it no longer flees when a vehicle drives by or comes in contact with humans. Now that the bear feels comfortable in or around a human use area its continual search for food may bring it inside the camp where it can find garbage or other human food sources. The bear is now human food conditioned as it associates the human use area with food. If the bear has no negative experiences to associate with its behavior, it will repeat the behavior. Bears or any carnivore that acts on this learned behavior can produce a significant threat to human safety and property.

• Set boundaries for the animal i.e. 400 meters from camp
• Do not let animal encroach on the set boundary
• Use negative experiences to chase the animal away such as bear bangers, a fog horn or herding it with a vehicle
• Ensure the animal cannot access human food sources; obtaining food is a positive experience
• Do not feed wildlife
• Even if there is no immediate perceived threat, do not let the animal feel comfortable around a human use area or people

A "warning shot" is not always effective at deterring a bear. It doesn't know what a gun is, and he doesn't know that the loud noise came from a gun. As far as the bear posing a threat, the threat to human safety, especially with black bears is often over-exagerrated. You did the right thing by exhibiting tolerance and scaring the bear away. Sub-adult black bears of often very persistent and it may take more than one negative experience for them to get the message they aren't welcome in your camp.

[Grizzly Adams]

The wife and I were at the campfire at 9 pm last night after the hunt.
The fire pit is about 10 yards from our trailer.
We sat having a sip with our backs to the trailer when I hear a rustle of leaves. I turn towards the trailer and with the light of the fire, 6 yards away, I see a bear, "bear" I yell, and I jump up leaving the wife in her chair, ha.
This was a young bear, not aggressive at all, and likely been in camp before.
So we circled the truck and made our way to the trailer and I get the rifle.
The bear is now where we were, at the fire pit. We're yelling at it to go, but he was just grubbing around. We weren't eating, nor was there any garbage around so we were a bit confused. I figured I,d better put a shot into a tree to chase him off. Boom, and off he goes.
5 min later he's back, now I'm thinking I might have to shoot this bear, but I figured one more warning shot, with the wife holding the flashlight I put one a foot from his front feet, and he bolts again, this time we didn't see him again, but have to wonder, why would a bear come so close, and how many chances do I give this bear before I have to shoot him?

TBark

On chance too many. Next person he encounters might not be so fortunate.

Grizz

[greylynx]

On chance too many. Next person he encounters might not be so fortunate.

Grizz

Yogi will become a triple S non-statistic in the great ecology biology model.

[TreeGuy]

On chance too many. Next person he encounters might not be so fortunate.

Grizz

X2!

[.270fan]

Yogi will become a triple S non-statistic in the great ecology biology model.

Yup...especially after that guy was charged a year or two ago for shooting a grizz that had been into his camp 2x....

[moosemad]

May not be what you had around to attract him, may be what the last guy left there. :snapoutofit:

[Bearscare]

I don't get it. Why would you shoot a bear for wandering through your camp? That's where he lives, you're in his back yard. Instead, if you're that afraid of him, why not go into your trailer or lock yourself in the truck until he leaves.

I fully support someone shooting a bear to protect themselves or someone else, but why shoot him because he's doing what bears do....look for food. Just because he is showing some level of habituation doesn't make him a candidate for destruction.

[Frans]

Yup...especially after that guy was charged a year or two ago for shooting a grizz that had been into his camp 2x....

A black bear tag is not that expensive and a good insurance premium for situations like this.

Assuming you're in an area where you could actually shoot/hunt...

[canadagrown]

I don't get it. Why would you shoot a bear for wandering through your camp? That's where he lives, you're in his back yard. Instead, if you're that afraid of him, why not go into your trailer or lock yourself in the truck until he leaves.

I fully support someone shooting a bear to protect themselves or someone else, but why shoot him because he's doing what bears do....look for food. Just because he is showing some level of habituation doesn't make him a candidate for destruction.

He didn't shoot it. In my opinion tbarks reaction was perfect. Better to scare the bear off than to let him think it's ok to approach humans.

[Bearscare]

I know he didn't shoot it and I applaud his reaction to the situation. My comment was commenting on the mentality of shooting a bear just because he wandered into your camp. Tbark absolutely did the right thing.

[High_N_Wide]

TBark,

If you were up the Peace Region. I was up there for archery opener I noticed that there were no berries, and crops were poor because of no rain. I'm sure this has something to do with all the close encounters with bears people have had this year.

With the decreased amount of food available, I believe they are looking at other food sources to get that fall calorie intake.

With that said, sounds like you did the right thing. Depending on how curious this guy get though, he may have to take some lead!

Trev

[jaylow?]

you should have shot it and not worried about it. the next camp he WILL go into may not have a rifle or shotgun and things may end different then many here seem to think.

[Okotokian]

He didn't shoot it. In my opinion tbarks reaction was perfect. Better to scare the bear off than to let him think it's ok to approach humans.

I agree. TBark acted very humanely. Too bad he (or someone before him) didn't have some bearspray. That might have raised the "unpleasant consequences" bar for the young bear up a notch.

I also carry a general black bear tag. I never intend to use it unless the situation is pushed to the limit and I have no other choice. It's more just to avoid court time with SRD if it ever comes to that. If it's a griz I'm screwed. LOL

[CY Pincher]

you should have shot it and not worried about it. the next camp he WILL go into may not have a rifle or shotgun and things may end different then many here seem to think.

Why shoot him? What do you think he'll do the next time he goes into someone's camp. You have more of a chance of being attacked by a dog than a bear, especially a black bear. The next time you see a Rottweiler or Pit Bull are you going to shoot him because you think he may attack you?

[jaylow?]

Why shoot him? What do you think he'll do the next time he goes into someone's camp. You have more of a chance of being attacked by a dog than a bear, especially a black bear. The next time you see a Rottweiler or Pit Bull are you going to shoot him because you think he may attack you?

awwwww! thats cute. im not too worried about being attacked by wild rottweilers or pitbulls , (have raised a few now) but anyone who has actually put there time in the bush knows what bears can and will do. we have shot a couple problem bears up in the six lakes area . one that tore through a tent in the evening . luckily nobody in it. and one that stocked us on a moose hunt . so you grab your cute little bear bells and smoke your pot hippie. ill put a 260 gr .444 in his shoulder . no tears here.

[TBark]

Hopefully humans mean a pop of a gun in front him, and not food.
I made the decision not to kill him this time.
If he comes into some other camp in the future, and I hope not, they can decide to put him down if they choose.

TBark

[CY Pincher]

awwwww! thats cute. im not too worried about being attacked by wild rottweilers or pitbulls , (have raised a few now) but anyone who has actually put there time in the bush knows what bears can and will do. we have shot a couple problem bears up in the six lakes area . one that tore through a tent in the evening . luckily nobody in it. and one that stocked us on a moose hunt . so you grab your cute little bear bells and smoke your pot hippie. ill put a 260 gr .444 in his shoulder . no tears here.

It's that mentality that gives hunters a bad name. If you opened your mind up and made an educated decision (maybe you should learn how to spell stalked) you would know that problem bears rarely attack and eat humans. There have only been 2 fatal predatory attacks in Alberta by Black Bears since 1980. That's 30 years. Predatory attacks tend to involve a bear that has very little history with people in a truly wild type of environment. Beside I don't think any bear with self-respect would eat someone as yourself anyway.

This forum has a lot of good information but too many narrow-minded rednecks. If this is the impression you give to the rest of Canada its no wonder why the anti-gun lobbyists are winning.

One more thing Ms. Lopez, don't bother responding because I'm done with this forum.

[Sneeze]

This forum has a lot of good information but too many narrow-minded rednecks. If this is the impression you give to the rest of Canada its no wonder why the anti-gun lobbyists are winning.

One more thing Ms. Lopez, don't bother responding because I'm done with this forum



Don't let the door hit you in the butt.:wave:

[baz]

Hey Tbark,
Perfect response in that situation, you took the high road but were prepared to do what the moment required. People tend to generalize but unless you are there it's easy to naysay. Bet the blood pressure spiked though, good times. Thanks for the tale.
Baz

[Okotokian]

One more thing Ms. Lopez, don't bother responding because I'm done with this forum.

Gee, that's unfortunate. I was sort of looking forward to having someone new draw fire from me and Roadkill LOL!

[jaylow?]

It's that mentality that gives hunters a bad name. If you opened your mind up and made an educated decision (maybe you should learn how to spell stalked) you would know that problem bears rarely attack and eat humans. There have only been 2 fatal predatory attacks in Alberta by Black Bears since 1980. That's 30 years. Predatory attacks tend to involve a bear that has very little history with people in a truly wild type of environment. Beside I don't think any bear with self-respect would eat someone as yourself anyway.

This forum has a lot of good information but too many narrow-minded rednecks. If this is the impression you give to the rest of Canada its no wonder why the anti-gun lobbyists are winning.

One more thing Ms. Lopez, don't bother responding because I'm done with this forum.


was it because i cant spell staaked ....staulkd .....stalked!!! damn me and my redneck spelling. hahaha.

this is pretty quick for a troll. 2 posts and done. right on. :sHa_sarcasticlol:

whos up next? :fighting0030:

[Huntingonthebrain]

Read the thread I posted about the black bear that attacked our tent a couple weeks ago. I think that unless your in the situation you have no opinion on what you 'would' do in the situation! The situation dictates.

[riskytype]

Hi TBark

What Zone were you in. I would hate for this to happen to me and my hunting parner next week when his 5 year old is in tow. Certainly a long shot but im off to 344 Wednesday

Cheers,

Pat