do you know?

[fat cat]

Black bear baiting areas are soon to be shut down????

[Pudelpointer]

Is that a question or a statement? I would assume that because you added a few question marks you are asking.

I believe SRD announced they will be not allow baiting anymore in a few (less than 6 IIRC) in a couple of 300-zone units due to the increased presence of grizzlies.

[The Fisherman Guy]

I heard the same as PudelPointer, that a few of the 300's would be shut down to baiting, namely 320, due to an increased Grizzly population.

But to cast a broad line and say that they will all be shut down.... Fat Cat - This is Alberta. Ralph Bucks...Oil...and Freedom. Unless our Grizzly populations explode, baiting for Black Bears will be here for a while.

[walking buffalo]

I heard baiting will be shut down on June 1 or July 16 in parts of some wmu's.


Regarding the Expanding Grizzly Bear population and Baiting for Black Bears,

This is why we need people to report their Grizzly sightings to the Bear Survey.


2011 Alberta Grizzly Bear Sightings and Survey

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=89587

[fat cat]

No. Walking Buffalo...this is why we don't need to tell everyone about the elusive Grizzly Bear. I have had a bait since baiting first started and now they are going to shut it down, because some "Have to Bragg" Idiots had a Grizzly walk through there's . If the SRD is going to rely on the talk of us then, they arn't going to do a count. That being said, Grizzly's frequent probably every square inch of Alberta.......So if you shut me down...then you better shut everyone else down.So now all you Open a G-bear season dreamers...better get on your knees and start praying for a season.

[walking buffalo]

Originally Posted by fat cat

No. Walking Buffalo...this is why we don't need to tell everyone about the elusive Grizzly Bear. I have had a bait since baiting first started and now they are going to shut it down, because some "Have to Bragg" Idiots had a Grizzly walk through there's . If the SRD is going to rely on the talk of us then, they arn't going to do a count. That being said, Grizzly's frequent probably every square inch of Alberta.......So if you shut me down...then you better shut everyone else down.So now all you Open a G-bear season dreamers...better get on your knees and start praying for a season.

The survey isn't about opening a G Bear hunt. It's about proving there is a healthy population of G bears. This proof will allow the G bears to be de-listed from Species at Risk status. Relaxed conservation concerns for G bears will keep Black bear baiting open in G bear ranges.

It's too bad you don't seem to understand this. Your advice to ignore this direction in getting a more complete G bear population Census does not help keep Black bear baiting open.

[fat cat]

First off, the new term G-bear, makes me sick. they are Grizzly bears. second do you have any proff that the SRD will reconize your count? If so why haven't they raised their numbers already? The only thing your survey is doing is marking the spots for closing Blak bear baiting.
I will however use your info to help these other areas get closed if they shut down 526. this is a great help. thanks

[fat cat]

Come on all you grizzly hunters? what do you have to say?

[whitetailhntr]

Originally Posted by fat cat

Come on all you grizzly hunters? what do you have to say?

All I have to say is that you don't have a clue....Your tinfoil hat is on a little tight.

[alberta cats]

Originally Posted by fat cat

No. Walking Buffalo...this is why we don't need to tell everyone about the elusive Grizzly Bear. I have had a bait since baiting first started and now they are going to shut it down, because some "Have to Bragg" Idiots had a Grizzly walk through there's . If the SRD is going to rely on the talk of us then, they arn't going to do a count. That being said, Grizzly's frequent probably every square inch of Alberta.......So if you shut me down...then you better shut everyone else down.So now all you Open a G-bear season dreamers...better get on your knees and start praying for a season.

I agree fat cat they will never recognize the fact that there are too many bears and helping them find all these G- bears. is your 100% right use it to shut down baiting and even access to crown land if they want to. the only way things might change is if they figure out how many there are by themselves. they will never take help from the public (outdoorsmen) for the fear of looking wronng to the public. its a pain but its just how goverment operations work (fish and wildlife searvices)

[fat cat]

Nice: whitailhunter: but my tinfoil hat ain't on that tight. If you want to expand this some more, than let's do it. All I'm looking for, is some reconision of what's coming up. The SRD has recommened shutting down areas of 526 because of Grizzzy bear habitate, and encounters. So that being said I guess I have a tight tinfoil hat on. But if you want to adjust it... I'm in Olds..staying at the Ramada... name Darrell baird ..room 221 ...just call..and I will personaly discuss, and let you adjust my hat.

[chasingtail]

Originally Posted by fat cat

Nice: whitailhunter: but my tinfoil hat ain't on that tight. If you want to expand this some more, than let's do it. All I'm looking for, is some reconision of what's coming up. The SRD has recommened shutting down areas of 526 because of Grizzzy bear habitate, and encounters. So that being said I guess I have a tight tinfoil hat on. But if you want to adjust it... I'm in Olds..staying at the Ramada... name Darrell baird ..room 221 ...just call..and I will personaly discuss, and let you adjust my hat.

Are you the bearpro guy?

[fat cat]

Ya...who are you?

[duffy4]

I believe the main reason they don't want to allow baiting in WMUs where many Grizzlies are present is to protect PEOPLE.

A person coming in to refill bait site or to stay to wait for a bear could end up bumping a Grizz that was visiting the bait.

The grizz could get accustom to associating people with food and be less likely to avoid people afterwards.

Then again a person may shoot the Grizz "in self defence" after it was attracted to their or someone else's bait site.


S.R.D. did not request the "G-Bear sightings survey", it is a private "project".





And I believe that Fat Cat may have the kind of attitude that gets one banned.

[walking buffalo]

Originally Posted by fat cat

do you have any proff that the SRD will reconize your count? If so why haven't they raised their numbers already?

Originally Posted by duffy4

S.R.D. did not request the "G-Bear sightings survey", it is a private "project".

Read the info provided, SRD is a partner of the survey. Preditor Specialist Nathan Webb goes over the sighting data, and he (SRD) determines the Individual G Bear count from the survey.

There are those in the gov. that want a low number of G bears counted, and thare are others in the gov. that want an accurate count. Nathan wants the truth.

[ishootbambi]

Originally Posted by duffy4

And I believe that Fat Cat may have the kind of attitude that gets one banned.

the multiple username alarms are going off for me?

[walking buffalo]

Originally Posted by ishootbambi

the multiple username alarms are going off for me?

Same here...

[catnthehat]

Originally Posted by fat cat

First off, the new term G-bear, makes me sick. they are Grizzly bears. second do you have any proff that the SRD will reconize your count? If so why haven't they raised their numbers already? The only thing your survey is doing is marking the spots for closing Blak bear baiting.
I will however use your info to help these other areas get closed if they shut down 526. this is a great help. thanks

As a matter of record, you were the first person to make a referance to
" G bears" in this thread .
For a person who is very opposed to the term it surprises me that you use it.
Cat

[duffy4]

Originally Posted by walking buffalo

Read the info provided, SRD is a partner of the survey. Preditor Specialist Nathan Webb goes over the sighting data, and he (SRD) determines the Individual G Bear count from the survey.

There are those in the gov. that want a low number of G bears counted, and thare are others in the gov. that want an accurate count. Nathan wants the truth.

It is my understanding that the "Willmore Wilderness Foundation" started up a grizzly sighting survey on its own.

Perhaps SRD is looking at that information presently as additional anecdotal information. I reckon Nate is still a scientist and thus seeks the truth in a scientific manner.

[huntinstuff]

Fat cat is just very straightforward. Very straightforward

Dont confuse his abrupt manner for a lack of knowledge or dedication

Ive known him 40 years. He is a bit like cement. Kinda rough and hard, but try living without it..... Lol

I find a lot of logic in his claim. Dont ever believe that the government doesnt have alternative uses for information we supply. It can be well used, or it can backfire.

[walking buffalo]

Originally Posted by huntinstuff

Fat cat is just very straightforward. Very straightforward

Dont confuse his abrupt manner for a lack of knowledge or dedication

Ive known him 40 years. He is a bit like cement. Kinda rough and hard, but try living without it..... Lol

I find a lot of logic in his claim. Dont ever believe that the government doesnt have alternative uses for information we supply. It can be well used, or it can backfire.

That is why the Willmore Foundation initiated the Grizzly Bear Survey and worked hard to get the Government to validate the results.

It's too bad Fat Cat and others are concerned with the intentions of the Sighting Survey. I can understand the trepidation in trusting the unknown. That is why I keep asking them to fully read all the information provided in the links. I'll try to obtain some further information on the Survey to help alleviate the concerns.

Fat Cat, Give the Willmore Foundation a call, I believe you will become comfortable in what they and SRD's Nathan Webb are doing with the information.

From a link I previously supplied. This should help understand the history and intent of the Survey.

Grizzly Findings
2010 Grizzly Bear Survey Report Synopsis
by Bazil Leonard and Jenn Houlihan

http://www.willmorewilderness.com/ne...r_2011-web.pdf


The Willmore Wilderness Foundation started the Grizzly Bear Survey to help achieve an accurate population census in Alberta. This is the third year that the Foundation has been running the survey. It is sponsored by the Alberta Fish and Game Association (AFGA). Wild Sheep Foundation: Alberta Chapter (WSF), and the Willmore Wilderness Foundation. Because of the partnership, we were able to advertise full-page and full-color ads in every issue of Alberta Bow Hunter’s Association (ABA), Alberta Trapper’s Association (ATA), and the Alberta Fish and Game Association (AFGA). We were able to advertise half-page full-color ads in Alberta Outdoorsmen Magazine. Our advertising campaign has proven to be positive, as we have had many more grizzly bear sightings this year.

Three years ago some of the scientists were reporting as few as thirty bears north of Highway 16. Our staff couldn’t believe this unbelievably low count and wondered what planet the scientists were from. In the Grande Cache area, grizzlies were live-trapped in the school yard at Susa Creek. They were also reported to Fish and Wildlife as being on the Muskeg Co-op, Joachim Enterprises Co-op, and many other local locations. The bears were becoming more brazen and were coming into many of the local outfitter camps. The Foundation decided to “take the bull by the horns” and conduct a survey.

Jenn Houlihan has spent the entire year working on the Grizzly Bear Survey. She works closely with Nate Webb, the Provincial Carnivore Specialist with Alberta Sustainable Resources Development (ASRD). All of Jenn’s data is sent to Nate Webb and placed into the Provincial Database. In an e-mail to Jenn Houlihan dated August 3, 2010, Nate stated “Ultimately, we’ll need to put the Willmore Foundation grizzly bear sightings into this format in order to load it into our system, which then makes the info readily available to all ASRD staff in the entire province. We can do this here in Edmonton, or if you have the time, I can explain to you how you can load your data directly into these files, or transfer it from your database into this one.” Jenn is really excited about working with Nate, and the public will be getting a much more comprehensive grizzly bear census.

The following represents some of the key points that Jenn gathered in the 2010 Grizzly Bear Survey.

The survey to date has calculated five hundred and seventy-five sightings from February to November. We expect one hundred or so more sightings by the end of the reporting period (Dec 31). The reason we do not have all the sightings in from everyone is because most of the outfitters and guides are hunting until the end of November. They usually phone or e-mail their reports in December.

The number of grizzly sightings has doubled compared to last year’s survey. So far eighteen sows have been spotted with triplets, equalling fiftyfour cubs. Thirty-five sows have also been observed with twins, equalling seventy cubs. This data does not include sows with one cub. Momma grizzlies appear to be doing fine.

We have collected a large image database, which can differentiate between bears that have been spotted in the same area. Jenn will be putting together a PowerPoint of all of the 2010 images, which will be shown at our conventions. We will be giving copies of the PowerPoint
CDs to AFGA and WSF to show our appreciation for their sponsorship.

It is interesting to note that bears have been reported as far south as the Montana Border and spotted as far west as the Alberta-British Columbia Border. They have been seen as far north as High Level and as far east as the Whitecourt area. One interesting set of images we have shows grizzly bears walking right through the town of Cranbrook, B.C. One news report detailed how a bear walked right through Canmore, AB— in broad day light.

In October there was a report of a bear disturbing cows in the Dovercourt area north of Caroline. A bear claimed a dead cow as his own. The bear had been seen in that area almost every night. One other bear killed two miniature breeding donkeys on a woman’s property just west of Grande Prairie in May. Officers told her that the bear had been trapped and moved out of Alberta into northern B.C. last year after killing another miniature donkey near Sundre. Grizzlies decided to sample some pigs north of Cochrane in the fall of 2009. I guess they had quite a feed.

There have been reports of grizzly bears charging people in the Sheep Creek area near Mountain Aire Lodge, Willmore Wilderness Park, Edson, and Lethbridge areas. A man was attacked on the Berland Road north of Hinton in June. Luckily his dog distracted the bear long enough so that he could get away with only a bite mark in his boot and a fairly small puncture wound in his foot. We have the official report that was issued by West Fraser Hinton Wood Products on this incident.

In October at Kvass Flats in the Willmore Wilderness Park, an experienced guide/hunter came across a bear that was moving an elk carcass. The bear acted very aggressive towards the man. A week later two hunters were on the flats and they came across what they believed to be a bear’s cache. There were skulls and carcasses where the grizzly had buried them in a pit about six feet in diameter.

Near Hinton there was a report of a man hunting deer in his tree stand. A grizzly bear came sniffing around and caught his scent. The bear took off. About an hour later the man went to have his lunch and a bathroom break. Well instead of climbing down the tree stand he just went off the side of the tree stand—which was probably a smart choice on his part. He looked down and saw this big bear standing below him with its nose at his feet. He quickly started to stomp on his tree stand and yell. The bear dropped down and ran out of sight. The man quickly got off the stand and started walking to his truck about an hour away. He claimed this to be the longest hour of his life.

The survey indicates that there has been an increase of bears showing little fear of humans. It is evident that the bear population is steadily growing.
Bears are adapting to new habitat and prey—donkeys, cows, and pigs and are getting more aggressive towards humans.

More people are participating and are aware of the Willmore Wilderness Grizzly Bear Survey, but we believe that there are many more grizzly sightings that have not been reported to us.

In conclusion, we live in a land where there are both predators and prey. Our ancestors were smart enough to maintain their role as the top predator, but with lack of management, the grizzly has lost his fear of man and is increasingly becoming the dominant predator.

We would like to thank AFGA and Wild Sheep Foundation: Alberta Chapter for their ongoing support. The 2011 Grizzly Bear Survey promises to be better yet—with the support of the public and their sightings

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by fat cat

First off, the new term G-bear, makes me sick. they are Grizzly bears. second do you have any proff that the SRD will reconize your count? If so why haven't they raised their numbers already? The only thing your survey is doing is marking the spots for closing Blak bear baiting.
I will however use your info to help these other areas get closed if they shut down 526. this is a great help. thanks

And why would you want other areas to get shut down?

[fat cat]

Thanks, Huntin, Sorry everyone if I come off a bit harse. I just don't want to lose, what I had for so long. I got a bunch of phone calls over this, and had some good talks with good people. Rather than just shutting down black bear area's Why not make it law to turn over your bait if you have a grizzly come in and SRD can trap hair and record numbers. Give us hunters, the respect, that we are able and willing to help.

[IR_mike]

Originally Posted by fat cat

Thanks, Huntin, Sorry everyone if I come off a bit harse. I just don't want to lose, what I had for so long. I got a bunch of phone calls over this, and had some good talks with good people. Rather than just shutting down black bear area's Why not make it law to turn over your bait if you have a grizzly come in and SRD can trap hair and record numbers. Give us hunters, the respect, that we are able and willing to help.

Great Idea...... well worth putting forward.

A major help in mapping range, distribution, behavior, and population.