Posts Tagged ‘Black Bears’

Sunday, May 16, 2021

The Bear Dance: A Three Part Camp Adventure

American black bearPart I :  Bear Essentials

Wednesday, July 11, 2018, 3:30 pm-  My cell phone rang.   It was my brother Ray, calling from the lean to on Bull Rush Bay.

“Hey- I’m in camp for the day.   Pepper’s with me. Two food bins are missing from the lean to and  the Yeti is tipped over.”

We ran down the list of potential culprits- vandals, raccoons, bears.  Missing food bins didn’t fit any known raccoon MO. It would have taken Racczilla to tip over that Yeti.  Scratch raccoons.  That left two suspects- vandals, or bears.

I said “Vandals would have stolen the Yeti, and the beer.  Bears leave drag marks.  Be careful, especially with that pup!  Keep your eyes peeled for drag marks. Call me back.”

3:42 pm.  My phone rang again.

» Continue Reading.


Tuesday, March 23, 2021

Pack up that birdseed, as bears are coming out of hibernation

black bearPublic Encouraged to Remove Birdfeeders, Feed Pets Indoors
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) reminds New Yorkers to avoid conflicts with bears by taking down bird feeders and securing garbage.

DEC has already received a few reports of bear sightings across the state. As bears emerge from their dens, they use their sensitive noses to find food. Human-related food sources such as bird feeders, pet food, and garbage can attract bears and lead to potential conflicts. Feeding bears either intentionally, which is illegal, or unintentionally through careless property management, has consequences for entire communities, as well as the bears themselves.

» Continue Reading.


Saturday, September 5, 2020

Weekend read: black bears

black bearBear stories. We all have them and often enjoy telling them.

This week, there was plenty of bear activity in the news. Take the viral video from Indian Lake. And we posted a story by Tim Rowland about a search party in Old Forge that was launched to locate a missing teen. When she was found right away, she told the rescue team that she encountered an angry mama bear and cubs while jogging and in her efforts to put some distance between them, the teen ran up a tree and spent the night in the tree.

Which prompted some questions, including “What’s the best way to handle bear encounters?” You can read that one and weigh in here.  Tell us your best bear story, too, in the comments here or email me at [email protected].

» Continue Reading.


Tuesday, September 1, 2020

Scare from a bear: When does a charge becomes a chase?

Missing Old Forge teen claims she was chased by bear, spent night in tree

The weighty canon of Adirondack bear lore grew a little thicker recently, when an Old Forge athlete put her running shoes to good use to scamper out of the path of a momma bear intent on protecting her cubs.

According to the NYS Department of Environmental Conservation, a 19-year-old woman later identified by state police as Rachel Smith, set out on a five-mile run on Big Otter Trail in the HaDaRonDah Wilderness Area on the evening of Aug. 18 and did not return.

What happened next is sure to be retold many times in a region that values its bear culture — from the famed Bear Fight Up in Keene to the hiker whose camp was ripped apart because his lunch included a salmon sandwich.

» Continue Reading.


Tuesday, July 14, 2020

The cycle of killing habituated bears continues

black bearSeveral campsites and lean-tos were temporarily closed in the High Peaks Wilderness on July 5 due to an aggressive black bear that had been roaming the area looking for human food.

A day later the state Department of Environmental Conservation captured and later killed the animal.

As DEC officials have often said to me in these situations, “A fed bear is a dead bear.”

What does that mean? It means if a bear gets food from humans too many times, it will get habituated to the food. The bear will then continue to seek out food from campers, especially when natural food sources aren’t available such as during dry years. In some cases, the bear will then get too close to people and be considered dangerous. In these situations, bears don’t win. Instead, they are killed.

» Continue Reading.


Friday, June 19, 2020

DEC Issues Guidance to Reduce Bear Conflicts

In June, black bear movement increases as the breeding season begins and yearling (one-year-old) bears disperse to find their own space. Inevitably some of these bears, particularly yearlings, wander through places these animals would not normally inhabit, like suburban or urban neighborhoods.

Bears have an acute sense of smell and may attempt to consume anything they perceive as edible, including improperly stored garbage, birdseed, livestock, pet food, and barbecue grill grease traps. Once a bear has discovered a food source, it may return or seek similar foods at neighboring properties, learning bad behavior that can damage human property and may lead to the death of the bear.

» Continue Reading.


Sunday, March 22, 2020

Preparing for Black Bears in Spring

black bearIt’s not too early for New York homeowners to think about bear-proofing their properties. While most of our bears are still in their dens, the mild winter weather has allowed some of them to stay on foot searching for food. » Continue Reading.


Monday, February 17, 2020

DEC Announces 2019 Bear Hunting Stats

black bearNew York State bear hunters took 1,505 black bears during the 2019 hunting seasons, the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation is reporting.

Hunters took a record 1,179 bears in the Southern Zone, while hunters in the Northern Zone took only 326 bears, the fewest since 2011.

» Continue Reading.


Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Early Bear Hunting Seasons Opening

black bearBlack bear hunting seasons open this weekend in the southeastern part of the state and next weekend in the North Country.

In northern New York, the early bear season runs from Sept. 14 to Oct. 18 in WMUs 5A, 5C, 5F, 5G, 5H, 5J, 6C, 6F, 6H, and 6J. Bowhunting season for bears also begins on Sept. 14, in the other Northern Zone units (WMUs 6A, 6G, 6K, and 6N). Muzzleloader season then opens in all northern WMUs on Oct. 19, followed by the regular firearms season for bears on Oct. 26.

» Continue Reading.


Thursday, August 8, 2019

Injured Bear Cub Rescued Along Route 3

tranquilized bear cub courtesy DECAccording to a press release issued by DEC, on July 28th, a motorist called DEC to report that he had struck a bear cub on Route 3 in the town of Franklin.

ECO James Cranker reported that he responded and located the cub in a tree alongside the busy highway. The cub seemed dazed and was favoring an injured front leg. ECO Cranker said he followed the bear a short distance into the woods, while being alert for the presence of an adult bear in the vicinity. » Continue Reading.


Thursday, August 1, 2019

Viewpoint: Respect Adirondack Wildlife

2013 at Limekiln Lake paddlers disturb nesting loonsI have been fortunate to see a moose on four different occasions since I’ve moved to the Adirondacks. I’ve only seen one bald eagle. My family jokes that I’m a bald eagle repellent as they seem to see bald eagles as frequently as I see squirrels.  That said, if my children tell me there is a bald eagle over the nearby river, if possible, I am in my car hoping to catch a glimpse. I’m in awe of the wildlife experiences I have and am grateful for each one.

I bring my camera everywhere and certainly appreciate anyone else who wants to witness one of the many wonderful wildlife residents of the Adirondack Park. I don’t appreciate when people start treating Adirondack wildlife as if they were zoo animals. » Continue Reading.


Saturday, July 13, 2019

Tips For Keeping Bears Out Of Your Stuff

black bearNew York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has issued guidance to reduce the potential for human-bear conflicts.

Conflicts between people and bears typically increase in summer months due to the dispersal of young bears from family groups, the onset of the breeding season, and a lull in natural food availability prior to the ripening of local berries and other natural food sources.

These conditions occasionally cause bears to travel through unfamiliar areas. Bears will take advantage of anything they consider a food source as they travel, adding to the potential for conflict. The most common attractants are poorly stored garbage, bird feeders, messy grills, and pet food left outdoors. Once a bear finds these foods, it will often continue to return to the area in hopes of finding the same food again. » Continue Reading.


Wednesday, March 27, 2019

Remove Bird Feeders, Don’t Attract Bears

black bear The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) has reminded New Yorkers to take steps to prevent bears from easily accessing food sources like bird feeders and garbage.

Due to poor natural food availability last fall, many black bears went into their dens with low fat reserves. As they begin to emerge from winter dens, they have already begun seeking out food sources around homes. » Continue Reading.


Thursday, October 4, 2018

Bear Poaching Case In Clinton County

According to a press release issued by the Department of Environmental Conservation, on September 24, DEC’s Dispatch Center received a tip from a concerned citizen regarding an individual that had shot multiple bears during the early bear hunting season.

The caller reported that a sow and her two cubs were killed on September 22nd. The case was assigned to ECO Chris Lagree, who reported that the bears were taken illegally less than a mile from his own residence. ECO Lagree interviewed the suspect at his home in Plattsburgh, at which time Lagree says the suspect admitted to taking the sow and cubs in addition to another bear, and to having shot the bears over a bait pile. » Continue Reading.


Friday, September 7, 2018

Lake George Bear Activity Prompts DEC Enforcement Warning

black bearWhat follows is a notice from the NYSDEC:

Due to number of residents still feeding birds and failing to secure their garbage, and the amount of nuisance bear activity in the Town of Lake George, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is shifting from an educational mode to an enforcement mode.

Residences with bird feeders and other bear attractants will be given a written warning. If they fail to heed the warning they will be issued a ticket that could result in a maximum penalty of $250 fine and 15 days in jail. » Continue Reading.



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