Bear!

[NickW]

So yesterday evening at dusk I wandered down our trail to the water because I was tired of sanding drywall and hadn't been down there in a few days. Got to the end of the second boardwalk which is near the shoreline and saw some movement and heard some noise. Thought it was a bird of some sort at first until I saw a bear trying to get into one of the wood duck houses. Looked like it was doing chin ups almost. Wood duck house stayed up, so I guess I did a decent job of building it. Betting there's eggs in it that the bear smelled. Got video but it's too big to attach. It was really cool!

 

[begreen]

A friend posted an video of a police officer in my old home town in CT, shining a light into a car. Inside there was a full sized bear in the passenger seat! Eventually the Wildlife ranger and crew got it out, but the car was wrecked. A friend who lives in the next town just complained that a bear just yanked down her hummingbird feeders on the porch.

 

[NickW]

I wouldn't want to experience that. We are very bear conscious. All bird feeders unable to be reached without a ladder, NOT on the side of a tree or pole. We like to occasionally see one but not have them become habituated or associate us with food. No food, coolers, garbage left out. This is our 13th year with the property and have seen bears only 4 or 5 times. We know they are around from sign (along with bobcat and other critters), but actually seeing them is pretty rare. The only fairly common sightings are deer, eagles, pileated woodpeckers and such.

 

[VintageGal]

I've seen little Chihuahuas tree a bear ... The dogs do a good job of making noise that the bears can't stand lol

 

[stoveliker]

Then I guess I'm a bear

 

[marty319]

The bears are around my area quite often as people constantly leaving garbage around couple of days before pickup.

 

[snobuilder]

So yesterday evening at dusk I wandered down our trail to the water because I was tired of sanding drywall and hadn't been down there in a few days. Got to the end of the second boardwalk which is near the shoreline and saw some movement and heard some noise. Thought it was a bird of some sort at first until I saw a bear trying to get into one of the wood duck houses. Looked like it was doing chin ups almost. Wood duck house stayed up, so I guess I did a decent job of building it. Betting there's eggs in it that the bear smelled. Got video but it's too big to attach. It was really cool!

I see you have your location as SE Wisco? I assume you were at your "upnort" home to see bear?

On another note, I live in SE WI and saw my first wood duck ever in this area right out my window perched in a tree over the creek.....I'm not a duck hunter, so maybe more common than I know? But I got to thinking about building a duck house myself.

 

[NickW]

I see you have your location as SE Wisco? I assume you were at your "upnort" home?

Yes

 

[PaulOinMA]

There was a depression between my house a neighbor's in NJ. Would remain wet into t spring.

Muddy bear tracks one morning across my driveway and up my backyard wall.

I was president of a wildlife refuge in NJ that is the sole bear rehabilitation facility in the state.

 

[kennyp2339]

Bears are pretty cool animals, unfortunately for my area, there is a over population of them and management became a political hot button issue.
Pretty cool animals to watch from a far, but its not very welcoming when your outside in your yard and watch 4 of them trying to break into your neighbors closed garage to get the garbage inside, or when you watch a younger male stalk you in the yard, purposely walking through the wood line to flank you while you try to garden (happened to me)

 

[marty319]

Here every night

 

[NickW]

Here every night

That looks like a big feller!

 

[marty319]

That looks like a big feller!

That's the 2 cubs

 

[NickW]

That's the 2 cubs

🤣. I didn't hit play, just saw the picture. Last years cubs, which is what I have hanging around too. Those look bigger than mine though...

 

[marty319]

My friend was back again last night.

 

[NickW]

I had a night a week or two after the OP where I was burning down the coals on the campfire and it came through the tree's towards me until I shone my brim light on him. He stopped, moved back and forth, took off up a tree and looked at me. Then he jumped off the tree and ran off huffing... He's been using our trails as his toilet pretty regularly. Neighbor said to scoop it off and pee on the spot because they don't like ammonia.

 

[marty319]

He left me 2 shovels full of poo

 

[tadmaz]

Down in SE WI (Erin) there was a bear sighting. Extremely rare down here.

 

[NickW]

Down in SE WI (Erin) there was a bear sighting. Extremely rare down here.

Yes, Oconomowoc and Hartford area. We have a camping trip at Ottowa Lake near Oconomowoc next weekend. Hopefully no big 4 legged critters visiting...

 

[begreen]

I have seen multiple reports from friends in the NW corner of CT reporting bears in their yards this year.

 

[Grizzerbear]

I was bow hunting one evening about 4-5 years ago when I saw my first bear here in missouri. The conservation department has been reintroducing them the last ten years or so. You can see the radio collar and ear tags on this one. Long story short I about messed my britches because this bear walked right next to the base of the tree I was in and i thought it was going to climb up my tree lol. Luckily it walked past and climbed a tree about 20 yards away to eat some post oak acorns.




Fast forward to last year and I seen these two several times.



This was at my dads when we realized the trash can would be a problem. He has a 55 gallon drum with a latch on the lid now.


We see them pretty regular around spring every year. The conservation legalized a season on them last year but I don't think I want to hunt them. I just enjoy seeing them. It's kinda odd really when you grow up without an animal that was native to your area before settlers killed them out and then all of a sudden you have to learn to live with them. I enjoy seeing them though.