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Bears among us: Too close for comfort?
The Anchorage Daily News ^ | July 6th, 2008 | CRAIG MEDRED

Posted on 07/06/2008 12:00:32 PM PDT by george76

Always there have been the bears in and around Anchorage.

Never before has there been a bear mauling in town.

Not that the horrific attack on 15-year-old mountain biker Petra Davis last weekend came as a shock to those familiar with local bears. A small group of wildlife biologists with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game have been warning for years that something like this could happen ...

Some who have been hiking, running and mountain biking in the park and the adjacent Chugach State Park for decades say they see more bears and more bear sign than ever before.

a growing bear population.

Hillside resident Scott Gorder has seen so many bears in his yard in recent years that he's nervous about leaving his house come summer.

"It's getting absolutely ridiculous,"... "My daughter was walking to the shed one day, and a (black) bear stepped out behind her. I ended up sticking a pitchfork in its butt."

A lifelong resident of the city, Gorder knows that a black bear is no match for an armed man -- even if the man is only armed with a pitchfork. Black bears are fairly easily intimidated. Grizzly bears, on the other hand, are not.

Wildlife biologists would not recommend sticking a grizzly with a pitchfork...

He's found grizzly tracks and what little was left of moose calves they caught.

Since he bought his home in 1990 he's seen the number of bears increase...

"I grew up in town," Gorder said, "but as kids we camped everywhere (on the city's edge). I never saw a bear."

(Excerpt) Read more at adn.com ...


TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events; US: Alaska
KEYWORDS: animalrights; ar; bear; bearmauling; bears; blackbears; grizzly; mauling
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To: mamelukesabre
I did not know black bear lived in alaska.

black, brown, griz and Kodiak.

Grizzlies are super dangerous and have been known to hunt humans down - but the Kodiak is the meanest of the mean. They'll kill ya for the shear fun of it.

21 posted on 07/06/2008 1:34:45 PM PDT by maine-iac7 (No trees were killed in sending this message but a large number of electrons were terrible agitated)
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To: WildcatClan
Teach them to run an oil rig and send them to ANWR.

Or at least put them on security patrol


22 posted on 07/06/2008 1:37:14 PM PDT by maine-iac7 (No trees were killed in sending this message but a large number of electrons were terrible agitated)
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To: marktwain

ping


23 posted on 07/06/2008 1:41:17 PM PDT by riverrunner
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To: george76
We're a lot more dangerous to bears (in the lower 48) than they are to us. Reason being -- we (hyoomans) have an environment that's a lot more appealing to them than their own. Food, water, and other amenities.

It's true - "A fed bear is a dead bear."

When wildlife officers find a nuisance bear young enough to be "negatively conditioned" to stay away from people, trapping and releasing them elsewhere amidst pelting with paintballs or rubber slugs, noise, lights and other scary things, they may have saved the bears' life if it makes a big enough impression.

Where I live we have a 60% summer resident spike from NYC and Albany (I'm in the Berkshires, western MA) and what I see a lot on the job are "summer people" who think feeding wildlife is a kind thing to do. Sigh.

When the bears show up to raid the garbage cans or cat/dog food left out on the deck, everyone stands at the sliding glass doors with their noses pressed up against it, going "Ohhh" and "Ahhh"... and guaranteeing a death sentence for the animals who become less and less wary of people.

And just cause I like this pic --


24 posted on 07/06/2008 1:43:48 PM PDT by Dominnae (This is my opinion, and worth every penny you paid for it.)
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To: maine-iac7

For all you who missed the point. It was federal tax dollars used to dna the bears. John McCain mentioned this at a rally in Greendale WI. It was some obscene dollar amount. Guess funds were included in the farm bill. Not 100% sure. Anybody out there have the answer?


25 posted on 07/06/2008 1:50:54 PM PDT by mouse1
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To: 6SJ7

No ... then they’re hire “sharpshooters” and pay them a $400 a bear bounty rahter than having hunters pay them to do it.


26 posted on 07/06/2008 2:42:23 PM PDT by tcostell (MOLON LABE - http://freenj.blogspot.com - RadioFree NJ)
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To: mamelukesabre

There are polar bears too, in addition to the black bear the grizzly, and the kodiak. (There’s also the Glacier bear and the Kermode bear, but those are just bizarre color phases of the black bear-the glacier’s a grayish or slate blue, the kermode’s a creamy white. I’ve seen pictures of both-they’re gorgeous and very rare. Biologists think their genes are being swamped by those of the normal black or brown phases of the black bear.


27 posted on 07/06/2008 2:53:52 PM PDT by Verloona Ti
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To: maine-iac7

The DOW has been taken over by liberal activists.

They often catch and release bears, lions...just a few miles away.

The bears and lions are back in a few days.


28 posted on 07/06/2008 2:58:54 PM PDT by george76 (Ward Churchill : Fake Indian, Fake Scholarship, and Fake Art)
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To: george76

Here in Wis they live trap bears move them 50 miles away and they are back in a few days. A couple of miles would take them min. to get back.


29 posted on 07/06/2008 3:04:45 PM PDT by riverrunner
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To: Dominnae

That's one tough kitty...

I lived in the Berkshires for many years - Love it. I think of it as my second home.....Wachona Falls and the Clark Art Institute are my favorite haunts...

30 posted on 07/06/2008 3:11:23 PM PDT by maine-iac7 (No trees were killed in sending this message but a large number of electrons were terrible agitated)
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To: riverrunner

Recently, the DOW in Boulder caught a mountain lion next to an elementary school.

It is likely back by now.


31 posted on 07/06/2008 3:40:37 PM PDT by george76 (Ward Churchill : Fake Indian, Fake Scholarship, and Fake Art)
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To: riverrunner

Next thing you know, they'll be taking over the tourist industry.

32 posted on 07/06/2008 5:37:30 PM PDT by BerryDingle (I know how to deal with communists, I still wear their scars on my back from Hollywood-Ronald Reagan)
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To: george76
Black bears are fairly easily intimidated.

Okay but what happens if your particular black bear hasn't gotten the message? While not as big as a grizzly nor as heavily armed, a black bear is perfectly capable of inflicting enough damage on you to keep a team of emergency-room surgeons busy patching you up. Fatalities in black bear attacks are not unknown.

Personally, I would treat ANY bear with a lot of respect.

33 posted on 07/07/2008 12:10:33 PM PDT by CommerceComet
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To: CommerceComet

“Personally, I would treat ANY bear with a lot of respect. “....

We just got back from Yellowstone a few weeks ago invading the bears space. I can’t tell you how many stupid tourists were actually running thru the fields with thier camera’s to get a better shot.
We saw at least 9 or 10 different bear and on 3 occasions we saw chasers.
I’m mister paranoid and my kids and wife stayed close to me so that I had a chance since I can outrun all 3. :)


34 posted on 07/07/2008 12:55:53 PM PDT by oust the louse (Terrorists are salivating over an Obama White House.)
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To: george76
Not posted yet...one of my favorite jokes:

Bear Advisory

The Forest Service has issued a BEAR WARNING in the national forests for this summer. They're urging everyone to protect themselves by wearing bells and carrying pepper spray.

Campers should be alert for signs of fresh bear activity, and they should be able to tell the difference between Black Bear dung and Grizzy Bear dung.

Black Bear dung is rather small and round. Sometimes you can see fruit seeds and/or squirrel fur in it.

Grizzly Bear dung has bells in it, and smells like pepper spray!

35 posted on 07/07/2008 1:10:51 PM PDT by Night Hides Not (John McCain is Lucy, McCainiacs are Charlie Brown, and the football is a secure border.)
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To: Night Hides Not

I like the bear joke that ends, “Admit it, Frank; you’re not coming here for the hunting, are you?”


36 posted on 07/07/2008 3:49:40 PM PDT by Verloona Ti
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To: Verloona Ti
I like the bear joke that ends, “Admit it, Frank; you’re not coming here for the hunting, are you?”

LOL now you have to tell it

37 posted on 07/07/2008 3:59:27 PM PDT by ninonitti
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To: ninonitti
Just remember-you asked for it! :-D

Frank was excited about his new rifle. So, he went bear hunting. He spotted a small brown bear and shot it. There was then a tap on his shoulder and he turned round to see a big black bear. The black bear said "You've got two choices, I either maul you to death or we have sex." Frank decided to bend over.

Even though he felt sore for two weeks, Frank soon recovered and vowed revenge. He headed out on another trip where he found the black bear and shot it. There was another tap on his shoulder. This time a huge grizzly bear stood right next to him. The grizzly said "That was a huge mistake, Frank. You've got two choices. Either I maul you to death or we'll have rough sex." Again, Frank thought it was better to comply.

Although he survived, it would take several months before Frank finally recovered. Outraged he headed back to the woods, managed to track down the grizzly and shot it. He felt sweet revenge, but then there was a tap on his shoulder. He turned round to find a giant polar bear standing there. The polar bear said "Admit it, Frank, you don't come here for the hunting, do you?"

38 posted on 07/07/2008 4:07:02 PM PDT by Verloona Ti
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To: george76

You forgot Kalifornia!

Damn bears are driving me nuts!


39 posted on 07/07/2008 4:22:33 PM PDT by Randy Larsen (Arrogance IS my virtue!)
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To: Verloona Ti

LOL I’d heard it. I was just too lazy to tell it.....thanks


40 posted on 07/07/2008 4:37:40 PM PDT by ninonitti
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