Indian Trail critter question (Charlotte, Weddington: houses, neighborhood, wedding)

[nudnk]

Here is a question for Indian Trail dwellers:

We currently live in north west Jersey and will be moving to Indian Trail (Fieldstone Farms to be specific) in August. Up here we have a wide range of pesky critters in our backyard, skunks, racoons, groundhogs, copperheads, and black bears ranging in size from cubs to probably around 600 lbs.
I couldn't care less about the small critters. What I'm really interested in is if there is a black bear infestation like there is around here.
Those bruins are pretty skittish, but menacing none the less. If anyone wants to hear close encounter stories with those big ones, I have several.
My kids are looking forward to being able to sleep in the backyard in a tent, which we won't allow now.
Any worries?

[lovesMountains]

Originally Posted by nudnk

Here is a question for Indian Trail dwellers:

We currently live in north west Jersey and will be moving to Indian Trail (Fieldstone Farms to be specific) in August. Up here we have a wide range of pesky critters in our backyard, skunks, racoons, groundhogs, copperheads, and black bears ranging in size from cubs to probably around 600 lbs.
I couldn't care less about the small critters. What I'm really interested in is if there is a black bear infestation like there is around here.
Those bruins are pretty skittish, but menacing none the less. If anyone wants to hear close encounter stories with those big ones, I have several.
My kids are looking forward to being able to sleep in the backyard in a tent, which we won't allow now.
Any worries?

None from bears whatsoever

[cball75]

I grew up playing on the land where your neighborhood is being built (Broadway Farms is what it used to be) and the biggest thing there were deer. No deer now, but you may have a squirrel or two and a few of the neighbors dogs in your yard. Never seen a bear around here except the teddy kind

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by nudnk

Here is a question for Indian Trail dwellers:

We currently live in north west Jersey and will be moving to Indian Trail (Fieldstone Farms to be specific) in August. Up here we have a wide range of pesky critters in our backyard, skunks, racoons, groundhogs, copperheads, and black bears ranging in size from cubs to probably around 600 lbs.
I couldn't care less about the small critters. What I'm really interested in is if there is a black bear infestation like there is around here.
Those bruins are pretty skittish, but menacing none the less. If anyone wants to hear close encounter stories with those big ones, I have several.
My kids are looking forward to being able to sleep in the backyard in a tent, which we won't allow now.
Any worries?

Your bear situation is really bad. I'm sure you can't wait to get out of there. I don't think the state legislature will do anything until a bear walks into the state assembly. I plan to be in Charlotte long before that happens.

[md to nc]

I currently live right next to FF and cball is correct. We have squirrels and lots of dogs but that is it. Also ducks but other than that the only bear I have seen around is my hubby at times.

[nudnk]

I didn't figure there would be down there, but then having grown up in NJ I never thought I'd see bears in my back yard.
One of the maniac activists in the next developement has just gotten herself arrested for feeding them. Because of her they have had problems with bears getting into houses. One guy last month came home from work and shot one in the behind in his kitchen, didn't kill it though.
The sad thing is the activist group is going after him for discharging a weapon in a residential neighborhood and shooting an endangered species.
People are crazy around here. The state division of wild life re-introduced a pair of mating puma's not 5 miles from here. They kept it quiet, but why they would re-introduce a top preditor in the most densely populated state escapes me. God forbid one of those things snatches a kid.
I can't wait to trade this lunacy for squirrels and the occasional bunny.

[DavesJeep]

WOW

You must look at this area like its the west Virginia mountains, and were like the Clampets.

No bears, probly won't see coons, or ground hogs. Snakes are possible, but not likely unless your walking through the woods or in creeks. You can see bambi and thumper on occasion.

You'll have problems with bugs down here compared to up north. If critters do come into your yard plant moth balls under the soil around the perimeter of the yard and that will keep most animals with acute sense of smell out of your way.

I recommend the Weddington area rather than Indian Trail. Indian Trail in the wrong side of the tracks sorta speak, and Weddington would be the right side. Or Waxhaw if Weddington is to pricey.

[DavesJeep]

Originally Posted by nudnk

I didn't figure there would be down there, but then having grown up in NJ I never thought I'd see bears in my back yard.
One of the maniac activists in the next developement has just gotten herself arrested for feeding them. Because of her they have had problems with bears getting into houses. One guy last month came home from work and shot one in the behind in his kitchen, didn't kill it though.
The sad thing is the activist group is going after him for discharging a weapon in a residential neighborhood and shooting an endangered species.
People are crazy around here. The state division of wild life re-introduced a pair of mating puma's not 5 miles from here. They kept it quiet, but why they would re-introduce a top preditor in the most densely populated state escapes me. God forbid one of those things snatches a kid.
I can't wait to trade this lunacy for squirrels and the occasional bunny.

Thats just insane. We could do with out all man eating creatures. And they will all go extinct one day because we have replaced them with human population.

What if every extinct creature was still roaming the earth? We'd be shooting T-Rex in our back yards instead of little black bears. And terradactals would be stealing out kids from playgrounds.

As the human race grows in population, where are we supposed to go? Should we just stop reproducing?

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by DavesJeep

WOW

You must look at this area like its the west Virginia mountains, and were like the Clampets.

No bears, probly won't see coons, or ground hogs. Snakes are possible, but not likely unless your walking through the woods or in creeks. You can see bambi and thumper on occasion.

You'll have problems with bugs down here compared to up north. If critters do come into your yard plant moth balls under the soil around the perimeter of the yard and that will keep most animals with acute sense of smell out of your way.

I recommend the Weddington area rather than Indian Trail. Indian Trail in the wrong side of the tracks sorta speak, and Weddington would be the right side. Or Waxhaw if Weddington is to pricey.

You took him all wong. I'm also in Jersey, looking to move to the Charlotte area. Bears are a huge problem on both sides of the Delaware & not really being addressed by either state. Black bears have shown up in people's yards in PA suburbs of Philly within about 30 miles or less of Center City (The downtown district of Philly.)

I'm 10 miles from Center City Philly, so more urban than he is. Raccoons & possums are regular visitors to my yard. Bambi's been here too. I've had to brake for deer in Fairmont Park in the City of Philadelphia. There have been Cougar sightings in South Jersey, the PA suburbs of Philadelphia & even northern Delaware. (video-taped sightings, shown on the local newscasts.)

I had the same question in my mind, he just beat me to asking. It's not an insult to you or anyone else in NC, native or transplant. We are in the most densely populated state. If we are living with wildlife, we have to wonder if it would be the same in a less densely populated area.

[ssd3]

I love seeing the occasional bear in my yard in Hunterdon County NJ. We have a lot of bear in my neck of the woods so far no problems just don't feed them. I'm more worried about the amount of criminals in Charlotte and the surrounding areas that I will encounter when we finally move there.