Bears, is it just me? (Henderson: apartment, home, neighborhood)

[slaz]

Is it just me or does anyone else find it ridiculous that when a bear is spotted in a neighborhood where the city is pushing into the wilderness people start to complain and want it shot? So it's an animal but we moved into their home and probably so we could be closer to nature. When I lived in OR it was cougar that everyone was worried about. You are more likely to die in a car crash or get shot by a person than get killed by a wild animal.

If you don't like nature and don't want bears, live in the city!

[the Parkies]

Agreed, slaz. People are the problem, not the bears. Our community has the reverse problem of those who want bears shot: Our people like the bears and in the past have left food out for them, sometimes deliberately to encourage them. As a result, one bear walked across a rooftop recently and freaked out the neighbors. Another woman, recently, left her garage door open just enough for her cat to get in and out. A bear and two cubs came by. The cubs squeezed into the garage and ate the cat food. Imagine walking into your garage to find a cub or two there.

Enough of this, and eventually bears lose their fear of people. Eventually someone gets hurt. We call the Park Service and then (and only then) they come to take away the bears. Who loses? All of us.

Our community tries to educate its members to co-habitate with wildlife, respect it, protect it, and don't feed it--especially avoid bird feeders and koi ponds. Put garbage cans out just before pick-up, not overnight. Keep bears wild if we don't want Yosemite's problems!

[BadTiger64]

Amen to that.

Last Friday night we had a bear walking around on our picnic table about 3:30 in the morning. Our goldens barked and it left causing no damage. This is the time of year that sows kick out last years cubs and the have to fend for themselves. They are hungry and don't know where to go or what to do. We don't make a habit of leaving any food out to encourage them to come to our place. We had however grilled out on our grill that evening and I suppose that is what drew the bear to our place. We are near the SC state line and 33,000 acres of SC wildlife property and they gravitate up the mountains in the spring and summer to escape the heat I think.

In this day and time its a treat to see a bear in the wild, for the life of me I can't see wanting the bears removed when we move into their habitat to start with.

BadTiger

BadTiger

[gigimac]

Yup, on the local Channel 13 news yesterday, they showed some video shot by a fellow from his roof. A mama bear and her cubs wandered around at the edge of his property, he was most tolerant of the situation and wanted to share his love for the animals that show up in various yards, with no harm done. I agree with Bad Tiger, we gotta be nice to our "neighbors."

[IntoTheMystic]

Shot because it "might" hurt his dog, which was pure bs because the bear would not have initiated a confrontation with the dog. I love my dog, but don't think his life has more value than an animal who is in balance with it's environment. Less, really.

The irony is the bear was "in his yard" but when all was said and done, the bear was far enough into the woods that they didn't remove the body.

If it moves, shoot it

[mm34b]

This is one from a few weeks ago in my area of Henderson County.

Times-News Video

Official says shooting of bear was justifiable | Serving Henderson, Transylvania and Polk Counties | North Carolina | BlueRidgeNow.com

[BadTiger64]

I agree that dude just wanted to shoot a bear to look like the great white hunter protecting his property. I hoped the wildlife people would nail him. But I guess not.

BadTiger

[VonMisesDisciple]

Originally Posted by BadTiger64

I agree that dude just wanted to shoot a bear to look like the great white hunter protecting his property. I hoped the wildlife people would nail him. But I guess not.

BadTiger

C'mon, a RIFLE SHOT doesn't scare a bear? Maybe the guy really was afraid~~I have never confronted a bear, so I don't know how terrifying the situation may be. At least he finished it off.

[Asheville Native]

People can loose all sense of reason at the sight of a bear. I am a volunteer firefighter, and several years ago we got a call about an "explosion in a bedroom".

We responded, and what we found was that the neighbor in an adjacent apartment looked out his window and saw a bear at the trash can. His utter fear caused him to grab his loaded shotgun, which he discharged through the wall into the bedroom of his neighbor. The blast, combined with the smell, and a huge amount of drywall dust filled the adjacent room, causing the occupant to believe something had exploded, and called 911.

[SunnyKayak]

Originally Posted by slaz

Is it just me or does anyone else find it ridiculous that when a bear is spotted in a neighborhood where the city is pushing into the wilderness people start to complain and want it shot?

Same argument was made by the Cherokee when the white man started to push into their wilderness.