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Yes, I stopped at a little Restaurant in Corona and ordered a Cheeseburger with Fries to eat out in the Mountains. After i ate in my pickup out there i went for a Walk behind my pickup up a hill. I saw this Bear way off in the Distance coming towards me at a fast speed and i started walking back towards my pickup but before i knew it he was right there. I tried to get between a boulder and him and put my arms over my head but every time i would put my arms over my Head he would get on his hind feet and raise his hands like if we were both playing Simon Says. I picked up this 10 lb rock i figured i would Smash it into his Head if he came at me but i decided to throw it over the Boulder and let out a Loud GRRRR at the Bear and He Turned i dont know if the Rock Scared him or the Grrr but as he turned away i Calmly Flew Back to my Pickup. Anyway i think he could smell that Cheeseburger from Miles away while i was eating in my pickup. I took pics of him from real Far away as i was leaving through my Pickup window but he didnt leave he stayed in the Same area there. Maybe ill wait till the Bear Dies of Old Age before i go back to that Area. He Was Reddish Brown and probably like a 300 lb bear. It was about 2 miles north of Corona. Im actually Glad i didnt have my Dagger or Walking Stick because i might have Actually have Tried to See if i could Defend myself like Daniel Boone. So Sometimes no Defense is better then a Dagger or maybe even a pistol if your Afraid to shoot it. TIP ... The Personality of todays Wild Animals who live among Humans is not like the Wild Animals of 50 years ago we need to Warn people of the Danger and how to protect themselves. Because soon our Woods will become like Jaws in the Ocean if we dont Prepare and train people. Even the Best of Hunters in the woods can be eaten by a Hungry Bear around a campfire while hes cooking a Burger. Ive spent a lifetime in the Mountains and Mesas of N.M. and probably killed more Deer and Animals then most any human alive but i quit hunting over 20 years ago and cant even shoot a rabbit anymore. Before it was a Survival thing. About the only varmint i kill now is Rattlesnakes. And they serve their Purpose for all my Remedios. pintada kid at webtv.net
I was just thinking about some tshirts I saw back several years ago and I can't remember who came up with them but instead of the people killing deer, it was the deer with the guns killing people. Pretty funny.
I'm thinking if you have these hunters sitting around eating cheeseburgers or whatever, waiting to kill a helpless animal, they deserve what they get. ON the other hand, if it's self defense, then you gotta do what you gotta do.
If I'm hiking and I come across a wild animal, first I will wet my pants. Hopefully, he/she will not attack me but if they do, I'll do everything in my power to defend myself.
Interesting thread, thought i'd add my 2 cents worth. While its true bears seldom will attack a person, there are some extenuating circumstances. The mother/cub situation has already been mentioned, as well as the scents. Open food containers, smelly trash around your camp all qualify as instigators, but theres also the weather.
During long periods of drought IE periods of dry long enough and hard enough to purge water tanks tend to make the bears move to more people frequented areas. People like water too. Then add in the drought making forage fare harder to come by and the bears are more likely to cause trouble simply due to hunger. If its an especially bad year, the bears (for example) on the sandias will come down in among the houses and have to be transported out. This year, shouldn't be a problem.
Despite all this the chances of being attacked by a bear are slim. There have been boyscout attacks here and there (no deaths) and that one woman who was killed in 2000 (if I recall what I read correctly) so I wouldn't be spending all of my time obsessing about bears. The old rule to pay attention to your surroundings is most likely sufficient, and heck, might help you see new things, avoid getting lost and have an enjoyable time.
On the subject of dangerous wildlife, the last 2 years have in my opinion, had a dramatically increased number of rattlesnakes around, at least in my area (T or C is my stomping grounds at the moment) Dad got bit a little over a year ago in the yard here, we've spent most of our lives in NM, and are pretty vigilant when it comes to looking for snakes, but he got nailed anyway. About 3 weeks ago in El Paso, a nest of 8 was found under a load of lumber. My friend who traipses all over the state constantly has seen more in the past 2 years than he had in his entire life prior.
Getting mauled by a bear sounds scary, but I'd rather be out in the woods with bears than in a field with rattlesnakes. The bite is bad, and so is the treatment, and many people never fully get over the bite. My dads still having problems, and he got help FAST.
On the whole hunting issue, not sure what to say. I have hunted, but don't anymore for various reasons. In my view, the only way to speak of this whole matter with clean hands is to be a vegan. Otherwise there is no difference. In order for a person to have that steak/hamburger/chop/roast, something had to die.
To all you Vegans, I salute you! To everyone else, eat, drink and be merry.
He Was Reddish Brown and probably like a 300 lb bear. It was about 2 miles north of Corona.
A reddish brown black bear? I think all the ones I've seen were black... and I've seen a lot of them. Couldn't have been a grizzly... are there any other possibilities? The black bears in my experience always run away as soon as they know I'm there.
Seen one mountain lion. I was sitting outside meditating in the evening and it walked into the clearing about 50 ft away. It stopped and looked at me for a moment, then sauntered on. This was in the wilderness... not near town.
The most dangerous animal in NM (outside of humans and dogs... and around here, deer) is the rattlesnake IMO. Those are just about everywhere.
The American black bear is the smallest of the three bears species found in North America, and are found only in North America. Black bears have short, non-retractable claws that give them an excellent tree-climbing ability.
Black bear fur is usually a uniform color except for a brown muzzle and light markings that sometimes appear on their chests. Eastern populations are usually black in color while western populations often show brown, cinnamon, and blond coloration in addition to black.
There are also Brown Bears in the US, but they're closer related to grizzlies or kodiaks. The brown looking bears are still Black Bears.
A reddish brown black bear? I think all the ones I've seen were black... and I've seen a lot of them. Couldn't have been a grizzly... are there any other possibilities? The black bears in my experience always run away as soon as they know I'm there.
The most common are black but they come in different color phases like cinnomon, brown and blond.
The mexican grizzly was eraticated in the SW in the 20's,30's and 40's. I belive the last one was killed in AZ sometime in the mid 40's.
I would probably freeze with the gun in my hand while wetting my pants and then again I may surprise everyone and shoot. LOL
I do have walking sticks but seldom use them. I forget to bring them along.
You wouldn't be freaked out by using a gun if you just got used to it a little. You might even find you enjoy it at a pistol range. Just don't get one with too much recoil. A long barrel makes a world of difference, besides making the gun more accurate and giving it more muzzle velocity. A .357 Magnum would be my choice, because you can use .38 Special ammo in it for target shooting and just plinking around (low recoil), and use .357 Magnum ammo in it for serious business. I have one with an 8-inch barrel that doesn't kick too hard even with the .357 ammo, and very little with .38 Special.
Some Guns like the 9 mm are so Loud that if you fire it enough you better wear ear plugs. I prefer an Accurate 22 L.R. single or double action. But a Small gun thats light to Carry and Accurate and not too Noisy is what i would look for in a Pistol. Years ago the State Police and other Cops in N.M. gave up their 357 which are 38s. and got Automatic Weapons which i thought was a big Mistake to me the other Single Action weapons are more Accurate and not as Dangerous or Loud. pintada kid at webtv.net
.....A .357 Magnum would be my choice, because you can use .38 Special ammo in it for target shooting and just plinking around (low recoil), and use .357 Magnum ammo in it for serious business.....
Yep......I've had a Wesson .357/.38 by my bed for 20 years. One of these days I'll get my permit to carry concealed, too.
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Another thing to note
