bears
So I'm volunteering as a camp host at a Forest Service campground this month, and we're having bear problems. The thing is, you only have bear problems if the bears lose their fear of humans and learn...
Forum Discussion
We were lucky while hosting at Big Bend NP last year at this time.
The bears did not know how to recognize coolers and people food containers so putting the food inside a locked vehicle was good enough. And the bears are relatively small. The biggest one in the park was only about 400-450 lbs.
We would pick up any coolers and food items people left out and put them in bear boxes. If the campsite bear box was full - we would put them in an empty one nearby. One night I had so many I had to drive to the fire station and lock them inside.
Folks would get upset, but I'd just say - "Sorry - the rule is clearly posted" Some folks complained that Yeti coolers were approved by NPS. My very specific orders from my supervisor was they were not allowed out because other folks could not tell the difference.
I'd offer to call a Law Enforcement Ranger if folks wanted to discuss it further. No one did.
I did not hesitate to call a LE Ranger if folks would not comply.
They got a paintball gun for the bears, but didn't use it. It was funny when they went to the range for familiarization - the young 20 something rangers were very familiar and accurate with them. The older rangers were clueless.
One reason for the paintball gun was to 'mark' problem bears. The paint would identify individual bears, and help them determine if a specific bear needed additional attention or possibly relocation.
Also - paintballs sting pretty well when they hit a person. My son used to come home with some big bruises from paintball contests. The NPS hoped the paintballs would be unpleasant to the bears and encourage them to go elsewhere.
The funniest reaction was one evening when we had a two-year old juvenile in the Lodge parking lot and it wasn't moving. The ranger even drove up to just a few feet from it and honked his horn. No reaction. So he flipped on the siren and strobes. Bear levitated about two feet and took off faster than I've ever seen one run. Unfortunately that trick would work only about twice before that bear learned it wasn't harmful.
The ones I had a big problem with were dog owners. Especially of larger dogs. They argued that their dogs could protect themselves.
I demanded the dogs be put into vehicles.
The paperwork I would have to do if someone's dog got killed, or if the owner got hurt would be huge.
And I'd remind the dog owners that they would be fined if their dog actually inflicted any damage on the bear. (Dog owners are responsible if their dog damages natural resources - i.e. plants, or wild life of any type.)
The bears did not know how to recognize coolers and people food containers so putting the food inside a locked vehicle was good enough. And the bears are relatively small. The biggest one in the park was only about 400-450 lbs.
We would pick up any coolers and food items people left out and put them in bear boxes. If the campsite bear box was full - we would put them in an empty one nearby. One night I had so many I had to drive to the fire station and lock them inside.
Folks would get upset, but I'd just say - "Sorry - the rule is clearly posted" Some folks complained that Yeti coolers were approved by NPS. My very specific orders from my supervisor was they were not allowed out because other folks could not tell the difference.
I'd offer to call a Law Enforcement Ranger if folks wanted to discuss it further. No one did.
I did not hesitate to call a LE Ranger if folks would not comply.
They got a paintball gun for the bears, but didn't use it. It was funny when they went to the range for familiarization - the young 20 something rangers were very familiar and accurate with them. The older rangers were clueless.
One reason for the paintball gun was to 'mark' problem bears. The paint would identify individual bears, and help them determine if a specific bear needed additional attention or possibly relocation.
Also - paintballs sting pretty well when they hit a person. My son used to come home with some big bruises from paintball contests. The NPS hoped the paintballs would be unpleasant to the bears and encourage them to go elsewhere.
The funniest reaction was one evening when we had a two-year old juvenile in the Lodge parking lot and it wasn't moving. The ranger even drove up to just a few feet from it and honked his horn. No reaction. So he flipped on the siren and strobes. Bear levitated about two feet and took off faster than I've ever seen one run. Unfortunately that trick would work only about twice before that bear learned it wasn't harmful.
The ones I had a big problem with were dog owners. Especially of larger dogs. They argued that their dogs could protect themselves.
I demanded the dogs be put into vehicles.
The paperwork I would have to do if someone's dog got killed, or if the owner got hurt would be huge.
And I'd remind the dog owners that they would be fined if their dog actually inflicted any damage on the bear. (Dog owners are responsible if their dog damages natural resources - i.e. plants, or wild life of any type.)
