Got Bears?

Old Greenhorn · May 26, 2023, 01:40:55 PM

Well I was just out splitting wood and came in the de-sweat for a few minutes. I had the side door open and just the screen door to keep the cats in. My one cat was sitting there enjoying the breeze and sunshine as I was reading on the forum. Suddenly she was looking toward the back yard and started that low growl. She never does that for small critters like birds or chipmunks, usually it's a real threat (to her). I figured a dog was wandering through the yard or a person came to visit (Bill likes to sneak up and she will growl at him). Turned out it was a bear in the middle of the backyard. Sorry no photos. I wanted to remind him he was trespassing and sent him packing. I saw his rump go over the hill headed WNW and into the deeper woods.
Middle of the day, kind of weird. He looked to be 1-2 years old, so probably looking for his own territory and food sources after mamma sent him packing.

SwampDonkey · May 28, 2023, 04:05:54 PM

Yep, been one here coming into the neighbors field for old corn stubble once in a while. Up at the woodlot there are a couple, they climb trees a lot. I call them monkey bears. Young oaks get destroyed up there when they start producing nuts.

sawguy21 · May 28, 2023, 04:27:52 PM

This morning there was report of a brown bear crossing the street at the edge of town. More likely a black, they are quite common here.

sprucebunny · May 28, 2023, 04:28:23 PM

I saw a 150 ? pounder at noontime today on the dirt road here. It looked at me and then bounced off into the woods.

Don P · May 28, 2023, 04:59:28 PM

I've heard of several daytime bears here this week and a trooper said they have had several reports this weekend as well. So here, the locust just started blooming and my partner has two fresh fawns in his orchard. Deer control, need more bears in the woods.

barbender · May 28, 2023, 05:15:50 PM

There just starting to get some natural food sources going here, so the bears cause a few problems looking for other food until that happens.

Southside · May 28, 2023, 06:33:34 PM

I used to see a lot of bears during the day in the spring when I was up in the woods all the time. They have to put on a lot of weight and there is plenty to eat now.

Old Greenhorn · May 28, 2023, 06:56:00 PM

Yeah, they are always moving this time of year. Turns out one of the neighbors driving by happened to catch the bear in a phot just before it went into our back yard.

Not too worried about these guys as much as that ground hog that set up a condo under my shed. Anybody know good bait for those to get him in my live trap? 2 years is long enough.

WV Sawmiller · May 28, 2023, 07:26:01 PM

Tom.

I'd try apple.

bags · May 28, 2023, 07:29:08 PM

Celery works fairly well --- make sure ya cover the floor of your cage with dirt--- if all else fails, peanut butter

thecfarm · May 28, 2023, 09:19:11 PM

Broccoli plants work well.
There was one at the hardware store I use to work at. It dug a hole in the banking. I wanted to get rid of it, but my boss was much smarter then me. He told me, Ain't bothering me any!! Bothered him the next year when it chewed off all the borollic plants in the green house. ;D
Wanted to say, Bothering you now ain't it. I knew what was going to happen. ;)

Ron Scott · May 28, 2023, 09:51:03 PM

10:00 pm Visitors

Old Greenhorn · May 28, 2023, 10:30:09 PM

Gee, aren't they cute? Did you get some snuggle time with them? :D :D ;D

Ron Scott · May 28, 2023, 11:11:00 PM

No. Mama was nearby. ;)

Southside · May 28, 2023, 11:24:23 PM

As far as the groundhogs go we let them be. It's been a few generations now and they are actually quite tame. They live around the mill shed, under the kiln, etc and have names as such. Chuck Norris is pretty short, has red hair, and comes into the mill shed then proceeds onto "the stage" area as we call it, and will eat any peanut butter that is left in the 5 gallon pails from mixing chicken feed. The other day I was running the pelletizer and here he comes, walks between me and the controls for the 70, maybe 5 feet away, and doesn't have a care in the world. On any given day we may see four or five around, multiple times a day, their cuteness factor far outweighs any inconvenience they may cause.

Old Greenhorn · May 29, 2023, 06:03:01 AM

Quote from: Southside on May 28, 2023, 11:24:23 PM
As far as the groundhogs go we let them be. ,,,,,,,,

Well I usually tolerate all the critters as best I can but this guy is leaving me no choice. He has destroyed my garden 2 years running now. That's al I can stands and I can't stands no more. >:(

Don P · May 29, 2023, 08:12:08 AM

The equipment shed on a nearby farm that we are beginning work on has been a groundhog saga. About 5 years ago I thought we had forked up and collapsed the compound. Ha! They are in the last 2 bays of a 4 bay shed and as usual it seems, they have undermined the footings. I don't know if they sense more protection being "under" something that seems like a big rock. After we failed to remove them, they returned and reestablished the compound, then a fox moved in. It was active with groundhogs and young ones the other day when we were cleaning up and getting ready. The new pup was shoulder deep and sounding off clear to their other exit hole, rockin the casbah :D. If the buildings are temporary or easily r&r'ed... nah, not even then. I do have a big footprint and I don't want him under it, or my footprint only grows. In the garden voles are our big bears but I have set a trap with peanut butter for a couple that were getting into the garden in the last few years. The new pup looks like he'll cure that.

KEC · May 29, 2023, 11:55:35 AM

OG, This time of year woodchucks have so much greenery to eat that bait may not work well. Just after dark, put your cage trap so that the chuck will walk into it when he comes out of his hole. Then block off around the trap so he can't go around it. If you have a double door trap and the chuck is walking through a narrow alley, just put the trap in his line of travel and block around it. He'll walk right in.

barbender · May 29, 2023, 12:18:27 PM

I had one around the place I thought was cute. Then I discovered it dug up about a yard of gravel from under the concrete floor of my shed🤬

Southside · May 29, 2023, 01:27:53 PM

See, that's the difference. Y'all are fancy with nice things and such. :D

SwampDonkey · May 29, 2023, 02:28:05 PM

Quote from: Southside on May 28, 2023, 11:24:23 PM
As far as the groundhogs go we let them be.

This place is ground hog heaven. A hole about every 20 feet where there is canopy and brush. :D
I fence the garden. ;D I set an old tomato plant out last spring from the grow tent and it had 3 ripe ones left on it. One of the babies come from under the wood pile and plucked one as I watched. It or sibling later took the others. Had 4 last year. Almost like something staged on a Walt Disney show. :D I throw old plants over by the burrow where she had her babies and she comes out and strips anything green. ;) It's not long that the babies disperse, usually July sometime and I don't see them anymore.

Don P · May 30, 2023, 07:32:21 AM

Well, that's why we can't have nice things :D.

I looked up and this guy was staring across the shop at me

RetiredTech · May 30, 2023, 07:43:02 AM

Just goes to show, They're everywhere.

Old Greenhorn · September 09, 2024, 08:48:43 PM

Well, it's getting more and more regular. A couple of days ago I ground bear poop under our bird feeder (20' off the ground). This evening after dinner I was sitting here reading the forum and the side motion light came on so I got up and checked as a bear walked right past me between the garage and the house (a 15' slot). An adolescent bear and of course they are out looking for their own territories after Mom kicks them out. I gave him a gruff holler and he took off a little faster. I have to be vigilant these days when I walk out the door in the dark until this bear finds his place.

It's getting a little annoying.