bear harassment
- East Side Hiker
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Re: bear harassment
I have worked with Red-legged frogs for many years. Certainly, they are not in the same habitat as yellow-legged frogs, but one gets a sense of a frog when they work with them.
It is hard for me to believe that bears have any long-term impact on yellow-legged frogs. Bears may have an impact on white bark pines, but not frogs. Bears need nutrients and protein, and they can't be spending energy pawing around for frogs to get that.
The frogs decline was from water pollution, and could originally have been initiated by livestock grazing. But the frogs are coming back, and I've seen a few healthy populations, particularly in the Carson Pass area.
It is hard for me to believe that bears have any long-term impact on yellow-legged frogs. Bears may have an impact on white bark pines, but not frogs. Bears need nutrients and protein, and they can't be spending energy pawing around for frogs to get that.
The frogs decline was from water pollution, and could originally have been initiated by livestock grazing. But the frogs are coming back, and I've seen a few healthy populations, particularly in the Carson Pass area.
- lambertiana
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Re: bear harassment
I wonder if bears head up to Wanda Lake or the small ponds in upper LeConte just below Helen Lake. There are plenty of frogs at both those locations.
- bob adams
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Mitre Basin Mountain Lions and California Bighorns
Not related to bears but in 2001 while camping at Lower Soldier Lake several of our party took a day hike in the direction of the Mitre Basin. Under a rock overhang one of the party (a 13 year old teenager) found the skull cap of a California Bighorn with 4-inch horns attached. You could clearly see where the incisors of a mountain lion had punched holes around the perimeter of the cap. This was a very fresh kill as the dried blood was bright crimson. I say it was a mountain lion as I don't think a bear could have caught a Bighorn. Then again a bear could have come upon the carcass and fed off of it.
- East Side Hiker
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Re: bear harassment
Mtn lion kills are very easy to ID, because of the way they feed. They go for the organs that are surrounded by the rib cage. So, they bite through the ribs, leaving an obvious trace. They don't care about the head, though that may be the place they initially bring down the prey (actually the neck, usually).
- hikerduane
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Re: bear harassment
Catching up on stuff here. I have more bear scat in my yard than I ever see on bp trips. Even in the Winds this Summer, saw a little there, but no bears. I believe they shot three bears where I live for getting into garbage too much. My dog fostering neighbor never figured out the association between the peanut butter jar in the bird feeder attracting raccoons and bears.
Piece of cake.
- windknot
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Re: bear harassment
I saw one bear this year over the course of about 250 miles hiked, at the Ranger Lakes in Kings Canyon in late June. According to the ranger at the Visitor Center, I was the first backpacker into that area (and no previous tracks in the snow confirmed this), so I'm pretty sure this was just a bear who wasn't expecting to find any humans up there that early.
- oldranger
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Re: bear harassment
Windknot
That is really interesting. 12 years ago I did a June trip to Ranger Lakes area with one of my daughters and saw a bear walking across the snowbank that I had our fish buried in. Left them alone, too. In all my years (80's) as a BC ranger in the area I never saw a bear around the lakes in June. Now August when there were lots of people in the area was another story.
Mike
That is really interesting. 12 years ago I did a June trip to Ranger Lakes area with one of my daughters and saw a bear walking across the snowbank that I had our fish buried in. Left them alone, too. In all my years (80's) as a BC ranger in the area I never saw a bear around the lakes in June. Now August when there were lots of people in the area was another story.
Mike
Mike
Who can't do everything he used to and what he can do takes a hell of a lot longer!
Who can't do everything he used to and what he can do takes a hell of a lot longer!
- Bad Man From Bodie
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Re: bear harassment
Grrrr.....Bear populations in California are on the upswing. I recently spoke with a bear biologist in the Tahoe Basin who said there are more bears per square mile in this region than anywhere else in the lower 48. Bears are like people in my opinion. Some are real a-holes and some are cool. Like people they like to explore (mainly driven by possible food sources). So if you see a bear at elevation, its likely they are following the green grass, after rodents, someone’s backpack, or just traveling. Bears will congregate where there is a reliable food source and that is why I think we see less in the wilderness and more around places like Tahoe. I see several bears a year in the Sierra. Only (1) this year crossing the highway. Most bears I see around town tho. Take a place like Mammoth Lakes, lots of bears around that town. So, I dont think its a shortage of bears, just they changed their habits.
My experience with harassment....... comes for three reasons. 1) The bear feels threatened (i.e. you get too close to a sows cubs, you corner a bear, or surprise a bear). 2) The bear is use to you feeding them and is dependent on it (bear may get pissed if you stop feeding and bite you or break into your house). 3) You have a bad attitude bear (could be a teenage bear or grumpy old bear). The bad attitude bear usually will include your predatory attacks. In California we have very few predatory attacks by bears. Many more predatory attacks come from Mt. Lions. That being said, I am never worried about cats and do practice bear etiquette when roaming around, even more so if you have a town bear. If you are worried about bears keep a dog around! Dogs are your best defense against bears. Bears hate dogs and dogs hate bears!
- rlown
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Re: bear harassment
A friend of mine caught this pic during the Koke spawn in ~Sept at Taylor Creek near Lk Tahoe.
Not sure if i'd want to be that close to a bear holding a fish in his mouth.
This is what they were after:
He had his Golden Retriever with him, but given the situation, he put him back in the truck. Granted, this is a different situation from what we see in the back country. Not sure if i'd want to be that close to a bear holding a fish in his mouth.
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- Bad Man From Bodie
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Re: bear harassment
Cool pics Russ! Those lil Kokes are impressive. Funny....another “unnatural" food source for Sierra Bears. Although, I don’t think a bear considers if his food is organic and indigenous to the area which he lives. At I haven’t seen any at Trader Joes lately.
A note on bear canisters etc. Although they are required in most wilderness areas……mark my words, at some point there will be a generation of bears that figures those darn contraptions out.
A note on bear canisters etc. Although they are required in most wilderness areas……mark my words, at some point there will be a generation of bears that figures those darn contraptions out.
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