This really isn’t funny. Being killed by a bear is no fun, and it’s only because the enviro-wackos have been encouraging the growth and even reintroduction of formerly vanished predators to inhabited areas that this is happening.
There have been predator killings not only in remote national parks now, but in heavily inhabited areas. Bears, mountain lions and even wolves have been permitted to return to these areas.
Bears have always been a problem when people move into their territory. Worked for three summers in a NW national park during college years. I remember tourists getting out of cars to feed bears which would actually walk on two legs to people giving out goodies. Situation was more than park rangers could handle. One incident happened at the campground when a camper was yelling at some cubs snitching food to get off the picnic table. The foolish camper went so far as to chase the cubs down the hill into the heavy wooded area. Not a good idea at night. Mama bear was waiting off the path an took a swipe at the guy. The guys WWII leather flight jacket was shredded as was his chest. As I recall the guy was lucky that people were following him and they picked him up right away and took him 10 +or- miles to an Indian reservation medical facility. I have worked in the woods putting up phone lines and always saw bears but gave them plenty of territory for hunting food.
And the bans on hunting many of these predators (especially mountain lions) has allowed them to become habituated to humans (i.e.; losing their fear of man).
“Bears, mountain lions and even wolves have been permitted to return to these areas.”
I have been told by very credible sources that NY is getting paid by NJ to relocate their ‘problem’ bears.
My biggest concern is that they are releasing some of them practically in our backyard! We are very remote and our property borders a 2000 acre section of state land. We have had bears in our gardens 100 ft. from the house, as well as directly on our back deck no more than 5 ft. from our picture window.
Believe me, it’s a shock to hear a noise outside and open the curtains only to look directly into the eyes of a 400 lb. black bear bending a 1” heavy steel pipe (not a tent pole) like it was made of plastic just to get to our bird-feeder.
I’ve had numerous encounters with bears during a lifetime of working (logging in the northwest) and living in the woods. Generally, they were timid and split when yelled at. These NJ bears seem to have an attitude and being scared of humans is not one of their traits.
I remember when the baby was taken off the porch during a mid-day family gathering in the Catskills. That’s bold!
Mrs. panax spends a lot of time in her gardens this time of year and I will shoot, without hesitation, if I see one while she’s out there. Guess I’ll have to deal with the authorities later IF they find out about it before my neighbor and his backhoe get here.