Why are there so many black bears sightings in Upstate NY lately?

Syracuse ^ | June 14, 2016 | David Figura

[george76]

Black bears here, black bears there – black bears everywhere.

It does seem that way recently as reports of bears roaming Upstate New York appear to be on the rise.

...

this time last year, the DEC's Cortland office received about 10 bear-related calls. This year, there has been 32.

We've reached a point where all of (Upstate New York) is bear habitat.

[UCANSEE2]

If we give the bears free cellphones and foodstamps, this problem will go away.

[immadashell]

Because New Yorkers don’t can't shoot ‘em. There, fixed it.

Repeal the Safe Act.

[Pontiac]

Cicadas

Good Eaten!

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

Tasty steaks!

[llevrok]

Black bears matter

[Jonty30]

Muslims downstate looking for company?

[McGruff]

It’s happening here in Connecticut also.

[elcid1970]

Eat ‘em, and turn ‘em into rugs!

[Daffynition]

[Daffynition]

The take-out is better here

[panaxanax]

There coming in from New Jersey?

You nailed it.

New Jersey is trapping their problem bears and NYS is getting paid to relocate them here upstate.

The problem I have with this is that they are dropping them off less than a mile from our remote year-round residence. Seeing them is not uncommon around these parts. In fact, I came face-to-face with one on our deck last spring while it was destroying yet another bird feeder.

[Vinnie]

Saw 2 short videos this AM on the news.
Both were of black bears in people’s pools having a good ol’ time. Playing with the pool toys, swimming around, Funny.
One was in NJ , west of NYC. the other in Calif.

[McGruff]

Smarter than the average bear he is.

[Vermont Lt]

A mild winter. Not as many died this past year. And now they have Cubs.

[Vaquero]

There season currently is at the same time as deer season. They are taken. It’s a decade back or so when bear populations were thought to be extremely low that there were limited seasons and banned seasons in areas. Well it worked and now the bear take is higher than it ever was in modern times.

As long as they don’t revert back to controlled seasons until the populations drop sufficiently, the population will eventually stabilize at a manageable level.

We shoot bears here

[raybbr]

Global warming?

[Original Lurker]

There’s a rumor a remake of On Golden Ponds is in the works.
This time a bear actually is going to eat two old lesbians.

It’s going to be a snuff version of the original.

[Vaquero]

Heard it will be called.....’On Golden Showers’ and will be direct to video

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

Because he is sick of being asked if a bear sh!ts in the woods.

[kearnyirish2]

We’ve had that problem here (northern NJ, close to the NY border) every so often; unusually dry weather causes a shortage of berries, and they wander into populated areas looking for food.

As they aren’t endangered, I don’t know why they bother relocating them...